This is a really great question! Let’s start with ways we should NOT read our Bibles!
The two ways discussed below come from Scot McKnight’s book The Blue Parakeet. (which I highly recommend)
1) Avoid reading the Bible like a rule book.
The scripture contains rules for living as God’s people, but it’s far more than that. In fact, we get 50 chapters of Genesis and 19 chapters of Exodus before we get a list of rules. Before that, it’s almost entirely narrative with only a handful of commands. The Bible is far more narrative than rules.
The most fundamental problem about reading the Bible primarily as God’s rule book is that we forget the context of the rules. They’re meant to be lived out as part of the big story of the God who graciously rescues His people. They are meant to take place in relationship with God. They are not mean to be an arbitrary list of do’s and don’ts. It’s not at all like the hundreds of pages of terms and conditions for iTunes.
When we view it in that way, it leads to legalism, and often to rebellion. It also gives rise to judgmentalism, and a sense of superiority. This is what happened with the Pharisees in Jesus’ day.
The Bible, although it contains rules to follow, was never intended to be read primarily as a rule book.
2) Avoid using the Bible like a Desk Calendar.
The second unhelpful way of reading the Bible is to see it as great source for desk-calendar quotes. Or greeting cards. Or memes. The Bible is not a set of isolated sayings.
When we take a verse, and pluck it out of its context, the meaning or the purpose behind that verse gets lost. The verses that we normally choose to pull out of the scripture, are not the ones about judgment or warning. They are the blessings, the promises, the feel-good verses. These things are true, these promises are true, but they have context that is so important to understand.
A classic example (I’m sorry if I’m going to pick on your favorite verse) is Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Reassuring and positive, isn’t it? Gives us hope and confidence. Who doesn’t want prosperity and security? The problem is: it’s not written to you. Or to me. It’s not a general promise. It’s a specific word to a specific people in a specific situation. It’s a promise to the people of Israel, who’ve been exiled to Babylon, and facing the possibility of being wiped out.
Now don’t get me wrong. That verse – that whole passage does apply to us. It applies to us because it’s part of the big story that we’re a part of. It’s part of the history of the covenant-keeping God who cares for his people – and we are now part of that people. However, the promise that they would materially “prosper” and not be physically harmed was for a specific time in Israel’s history. Even Israel couldn’t apply that to themselves at all subsequent points in their history.
When we just pick out the desk calendar quotes, and that’s the only Bible that we read or try to understand it’s like feeding on sugar. It might taste good at the time, but if that’s all you eat, you’re going to end up with Type II Spiritual Diabetes.