1. Study the scriptures thematically.
While you should study the entire Bible both deeply and broadly, it is especially helpful to read the Scriptures with the aim of following the themes that run throughout the Bible. If you study how themes such as creation and the new creation, the Sabbath rest, the kingdom, the covenant, and God’s presence among His people develop in Scripture, you will gain a panoramic view of the glory of God and the greatness of salvation.
2. Accept the New Testament's relationship to the Old Testament.
As you study the New Testament, pay close attention to how it fulfills, clarifies, expands, and sometimes replaces certain provisions of the Old Testament. This will help you understand the unity of Scripture, the unity of God's salvific purposes in history, and the multifaceted nature of Christ's salvific work.
3. Study the Old Testament with an eye toward Jesus and the New Testament.
As you read the Old Testament, ask yourself questions like, «Where is this passage located in the timeline of salvation history? How does this passage point to Jesus? How does this passage form the basis for what Christians believe? What New Testament passages shed light on these questions?»
4. Study the prophetic books in the Old Testament.
The prophetic books of the Old Testament contain some of the Bible's deepest teachings about the life, ministry, and majesty of Jesus Christ. They also deepen our knowledge of God and point to the completion of His saving work.
5. Read good books on biblical theology.
Start with Graham Goldsworthy's The Goldsworthy Trilogy or Vaughan Roberts' God's Big Picture: Tracing the Storyline of the Bible.
