Grace Alone - Salvation As A Gift Of God Order Printed Copy

Author: Carl R. Trueman
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About the Book

"Grace Alone" by Carl R. Trueman explores the concept of salvation as a gift from God, focusing on the Protestant Reformation's emphasis on grace through faith alone. Trueman argues that salvation is not earned through works but is a free gift from God, highlighting the importance of understanding grace in the Christian faith. The book delves into theological debates surrounding grace and salvation, providing insight into the Reformation's impact on Christianity.

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Haddon Spurgeon was born on June 19, 1834, just ten days after the great William Carey died in India. Because of economic conditions the young Spurgeon was sent to live with his grandparents at the age of 18 months. His grandfather, James Spurgeon, ministered to the church at Stambourne for 54 years. Those few years with his grandparents made a profound impact on the young man’s life. Spurgeon was always a bit of an enigma intellectually. He could appear to be unlearned when in reality he had a great intellect. An incident from his early school days is a good example of this. When he was around the age of ten, young Charles’ grades unexplainably began to drop. It seemed the more winter deepened, so did his scores. The teacher at first was baffled by this plummet in performance until he realized that the upper grader students' seats were near a drafty door where cold wind seeped in continually. When the teacher reversed the seating order so the higher grade seats were away from the cold draft, Spurgeon’s grades rose accordingly.1 Like many young people of his day, Charles struggled over his relationship with God for a number of years. It was common in those days for children to be encouraged to seek after God with their whole heart. There was no such quickness to get people "to make a decision" as we see in many of our churches today. Just as John Bunyan struggled against God, Spurgeon remembered how he fought against the idea of giving into Christ’s Lordship: "I must confess that I never would have been saved if I could have helped it. As long as ever I could, I rebelled, and revolted, and struggled against God. When He would have me to pray, I would not pray … And when I heard, and the tear rolled down my cheek, I wiped it away and defied Him to melt my soul. But long before I began with Christ, He began with me."2 After some time of alternately searching and running, the God who had already begun with a 16 year old boy led Charles to an encounter which he never forgot. For some time the Holy Spirit had been dealing with the young man’s soul. Spurgeon said that "God was plowing his soul, ten black horses in his team — the ten commandments — and cross plowing it with the message of the Gospel, for when he heard it, no comfort came to his soul."3 With all of his Biblical upbringing and praying, Charles was still lost in the darkness of his own heart. The incident that follows has been repeated so often in so many sources that it needs no documenting. One Sunday morning the snow was falling so hard that Charles could not get to his own church so he wandered into a Primitive Methodist Chapel. Doctrinally this little fellowship was world’s apart from the Congregationalist heritage of the Spurgeons. Yet into this little congregation of less than 15 people Spurgeon wandered that cold winter morning. As he entered an unlearned and unnamed itinerant preacher proclaimed the text, "Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth." During that message, the preacher looked directly at the young stranger in their midst and said, "Young man, you look very miserable … You always will be miserable in life and in death if you don’t obey my text, but if you obey now, this moment you will be saved." Spurgeon later wrote, "Between half past ten, when I entered that chapel, and half past twelve, when I returned home, what a change had taken place in me!"4 Charles Haddon Spurgeon had indeed become a child of the Kingdom. Neither he nor the world would be the same as a result. Before long Spurgeon was searching for a church which fit what he felt God was doing in his life. He had never even heard of Baptists until he was fourteen but Charles was drawn to the Baptist congregation at Isleham. Out of respect to his parents the young man wrote to tell them of his desire to be baptized and join that fellowship. His mother wrote back she had often prayed for him to be saved but that she had never asked that he would become a Baptist. Charles replied to his mother by writing that the "Lord had dealt with her in his usual bounty, and had given her exceeding abundantly above what she had asked."5 Spurgeon would spend time in some ministerial training but he never attended any formal theological school. He also served, preaching to a small congregation near home for about two years at Waterbeach. The country boy had not been called to stay in the country however. God was about to unleash Charles Haddon Spurgeon on the greatest city in the British Empire. Away from the quiet life of Waterbeach, in London there was a congregation known as New Park Street. It was one of the six largest Baptist churches in London and held a heritage few churches could claim. Among her former pastors were Benjamin Keech, Dr. John Gill, and Dr. John Rippon. These three great names in Baptist history had served a combined 150 years at New Park Street. But times had changed. New Park Street was now what we would call an inner-city church. It was located in the midst of a filthy industrial district which was hard to reach. What had once been a growing congregation of 1200 had ebbed to a group of around 200 souls. After a series of events, young Spurgeon was asked to pastor this once influential congregation in 1854. In spite of his own doubts about his age, a 20 year old Charles Spurgeon had become pastor in the line of Keech, Gill and Rippon. So great was the impact this novice preacher made on the people at New Park Street and the city of London that by 1855 it was evident a new church building was necessary to accommodate their growing numbers. While the building was progressing the congregation was forced to rent the Exeter Hall to meet in. This was considered scandalous to many of the more high church types for churches did not meet in public buildings in those days. Such growth was not without its critics. Some pastors in London claimed Spurgeon was a glory-hound while local newspapers issued caricatures of Spurgeon as an egotistical and uneducated buffoon. Not only did Spurgeon gain a field of ministry at New Park Street but he also gained a wife. In 1855 the pastor baptized a lovely young woman by the name of Susannah Thompson. Almost exactly one year later, Charles and Susannah were joined as soul-mates for life. Words cannot describe the bond between these two. Mrs. Spurgeon would be a semi-invalid and Rev. Spurgeon would suffer from gout and depression through most of their marriage. Yet they forged a wonderful marriage along with twin sons. Susannah became her husband’s personal secretary. Once it is reported that she took notes while he talked in his sleep. When he awoke, Spurgeon found the sermon he had mumbled in his sleep. He had slept but Susannah had not. Even after his death, Mrs. Spurgeon kept the work alive, publishing Charles' sermons and distributing thousands of books to young ministers and others. Regardless of the obstacles, the work went on. No sooner had the congregation returned to their new building than they realized they had not built large enough. So they began to worship at the Surrey Music Hall on Sunday nights. On October 19, 1856, ten thousand people were crammed into the Hall to hear Spurgeon preach, with another ten thousand outside. Not long after services began, someone yelled, “Fire!” The panic that followed caused the deaths of seven people. For several weeks pastor Spurgeon secluded himself in depression over the event. As always, however, God uses even the worst of events to bring about His purposes. This event and those that followed over the next few months led to the greatest chapter in Spurgeon’s ministry. In 1856, the congregation of New Park Street met to discuss the building of a new sanctuary. In keeping with his vision for London, Spurgeon and the congregation voted to change the name of their church to Metropolitan Tabernacle. The years of service at New Park Street and Metropolitan Tabernacle would prove astounding. When Spurgeon came to New Park Street in 1854 it had a membership of 232. By the end of 1891, 14,460 souls had been baptized and added to the church with a standing membership of 5311.6 One could read of all this work and assume that Spurgeon knew nothing of enjoying himself. Such could be farther from the truth. His sense of humor was renown. C.H.S. had a dislike for instrumental music in the church, especially anthems. After hearing a special performance Spurgeon was told that it was music supposedly sung by David. His immediate reply was, "Then I know why Saul threw his javelin at him." In one of his Friday lectures to his college students the pastor told his students, "When you preach on heaven, have a face that reflects the sweetness of God; when you preach on hell, your normal face will do quite well." Rather than focus on the things Spurgeon did at New Park Street and Metropolitan Tabernacle, it is better to focus on what Spurgeon was. William Gladstone called him "The Last Puritan." Only the end of time can prove whether that is completely true, but there is a ring of truth to that title. Spurgeon was no high church Calvinist but he definitely felt more of an infinity with men like Calvin and Bunyan than he did his contemporaries. Speaking of his grandfather, C.H.S. said, "I sometimes feel the shadow of his broad (Puritan hat) come over my spirit. I have been charged with being a mere echo of the Puritans, but I had rather be an echo of truth than the voice of falsehood."7 Early on it became apparent that Spurgeon had no fear of labeling himself. He labeled himself by his preaching not by a systematic theology. He was Calvinistic but not hyper-Calvinist. Spurgeon never fled from the seeming incompatibility of the Sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man to repentance. When challenged to do so he replied, "I do not try to reconcile friends." Spurgeon was even once reported as praying before his sermon, "Lord, call out your elect, and then elect some more."8 As did Fuller and Carey, Spurgeon proved that belief in the sovereignty of God does not cool evangelism but rather inflames it. He always preached to sinners, calling them to repentance and salvation. Though he didn’t often have what we would call revival meetings, he invited D.L. Moody to preach in his church and Ira Sankey sang at his funeral. Because Spurgeon held to the tenants of Calvinism while being warmly evangelistic it seemed he was often shot at from all sides. Some Calvinists called him an Arminian and many Arminians called him a hyper-Calvinist. These attacks mattered little to Spurgeon. What he longed for was what earlier Puritans had ardently prayed for. He longed for God to pour out His Spirit on His people. He was always calling the church to true revival. Above all, Spurgeon was a preacher of the Word. Not the shallow, self-serving allusions to the Word we hear today. He was passionately tied to the whole counsel of God. In The Greatest Fight in the World, he said, "The Word is like its author, infinite, immeasurable, without end. If you were to be ordained to be a preacher throughout eternity, you would have before you a theme equal to everlasting demands." That undying allegiance to God’s Word brought great triumph in Spurgeon’s life and it sometimes brought great controversy. Late in Spurgeon's life an incident began almost as a footnote but which would become a headline in the body of Christ. In March and April of 1887, two articles appeared in Spurgeon’s magazine, The Sword and Trowel. The articles pointed out the steady decline that seemed to be taking place among Evangelicals. Following those articles were several more in which Spurgeon warned of the influence of liberalism in general and Arminianism in specific. In all of these articles Spurgeon spoke of the downward grade evangelical churches were taking. This became known as the Downgrade Controversy. In the September issue C.H.S. wrote: "The time has come for Christians to stir: The house is being robbed, its very walls are being digged down, but the good people who are in the bed are too fond of the warmth, and too much afraid of getting broken heads, to go downstairs and meet the burglars …Inspiration and speculation cannot long abide in peace. Compromise there can be none. We cannot hold the inspiration of the Word, and yet reject it; we cannot believe in the atonement and deny it; we cannot talk of the doctrine of the fall and yet talk of the evolution of spiritual life from human nature … One way or another we must go. Decision is the virtue of the hour."9 Once Spurgeon began to name the Baptist Union (which Metropolitan Tabernacle belonged to) things degenerated rapidly. By October, the pastor and church withdrew from The Baptist Union and by December the Union was formally questioning Spurgeon about his statements. It was Spurgeon’s faith and trust in the Word of God that led him to warn the church of its downward slide toward liberalism but it was actually his Christian charity that got him in trouble. Spurgeon had been told in confidence the names of some of the pastors in the Union who were embracing the "new theology". Because of this confidence, Spurgeon refused to name the men he was speaking of. So, on January 18, 1888, a vote of censure was cast against the Union’s greatest preacher. The die was cast. Spurgeon’s warnings would prove true as the Baptist Union turned more and more to Higher Criticism and gradually abandoned its adherence to God’s Word as the sole authority of life and faith. Charles Spurgeon’s influence cannot be confined to degrees or titles which were conferred upon him. Several university degrees were awarded him but he always refused them. As his biographer, W. Y. Fullerton noted, "The honors of the world … he held cheap; intellect he valued and he always was a book lover, but he ever reached after the eternal things rather than the temporal."10 If there is any one remaining tangible evidence of the influence Spurgeon had in his day it can be found in his sermons. In particular, his printed sermons have had a monumental impact for over 100 years. There are 63 volumes of Spurgeon’s sermons in print to this day. Newspapers carried his sermons on a weekly and sometimes daily basis for many years. Well over 100 million of those weekly sermons were sold. If one took into account all of his publications they would fill 200 large books. Even by modern estimation these numbers are staggering. People from California to New Zealand had one thing in common they could discuss, if ever they met, the writing of C.H. Spurgeon. One could hardly recommend Spurgeon's method of sermon preparation unless you also have his spiritual and intellectual gifts. He was a veracious reader and immersed himself in the Puritans. Charles first discovered Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress in his grandfather’s library and would read it over 100 times before his death. He was well read in Calvin, Baxter, Owens, Gill, Fuller and many others. In his sermons Spurgeon quoted from the lives of Justin Martyr, Augustine, John Bunyan, George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, John Gill, Andrew Fuller, and John Newton.11 By the time of his death, Spurgeon held a personal library of around 12,000 volumes. Much of that library now resides at William Jewel College in the U.S.A. Added to that Spurgeon had a photographic memory. Nothing escaped his mind and was catalogued away for later use at the proper time. Because of all of these gifts, C.H.S. would not even begin to write down his notes until Saturday night. His Sunday night sermons were prepared on Sunday afternoons. Actually, his sermons were always being prepared. His entire life was a sermon preparation. Another great field of influence was The Pastor’s College which exists to this day as Spurgeon’s College. In 1861 there were 21 students and soon the school would average around 100 students at any given time. This was not a typical seminary or Bible college. "Wherever the men came from, it was clearly understood that the college did not exist to make ministers but to train them. Unless a man could show some evidence that he was called to preach … there was no welcome for him, however great his gifts in other directions."12 Preaching wasn’t Spurgeon’s only passion. He was involved in extensive social endeavors, especially in the orphanage work. Hundreds of children who otherwise would have roamed the streets as thieves and vagrants were housed, fed and trained in the Word of God. Spurgeon once said, "We are a large church and we must have a large heart for this city." As mentioned earlier, C.H.S. suffered from severe gout. The pain brought on times of severe depression. When those times became too intense the Spurgeons often would vacation in Mentone, France. While in Mentone in January of 1892, the Prince of Preachers left this earth at the age of 57. His funeral eulogy by Heber Evans sums up the legacy of Charles Haddon Spurgeon: "But there is one Charles Haddon Spurgeon whom we cannot bury; there is not earth enough in Norwood to bury him — the Spurgeon of history."13 It would be easy to look on the last years of Spurgeon’s life and assume as some of his time did that he grew contentious in the pain of his years. Such could be farther from the truth. Though he was an ardent Baptist, Spurgeon chose two men who practiced infant baptism to head his orphanage. Though he was a Calvinist, he was saved in a Primitive Methodist Church and was supplied by a Presbyterian near the end of his life. There was room for a larger circle of fellowship but not when it came to the infallibility of the Bible and the centrality of the Gospel. To Spurgeon, the real mark of his ministry would be long after he died: "I sometimes think if I were in heaven I should almost wish to visit my work at the Tabernacle, to see whether it will abide the test of time and prosper when I am gone. Will you keep to the truth? Will you hold to the grand old doctrines of the gospel? Or will this church, like so many others, go away from the simplicity of its faith, and set up gaudy services and false doctrine? Methinks I should turn over in my grave if such a thing could be. God forbid it! But there will be no coming back …"14 One week after Spurgeon's home going, B. H. Carroll preached an entire sermon on his larger influence around the world. In typical Carroll style hear these final words about Charles Haddon Spurgeon: "Yes, Spurgeon is dead. The tallest and broadest oak in the forest of time is fallen. The sweetest, most silvery and far-reaching voice that published the glad tidings since apostolic times is hushed. The hand whose sickle cut the widest swath in the ripened grain fields of redemption lies folded and nerveless on a pulseless breast, whose heart when beating kept time with every human joy and woe. But he was ready to be offered. He fought a good fight. He kept the faith, and while we weep, he wears the triple crown of life and joy and glory, which God the righteous Judge has conferred upon him … In answer to the question: ‘How do you account for Spurgeon?' the answer is … 'God'"15 For the man who lived his life, All of Grace, that answer would have been most satisfying indeed. "How do you account for Spurgeon?" The answer is … "God"16 Footnotes: 1 W. Y. Fullerton, Charles H. Spurgeon: London's Most Popular Preacher. Chicago: Moody Press, 1966, pp. 19-20. 2 Ibid., p. 23. 3 Ibid., p. 32. 4 C. H. Spurgeon, Autobiography, Volume 1, Chapters 9-11. 5 Fullerton, p. 40. 6 Ibid., p. 121. 7 Timothy George, Baptist Theologians, p. 272. 8 Ibid., p. 274. 9 Iain Murray, The Forgotten Spurgeon, p. 143. 10 Fullerton, p.165. 11 George, p. 283. 12 Fullerton, p. 193. 13 Ibid., p. 274. 14 Murray, p. 258. 15 B. H. Carroll, Baptists and Their Doctrines edited by Timothy and Denise George, p. 59. 16 Ibid., p. 59. From: Baptist Page Articles are offered as a service to the readers of The Baptist Page. You are given permission to reprint this in any form available. We only ask that this paragraph remain with the article. ©1997-2001 The Baptist Page.

ten tips for daily bible reading

One of the most important habits to develop in the Christian life is that of daily Bible reading. It is the Word of God that has the power to sanctify the believer and build him up in Christ. It imparts conviction, enlightenment, spiritual strength, faith, wisdom, repentance. Consider the following Scriptures: "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success" (Joshua 1:8). "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper" (Psalms 1:1-3). "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word" (Psalms 119:9). "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalms 119:105). "And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified" (Acts 20:32). "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Timothy 3:15-17). "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12) "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby" (1 Peter 2:2). "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts" (2 Peter 1:19) To grow in Christ and find His perfect will, the believer must be transformed by the renewing of the mind (Romans 12:1-2). The mind is transformed by the Word of God through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Following are ten tips for daily Bible reading. 1. Establish a Time. If you do not develop a habit of daily Bible reading at a certain time each day, you will probably only read it hit and miss. Decide what time would be best for your situation. At different periods in my life I have had different times for my devotions, depending on the situation. Usually first thing in the morning is best, before your mind becomes filled with the business of the day. But other times of the day might work better for you. It is something to pray about. 2. Establish a Place. A quiet, private place is essential, if at all possible. I have seen Christians trying to study the Bible in a room where other people are talking and a radio is playing, etc. That is not wise and it is not honoring to the Lord who deserves our undivided attention. The Bible is the very Word of God. Would it be proper to invite God over for a visit and then have many other things going on at the same time as He was talking to us? 3. Have Some Basic Study Tools. We recommend the following: A Study Bible At the very least, it is extremely helpful to have a study Bible that has cross references and a concordance. Three helpful study Bibles are the Old Scofield Reference Bible, the Thompson Chain Reference Bible, and the Ryrie Study Bible. (For more information see "Reference Bibles" at the Way of Life web site.) A Concordance In my estimation, the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance is the most important Bible study tool ever published. Not only is it exhaustive in its treatment of the words of the English Bible, but it also links the English words to an exceptional dictionary of the Hebrew and Greek terms underlying the English. Treasury of Scripture Knowledge The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge was first published circa 1836. The original Treasury had roughly 4,000 cross-references; the newer editions have about 570,000 references. The best commentary on the Bible is the Bible itself, and herein is the value of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. The Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible and Christianity Thirty years of research have gone into this one-of-a-kind reference tool. It is the only Bible dictionary/encyclopedia that is written by a fundamental Baptist and based strictly upon the King James Bible. It does not correct the Authorized Version of the Bible, nor does it undermine the fundamental Baptist's doctrines and practices as many study tools do. Containing over 6,000 entries and 7,000 cross-references, it is a complete dictionary of biblical terminology and also features many other areas of research not often covered in Bible reference volumes. Subjects include Bible versions, Denominations, Cults, Christian Movements, Typology, the Church, Social Issues and Practical Christian Living, Bible Prophecy, and Old English Terminology. The Way of Life Encyclopedia is exceedingly practical, and the Christian will be helped and fortified in his faith. Many preachers have told us that it is their favorite Bible study tool. Missionary author Jack Moorman says: "The encyclopedia is excellent; the entries show a 'distilled spirituality.'" In the Sunday School course "Fundamentals of How to Study the Bible," available from Way of Life Literature, we explain how to use these tools effectively. 4. Have a Notebook and Pen. It is important to write things down that the Lord teaches you. In the first year that I was saved, I filled up several notebooks. For example, I designed one notebook for studying the topics of the Bible. I divided the notebook into several categories, such as salvation, sin, comfort, Christ's deity, Satan, hell, angels, and various other subjects that interested me at the time, and as I found verses dealing with those subjects I entered them under the proper category. I was reading the Bible through a couple of times a year so I was able to gather together everything the Bible said on various topics and do my own doctrinal studies. 5. Have a Pencil for Marking Your Bible. I recommend a pencil because you can erase it if you make a mistake and the pencil doesn't bleed through to the other side of the page. A mechanical pencil is ideal, because it doesn't have to be sharpened. Use the margins of your Bible to add cross-references, word definitions, outlines, and brief commentaries. By adding such things you are making own study Bible. This is why a wide margin Bible is so useful. Following are some suggestions for marking your Bible: a. Underline judiciously. It is your Bible and you can do as you please, but let me recommend that you not just underline anything and everything indiscriminately. If you do that, your Bible will soon be a bewildering and almost indecipherable hodgepodge of underlines and marks. It is better to use some careful thought in underlining. Let me make some suggestions from Genesis 1: Underline things that will help you see at a glance the divisions of a passage. In Genesis 1, I have underlined "the evening and the morning" because this phrase marks the days of creation. (In Revelation 2-3 I have marked the names of the seven churches, thus I can see at a glance the division of that section.) Underline the most important things. In Genesis 1, I underlined verse 27. Underline repeated thoughts. In Genesis 1, I marked things such as "God said" and "after his kind." (In Ecclesiastes, I underlined every mention of "under the sun," and in Ezekiel, I underlined "they shall know that I am the Lord.") b. Write notes in your Bible with caution. As with underlining, if you write down anything and everything in your Bible, you will soon find that the notes are almost useless. When writing things down that a preacher or teacher states, consider the source. Is that person a diligent student whose sayings are probably going to be accurate? If not, be very cautious about writing it in your Bible. I have heard preachers and teachers say many things that were not accurate. Save the margins of your Bible for things that are special and that are doubtless true and accurate. Other things can be written down in a notebook. Things to Write in the Margin of Your Bible Definitions of Words and Names. As you learn the definitions of difficult words and doctrinal terms and the names of people and places, jot them down in the margin of your Bible so you won't forget them. I have written hundreds of definitions in my Bible. The following are some examples: Romans 2:23—sacrilege=profane Romans 3:20—justified=declared righteous Romans 3:24—redeem=bought with a price Romans 3:25—propitiation=satisfaction of a debt Cross References. No single cross-reference system is exhaustive. Not even the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge has every possible cross-reference. You will find many new cross-references to add to your Bible if you are diligent in study. For example, Matthew 6:23 should be cross-referenced to Proverbs 28:22, but it is not in any cross-reference system I have seen. And Ephesians 1:3 "spiritual blessings in heavenly places" should be cross-referenced with Colossians 3:1-3 and 1 Peter 1:4, but none of these are in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Doctrinal and Teaching Outlines. I can preach many sermons right from the margins of my Bible. For example, in Genesis 13, I have the four steps of "Lot's Downward Slide"; in Proverbs 23, an outline on drunkenness; in Luke 16, an outline on Hell; in Acts 2, an outline on baptism; in Romans 1, an outline on homosexuality; in Romans 3, an outline on man's nature. Annotations Such As Weights and Measures. For example, in Exodus 25-27, I have noted the modern dimensions and weights of the various articles in the tabernacle. Brief Commentary on the Text. When you learn something that is helpful about a passage, note it briefly in the margin. Every time you read that passage, the note will be there as a reminder. For example, in Luke 16:8, I have jotted down a couple of thoughts about how the children of this generation are wiser than the children of light. "How wiser? 1. In preparing for the future. 2. In the use of money. Christ is using the temporal to illustrate the eternal." In Romans 3:31, I wrote, "Paul established the law for the purpose for which it was given. Compare vv. 19-22." Explanations of Terms Pertaining to Bible Times and Culture. For example, at Isaiah 28:22, I have written, "consumption is trans. 'riddance' in Zeph. 1:18 and 'consume' in Ezek. 13:13." Things to Help You Teach Others. I recall an occasion when I was a young Christian and I unknowingly visited the home of a Jehovah's Witness woman who was zealous for her religion. I was invited into the house and I found myself in the midst of a group of people who were there for a JW Bible study. She took control of the situation and asked me if I believed Christians go to Heaven when they die, and I replied in the affirmative. She then asked me to show her and her friends where the Bible specifically says that the believer goes to Heaven or that he has a home in Heaven. I searched for a few minutes and couldn't find a passage that said exactly that and thus I was put to shame before this false teacher. After that, I redoubled my effort to be ready at all times to give an answer to the many heretics that are out there. One way I have done this is to write relevant things in the margin of my Bible so that I can find them quickly when the occasion presents itself. Thus, in many disputed verses I have noted the arguments against false teaching. At Acts 2:38, for instance, I have annotated the reasons why we know this does not refer to baptismal regeneration: "The word 'for' can mean 'because of' or 'in order to' depending on the context (Luke 5:13-14); Paul said baptism is not the gospel (1 Cor. 1:17; 15:1-4); Peter himself later said baptism is a figure (1 Pet. 3:21); the Holy Spirit is received by trusting Christ not by baptism (Eph. 1:12-13)." In Exodus 20, I have noted the reasons why we know that the sabbath is not binding on New Testament Christians. At Matthew 16:18, I have noted why the rock refers to Christ and not Peter. At Mark 1:23, I have jotted down some of the key errors in the modern versions. At Mark 9, I have listed briefly the various Bible descriptions of Hell and the passages in which Christ preached on Hell. At John 3:5, I have written down the reasons why "born of water" does not refer to baptism. At John 13, I have noted why I believe footwashing is not a church ordinance. These are a few examples. I used to preach in a county jail, and I used these notes almost every week when the prisoners would ask questions. If they asked a question that I did not know the answer to, I would get the answer and put it in my Bible, so I would have it the next time it came up. Divisions of a Passage. Some study Bibles do some of this for you, but I have enjoyed doing it myself. For example, in Exodus 7-11, I have marked the 10 judgments on Egypt. In Exodus 20, I marked each of the 10 commandments. In Leviticus 1-7, I marked the various offerings. Leading Thoughts and Important Repetitions For example, in Paul's Epistles I have bracketed all of his prayers, beginning at Romans 1:8-10, and I have annotated the prayer that precedes and follows. In the margin of Romans 1:8-10, I put Romans 15:5-6, for that is Paul's next prayer. In the margin of Romans 15:5-6, I put Romans 1:8-10, for that is the preceding prayer, and Romans 15:3, for that is the next prayer. In Genesis I bracketed every occasion in which God repeated his covenant to Abraham, beginning in Genesis 12. I also added an asterisk so I can find each reference more easily c. Use color markings. Colored pencils, pens, or highlighters are an excellent way to mark your Bible. Some try to use one marking system throughout their Bibles; but I have found that it is easier and more effective to use different color markings for different parts of the Bible. Following are some of the systems I have used in my own Bible: In the Psalms I have used red to mark verses that mention everlasting and eternal, dark blue for the second coming, orange for trusting God, green for blessings, purple for trouble, yellow for praise, pink for prayer, and brown for the Word of God. I have circled the verse numbers of the Messianic prophecies with blue. I have also bracketed unfulfilled prophecy or future events in red. In the prophetic portions of the Old Testament, I have used brown for verses pertaining to the Day of the Lord, light blue for the Messianic passages, green for passages referring to the remnant, orange for the New Covenant, dark blue for the regathering of Israel, yellow for passages describing the millennial kingdom, and red for the second coming. I have also bracketed unfulfilled prophecy or future events in red In Proverbs, I have used red to mark verses dealing with counsel and learning, yellow for references to the tongue and speaking, green for correction, purple for anger and strife, orange for immorality, brown for friendship, blue for child training. I have used a blue circle around the verse number for verses about the home or family, a penciled circle for those about the sluggard, a green circle for those about the government, a brown circle for those dealing with the poor and poverty, and a purple circle for pride. In the Gospel of John, I have used red for the key word "believe," green for the promises of "eternal life," and yellow for the "I ams" spoken by Christ. In the book of Acts, I have used red for the verses which teach salvation by faith, blue for the verses about baptism, green for the verses about repentance, yellow for the names of the places visited by Paul, and orange for the verses that speak of Christ's resurrection. In addition, I have marked the travels of Paul with brackets at the beginning and end of each journey. In Revelation, I have marked the names of the seven churches in blue, the seals in purple, the trumpets in orange, the mentions of God's wrath in red, and the vials in brown. 6. Have a Reading Plan. a. It is important both to read the Bible (Deut. 17:18-19; Rev. 1:3) and to study the Bible (2 Tim. 2:15). Reading and studying are two different things. It is important, first, simply to READ the Bible. There is probably no other one thing that can help a believer better understand the Bible than simply reading it and reading it and reading it. My mother started reading the Bible through twice a year when she was about 77 years old, and every time I have seen her since then she has told me how that she has grown in her understanding. It is necessary, also, to STUDY the Bible. This involves slowing down the pace, doing word studies, analyzing individual passages, doing topical studies, outlining books, using commentaries, etc. This is the point where we begin to use Bible study tools. Some Tips on Reading the Bible: a. Read it systematically. That means read it all of the way through. Why should the Bible be read systematically? The Bible is not merely a series of writings; it is one Book; and to be understood it needs to be read and studied as one Book. Each individual book of the Bible complements the other books, and as the Bible is read systematically the pieces gradually fit together. I supposed I knew my Bible, Reading piecemeal, hit or miss, Now a bit of John or Matthew, Now a snatch of Genesis, Certain chapters of Isaiah, Certain Psalms (the twenty-third) Twelfth of Romans, First of Proverbs— Yes, I thought I knew the Word! But I found that thorough reading Was a different thing to do, And the way was unfamiliar When I read the Bible through. You who like to play at Bible, Dip and dabble, here and there. Just before you kneel a-weary, And yawn through a hurried prayer; You who treat the Crown of Writings As you treat no other book— Just a paragraph disjointed, Just a crude impatient look— Try a worthier procedure Try a broad and steady view; You will kneel in very rapture When you read the Bible through! —Amos R. Wells b. I recommend reading from the Old Testament and the New Testament. You can do this by reading from a portion of the Old and New Testaments each day, or by alternating between the Old and the New on a regular basis, such as by reading an entire book or section of books from the Old Testament (such as Genesis or the entire Pentateuch) followed by reading a book or section from the New (such as Matthew or the entire Four Gospels). The following two plans follow this system (reading a portion from the Old and the New Testaments each day) and take the student through the Bible in a year. [https://www.wholesomewords.org/family/bibleread/truth.pdf] http://www.backtothebible.org/one-year-reading-plans The 52-Week Bible Reading Plan is also a good one. By this method you will read the Old Testament once and the New Testament twice in a year. It requires reading about 4 chapters per day. Week Passage 1 Genesis 1-26 2 Genesis 27-50 3 Matthew 4 Mark 5 Exodus 1-21 6 Exodus 22-40 7 Luke 8 John 9 Leviticus 10 Acts 11 Numbers 1-18 12 Numbers 19-36 13 Romans, Galatians 14 1 and 2 Corinthians 15 Deuteronomy 1-17 16 Deuteronomy 17-34 17 Ephesians to Philemon 18 Hebrews to 2 Peter 19 Joshua 20 1 John to Revelation 21 Judges, Ruth 22 Job 1-31 23 Job 32-42, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon 24 1 Samuel 25 2 Samuel 26 Psalms 1-50 27 1 Kings 28 2 Kings 29 Psalms 51-100 30 1 Chronicles 31 2 Chronicles 32 Psalms 101-150 33 Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther 34 Proverbs 35 Matthew 36 Isaiah 1-35 37 Isaiah 36-66 38 Mark 39 Luke 40 Jeremiah 1-29 41 Jeremiah 30-52, Lamentations 42 John 43 Acts 44 Ezekiel 1-24 45 Ezekiel 25-48 46 Romans, Galatians 47 1 and 2 Corinthians 48 Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos 49 Ephesians to Philemon 50 Obadiah to Malachi 51 Hebrews to 2 Peter 52 1 John to Revelation c. Bible reading can be divided into two parts, such as morning and evening (Psalm 119:147-148), or morning and mid-day. Following are some suggestions: (1) Read a portion of the Old Testament in the morning and a portion of the New Testament in the evening. (2) Read the Scriptures systematically in the morning, three or four chapters a day, and then read more devotionally in the evening, allowing the Holy Spirit to lead to various passages. (3) Read systematically in the morning and then read in the Psalms and Proverbs at evening d. You can divide Bible devotional time into two parts: the first part for reading and the next part for studying. It doesn't take very long to read the three or four chapters a day required to read the Bible through in a year. This can be followed by a time of study. We have listed many suggested studies in the Sunday School course "Fundamentals of How to Study the Bible." [https://www.wayoflife.org/publications/abss/how_to_study_the_bible.php]. See also The Effectual Bible Student video series https://www.wayoflife.org/s3/effectual_bible_student.php Following are some suggestions of how to divide your time in this way: (1) You can do your reading and studying at one sitting, dedicating an hour or so to this important endeavor. (2) You can divide reading and studying into two separate times during the day. (3) You can focus on reading during the first part of the year, while focusing on study the rest of the year. For example, during the first part of the year you could read six chapters and read the Bible through in six and a half months (the Bible contains 1,189 chapters). That would leave about half of the year for the study of the Bible e. If you are starting out your Bible reading career, I suggest that you set out to read the Bible through in one year and that you read it in conjunction with a simple Bible survey. As the student progresses in his learning, I suggest that he use more thorough Bible surveys, such as Explore the Bible by J. Sidlow Baxter. 7. Start With Prayer. Ask God to open the eyes of your understanding. Don't be presumptuous, assuming that you can understand the Bible on your own. We must follow the example of the Psalmist who cried, "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law" (Psalms 119:18). Proverbs says that we will find wisdom only when we cry out for understanding (Proverbs 2:1-5). 8. Keep Your Mind on Your Reading. If you can't concentrate upon the Bible, your study time will not be very profitable. It is so easy for the mind to wander as you read the Bible, and we must do whatever is necessary to keep our thoughts on the Scriptures, to hold the words of God in our hearts so that they bring forth good fruit. Not only do we live in a weak, fleshly body (called the "body of this death" in Romans 7:24) that gets tired and sick, and not only do we dwell in a world full of cares and troubles, but we have an aggressive spiritual enemy that seeks to hinder our progress. His name is Satan, meaning the adversary, the one who stands before us to resist us. Bible study is spiritual warfare, and we must do everything necessary to win this war. The Parable of the Sower teaches us that a man must make the effort to understand and apply the Scriptures, or the truth will be stolen away from his heart by the Devil (Matthew 13:19). We must capture the truth by meditating on it and finding out its meaning. Following are some tips for concentrating on Bible reading. a. Pray about it. If you find your mind frequently wandering during Bible study, lay the matter before the Lord. Tell Him that you desire to grow in knowledge of Him and His Word, explain your problem to Him, and beseech Him to help you concentrate. b. If you are particularly worried about some matter, cast it upon the Lord (1 Pet. 5:7) and trust Him to take care of it for you; then turn your full attention to His Word. c. Remove things from your Bible study area that are distracting. I know a pastor who removed all of the bright colored covers from the books in his office, because they distracted him when he was trying to study the Bible. d. Be careful about using a computer during Bible reading time. I use my computer to study the Bible, because it is so efficient, but I do not use my computer when I have my daily devotional time in the Scriptures. It is too easy to get distracted with other things on the computer. e. Be careful about extraneous thoughts. When you are studying the Bible, it will often happen that thoughts about other things will rush in and you will be tempted to leave the study of the Bible and to rush off to take care of those things. For this reason, it is a good idea to have pen and paper handy and to jot down such thoughts so that you can take care of them later. This way, you can put them out of your mind for the time being and proceed with your study. If you get in the habit of allowing yourself to rush off and take care of other things, you will be crippled in your ability to study the Bible fruitfully. f. Go back and read the passage again. When you find that your mind has wandered during the reading of the Scripture, it is important to go back and read that passage again until you understand what you are reading, even if it takes several readings. It is better to read one verse with clear understanding than to read an entire chapter with the mind drifting to other things. g. Try not to read the Bible when you are tired. Sometimes this cannot be avoided, and it is better to read the Bible when you are tired than not at all. But the wise Bible student will arrange his schedule in such a way that he can study the Scriptures when his mind is fresh. h. If you find your mind wandering, it might help to put the Bible reading first before you do anything else in the day. I have found that if I start reading and studying other things first, it is much more difficult to concentrate on the Bible later. i. Sometimes it is helpful to read the Bible aloud if you find your mind wandering. This can help you maintain your concentration. j. A large print Bible can also help with concentration because it is easier to read and the pages of the Bible are not as cluttered. k. Be persistent. Don't let the Devil defeat you in your Bible reading. If you find yourself unable to concentrate for a period, don't quit. There are ups and downs in Bible study as there are in other parts of life. The best tip for effective Bible study is to keep on keeping on! 9. Try to Get Something Practical Each Day From Your Bible Reading. Don't just read for head knowledge; read with the purpose of growing in your knowledge of Christ and in your daily walk with Him. It is good to keep a Bible reading diary. Write down the date, list the passage that you read, and then jot down the practical thoughts that you got from that reading. Ask yourself, "What is God saying to me from this passage today?" 10. Maintain a Prayer Diary. Many believers combine their daily Bible reading with a time of intercessory prayer. This is when you pray for others. It is described in 1 Timothy 2:1-2, "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty." It is helpful to keep a prayer diary, listing the various things and people you pray for on a daily basis. Some suggestions are husbands, wives, children, mothers, fathers, pastors, missionaries, unsaved relatives and acquaintances, the sick, persecuted believers, and the government. Pray for specific things and use the prayer diary to list God's answers to your prayers. Published December 15, 2009, by David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061. 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org Used with permission.