Course
​Introduction

​WHY SHOULD I READ AND STUDY THE BIBLE?
Millions of people recognize the Bible as the greatest book that has ever been written. It speaks directly to our hearts. It answers our deepest questions and gives meaning and purpose to our lives. It guides us along the path of truth and directs our way to God and heaven. It has already brought com- fort and hope and joy to people in every country of the world. It can bring joy and peace into your own life, too!
But your motive for studying the Bible will largely determine what you get out of it. If you study it primarily to satisfy your curiosity or to impress other people or to win arguments about religion, the benefits you get will be small—and they will soon fade away. But if you want to grow in your knowl- edge of God, if you want to love and serve God more faithfully, and if you desire to become the kind of person God wants you to be, your study of the Bible will be richly fulfilling—and eternally rewarding.

WHERE DID THE BIBLE COME FROM?
Most of the words found in the Bible are very ordinary words, the same words you can find in many other books. The words were also written down by ordinary people in a rather ordinary way. Each writer collected information and expressed his thoughts in his own unique way.
However, in spite of all these “ordinary” things, the Bible is obviously much more than an ordinary book! And the reason for that is plain. According to the Bible itself, God guided each of the writers in such a way that he wrote precisely the truths God wanted him to write. God also revealed to the writ- ers many things that they would never be able to learn or figure out on their own. And as they wrote, God kept them from writing anything that was not true or that would lead people astray.
Ultimately, therefore, the Bible is not man’s word but the Word of God. It is God who made the Bible what it is. He is its Author. And precisely because the Bible is God’s Word, it is able to change the hearts and lives of those who read it!

WHAT IS THE BIBLE ALL ABOUT?
The Bible tells us about the creation of man and the world, the beginning of sin in the world, the rise and fall of various kingdoms and the lives of many important persons. The primary purpose of the Bible, however, is to teach us how God saved a fallen world from the results of man’s sin and how we may personally find peace with God and enjoy eternal life with Him. God accomplished all this through sending His own Son Jesus into the world to pay the penalty for our sin and to restore us to a right relationship with Himself. Some day there will be a new heaven and a new earth in which believ- ers will live with God forever in perfect righteousness and joy.

WHY DO I NEED A COURSE ON HOW TO READ THE BIBLE?
Perhaps you are wondering, “Why do I need a whole course on ‘How to Read the Bible’? Isn’t the teaching of the Bible plain enough by itself? Won’t the Holy Spirit teach me everything I need to know?”
The Holy Spirit will teach you all you need to know for salvation. He will teach you how to live a life that is pleasing to God. He will also help you become the kind of person God wants you to be. And sometimes He will do all these things without the help of others. But that’s not the way He usually works.
In almost every area of life, we need others to help us learn, understand, and grow. With Bible study, it’s the same. We wouldn’t even have a Bible in English at all if it weren’t for people who translated the Bible into our language! And there would be many important facts about the history and culture of Bible times that we would never know unless someone else taught us.
Thankfully, there are many people who are willing and able to teach us. Many of these people have devoted their entire adult lives to studying the Bible. They are eager to share their knowledge with anyone who is willing to learn. And when we learn from them, we are actually learning from the Holy Spirit—even though He is teaching us through the help of others.

HOW WILL I BENEFIT FROM STUDYING THIS COURSE?
If you faithfully study each lesson in this course, you will continue to find new and exciting truths as you study the Bible. You will learn more about the greatness and goodness of God and His wonderful plan of salvation. You will see how all the parts of the Bible fit together. You will learn where each important person fits in the story of the Bible. You will learn how to avoid common mistakes people make when studying the Bible. And you will gain confidence in interpreting the Bible for yourself. The Bible will increasingly become your most precious treasure—God’s gift to you of truth and love.