Preface

Now that you have become saved, you will need help in your new Christian walk. One of the most important aspects of the Christian life is the study of God's Word. You have taken a very important and wise step in desiring to begin a study of Scripture. What this course offers is a foundational understanding of the Bible which will serve as a springboard to both intermediate and advanced studies.

The Bible states in Psalm 119:105:

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.  (Psalm 119:105, KJV)

The Bible is like a light on our path.  Have you ever taken a walk at night and then turned on the flashlight or lit a lamp to light your path so you will not fall and hurt yourself?  We all have, especially at camp when we were younger.  The Bible is the same way.  It is God’s light on our path and we read and study it so we do not stumble as we walk through life.  Here is a very interesting verse:

I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. (Psalm 138:2, KJV)

God has magnified His Word, that is, He has made it greater, elevated it or raised it above His own name.  That is how important God’s Word is to Him.  It should be that important to us too.  God’s word is powerful and He gave it to us as a guide for our entire life.

Many churches offer classes for new believers and many times if it is a denominational church, they will teach the new believers according to their church doctrine.  What is severely lacking in Christianity today is a working knowledge of the Bible.  The majority of Christians are biblically illiterate, that is, if you ask them a question about the Bible or about something in the Bible, they will be unable to answer or they will answer incorrectly. Just because a person is saved for many years does not mean they have a good understanding of Scripture.  I have personally witnessed this illiteracy first hand.  I knew a Christian who was saved for over forty years and his Bible of choice was a New Testament he could stick in his pocket.  What about brethren who know more about sports than the Bible?  How will sports help him or her when they face adversity in their life?  This is why this course is based solely upon the Bible so new believers will start off the proper way by gaining a good knowledge of basic doctrine and teachings that will help form a beneficial foundation of understanding that will aid them as they mature into further studies.

This study is based strictly upon the Bible which is the foundation for all other theological works. Do not become discouraged if there is something in the Bible that you do not understand. Rejoice in what you do understand.  The Holy Spirit will open your mind to understand the Scriptures. You may be assured that you will receive true instruction from Him. Satan, your adversary, has a strong desire to discourage you from studying the Scriptures. If you become a strong Christian, Satan knows that you will become wise to his schemes, but if you fall away from your studies, he will have a field day with you and will cause you to live a defeated Christian life.

The Lord is pleased with those who make a diligent study of His Word. May I encourage you to complete the studies in this course as you will be doing a large amount of Scripture search to ground you in the Christian life.  You will also notice that I did not print out all the verses, this is because I want you to search your Bible and find them. This will also help you familiarize yourself with the 66 books of the Bible.

Here are some statistics of the King James Bible:

1) There are 1189 chapters

2) There are 31,102 verses

3) There are 773,693 words

4) The system of chapters was introduced in A.D. 1238 by Hugo de S. Caro*

5) The verses were created and added in 1551 by Robert Stephanus.*

*Please note that only the text is inspired and not the chapter numbers or the verses.    

 They were the result of man’s work to aid in finding certain teachings much quicker.

You have already taken the first step. This course may also serve as a reference manual to help locate specific verses. You must take time to do these studies because Satan will give you every excuse why you don't have time to study. If you do not own a Bible then may I suggest you purchase a King James Bible (preferably a black letter only edition).

I heartily recommend the following King James Bibles:

(1) A wide margin edition which will allow you to make notes in the margin

(2) Thompson Chain Reference

(3) The Defined King James Bible available through The Bible For Today Ministries

      www.biblefortoday.org 

(4) The Reformation Heritage Bible – www.heritagebooks.org

The King James Bible was translated from superior manuscripts compared to those used in such corrupted translations as the New International Version or the English Standard Version and many others. All the modern versions are corrupt. Seek purity from the outset of your Christian walk.

Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: (Col. 1:28, KJV)