Charles Spurgeon on How to Read the Bibleনমুনা

Such a Reading of Scripture is Profitable

The diligent reading of the Word of God with the strong resolve to get at its meaning often begets spiritual life. We are begotten by the Word of God: it is the instrumental means of regeneration. Therefore, love your Bibles. Keep close to your Bibles. You seeking sinners, you who are seeking the Lord, your first business is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, but while you are yet in darkness and in gloom, love your Bibles and search them! Take them to bed with you, and when you wake up in the morning, if it is too early to go downstairs and disturb the house, get half an hour of reading upstairs. Say, “Lord, guide me to that text which shall bless me. Help me to understand how I, a poor sinner, can be reconciled to You.”

There was never a soul that did sincerely seek for Jesus in the Word but by-and-by he stumbled on the precious truth that Christ was near at hand and did not want any looking for. That He was really there, only they, poor blind creatures, were in such a maze that they could not just then see Him. Oh, cling to Scripture. Scripture is not Christ, but it is the silken clue that will lead you to Him. Follow its leadings faithfully.

When you have received regeneration and a new life, keep on reading, because it will comfort you. You will see more of what the Lord has done for you. You will learn that you are redeemed, adopted, saved, sanctified. Half the errors in the world spring from people not reading their Bibles. Would anybody think that the Lord would leave any one of His dear children to perish if he read such a text as this: “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:28)? When I read that, I am sure of the final perseverance of the saints. Read the Word, and it will be much for your comfort. It will be for your nourishment, too. It is your food as well as your life. Search it, and you will grow strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

Yes, it will always be a new Book—just as new a Bible as it was printed yesterday and nobody had ever seen a word of it till now—and yet it will be a deal more precious for all the memories that cluster round it. As we turn over its pages, how sweetly do we recollect passages in our history that will never be forgotten to all eternity but will stand forever intertwined with gracious promises. Beloved, the Lord teach us to read His book of life that He has opened before us here below, so that we may read our titles clear in that other book of love that we have not seen as yet but that will be opened at the last great day. The Lord be with you and bless you.

We hope you have enjoyed this plan from Charles Spurgeon. At the time of his death, he had preached the Gospel to over 10 million people, pastored the largest independent congregation in the world and sold 25,000 copies of his sermon every week. His writings are a treasure trove of wisdom and conviction. These have been compiled by Jason Allen, President of Spurgeon College, and are available at moodypublishers.com.