Worried about teaching the Bible to your kids? Sticking to the main themes of the Bible can help your family Bible study make sense!
Did you have a favorite book series as a kid? One that had a similar world and familiar characters from book-to-book, like Anne of Green Gables, the Lord of the Rings, or the Chronicles of Narnia? Even though the books were different, every book in the series followed several main themes.
The series made sense because the main themes of the books were overarching, connecting the books into one grand story.
The Bible seems like such a big book to read through, doesn’t it? I mean, it’s a library of 66 books with at least 40 different authors.
As Christian parents, we want to teach the Bible to our kids. We want to lead our children to Jesus, the Author of life and the Savior of our souls, through his Word.
One of the concerns I hear most often from parents, though, is that the Bible is too big and too complicated for them to read with their kids. There must be some secret code to interpreting Scripture they just aren’t prepared to crack.
Main Themes of the Bible
When we think about the big task of taking our kids through Scripture, it helps to remember that the Bible is a story. Our kids were built for story by their great Designer. It is through story that God tells us about who he is, who we are, and how we are to live.
We want to remember, too, that the writing of the Bible was inspired by God to convey a message to us. Our Lord doesn’t hide this message. As in your favorite childhood book series, the books of the Bible tie together with an overarching message. The Bible has several main themes that help us understand what God is saying to us.
The main themes of the Bible can help us read God’s Word with our kids.
Rather than getting sidetracked by details that don’t pertain to the main story of Scripture, when we read the Bible as a story, looking for the main themes of the Bible, we can help orient our kids to God’s message to them.
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Major Biblical Themes
This means that as we read through the Bible, we talk to our kids about who God is. After all, God’s Word to us does an excellent job of telling us about the character of the One, True King of the Universe.
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. – Isaiah 40:28, ESV
Scripture tells us, too, about man’s sin nature and about our need for salvation from our sins.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 6:23, ESV
We also learn in the Bible about God’s great plan for salvation. The Lord has planned this rescue since before the beginning of time.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. – Ephesians 1:3-6, ESV
The Bible tells us how we must live for Jesus according to his commands. As people of God, we want to walk with our Lord in the manner he outlines for us in his Word.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. – John 1:14, ESV
The Bible is a big book. Scripture is truly a library of smaller books–not unlike a book series. Like a series, God’s Word has overarching themes that weave through every book. As your family concentrates on these themes and reads the Bible as a story, your kids will become acquainted with who God is, who they are and their need for a Savior, and God’s great plan for their salvation. They’ll learn how to live as faithful followers of Jesus.
Truly, that is what we really desire as parents who love our kids and love our Savior.
Danika Cooley’s book Help Your Kids Learn and Love the Bible is your crash course on teaching the Bible to your kids. Danika is an award-winning children’s author and Bible curriculum developer, and her popular Bible Road Trip™ is used by tens of thousands of families.
Annette lived many years as an exhausted wife of 1 and mother of 6. Grab your fuzzy blanket, pour your favorite drink, and browse through our encouraging tips, printables, and curriculum options. Read more about me and the ministry here at In All You Do