There are SO many verses in the Bible. Like over 30,000 (23,145 Bible verses in the Old Testament and 7,957 Bible verses in the New Testament totaling 31,102 verses)! And while we should know and read ALL of God’s Word, what are some foundational Scriptures we should hide in our hearts?
Grab a comfy pillow and check out these 10 biblical Scriptures every Christian should know!
10 Biblical Scriptures Every Christian Should Know
We know the entirety of the Bible is SO important – to read it and breathe it because it gives us life (God says everything in the Bible is breathed by Him and will not return void) but I want to share some fundamental Scriptures that are important to know and memorize. Don’t stop there though!
We also want to make sure we are actively reading God’s word, memorizing it, and also helping our kids to memorize Scripture as well.
Whether you are new in a relationship with the Lord or have been walking with Him a long time, this list will serve as a good starting point or reminder of important, biblical truths that we have to keep on our minds when it comes to faith in Christ.
Along with these 10 important Scriptures, I have included a short summary on why it’s important to know. We can have all the head knowledge in the world, but without it making its way to our hearts and transforming us from the inside out, it’s no good!
Here are 10 Scriptures that every Christian should know and memorize!
1. John 3:16 – The basis of our faith
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Let’s start with the number one verse all Christians should know – it is the basis of our faith, the reason we even have a purpose, a life, and a hope.
It is the gospel summed up in a verse – for God so loved us, He gave His Son, who was crucified and rose again, and when we confess with our mouth He is Lord and believe it in our hearts…we are saved!
2. Romans 3:23 – Our need for salvation
“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
We have to understand our need for salvation. We cannot save ourselves.
It says here that ALL of us sin and fall short of the glory of God…not certain people or this type of person…but all people! Even people who seem good to the world’s standards, still fall short. But it doesn’t end there, friend!
We can be encouraged because it also says that we are justified freely by His grace, and that is found in the redemption that came when Jesus died on the cross. When we accept that and believe it, we don’t have to work for our salvation! We choose to live our lives by God’s standards, but because we are imperfect people, we still sin.
We still fall short but now there’s hope, and that hope is found in Jesus!
3. John 14:6 – Jesus is our only source of life
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
So many times we see people chasing after temporary, worldly things…we even find ourselves doing that sometimes as well, don’t we? Money, our kids, a new job, our spouse, etc.
But this verse tells us that none of these things can bring us true, everlasting life – that life is found in Jesus, and we cannot come to the Father without Him.
4. 2 Corinthians 5:17 – We are a new creation in Christ
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
We have to be constantly reminded that we are NO LONGER our old selves. We have been made a new creation in Christ the minute we chose to believe in Him and ask Him to be Lord over our lives.
5. Matthew 28:19-20 – The great commission/our purpose
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
So many times we find ourselves wondering, what is our purpose? Why are we here? What did God create me to do?
God has a specific plan and purpose for every Christian to give them a hope and future (Jeremiah 29:11) but as ONE body of believers in Christ, we have one goal and one purpose, and that is to GO and make disciples.
We want to share the gospel with others, plant those seeds, and water them as well. Sometimes God calls you to plant and someone else to water and vice versa, and sometimes we get the privilege to be the one to plant AND water it, and see God bring forth the growth and fruit from that!
6. 1 John 4:16 – God is love
“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.”
I love this verse (no pun intended) because of the wording. It doesn’t say God is loving – meaning, a quality He possesses. It says that He IS love – He can’t NOT love because it’s who He is, and He proves that time and time again throughout Scripture!
Reading and memorizing Bible verses about God’s love is something we want to do daily, to always be reminded that we are His children, and He loves us!
7. Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trusting in the Lord
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Such a great reminder to always trust in the Lord, because HE sees the big picture – we don’t! It doesn’t say “trust in the Lord but do what you think is best anyway.” No!
Our own understanding is flawed, and it’s such a relief to know we don’t have control. God does, and He is good and when we trust in Him, He makes our paths straight and works things out for our good (Romans 8:28).
8. Matthew 22:37-39 – The greatest commandment
“Jesus replied: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Just as we are to love God, we are also to love other people. He doesn’t say, “only love your friends and family, or people you like.” Nope, there is no distinction!
We are called to love others as ourselves. I think sometimes we get wrapped up in not loving people, rather than NOT loving their sin. We are to hate sin just as God does, but not to hate people. And before we are quick to call out any sin from others, we have to make sure we are self-evaluating and focusing on our own “logs” rather than others’ specks first (Matthew 7:3).
9. John 10:10 – Warning against the enemy
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
Just as much as we need to understand salvation, God’s love for us, and our purpose…we also need to understand that there is an enemy out there (Satan) and he is set out to DESTROY. He wants to cause disruption in our hearts, our families, and in any area where he can. It’s important to know that he is out there so we can be aware when we hear or see something that ISN’T from God.
We want to know so that we don’t give him a foothold into any area of our life, and lead ourselves into sin.
10. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 – His Word is truth
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
I wanted to end with this verse because I think it is a great one to end this post with, but begin understanding more so that God has given us a precious gift… His words! And not only that, but we have the Holy Spirit who is there to remind us of what God says in the Bible.
But we have to know His Word FIRST, believing in it and trusting that it is God-breathed and literally gives us life. When we understand that, we are equipped to do His works, just like the verse says!
I hope this list of important Scriptures every Christian should know encourages you, uplifts you, and even convicts you to learn more about God and His Word!
Whether you are a new Christian looking for foundational Bible verses to start that spiritual growth or have been walking with the Lord for years and years, my prayer is that you never forget how important it is to spend time with God and in His Word. 💖
