Knowable Word

Helping ordinary people learn to study the Bible

Copyright © 2012–2026 DiscipleMakers, except guest articles (copyright author). Used by permission.

You are here: Home / Archives for Main Point

Understanding the Story of Joseph in Genesis

By

Samuel Emadi wrote a piece on the story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50. Sometimes we read that story and zero in on a few ideas about innocent suffering or the sovereignty of God. But Emadi does a great job examining the full narrative and following its train of thought.

Moses gives Joseph more time in Genesis than he does any other character—a striking fact given the significance of Genesis’s other main characters: Adam, Noah, and the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This prominence is even more striking considering the apparent insignificance of Joseph in the rest of Scripture.

What then do we make of the Joseph story? Why is it so prominent in Genesis?

Many Christians fail to notice how Joseph’s story contributes to the Genesis narrative and to redemptive history in general. Within Reformed circles, preachers often use Joseph merely to illustrate how divine sovereignty and human responsibility intersect, focusing almost exclusively on Genesis 50:20: “What you meant for evil God meant for good.” Certainly, we are meant to read Joseph’s life in light of this verse. God’s sovereignty is a major theme in Genesis 37–50, and Joseph himself intends for us to interpret his life in light of God’s providence (cf. Gen. 45:1–9).

But reducing the story to an illustration for the doctrine of compatibilism misses the rich contribution Joseph’s life makes to the storyline of Scripture. God’s sovereignty figures largely in the Joseph story because God wants us to see how he puts himself in impossible situations and yet finds a way to keep his covenant promises. Joseph highlights how God’s providence secures God’s promises.

In this light, we can see how Joseph uniquely contributes to Scripture’s opening book.

Check it out!

Defining and Refining the Main Point

By

This is a guest post by Brian Stenson and Lincoln Fitch, who serve with DiscipleMakers in eastern Pennsylvania. They share a love for good coffee, good books, and good Bible study.  Listen to their talk on Bible study from the DiscipleMakers Fall Conference here.

After a long, hard-fought battle, you have captured the main point of your passage. You have made many observations. You’ve asked and answered key interpretive questions. You’ve resisted the five misconceptions. Now you sit atop the glorious truth you’ve discovered, basking in the glory of victory.

In this grand moment, you may be tempted toward overconfidence. We’ve been there. We’ve felt like strutting across the local coffee shop like decorated Olympians, hands punching the air, spectators lavishing accolade upon accolade. This part of your Bible study is dangerous because, in your overconfidence, you might fail to take an honest, humble look at your work.

So before taking your victory lap, humbly filter your proposed main point through a defining and refining process, especially if you plan to teach or preach this passage. This will ensure you have an accurate main point, ready to communicate with clarity and potency.

Five Misconceptions About Finding the Main Point

By

This is a guest post by Brian Stenson and Lincoln Fitch, who serve with DiscipleMakers in eastern Pennsylvania. They share a love for good coffee, good books, and good Bible study.  Listen to their talk on Bible study from the DiscipleMakers Fall Conference here.

Finding the main point tends to be one of the most difficult skills to master when learning to study the Bible, in part because of believing one or more of the following five misconceptions.

1. Your Bible study is solely dependent on the quality of your main point

Perhaps you think your Bible study is not worthwhile without a solid main point. And certainly, understanding the main point of a passage is crucial to understanding God’s word.

Yet God’s words are living and active, sharper than a two-edged sword. The words that come from his mouth will not return to him empty.

This means that the God-breathed words in this book are not dependent on us. We definitely want to be careful and handle them faithfully, but the power in them is not from us but from God. This fact frees us from needing to have perfect main points.

If you’re tempted to cancel your Bible study because you’re not sure you’ve understood the main point, don’t! Trust in the power of God’s words.

2. The main point is a summary of the passage

A summary of the passage simply retells the facts. In contrast, the main point interprets what those facts mean.

For example, a summary of John 1:1-18 might be “Jesus is the Word, the life, the light, and the glory of God made flesh.” This statement communicates (summarizes) what the passage says. But to get the main point, we must ask what these things mean, and we’ll come up with something like, “God is making himself known through Jesus.”

Summaries of the passage can lead you to the main point. But don’t settle for a summary. Dig further to understand what the passage teaches about God.The Main point must answer the question: Why did the author write this?

3. Finding the main point is more of a science than an art

Finding the main point is not an exact science. There’s no formula that guarantees you a main point if you follow certain steps or ask certain questions.

Finding the main point is more of an art, where you use different tools to discover the author’s intentions. You put yourself in the author’s shoes.

And when we call Bible study an art, we’re speaking less of the art of creation and creativity, and more of the art of fine arts criticism. Or more specifically, the art of literary analysis. We’re not creating meaning, but simply uncovering the meaning already present in the text.

So don’t expect any series of steps to drop the main point into your lap. Rather, acquire the careful discernment required to understand the author’s intentions.

4. The main point is a precise phrase you’re looking to find

Don’t think of it as a treasure hunt for the right answer, nor as an encryption key to break a code.

James St. John (2015), Creative Commons

Think of it like a gem—one beautiful idea with many facets. You can come at the main point from different angles. Don’t put pressure on yourself to get the wording exactly right. There is no secret answer key of main points for the Bible.

And note: While there usually is no single, “right” main point for a passage, there can certainly be many wrong answers. For example, possible main point statements for John 1:1-18 could be:

  • God is making himself known through Jesus.
  • Jesus reveals God to the world.
  • Jesus is the God who created the world and now brings life to it.

But it would be incorrect to say the main point of John 1:1-18 is that “Jesus is the first created being” (poor observation) or that “Jesus was rejected by those who should have received him” (focusing on a sub-point of the passage’s argument).

5. Wise teachers should always agree about a passage’s main point

Because finding the main point is more art than science, and because the main point can have many facets from which to view it, we should expect some disagreement or differences in stating the main points. Commentators can state the main point differently, and yet still have a good understanding of the passage. Pastors can preach different sermons from the same passage and yet still be faithfully representing the passage.

So if you and your Bible study co-leader come up with similar main points, but you phrase them differently, don’t be surprised! As long as you’re looking at the same gem, it’s OK if you don’t frame the main point the same way.

Conclusion

The main point is not an observational summary but an interpretive statement. We’re looking in the text, not for a specific phrase, but for the author’s intention, which, like the facets of a gem, can be looked at from multiple directions.

Picture a miner digging down 20 feet and hitting copper. Though he isn’t thrilled, he figures it’s the best he can do. So he packs up and leaves, ignorant of the gold just a few feet further down. We’re like this when we study the Bible but don’t quite get to the author’s main point. And how much more valuable is the Lord’s word than gold?

So don’t give up! Keep digging to understand God’s word.

A Crucial Question to Help You Find the Main Point of a Bible Passage

By

This is a guest post by Brian Stenson and Lincoln Fitch, who serve with DiscipleMakers in eastern Pennsylvania. They share a love for good coffee, good books, and good Bible study.  Listen to their talk on Bible study from the DiscipleMakers Fall Conference here.

Why the Main Point Matters

Can you imagine pouring yourself into your study of a passage, only to discover you were missing the main idea?

I (Lincoln) had that experience a few months ago. After reviewing my notes for an upcoming sermon, my ministry supervisor asks me straight out: “What would you say is the main point of the passage?” And upon hearing my answer, he holds nothing back. “I don’t think that is the main point of the passage.” Though it is hard to hear this, I know he is right. I can’t even justify my proposed main point to myself. And now I feel like a total failure. Will I ever be able to understand or teach the Bible accurately?

While finding a text’s main point is not easy, it is crucial. Consider what happens if we teach the Scripture without grasping the main ideas. At the very least, the message (even if it has some real truth) doesn’t arise clearly from the page to stick in your listener’s hearts. At the worst, you could be working at cross-purposes with what God actually wants to communicate through the passage. But finding the main point empowers you to access the boundless power of God’s transformative word. Whether you lead Bible studies, teach and preach, or study the Bible on your own, finding the main point of a passage is foundational to understanding and communicating who God is.

A Crucial Question

If you’re familiar with OIA Bible study, you’ve probably experienced the challenge of finding the main point. After observing, you ask questions, especially “why” questions. You consider the context. You try to figure out the author’s intentions. But often, you feel stumped.

We find one particular question to be crucial when it’s time to identify the passage’s main point:

Why did the author write the passage this way?

ed_needs_a_bicycle (2012), Creative Commons

It’s not a flashy or revolutionary question, but it usually gets the job done. And it does so by causing us to examine a few more specific questions.

  • What gives the passage its shape?
  • What does the author emphasize?
  • How did the author get from beginning to end?
  • How does the structure of the larger section, and the book as a whole, help us see what the author is trying to get across in this passage?

For example, notice how the shape of John 6:60-71 reveals much about the author’s main point:

  • This relatively short passage concludes a long discourse between the Jews and Jesus. These final verses show the responses to Jesus’ teaching.
  • The passage begins with many disciples following Jesus but ends with few. John 6:66 says, “After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.” This statement serves as a turning point in the narrative.
  • This turning point raises the following questions: 1) “Why did so many people turn away?” and 2) “What was the difference between those who turned away and those who continued to follow Jesus?”
  • The disciples who turned away gave a reason: “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” (John 6:60). Jesus also knew they were grumbling and asked if they took offense at his words (John 6:61).
  • After many turned away, Jesus turns to the Twelve and asks if they want to go away as well (John 6:66). Peter explains their reason for staying: “You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:69-70).

Do you see how both groups of disciples comment on Jesus’ words? The first group turns away because they are challenged and offended by Jesus’ words. The second group keeps following because they hear Jesus’ words and receive them, knowing them to be the words of eternal life. This text reveals a lot about people by their response to Jesus’ words, and by the inherent contrast in the structure.

Here’s where we think John is going: People’s responses to Jesus’ words demonstrate whether they’ll follow him or fall away. There is our main point.

You could state the main point in many ways, but the passage clearly highlights both Jesus’ words and what we do with them. May the Lord help us to hear and love the words of eternal life found in the Scriptures!

Conclusion

Do you see why structure matters? The passage has a significant change (the number of people following Jesus) from beginning to end, which shows us the author’s intentions: to demonstrate the impact of our response to Jesus’ words. This insight arises from examining why the author wrote the passage this way.

Finding the main point of a passage is not easy, but it’s worth it. The main point is your front-row ticket to the revealed glory of God, and it will equip you to think and speak with clarity and power when you teach the word.

The Main Message of Your Bible

By

In an excerpt from the ESV Men’s Devotional Bible, Bryan Chapell summarizes well “The Main Message of Your Bible.” Here is a taste:

God doesn’t intend for this divine crusade of redemption merely to interest us. As the apostle Paul writes, “Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Rom. 15:4). The history, poetry, symbols, and instructions of Scripture vary greatly in style but not in their intention: all are intended to affect our response to life in our fallen world. Though evil is always present and frequently prevails, we are not to despair. With a patient confidence in God’s ultimate providence, and the assurance of the Scriptures that his redemption is ongoing, we always have hope.

Check it out!

Some Bible Outlines are More Helpful Than Others

By

mkorsakov (2014), Creative Commons

mkorsakov (2014), Creative Commons

Bible outlines help us simplify and organize the author’s message. That’s why expository sermons outline passages and study Bibles outline books. I can’t remember the last time I read an introduction to a book of the Bible that didn’t propose an outline for the book.

But some outlines are less helpful than others.

Take, for example, this outline of Job 4-14 from the NIV Zondervan Study Bible:

  1. First Exchange: Eliphaz (4:1-5:27)
  2. Job’s Response to Eliphaz (6:1-7:21)
  3. Second Exchange: Bildad (8:1-22)
  4. Job’s Response to Bildad (9:1-10:22)
  5. Third Exchange: Zophar (11:1-20)
  6. Job’s Response to Zophar (12:1-14:22)

This outline succeeds at observing Job’s structure, but it does little to help us understand Job’s message. Many outlines stop short of significant usefulness when they state all the “what” but little of the “why.” In other words, they outline content but not meaning. They outline observation but not interpretation. They give us summaries but not main points.

What’s usually more helpful is to outline the logic of the passage. Figure out how the main points of each section flow into and out of one another, constructing a theme or message that the author wants to communicate to his readers. When an outline packages the building blocks of the book’s argument, readers are more likely to benefit from it quickly.

For example, consider this outline of Job 4-14 from The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible:

  1. Eliphaz: You Strengthened Others but Now Are Fainting (4:1-5:27)
  2. Job: You Do Not Know the Weight of My Grief (6:1-7:21)
  3. Bildad: All Agree that God is Just (8:1-22)
  4. Job: But How Can Man Be Just Before God? (9:1-10:22)
  5. Zophar: Does Your Talk Justify You? (11:1-20)
  6. Job: I Know that I Shall Be Justified (12:1-14:22)

I might argue that the last statement should be broadened to better capture the main point of Job’s entire speech in chapters 12-14—I would state it as “My Dangerously Unpredictable God is More Trustworthy Than My Clearly Logical Friends”—but that would be a minor quibble. The point is that the editors of The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible give us more than the order of speeches; they attempt to state concisely the message of each speech. In doing so, they help us get farther down the road in our study of the book. And for this I applaud them.

————

Disclaimer: I should tell you that 1) certain consumer behaviors will trigger 2) an affiliate relationship, but without 3) any adverse affects. But I might be more helpful if I clarify my message: 1) Clicking Amazon links in this post and making purchases will 2) give this blog a small commission, but 3) at no extra cost to yourself.

Top 10 Curses of Study Bibles

By

I’m facing a parental dilemma. The young man renting our spare bedroom offered to take a few of my children to a shooting range to teach them to handle firearms. This fellow is training to be an officer in the United States Navy, and he’s responsible and trustworthy—but still!

Should I allow it or not? I’m no curmudgeon when it comes to risk; I practically taught my children to climb trees before they could walk. But might they still be a shade too young and immature for this responsibility? We already tend ample wounds from plastic swords, light sabers, and Nerf weaponry; can these children handle a Marlin .22 caliber rifle or a Sig Sauer Mosquito handgun?

Sig Sauer Mosquito HandgunI’m mildly consoled by the fact that our resident midshipman has no interest in a joyride. On his watch, nobody can touch a gun without memorizing four rules:

Never point a gun at anything you don’t want to shoot.

Treat every gun as if it were loaded.

Keep your gun on safety until you are ready to fire.

Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire.

Regardless of where you stand on pacifism or gun control, I’m sure you’d agree that guns are dangerous and require extreme caution. In this way, guns are just like study Bibles. We should have rules about how to use them safely.

Last week, I wrote about the 10 blessings of study Bibles. I also consider it my duty to caution you about their 10 curses. Some of these curses are inherent in the “study Bible” genre; other curses are common but not insuperable weaknesses. Thus, some study Bibles avoid some of the curses.

Physical Size

1. They are big and bulky—Rarely will you catch somebody carrying one in a backpack. To be fair, though, the ESV Study Bible has a compact version and convenient online access. Others offer similar options.

They draw your attention away from the biblical text

2. Not much text per page—Especially in the New Testament, and especially in Paul’s epistles. When study notes abound, there’s less incentive to read passages in the context of the chapter, section, or book (one must do a lot of flipping).

3. Cross-references receive greater attention—Not only do you get the usual center-column cross-references, but every 2 or 3 study notes highlight even more cross-references. But cross-references are way overrated. Along with word studies and harmonization, they are one of the most common distractions from rich, contextual Bible study. You’ll do better to ignore them, at least until you understand the passage at hand. Get the main point; then correlate with other texts.

They can be strong at “what” but weak on “why”

4. Study notes that miss the mark—They usually have only enough space to do one of two things: 1) observe the text well but leave no room for interpretation, or 2) provide interpretation that rings hollow because it’s not supported through explicit observation.

5. Book introductions that answer questions you aren’t asking—Some book intros are superb; others get bogged down with too many details. Often the difference lies in whether the intro clearly presents the book’s logic (train of thought), or whether it delves into topics like the exact dating of Mark’s Gospel and whether Mark was written before or after Matthew.

6. Outlines that summarize but don’t explain—Most outlines focus on observation (summarizing content), not on interpretation or logic (following trains of thought). This helps you find certain episodes within a book, but it doesn’t do much to help you understand their placement. In addition, many study Bible outlines treat Bible books like stream-of-consciousness term papers: I, II, III.A., III.B., IV., etc. I just saw one that went from I to XVI with no further subdivisions! I always check out Dorsey’s Literary Structure of the Old Testament when I study an OT book. I wish there were a comparable volume for NT books.

7. Lack of clear main points—You’ll find pages of word analysis and historical background. And many study Bibles have summaries of content. But a summary is different from a main point. Only the most courageous editors take the risk of stating “the main point (or the main theme) of this book is ____________.” Even better is when they give you main points for not only each book, but also for each chapter.

They can hinder discovery

8. They train you to micro-analyze the text—Words often get more attention than sentences, which get more attention than paragraphs, which get more attention than chapters, etc. Study Bibles sometimes train our senses accordingly, like the young pastoral candidate I once interviewed who thought he’d attain maturity in his sermons when he could preach on a single verse.

9. They train you to observe (and observe small) but go no farther in the study process—This point follows from points 4-8 above. Some folks think they’ve studied the Bible because they’ve read the notes and looked up the cross-references. But have they learned to ask questions and answer them? Can they figure out (and fight for) the main points? Have they learned to apply the same truth to different groups of people?

10. They lead you to believe you can’t study the text on your own—If I locked you in a room with nothing but a pencil and a clean text (no study notes or cross-references), would you know what to do with it? Would you even think it possible you could know what to do with it?

Study Bibles deliver amazing blessings, but please use them with extreme caution.

—————

Disclaimer: The Amazon links are affiliate links. Don’t click them unless you’re okay giving this blog a commission. Treat those links as if they’re loaded. Keep your finger off the mouse button until you are ready to click and help us cover our fees.

Thanks for visiting Knowable Word! If you like this article, you might be interested in receiving regular updates from us. You can sign up for our email list (enter your address in the box on the upper right of this page), follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or subscribe to our RSS feed. 

3 Tips for Bad Bible Study, Part 2

By

In the first post of this series we looked at a tried-and-true method for achieving bland, ineffective Bible study. Today we’ll add a second method to our arsenal:

2. Find Your Own Meaning

The Bible calls itself a “sharp double-edged sword.” That sounds awfully dangerous, doesn’t it? No need to worry; you can keep that sword safely in its sheath by looking for a private, personal meaning for every text you read. Just come up with a summary of the text which you can claim is true for you (and not necessarily true for anyone else), and you’ll be safe from being pricked by the Word.

You need to know this tip because there are people out there who still hold to the idea that a text has an objective meaning. They would say that an author has a single main point in mind while writing which he or she wants to communicate to readers. The problem with this is that you’re left dangerously exposed to any number of ideas which might upset the serene status quo of your own thinking!

Here’s a quick example: John 3:16. Ask one of those objective types what this verse means, and he’ll start yammering on about “context,” being “born again,” etc, etc. What’s worse, he’ll probably land on a rather unsettling conclusion involving sin, death, faith, and the need for repentance. So much for safe, empty ritual! A much simpler and safer approach would be to say, “I’m so glad God loves the world. That means He loves me. That makes me happy.” Why go further than that?

So instead of asking, “What does this text mean?”, ask, “What does this text mean for me?” See the difference those two little words make? They’re all you need to protect yourself from annoying life-changing truths!

Here’s a few particular suggestions for applying this tip:

  • Remember to apply our first tip for bad Bible study: assume you already know what the text says. You’ll be much better positioned to make up your own meaning if you start with what you think the text says rather than what it actually says.
  • Avoid thinking about the fact that the text you’re reading was written by a particular person (in a particular place at a particular time). Instead, imagine the words floating ethereally. This makes it easier for you to attach your own meaning to them.
  • Similarly, try not to think about the fact that the text was written to a particular audience. If you start thinking about other people who have read the same words you’re reading, it’s harder to make up your own private meaning.
  • In Bible study meetings, keep the discussion centered on feelings. If you have to say something about the text itself, stick with vaguely spiritual statements like, “Wow, it’s just amazing that it says such-and-such.”

Give it a try! Apply this tip in your Bible reading, and I guarantee you’ll stay safe from stinging conviction, tumultuous encouragement, and lofty joy. Instead, you’ll stay in control and you’ll know just what to expect: nothing much at all.

One word of caution: Finding your own meaning will help you read the Bible without danger of learning anything, but be careful not to apply the strategy too generally. There are times when it’s a good idea to consider what the author intended to say. For example, I would not recommend finding your own meaning in the following types of writing:

  • Emails from your boss
  • Instructions for operating power tools
  • Anything written by the IRS

Main Points for all 66 Books of the Bible

By

NIV Proclamation BibleLast week’s review of the NIV Proclamation Bible got me excited about its concise main points for every book of the Bible. I couldn’t resist listing them here for your reference. I don’t agree with every one. For example, the proposals for Joshua and Nahum are summaries and not main points, and the proposal for Job misses the centrality of the fear of the Lord. But they all are worth considering.

You’ll have to buy the Bible to see a 2-4 paragraph defense for each main point.

Books of Moses
Genesis: The Creator God is faithful to his covenant promises and redeems humanity through the promised line, despite their sin and rebellion.
Exodus: Trust, obey and worship the redeeming, covenant-making God who is with us.
Leviticus: The holy God makes his people holy, calls them to be holy, and provides atonement through blood when they are not.
Numbers: God has saved us and, as we travel through the wilderness of this world, we need to go on exercising faith to enter the inheritance Christ has secured for us.
Deuteronomy: God’s people are called to respond to God’s salvation with love and loyalty, worshiping the one true God in the midst of surrounding cultural idolatries and living in the midst of the nations as a community shaped at every level of life by God’s character of grace, justice, purity, compassion, and generosity.

 

Historical Books
Joshua: God gave the land he promised and Israel took it (Josh 11:23, 21:43-45, NIV).
Judges: The book of Judges demonstrates that if the Israelites survive the dark days of Canaanization under the judges it is entirely to the Lord’s credit.
Ruth: The Lord is committed to his people even in the darkest days, and will preserve his plan of salvation through a godly king, for both Jews and Gentiles.
1 and 2 Samuel: Even the best human leaders fail us, but God is faithful to his people and promised a king who would be powerful, wise, righteous and faithful.
1 and 2 Kings: Ruling justly and wisely depends on obeying God’s word, and disobeying has serious consequences.
1 and 2 Chronicles: Restore the people, raise up the king and renew the temple; then God will pour out his blessings.
Ezra-Nehemiah: In response to God fulfilling his promises, his people should repent, reform and “follow the Law of God,” or literally, “walk in the Law of God” (Neh 10:29, NIV).
Esther: God fulfils his redemptive promises through his divine providence.

 

Wisdom Books
Job: The obedient suffering of a believer brings glory to God.
Psalms: Praise the Lord: meditate on his circumstance-defying covenant love in the Messiah!
Proverbs: Proverbs recognizes the difficulties of living in God’s complex world and offers wise words to live by.
Ecclesiastes: Death and judgment are the only fixed realities in life, and everything else is uncertain and often subject to frustration and sorrow.
Song of Songs: Desire wisdom, desire your husband or wife, and above all desire Christ.

 

Prophets
Isaiah: God will rescue and renew a faithful, obedient people for himself, out of the ashes of Israel’s failure and exile, through the coming of his Servant King (the Messiah).
Jeremiah: “Therefore that he may raise, the Lord throws down” (John Donne).
Lamentations: “In your righteous wrath, O Lord, remember mercy!”
Ezekiel: Align yourselves with the God who has acted in judgment on Judah, and with the Israel that God is restoring.
Daniel: God always remains the true God, so stay faithful to him despite pressure to compromise.
Hosea: “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes” (Hos 3:1, NIV).
Joel: Judgment day is approaching, so sincerely repent, call on the name of the Lord, and you will be blessed.
Amos: The sovereign Lord will not tolerate a proud and complacent people, but will judge all human evil with perfect justice so that his kingdom may come.
Obadiah: Divine sovereignty is the audacious theme of Obadiah, seen in the impending role reversal of Edom and Judah on the day of the Lord.
Jonah: “Salvation comes from the Lord” (Jonah 2:9, NIV), who is the Creator and Lord of the nations.
Micah: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8, NIV).
Nahum: The Lord will bring inescapable and deserved judgment on mighty Assyria, and this is good news for God’s people, Judah.
Habakkuk: Be joyful and secure in an unjust world, by trusting in the God who promises to deliver his people and defeat evil.
Zephaniah: God will judge the sin and rebellion of the world, but there is hope because of the character and promises of God.
Haggai: The rebuilding of the Lord’s temple will bring about an even greater glory.
Zechariah: In a time of economic and spiritual crisis, the prophet Zechariah challenges a new generation to become participants, not spectators, in the plans the Lord Almighty has for the restoration of temple, city and society, and to welcome the Lord, the King of Jerusalem and the King of the whole earth.
Malachi: “‘I have loved you,’ says the Lord” (Mal 1:2, NIV).

 

New Testament Narratives
Matthew: Become disciples of Jesus, so that you may participate in the kingdom of the heavens, and make further disciples in all the nations.
Mark: Jesus, God’s Son, King, and Servant, has come, died and risen that we may know, confess and serve him.
Luke: You can be confident that Jesus, in his life, death, resurrection and ascension, heralds the fulfillment of all God’s promises in the Old Testament.
John: Believe that Jesus is the Son who came from the Father to reveal him, and has returned to the Father to open up the way to life for his people.
Acts: The ascended Lord Jesus continues to draw people from every nation to himself, growing his church through the preaching of the word and the ministry of his Spirit.

 

Epistles
Romans: God is glorified in a united missionary Church humbled together under grace.
1 Corinthians: All believers in Christ are God’s holy temple and should live in keeping with that holy status by becoming unified, shunning pagan vices and glorifying God under the lordship of Christ.
2 Corinthians: Be confident in the “weak” but authentic ministry of gospel proclamation.
Galatians: The grace of God in the gospel and the promised Spirit are sufficient both for salvation and the Christian life.
Ephesians: You are one in Christ now, so be united and stand firm in him.
Philippians: Live joyfully as citizens of God’s kingdom in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.
Colossians: “Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him” (Col 2:6, NIV).
1 Thessalonians: Be reassured of the truth of the gospel and press on in living it out, despite opposition, until Jesus returns.
2 Thessalonians: While waiting expectantly for Christ’s glorious return, live lives of faithful perseverance, patient vigilance and obedient service.
1 Timothy: Local churches need gospel-driven leaders to guard their conformity to gospel truth.
2 Timothy: Guard for future generations the precious deposit of God’s glorious, life-giving gospel, despite opposition.
Titus: Change in belief by the power of the gospel leads to changed lives, so straighten out those deceived by false teachers.
Philemon: The gospel is powerful to reconcile deeply (and understandably) estranged people.
Hebrews: Because Jesus is utterly supreme, Christians should stick with him alone whatever happens.
James: Christians need to be entirely focused on God in all that they do.
1 Peter: God’s chosen people should live God-glorifying, Christlike lives amidst suffering and persecution, assured of ultimate glory themselves.
2 Peter: Those who are truly known by God, and know him in Christ, are those who resist the theological and moral laxities of godless preachers and remain robustly tied to the apostolic message.
1 John: You can know you are Christians because you believe Jesus is the Christ, you recognize your sin and you love fellow Christians.
2 John: The one who knows the truth loves God, through obeying his commandments, loving his people and not being hospitable to the false teacher.
3 John: The one who walks in the truth will be in partnership with Christians, and not reject them.
Jude: Contend for the faith in the face of godless denial and immorality.
Revelation: Willingness to suffer for faith in and worship of the sovereign God and his Christ is the path to ultimate victory and the triune God’s glory in the new creation.

———-
Disclosure: If you click the Amazon link and buy stuff, you’ll support this blog at no extra cost to yourself. Thank you for proclaiming the Bible’s message with us.

Thanks for visiting Knowable Word! If you like this article, you might be interested in receiving regular updates from us. You can sign up for our email list (enter your address in the box on the upper right of this page), follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or subscribe to our RSS feed.