8 Bible Reading Tips by J. C. Ryle

I stumbled across these notable tips the other day on this site. I'm not sure who to hat-tip it to, but thanks to whoever showed me these. Hope they point you towards reading the great gift of God's spoken word.

1. Begin reading your Bible this very day. 

The way to do a thing — is to do it; and the way to read the Bible — is actually to read it! It is not merely meaning, or wishing, or resolving, or intending, or thinking about it — which will advance you one step. You must positively read. There is no royal road in this matter, any more than in the matter of prayer. If you cannot read yourself, you must persuade somebody else to read it to you. But one way or another, through eyes or ears — the words of Scripture must actually pass before your mind.

2. Read the Bible with an earnest desire to understand it. 

Do not think for a moment, that the great object is to turn over a certain quantity of printed paper, and that it matters nothing whether you understand it or not. Some ignorant people seem to imagine, that all is done if they advance so many chapters every day, though they may not have a notion what they are all about, and only know that they have pushed on their bookmark ahead so many pages. This is turning Bible reading into a mere ritual form. Settle it down in your mind as a general principle, that a Bible not understood — is a Bible that does no good! Say to yourself often as you read, “What is this all about?” Dig for the meaning like a man digging for gold.

3. Read the Bible with child-like faith and humility. 

Open your heart — as you open God’s book, and say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening!” Resolve to believe implicitly whatever you find there, however much it may run counter to your own desires and prejudices. Resolve to receive heartily every statement of truth — whether you like it or not. Beware of that miserable habit into which some readers of the Bible fall — they receive some doctrines because they like them; and they reject others because they are condemning to themselves, or to some relation, or friend. At this rate, the Bible is useless! Are we to be judges of what ought to be in God’s Word? Do we know better than God? Settle it down in your mind — that you will receive all and believe all, and that what you cannot understand — you will take on trust. Remember, when you pray — that you are speaking to God, and God hears you. But, remember, when you read Scripture — that God is speaking to you, and you are not to “dictate,” but to listen!

4. Read the Bible in a spirit of obedience and self-application. 

Sit down to the study of it with a daily determination that you will live by its rules, rest on its statements, and act on its commands. Consider, as you travel through every chapter, “How does this affect my thinking and daily conduct? What does this teach me?” It is poor work to read the Bible from mere curiosity, and for speculative purposes — in order to fill your head and store your mind with mere opinions; while you do not allow the book to influence your heart and life. That Bible is read best — which is practiced most!

5. Read the Bible daily. 

Make it a part of every day’s business to read and meditate on some portion of God’s Word. Private means of grace are just as needful every day for our souls — as food and clothing are for our bodies. Yesterday’s food will not feed the laborer today; and today’s food will not feed the laborer tomorrow. Do as the Israelites did in the wilderness. Gather your manna fresh every morning. Choose your own seasons and hours. Do not scramble over and hurry your reading. Give your Bible the best, and not the worst part of your time! But whatever plan you pursue, let it be a rule of your life to visit the throne of grace and God’s Word every day.

6. Read all of the Bible — and read it in an orderly way. 

I fear there are many parts of the Word which some people never read at all. This is to say at the least, a very presumptuous habit. “All Scripture is profitable.” [2 Timothy 3:16]. To this habit may be traced that lack of well-proportioned views of truth, which is so common in this day. Some people’s Bible-reading is a system of perpetual ‘dipping and picking’. They do not seem to have an idea of regularly going through the whole book.

7. Read the Bible fairly and honestly. 

Determine to take everything in its plain, obvious meaning — and regard all forced interpretations with great suspicion. As a general rule, whatever a verse of the Bible seems to mean — it does mean! Cecil’s rule is a very valuable one, “The right way of interpreting Scripture is to take it as we find it, without any attempt to force it into any particular theological system.”

8. Read the Bible with Christ continually in view. 

The grand primary object of all Scripture, is to testify of Jesus! Old Testament ceremonies are shadows of Christ. Old Testament judges are types of Christ. Old Testament prophecies are full of Christ’s sufferings, and of Christ’s glory yet to come. The first coming and the second; the Lord’s humiliation and His glorious kingdom; His cross and the crown shine forth everywhere in the Bible. Keep fast hold on this clue, if you would read the Bible aright!

I might easily add to these hints, if space permitted. Few and short as they are — you will find them most profitable when implemented.

Wisdom Has No Age...

Concise and dense, this little book is practical in wisdom, biblical in focus, and Christ-honouring in content. Thoughts for Young Men has been reissued several times since its 19th century release by the right-rev John Charles Ryle. He brings to light many easy sayings that run deep in spirituality. He begins by assessing the nature of young men in their aptness to be lukewarm, even denying God. Following he sends a warning on the dangers that young men are prone to be naively ensnared by. Ryle gives fundamental Christian helps and attitudes for men that if taken root now, fruit should bloom in perseverance. Specifically, resolves to break off sin, no matter how small. Heartily embraced is his section on prayer, Ryle states: "No matter who you are if you are without prayer you are "but dead in the sight of God". This book's weighty statements bring a refining tool to any man.
Worth a read again. 

Thoughts For Young Men: From Many Points of View by John Charles Ryle - 1886.

Two Rare Things

"Two things are said to be very rare 


in the sights of the world:

one is a young man humble, and 

the other is an old man content."

John Charles Ryle

A Call to My Peers and I

"Young men, "flee fornication" (1 Corinthians 6:18) if you love life.
"Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." Flee the occasions of it, the company of those who might draw you into it, the places where you might be tempted to it. Read what our Lord says about it in Matthew 5:28. Be like holy Job: "Make a covenant with your eyes." (Job 31:1) Flee talking of it. It is one of the things that ought not so much as to be named. You cannot taste sin and not be defiled. Flee the thoughts of it; resist them, mortify them, pray against them, make any sacrifice rather than give way. Imagination is the hotbed where this sin is too often hatched. Guard your thoughts, and there is little fear about your deeds."
- John Charles Ryle

Of Primary Importance

“There is no doctrine in Christianity so important as 

the doctrine of Christ crucified. 

There is none which the devil tries so hard to destroy. There is none which it is so needful for our own peace to understand. By ‘Christ crucified,’ I mean the doctrine that Christ suffered death on the cross to make atonement for our sins, that by His death He made a full, perfect, and complete satisfaction to God for the ungodly, and that through the merits of that death all who believe in Him are forgiven all their sins, however many and great, entirely, and forever.”

~ J.C. Ryle