Living a hedonistic lifestyle in big liberal city for many years has caused me to stray from the path of God. The events that have unfolded in these last few months brought me here. I want to get my life in order and get back on track to what really matters.
I'm planning to get a bible and start going to church so I'm looking for some newbie advice on where to start? Which version can be trusted? Which type of Church hasn't been compromised? Any green flags or red flags to look out for?
IMHO - Probably the most insightful translation of the New Testament would be the Kenneth Wuest translation. I wouldn't use it in place of a standard translation, but there's a lot of richness to the Greek that most translations don't capture. Sometimes it's subtle, but it paints more of a picture of what the author meant, or paints a more complete picture. Sometimes it's something like the nature of a gathering of people. We might picture it as being like a mob, but the Greek suggests something more orderly.
One not so subtle verse (which describes the intention of the Greek verb tense) :
Eph 2:8-9 For by Grace have you been saved in time past completely, through faith, with the result that your salvation persists through present time; and this [salvation] is not from you as a source; of God it is the gift, not from a source of works, in order that no one might boast; for we are His handiwork, created in Christ Jesus with a view to good works which God prepared beforehand in order that within their sphere we may order our behavior.