(5 minute read; 860 words)
The Bible is the source of the Gospel Truth and proclaims one great theme—redemption through Jesus Christ. Redemption restores the broken relationship with God caused by sin. It also points to the one true and only living Creator God and offers all people one plan of salvation—only by God’s grace, through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
It is the inerrant, inspired, and authoritative Word of God, presenting powerful proof that Christianity is the one true religion, that the triune God is the only God of the universe, and that God Himself—through His Son Jesus Christ—died to pay the penalty for your sins so you wouldn’t have to. He was raised from the dead to grant eternal life to all who put their faith and trust in Him.
The Central Message
The Bible’s message is simple:
- In the Old Testament, God promised to destroy death.
- In the New Testament, He tells us how He did it.
The 66 books of the Bible (39 Old Testament, 27 New Testament) present an accurate historical account of the creation of the universe and all that is in it. Experts agree it is a true narrative, not just poetry and certainly not fiction.
It even places the major events of creation in the correct scientific order—something only the Creator Himself could do.
The Bible’s Prophetic Accuracy
The Bible accurately foretells specific events, in detail, many years—sometimes centuries—before they occur. Approximately 2,500 prophecies appear in its pages, with about 2,000 already fulfilled to the letter, with no errors. These fulfilled prophecies provide strong evidence for the Bible’s reliability.
Compared to other “holy books,” the Bible is the only one that proves to be historically, geographically, and scientifically accurate.
Jesus: Creator and Redeemer
Jesus proved He was the Creator and Redeemer through His perfectly moral life and public miracles—the most significant of which was His resurrection from the dead.
The historical evidence for the resurrection is overwhelming, proving that Jesus is Lord, the one true sovereign God with all authority in heaven and on earth.
Jesus in All of Scripture
The entire Bible points to the Lord Jesus Christ:
- Old Testament – says He’s coming
- Gospels – say He’s here
- Acts – proclaims Him
- The Epistles – explain Him
- Revelation – promises He’s coming again without fail to bring history to its proper conclusion.
The Power of God’s Word
The Bible is the Word of God that does the work of God by the Spirit of God in the people of God. It proclaims the one way to salvation through the one mediator—the Lord Jesus Christ.
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Where to Begin Reading
It is God’s will that you be Spirit-filled—that is, filled with the teaching of His Word.
When asked where to begin, Reverend Billy Graham said:
- Read the Gospel of John – it tells us of Christ, the greatest life ever lived, and what He has done for us.
- Then read Acts – it tells us what His first disciples did in the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Next, read the letters of John and Philippians.
- Then read Romans – which sets forth the great doctrines Paul taught.
Be Transformed
Read the Bible repeatedly, and let it change you:
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be “ye” transformed by the renewing of your mind…” – Romans 12:2
God will change you from the inside out—with a new heart, a new way of thinking, new actions, new Christlike character, a new identity in Christ and a new way of living.
The Bible’s Plain Message
God judges sin but also provides redemption—only by His grace—through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
Make Time to Read and Study God’s Word Every Single Day
You have 24 hours, 1,440 minutes, and 86,400 seconds every day—just like everyone else. Make reading the Bible a priority every single day… just like those other things you want to do and will do without fail every single day.
Commit to reading one chapter a day…. every day. Read a chapter a day in a specific book, beginning, for instance in the gospel of John (NT), until you finish it and then move on to another another book. Someone might ask: “Do you read the Bible?” Your answer: “Every single day.” Most can’t say that. And it’s not just reading through the Bible in a year or any other timeframe, but reading and studying the Bible every single day— without fail and without excuse.
Jesus clarifies what “truth” is: Truth is… God’s Word. It is the revelation that the Son gave regarding all that the Father commanded Him to communicate… which is now all contained in the scriptures left by the apostles. “Sanctify them (set them apart) by Your truth. Your word is truth.” – John 17:17
Download the FREE YouVersion Bible App so you always have God’s Word with you—ready when you want it but especially when you need it. “Do you always have your phone with you?” “Yes… always.” Do you always have you Bible with you?” “Yes… always!”
Choose your version(s), highlight selected scripture, listen to audio while you read along and use your study Bible (The MacArthur Study Bible, for example) to help you understand, interpret, and apply Scripture more clearly.
Wisdom from Deuteronomy 29:29
“The secret things belong to Yahweh our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may do all the words of this law.“
There are some things that we know and some that we don’t. Those things we absolutely must know, God has made them available. In all other things we don’t know, we just trust in the Lord.
God has revealed all that could be disclosed from His infinite mind. What He has unveiled stands sufficient for salvation, maturation in the faith, and glorifying God by obedience to His Word.
While there are secret things unknown, believers will be held accountable to obey only what they do know accented by divine threat of judgment for continued sinful disobedience.
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