What a new christian should read first?

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Murf
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What a new christian should read first?

Post by Murf » Mon Nov 23, 2009 4:02 pm

I know I have seen a thread on advice a new christian should read first in the bible. But I can't seem to find it. Every word I type in the the search field is too common and ignored. Can anyone point me to the thread or re-advise?

My 77 year old father is thinking about reading the Bible, which is an answer to a lot of prayer. He has been angry at God for taking his mother when he was 11 years old. But lately he has been re-thinking a lot of things. We talk a lot about how the things he thinks science has "proved" aren't really "proofs". He just can't bring himself to accept everything was created by nothing from nothing, so I have suggested maybe something created everything.

He already started on Genesis so I told him to read the first 3 chapters then move to the new testament. Here is what I'm thinking of advising him:
1st Cor 13
Mark
John (Gospel)

I'm thinking that Love & Forgiveness could be big topics for him. I'm trying to think of ways to demonstrate God's love even though he has seen much pain in the world.

tim

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TK
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Re: What a new christian should read first?

Post by TK » Mon Nov 23, 2009 7:47 pm

i think your suggestions are good ones.

I always like to recommend Luke followed by Acts, since they kind of flow together.

But mark is a fast moving gospel account and a good overview of who Jesus was and what He said and did.

TK

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Suzana
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Re: What a new christian should read first?

Post by Suzana » Mon Nov 23, 2009 9:03 pm

Hi Murf,

I had a bit of a look at topics but couldn’t find the previous thread either.

Like TK, I actually would pick Luke and Acts as well. I think Luke might be good as he sets things out carefully & chronologically (perhaps because he was a physician), and I don’t think it was written for a Jewish audience which might be helpful.
Acts I think would be good to follow up with (whichever gospel account is read), to get a sense of continuity of events. And I tend to think some of the passages with descriptive details added (eg. Acts 21: 1-3) would give a real sense of authenticity; it doesn't read like some made up fable.

But whatever your father ends up reading, bear in mind that it’s God’s word – living and active – and the Holy Spirit can use any part of it to get through to him.

I recently listened to a verse by verse teaching on Genesis, and Steve mentioned he’d heard of a guy who became converted when reading a chapter on genealogies (?Gen 5) –eg. such and such had a son, lived this long, and died. His son had these other kids, lived for this long, and died. Etcetera.
Apparently this guy was suddenly struck by the thought that everyone dies – and he also would die one day – and this realization had the effect of leading him to become converted!
So you never know what the Lord might use to bring revelation and conviction to a person.
Suzana
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darinhouston
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Re: What a new christian should read first?

Post by darinhouston » Mon Nov 23, 2009 9:32 pm

Job? Seriously, this reminds me of the question -- if you could only take one book of the bible with you for a wreck to a deserted island, which would it be? What if you'd have folks there with you?

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Suzana
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Re: What a new christian should read first?

Post by Suzana » Tue Nov 24, 2009 7:12 pm

darinhouston wrote:if you could only take one book of the bible with you for a wreck to a deserted island, which would it be? What if you'd have folks there with you?
I think I would take the Psalms and one of the gospels (not Mark, it's too short).
Suzana
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darinhouston
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Re: What a new christian should read first?

Post by darinhouston » Tue Nov 24, 2009 8:15 pm

One book

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Suzana
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Re: What a new christian should read first?

Post by Suzana » Tue Nov 24, 2009 9:29 pm

Ah, but I intended to do some bargaining! :D

I did see that condition, but figured: Since the bible consists of the Old Testament AND the New Testament, obviously I would HAVE TO have one of each to represent THE BIBLE. So really my choice EQUALS one, even if it seemingly consists of two.
You should allow it; it makes sense to me!

However, if you were to insist on a narrow and literal interpretation…I think I would take the Psalms if I was going to be on my own, but if other people were to be there that needed evangelizing, I probably would take one of the gospels – maybe John’s.
Suzana
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steve7150
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Re: What a new christian should read first?

Post by steve7150 » Fri Nov 27, 2009 1:45 pm

I'm thinking that Love & Forgiveness could be big topics for him. I'm trying to think of ways to demonstrate God's love even though he has seen much pain in the world.

tim





Hi, I can see in my world what works is expressing to people the grace of God and righteousness by faith in Christ so i would recommend Romans.

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Joan
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Re: What a new christian should read first?

Post by Joan » Thu Jun 09, 2011 2:18 pm

If I could take only one book? Psalms, hands down! In it I find all of doctrine (in one way or another) expressed, referred to or implied, including issues of the kingdom and salvation.

I appreciate these suggestions regarding the best places for new believers to start reading the Bible. I just met a woman who is badly in need of instruction, and I've been considering where best to begin with her. Your ideas are helpful. I think I may take her through selected chapters of Genesis and Exodus, followed by Luke and the Book of Acts, accompanied along the way by Psalms and a few passages from Isaiah. I'm not sure where to go after that, but I trust that by then something will have suggested itself (or perhaps another mentor will have come on the scene by then). My hope is to not only teach her Bible history and basic doctrine, but to also teach her how to pray, how to think critically, how to make application of what she learns, how to detect false doctrine, and how to defend her faith. Because has has issues of fear, abandonment and extreme loss, I want to teach her through the lenses of comfort and reassurance based on God's promises, faithfulness and love, but I will not neglect mention of our accountability before the living God who has told us to be holy, even as He is holy.

She is Asian, working hard to learn English. She's been abandoned by her people due to defamation of character by one of the men, so her stress levels are quite high. She lives a distance from me, and to make it even more challenging, has sustained a head injury that makes it difficult for her to remember new information. I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not, but I'm thinking about purchasing Bibles in both English and her foreign language, as well as a more advanced childrens' "Bible" (in English) that she can use to familiarize herself with the overall landscape of the Bible while practicing her English. I don't want to overload her, but I want her to have the helps she needs. Does anyone have experience with similar situations?

Joan

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Paidion
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Re: What a new christian should read first?

Post by Paidion » Thu Jun 09, 2011 4:10 pm

What part of the Bible should a new Christian read first? I don't know. But when I was about 12, my oldest brother, a Baptist minister, in hearing that I had become a Christian, advised me to read these three books, and in the order given below:

1. The gospel of John
2 The acts of the apostles
3. The letter to the Romans
Paidion

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