“May the word of Christ dwell richly in you”. Colossians 3:16a
A simple google search will reveal that the bible contains sixty-six books which are divided between the old testament canon of scripture and the new testament canon. The sections of the Bible are arranged in such a way that the Old Testament informs and prepares the reader for the need (for example) of a savior and offers a prophetic road map that God will indeed make provision to save the people from him. the new testament recounts the birth of jesus, who is the promised savior, the gospel (or “good news”) of his coming kingdom, as well as how the arrival of the promised savior births and informs the early christian church.
You are reading: Female books of the bible
From the pages of the old testament to the last chapter of revelation, the bible itself affirms that the words it contains should be studied, valued and treated with reverence as the spoken word of god, written by the hand of man, to through the indwelling and inspiration of the holy spirit.
as a woman seeking to grow in her relationship with god, as well as to guide other women in christian discipleship and the process of gaining biblical wisdom, i firmly affirm the principles taught by the apostle paul, “all scripture is inspired by god and it is useful to teach, to rebuke, to correct and to instruct in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly prepared for every good work”. (2 Timothy 3:16)
when asked, “which books of the bible do you think are best for women to study?” I have a simple answer, “all of them!”
Author and Bible teacher Jen Wilkin expresses the need to study scripture well this way, “The Bible is a book that boldly and clearly reveals who God is on every page.” To know the god of the bible, women must look for him within the pages of the bible. For some women, this may take the form of joining a guided study of a specific Bible book or biblical concept, and for others, it may mean using a reading plan to read the Bible in a year. I want to offer four approaches you might consider when deciding which books of the Bible to study next:
read the story of jesus: matthew, mark, luke and john
See Also: Does Roach Die in the Witcher Books? Season 2 Insight!
Commonly known as the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John provide an excellent start on the journey to understanding the God within the pages of the Bible. For the woman just learning the Christian faith and for the woman who needs to be reminded of the character of the Savior in whom she puts her faith, the Gospels reveal the integrity, nature, and mission of Jesus, as well as God’s plan. to introduce the kingdom of god through his own son; the gospels are the books in which to dwell. Pastors and theologians often recommend that a new Christian start with the book of John, as it focuses on both God’s love for mankind and a sense of God’s plan of salvation that has existed since the beginning of time. /p>
For the woman seeking to understand God’s view of women, the book of Luke can be an excellent start, as it includes numerous stories that show Jesus’ love and compassion for the women of his day. It can also be valuable to read the gospels consecutively, looking specifically at who Jesus is, to understand his character and intent as he walked the earth. just as his disciples grew in their understanding of the gospel, god’s coming kingdom, and jesus’ love and mission by walking alongside him daily, so the woman seeker can gain understanding and grow in faith through proximity to the gospels. .
read to get a general understanding of god’s story
The story written within the pages of the Bible is, first and foremost, God’s story. The general message is that God brings the world and humanity into existence as an act of creativity and love, followed by humanity falling into a state of brokenness by rejecting God’s plan. His constant unchanging love serves as the backdrop when God brings redemption through Jesus, restoring creation and humanity to the glory of His original design.
When studying the Bible, readers often have difficulty understanding how the pieces fit together as a whole. characters can be seen as someone to emulate or as a representation of how not to live. When studying the Bible for a general understanding of God’s story, a best practice is for the reader to strive to seek God and facets of God’s character within the story, as well as how the Old Testament speaks prophetically in the new testament.
theologians dale and tamara chamberlain recommend that women seeking this overview of god’s history focus their study on the old testament books of genesis, exodus, joshua, 1-2 samuel, 1-2 kings, proverbs, adding luke, facts, romans and revelation in the new testament. aspiring theologians can choose to add study aids, such as a study Bible with commentaries, a Bible dictionary, and a concordance.
read to understand the history of women throughout the scriptures
Several years ago I had the opportunity to further my understanding of how to serve women seeking to grow in their relationship with God, as well as those whose path in life has caused them to struggle with concepts of faith and reality. of a loving god. The seminary program of study I enrolled in had a primary focus on teaching and ministering to women. For women in growth and maturing mode, I learned that my primary responsibility was to equip them for “works of service, that the body of Christ may be built up” (Ephesians 4:12). women who struggle with concepts of faith often need to know the goodness of the creator god, who has made them in his image, and his son, his savior, who dignified women throughout his life. ministry on earth.
To understand the history of women within God’s overall plan, I suggest the book of Luke, which offers the beauty of seeing Jesus caring for and valuing women in a society that classified them as inferior. I also encourage reading Genesis to understand that women are made in the image of God and because of the mercy and kindness shown through Eve and the birth of Set. the books of esther and ruth evidence women as an integral part of god’s overall salvific plan and reflect the personification of courage. the gospel of matthew is excellent for the sheer joy of seeing broken women within the lineage of christ and for affirming the love of jesus found in luke. These books are a sample of the glorious heritage of women in the scriptures, and I would add to these the book of 2 Timothy to see the power of a believing mother, as well as proverbs to know the wisdom of women.
read to give a defense of your faith in christ
See Also: Your Essential Reading List to Understand The Feminist Movement Better | Feminism in India
when asked the question of which books of the bible are best to read to improve your faith and grow in your ability to “give and respond for the hope that is within you” (1 peter 3:15), author and apologist rachel baker says, “if you’re struggling to know where to start reading your bible, go back to the book of facts. this story looks at the transformation of a motley group of would-be radicals into one of the most powerful forces on earth ,”
Furthermore, he notes that “the power of the Holy Spirit, when poured out at Pentecost, made manifest the words of Jesus: ‘I had better go,’ and propelled the early believers to become the early church.” for the modern woman of god who wants to fulfill christ’s commission to go into the world and share jesus with others, understand and embrace the power of the holy spirit in the early church and today can have a strong influence on how she prays, acts with faith and share the gospel. Women seeking to share their faith will grow stronger in their ability to speak about elements of scripture as they study the Bible in its entirety. They may choose to dive deep into a study of the Gospels and Old Testament literature that prophetically heralds the coming of a Messiah. They should also have a good understanding of God’s vision of man in creation through reading Genesis. Biblical scholars often agree that all the books of the Bible lead to Romans. one author notes: “romans is a book about god, taught by god.”
women seeking to study the bible find 66 books waiting to engage them in the transformation of their hearts and minds. Jen Wilkin writes, “If we want to feel a deeper love for God, we must learn to see him more clearly for what he is. If we want to feel deeply about God, we must learn to think deeply about God.” Bible study helps us think deeply about God.
Whatever path of study you embark on, begin with the simple request: “Holy Spirit, open my ears to hear, my mind to understand, and my heart to apply the truth of the scriptures to my life. May I be transformed by the renewing of my mind, and may I know you more intimately as I study your word. In Jesus’ beautiful name, amen.”
photo credit: ©joel muniz/unsplash
stacey monaco has been speaking and writing since her first unpublished children’s book in fifth grade. Her journey as a writer has taken her from the depths of blue water exploration to the simplicity of creating words to encourage and educate in the areas of loss, legacy, leadership, and passionately living life with purpose. ella stacey received her master’s degree in christian ministry and leadership from talbot school of theology, and has worked in many roles, from delivering coffee to shepherding women. To find out more about living the Christian life with intention, visit her website at staceymonaco.com.
See Also: A Detailed List of the Longest Books in the World – Capitalize My Title