What would you suggest to someone approaching faith? Read the Bible VS read the Gospel?

[Sower]

On 11/30/2017 at 11:10 AM, listener24 said:

Before Jesus called me, I've tried different times in my life to search the Truth by starting reading the Bible.

It had no effect on me, just confusion and I gave up every time. Then one day, for some reasons, I picked the Gospel, read them in an afternoon, and they changed my Life. Now if I look at other books of the Bible they make more sense too, even though the Gospel has remained my primary Lamp. 

A lost man is not a child of God, but of the god of this world. The spirit of God must draw someone seeking. The word, the good news,  is the seed planted in the mind, into the good soil, and will grow by the power of the Holy Ghost. The word (seed) stimulates a mind (good soil) to change the thinking (repent). The word is foolishness to the lost, how can they understand, unless the spirit draws, opens the eyes and ears. The gospels are the good news, the Light to see by, to change a lifetime of wrong thinking to a corrected (repentant) thinking. Other than some interesting stories, the bible had little effect upon my thinking till I heard the words - " you must be born again, from above, you must be saved" The seed was planted, and it grew, and came to full "birth", and a child was born. And I received the Holy Ghost. Then "Act_1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:" then, and not till then,  my understanding was enabled by the Spirit to discern the word of God. It was like I was then plugged in to the WiFi, and I now had wireless communication with the creator of the universe, and receiving instructions/fellowship  through out  the day. Without the Spirit of God, reading the word was like reading a how to book for something I was NOT.  When I became a Child of God, every thing began to click, it began to mesh, it began to all fit together, I could see, and I now had a teacher. I had to be a new creature to understand the mysteries of God.

[Blood Bought 1953]

I would suggest  Matthew,especially. The Sermon on the Mound,especially the verses about hate being the equivalent of murder and lust being equal to adultery.the first step in Christianity is escapling The Fool’s Paradise of thinking  “i’m  Not perfect,but I’m doing the best I can—God will accept me! “ If the Holy Spirit convicts them as a lost sinner,bankrupt in their “worthiness”  before God.....then ,perhaps they are ready for Romans where they can discover Justification by Faith and 1Cor:15.....Paul’s Gospel thAt saves

Edited December 3, 2017 by Sam Smith
Spelling

[listener24]

On 12/3/2017 at 11:41 AM, Sam Smith said:

I would suggest  Matthew,especially. The Sermon on the Mound,especially the verses about hate being the equivalent of murder and lust being equal to adultery.the first step in Christianity is escapling The Fool’s Paradise of thinking  “i’m  Not perfect,but I’m doing the best I can—God will accept me! “ If the Holy Spirit convicts them as a lost sinner,bankrupt in their “worthiness”  before God.....then ,perhaps they are ready for Romans where they can discover Justification by Faith and 1Cor:15.....Paul’s Gospel thAt saves

Matthew is so powerful... And the focus on the Kingdom of Heaven is so regenerating

[listener24]

On 12/3/2017 at 9:10 AM, Gary Lee said:

A lost man is not a child of God, but of the god of this world. The spirit of God must draw someone seeking. The word, the good news,  is the seed planted in the mind, into the good soil, and will grow by the power of the Holy Ghost. The word (seed) stimulates a mind (good soil) to change the thinking (repent). The word is foolishness to the lost, how can they understand, unless the spirit draws, opens the eyes and ears. The gospels are the good news, the Light to see by, to change a lifetime of wrong thinking to a corrected (repentant) thinking.

 

Agree brother. I'd say the through the Gospel, the Holy Gost has a privileged way to reach the hearts of those who are seeking.

There are powerful testimonies in which even few words of the Gospel have changed some people existences. It's hard to say the same of any other part of the Bible, while at the same time the rest of the Bible can still be useful for an increasing understanding once the Spirit is received.