need help

I am new here and new to being a christian. I have not found a church not sure I want one if you read my hello post you know my background. Where do I start to read my bible? New testament Old testament or just open it. I am reading some of these posts and I am lost. Who do you listen to?

Don't bother joining a church.A lot of people here well disagree with that statement,but you need to have a personal relationship with the Lord through prayer and reading of the word.
Read one of Matthew,Mark,Luke,John and then read Acts down to Revelation.
Later you can go back and finish the other first of four books that you didn't read.
Then read the OT.Your favorite book will always change over time.

Welcome, Kenallen . . .

Who do you listen to? That's a great question, particularly since no two people share the exact same views of what the Bible is trying to say. In fact, you will find much arguing on virtually any Christian forum as to the Truth of the Bible. And more, forums like these are not recommended (by myself) for any new Christian that doesn't have a trusted guide.

Two things:

1) It is imperative that you come to know the entire Bible and not just the New Testament. I was guilty of this for the first 49 years of my life. I thought that I understood the Bible, even considering myself to be a "master" on certain doctrines. After a most remarkable experience with the Lord, I realized how desperately wrong I was. I was wrong about many things. Therefore, I highly encourage you to read the entire Bible in a timeline, chronological order, meaning that you will read the Bible like any other novel . . . chapter one, chapter two, chapter three etc. The Bible reads like the most incredible history book you've ever imagined in your life! It is filled with much sorrow and sadness, but there is a Plan behind the entire Bible. God knows what He is doing. Below is a link to the reading plan that I mentioned above. It is incredible!

Timeline Chronological 365-Day Reading Plan

2) I encourage you to read the below Scriptures before each daily reading of your Bible, or perhaps once per week . . . such as every Sunday before your reading. Read the Ephesians 3 Scriptures first, then the Ephesians 2 Scriptures, and then the Colossians 2 Scriptures. These three passage sets will help to give you remarkable context to the entire Bible. They will tell you what to look for. As you read, look for each moment where the Power of God is expressed. Often, God will tell us directly that He is Powerful. He will often say things like, "Then they will know that I am the Lord!" But the Ephesians passages tell us that there is a Mysterious Plan that you should be looking for as you read. Next, always be on the lookout for the many ways that the Spiritual Circumcision of Christ will be noted.

Right from the start in day 1, you will read in Genesis 3 how if Adam and Eve had reached out and eaten from the Tree of Life, they would have lived forever. Christ is that Tree, for only one "thing" grants Eternal Life, and it is Christ. Anything that grants Eternal Life is Christ, be it Bread, the Tree of Life, or Christ Himself . . . these are all a reflection of Christ and His Holy Purpose, Work, and Effect. Print out the below "Triangle of Truth" and read those Scriptures. First Eph 3, then Eph 2, then Colossians 2. The below Ephesians Scriptures uphold and support the concept of the Circumcision of Christ. Read ahead of schedule if you can!

That is neither sound nor biblical advice. Just ignore it and find a Gospel-preaching and Bible-believing church (even if you have to travel a few miles). This church should practice baptism by immersion, and if you have not been baptized as yet, do so at the earliest opportunity. It is a commandment of Christ.

As to where to begin in the Bible, focus all your attention on the Gospel of John to begin with, and meditate on everything spoken by Christ in that Gospel. Read it over and over again, and then study carefully what is written therein. Those are words of spirit and words of life. To ensure that you are using a faithful and reliable English translation, use the King James Bible, and consult Strong's Concordance online if you have any issues with any words.

I’ll definitely try to find and read your background. I think the best way to learn about God is first to live it. So be part of a Christian community and that includes local disciples you can meet up with. It does not have to be just one church. You can go to two very different churches at the same time. I use to go to one church on Wednesday that was Churches of Christ and I went to the Church of the Nazarene on Sunday and I met with a home church that was nondenominational once a week doing Bible studies. I had friends who were Catholic, Mormon and baptists. So don’t let one tradition or denomination control you like a cult by placing yourself into a echo chamber. You also need to love your neighbors and share the gospel. Bring in older brothers and sisters in Christ to help you study with the lost.

Now I’m addition to putting your faith into action it’s important to study the entire Bible. Most Christian’s now days don’t even actually read the Bible, have a church, or anything. They are not necessarily a lamp covered up on a hill, but they are more like a flickering lamp that is not consistent. It’s a slippery slope. Even among those Christians that read the Bible it’s typically just a few chapters and skimming through randomly. The Tanakh is especially neglected. That’s the old testament. The entire set of scriptures is important. The better you understand the old testament the better you will understand the New Testament and so on.

Here are 4 podcasts that I believe are good for disciples to listen to. I don’t agree with everything they said but I enjoy them nonetheless.

1. The Language of God
2. The Bible Project by Tim Mackie.
3. The Bible for Normal People by Pete Enns.
4. Recovering Evangelicals by Jeffrey Jansen and Boyd Blundell.

Here are a few great books also.
1. The Lost World Series by John Walton.
2. The Commentary on the Torah by Richard Elliott Friedman.
3. Surprised by Hope by NT Wright.

Also the tv snow “ The Chosen “ does a good jog at showing the humanity of Jesus.

Looks like there are many different ideas and they all appear to be good....but.... If I were you I wouldn't know where to start.
I am considering posting a brief synopsis of the Bible that I give to new believers. Something I wish I had available when I first started out.
This will not tell you what to do, but it gives you an overview so you can decided what is important to you. I hesitate only because it may cross paths with what some others believe... I think it's fairly generic, but if anybody has a disagreement with it...tell it to the tourists..... because I will not derail this thread with a response.

My bodies the temple.Not some church down the street.I can have fellowship with my brothers and sisters here, or with those in my presence,and share knowledge and wisdom together.
"Where two or three are gathered, there I'm in the mist of them"
He's there while I read the word alone.His two anointed ones (OT/NT) , and the Holy Spirit that dwells in me,are two or three gathered.

I'm not going to let some street church waste my time feeding me milk at best, all the days of my life,while the wolves are literally beneath my feet, licking their lips, while checking the traps they sprung.

I also noticed that some followed the process of KjV only. I disagree. It’s good to use multiple translations.

This is actually a fantastic app. It’s created by The Bible Project.
https://bibleproject.com/app/

I will look at it thankyou. I have learned to study ofter years school and contracts so I read slow and if something does not sound right I try and fin out why. Do you have an answer for the wise men

Follow your heart my friend. I'd read what you have to offer.

The following is a brief synopsis of the New Testament of the Bible and how in the simple form it is laid out.


Genesis 3:15 to Revelation 22:21 The primary topic is Jesus Christ.

The Bible is addressed to one of three groups of believers Jews, Gentiles, and Church of Christ. The Church of Christ refers to those of us today who have accepted or wish to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior. The period of time we now live is the Age of Grace. In this age of grace, the believers are referred to as the “church of Christ” “body of Christ” “saints” “believers” “born again believers” “Church of God”.… The entire Bible is written FOR our learning…. but not all is directly written TO us. Below I have outlined what books in the New Testament are written directly to us, and what is for our learning.



The book of ACTS….. Is the fulcrum point between the Old and New Testament. It shows the rise and expansion of the First Century Church of Grace…starting with the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, It basically gives a synopsis of how The age of Grace evolved….


((Understanding…. TO and FOR …
If I send a letter addressed to you, telling you I deposited a million dollars in your account ….the letter and the money is yours. If someone else reads the letter they may learn what is in the letter, and that you received a million dollars, but there is no money for them…. it was to you. Such is how the Epistles are written directly to us ….but the entire Bible is for our leaning.))




ROMANS, 1&2 CORINTHIANS, GALATIANS, EPHESIANS, PHILIPPIANS, COLISSIANS, and 1&2 THESSALONIANS

The seven Church epistles in the New Testament, are addressed DIRECTLY to those of us who are born again in this age of Grace.
Although there is a portion in Romans, between Chapter 9 and 12 that Paul (by revelation) is addressing Israel, and then to the Gentiles in chapter 11.


ROMANS, EPHESIANS and THESSALONIANS are “Doctrinal” Epistles = right or correct believing….. written for the walk of the believers in the Body of Christ.

CORINTHIANS & PHILIPPIANS are “Reproof” Epistles to show believers where they are off from the doctoral revelation.

GALATIANS & COLISSIANS are “Correction” Epistles to get the believers back to the right believing of the doctrine.

Thessalonians stands alone as a doctrinal epistle. Although it is last in the Church epistles it was written first, between 48-50AD. No reproof or correction is necessary as it deals with the hope. Thessalonians were the first epistles written so that the believers had the hope before them due to the mental pressure and persecution they endured. They are the last of the Church epistles as it is the culmination of the grace administration…..(when Christ return for the body of believers)


1 THESSALONIANS although a doctrinal epistle deals primarily with the return of Christ for the church of the body, and touches on Him returning with the church of the body.

2 THESSALONIANS mildly covers Christ return for the body ….but provides information as to what takes place after we are gone.



1&2 TIMOTHY, TITUS and I will include PHILEMON (although there is some disagreement with this) are called the Pastoral Epistles. These are written to the Church of grace…. but are directed towards leadership (Pastors, Teachers) within of the Body of Christ.
.
HEBREWS is not addressed to the church in the sense that we know the Church established on Pentecost. It is addressed to born again believers (Judeans), but those who have never walked in the freedom of the new birth……. those who are still zealous for the law.

JAMES Much like Hebrews was written to the Christian Jews of the dispersion, “the twelve tribes scattered abroad”. Those born again who seem to want to put themselves under the law. 1&2 PETER, 1,2&3 JOHN and JUDE closely align themselves to this category also. The reason so much of this seems applicable to many of us …is that we find ourselves not adhering to the doctrinal Epistles of Romans, Ephesians, and Thessalonians.


REVELATION….

For obvious reasons is the last book in the Bible.
So many people want to talk about Revelation…. so I will add this note. The book of Revelation is written about events that will take place after Christ returns for the Church of body. It deals with the second half of the Parousia when He returns “WITH” the church of the body.
The only people Revelations is applicable to, is those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their savior; living or deceased and all those (believers and unbelievers) prior to Age of Grace.



THE FOUR GOSPELS give the account, of the life and walk of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ from four different perspectives. MATTHEW as the “King”, MARK as the “Servant”, LUKE as the “Man”, and JOHN as the “Son”

The gospels although printed in the New Testament are figuratively the binding or the cohesive bond of the Bible; they stand alone, being neither in the Old nor the New.

For clarification…the page that says NEW TESTAMENT between Malachi and Matthew is not God breathed….it was added. Just as punctuation, chapter heading, chapters, verses, capitalization… were all added by translators over the years…and thank God they were….BUT…they are devoid of authority when it comes to rightly dividing the truth.


Although the GOSPELS are vitally important in our understanding of what Jesus Christ accomplished by his walk, death, resurrection and ascension….. it must be noted that Jesus Christ came to minister to Israel, the Bride. Israel rejected him and killed their King the Bridegroom. The church of the bride is at this time held in abeyance and picks up again in Revelation.
There is a BIG difference between….the THE BRIDE OF CHRIST in the gospels, which is for our learning .....and BODY OF CHRIST in the epistles written directly to us…. they are not the same, and if not distinguished it will cause you much confusion…and your brain will hurt…because you cannot correlate the two.

ALSO: Any reference to the return of Christ in the gospels, is NOT speaking of the return (gathering together) of Christ in Thessalonians……. It is speaking of His return as King of Kings when He returns WITH US. (the body of Christ.)

WHY? …because the mystery of the one body ….the age of Grace was kept secret with God and not revealed until it was given to Paul by revelation (Ephesians 3)..... So, there can be no reference to anything regarding the gathering together of the Church of the Body or the age of Grace → in the gospels. When Christ returns for the Church of the body…. He will not physically come to the earth….we will meet him in the air.
When He returns with his saint some 7 years later… for the second part of the Parousia (coming) …. He then returns as King of Kings…and will physically come to the Mt. of Olives.

Kenallen,

To avoid all unnecessary confusion start your journey in the Gospel of John.
You can also read Genesis chapters 1-3 just as a foundation.

Prayer to the Lord is most important - just open your heart to Him each morning and everytime you read His word.
Ask the Lord to assist you and He will guide your steps.

Warning: Stay away from jehovah witnesses as they hold to a falsehood and deny the Lord Jesus even though they confess His name.

thanks
Thanks I thank I am going to finish at least Matthew before I go to something else. I found biblehub seams to be good I like that I can look at different bibles has the concordance

Do not confuse yourself with trying to understand the Jewish customs of when Christ walked the earth.
Traditions, customs, holy days and rituals cannot save anyone nor make a person clean before God.

The LORD looks at our hearts and this is the Place of Communion with Him as we read and believe His words.

Jesus says this to you and me: "It is the Spirit giving life; the flesh profits nothing.
The words that I speak to you are Spirit and they are Life" = John 6:63

Pray and ask the Lord Jesus for His Life and the Life Giving Power of the Holy Spirit.

This is why Jesus came to die for our sins = so that we may have Eternal Life in Him thru the Holy Spirit.
Peace

I agree with @DavidTree concerning the gospel of John

Have you heard of the Alpha Course?



There are 10 videos total. I hope you watch them. They could benefit you greatly

Dont bother joining a church??? Are you kidding me right now?

After all Jesus and most of his followers mentioned in the gospels were jews.....what would they know?

Hey Brother, what's the thumb down for???

Were you saved by religion or by the Sacrifice of Christ who shed His Blood for our sins.................

Jewish Holy Days are awesome as they Speak of Messiah/Christ.

Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come— In the volume of the book it is written of Me— To do Your will, O God.’ ”

I should of asked kenallen if he/she is Jewish and if so = AWESOME

Peace

PS = You never answered my question and it's been 5 days now.

See Post #18