As intimidating as the Bible may sometimes be, especially because of its size and its sometimes difficult passages, many who have read it from cover to cover say that it has changed their lives for the better—the spiritual resources the whole Bible can provide are not found elsewhere.
Whether you approach it as a devout Christian, or as one who does not have a settled view of religion, you can definitely benefit from reading the whole Bible. Here are 14 reasons that might convince you to read it.
14 reasons to read the whole Bible
1. Ridiculing the Bible, especially by using verses from the Old Testament, has recently become a favourite pastime among those who want to impress others with their so-called intellectual capacity. Some people, especially young people, internalize such jokes as arguments against faith. This happens because the Bible, which could be used to verify the validity of such arguments, is hardly ever read. Read the Bible to see for yourself what is true and what is not among the arguments of those who criticise religion. Remember that some statements cannot be understood correctly outside their context (whether literary, historical, or cultural).
2. The Western legal system is based on Christian morality. Read the Scriptures to gain a deeper understanding of the ethical identity of the world in which you live.
3. Discover the life stories that Christianity has valued throughout its existence and has allowed to shape its structure. This approach will help you understand yourself better, because you will get to know your roots.
4. Connect to ancient wisdom through Scripture, recognising that most of our problems today have a corresponding moment in history. See how people in the Bible solved their dilemmas and problems in order to find solutions to your problems. Find solace by reading about the life experiences of biblical characters and discovering similarities between their lives and yours.
5. The Bible is very straightforward when it comes to standard principles. Reflect on yourself in the light of what you read. Evaluate your goals and methods and see how you can improve your life.
6. You will delve into the lives of some titans of faith, discovering imperfect yet strong models of perseverance for lasting success in life.
7. You will be able to discover the different ways in which the God that the Bible presents relates to suffering by reading about His involvement in the suffering of mankind, through His own suffering.
8. You can find out, directly from the source, what the intention of Jesus Christ regarding His church was. In this way you will be able to more easily distinguish the ways the early Christian churches strayed from their original purpose.
9. By reading the entire Bible, you will be able to more clearly capture the epic thread of the 66 books gathered in this “library of Christianity”. This way you will be able to focus more on the story and less on various doctrinal details. You will have the big picture.
10. You will be able to mentally sketch a portrait of God, based on your own understanding and not on the extreme pretences of fundamentalists and atheists. You will form a well-rounded opinion.
11. You will discover the Christian explanation for the origin of life, and you will be able to make an informed decision as to whether or not it is reasonable.
12. You will find out what inspired the Christian martyrs, and you will be able to consciously decide for yourself whether or not the Christian hope for a better world is a healthy vision.
13. During this process you will change, become spiritually richer, and gain a broader perspective on the world we live in.
14. You will be able to guide others to the resources you found during your study, helping them to develop spiritually.
