The first thing you will need is a Bible. You can find one at the Walmart, Christian Bookstore or anywhere books are sold.
According to the Bible, after a person is saved (born again), he is considered to be a baby spiritually. It has nothing to do with the physical age but to his walk and knowledge of the Word of God. It is the Lord’s purpose – even a command – that every born again person should “desire the sincere milk of the Word.” 1 Peter 2:2. For by the Word of God is spiritual growth possible. In the natural world, the diet must be matched with the baby’s ability to digest and assimilate the food. Even so, in the spiritual world, the food must meet the needs of the new life of a believer. That food is found in the Word of God and nowhere else.
There are a number of words in the Bible that tell us what God expects of us. The first word is found in 1 Peter 2:2, “As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the Word, that they may grow thereby.” The first word is DESIRE. The thought is that it is longed for, even as a new baby desires milk as it’s natural food. The “milk of the Word” is the gospel story, the good news that led us to Christ for salvation.
The second word is found in that same verse. It is the word, GROW. In nature, if a living object did not grow but remained a seedling, we would call it “dwarf’ or “stunted”. It would be contrary to what it was designed for. There should be growth in the Christian life, and that comes from the Word of God. Growth in our spiritual life must be attained and sustained. Since the Word of God was given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, God chooses to help us grow by it.
The third word is found in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth.” It’s the word, STUDY. Study takes time, patience and hard work on the part of the student. Paul uses the word here in Timothy as a command as if he is saying, “You study”. In the book of Proverbs, five words are given in chapter 2:1 – 5. Each is a descriptive word of action and requires effort on the part of the student. God has ordained STUDY as His way to give His child spiritual truth, which will help him grow spiritually.
There is a fourth word, found in 1 Corinthians 2:9 – 10; “…Eye bath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God bath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God.” Here God tells us how we may know spiritual TRUTH as we read His Word. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to open our understanding to God’s Word. He will do this, if we ask Him. He is our Teacher (John 14:26). The presence of the Holy Spirit in us makes it possible for the weakest of God’s children to understand the Bible. God wants us to KNOW His purposes as it relates to man, and for this reason He has given us the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:9 – 10 is our key to understanding God’s Word.
No doubt you will be wondering just how to study God’s Word. One way is by continuing to do the Bible correspondence courses. The following are some suggestions to follow in developing your own study habits:
Always begin with prayer to give you understanding.
- Start with a New Testament book of the Bible like the book of John.
- Read a chapter each day and make a list of all the people, places, objects, and events in the chapter. Look in a Bible concordance for any additional description of what you might not understand.
- Be sure you understand the background of the event and the setting of the event before you begin to draw any conclusions. What is the main theme, who is speaking, who is being addressed, when was this spoken?
- Use your sanctified common sense when you read the chapter and look for the plain and primary meaning of the passage. For example, the passage may say, “Love your neighbor as thyself.” The Lord may lay on your heart, a way to do that, such as sharing some homemade food or give a helping hand.
If you do not understand the passage, seek out a godly pastor or Christian friend to help you.