You Need to Know the Bible Well.
Dear COAH,
The Bible says, "So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17). Over the years, our church (in KM) has offered several Old Testament and New Testament navigation courses through Young Nak Bible College. In the past few years, the "Oh, I Get the Bible" course has helped many of us understand the big picture of the Bible. It's beneficial to read an introduction to the Bible like this or a book that gives you a general idea of the flow of the Bible rather than just reading through it.
After some introductory help, it's essential to identify the theme that runs through Genesis to Revelation. The theme of the Bible is God's work, or mission, to save and restore fallen humanity and ruined creation. The Bible organizes this theme into the mountain peaks of creation-fall-redemption-recreation. We must understand this big narrative encompassing the Bible and then study the important books individually. Eventually, our goal is to read and learn all 66 books of the Bible. But, for now, we start with the books of Genesis, Exodus, 1 and 2 Samuel, Psalms, and Isaiah in the Old Testament. I also strongly recommend that we take the time to study the Gospels, Acts, Romans, Ephesians, and Revelation in the New Testament. Let me explain why I picked these books.
In Genesis, we see God's creation, man's fall, and God's plan for salvation through Abraham and his family. In Exodus, we see God's divine purpose in choosing Israel to be His people and entering into a covenantal relationship with them. 1 and 2 Samuel covers the reigns of Saul and David and explains how God, the true King, leads God's people. In the Psalms, we encounter the spirituality of the psalmists, especially David, who sought God amidst suffering. In the book of Isaiah, we learn about the future Messiah, the Suffering Servant.
Through the four Gospels, we learn about Jesus's life, teachings, crucifixion, and resurrection. John's Gospel is an essential reading for beginners to learn about Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life. The book of Acts tells how the early church, empowered by the Holy Spirit, embraced the Gospel. It narrates how the apostle Paul traveled great distances and boldly preached the Gospel. Romans systematically addresses what the Gospel is. Ephesians teaches what kind of community the church, the body of Christ, should be. Revelation shows us what the faithfulness of the saints toward the end should look like, showing us to have hope right to the end.
Please read and study one or two books a year intensively. Think about how each book fits into the grand narrative of the Bible. I pray that you will be diligent in getting to know the Bible.
Blessings,
Pastor Minho Song