The Bible is a LIVING book, that means it's relevant to us,
here and now.
The Bible is the world's best selling book. It is also
the world's oldest book in common use. For those who call themselves Christians,
it's the world's most important book because we can rely on its truth, wisdom,
inspiration and advice on both the practical affairs of life, as well as the
deep concerns of the soul and our ultimate destiny.
A famous atheist
(someone who doesn't believe in God) called Voltaire living in the 18th century
proclaimed that within 25 years the Bible would be forgotten. He was wrong.
Today, of the estimated 6,000 languages in the world, nearly half have
translations of at least one book of the Bible, and the major languages have
complete Bibles.
A library
Although it's bound into one volume,
the Bible isn't a single book. It's more like a library . The word Bible comes
from the Greek word 'BIBLIA' meaning books. There are 66 books in the Bible.
These books vary in many ways - in length, date of writing, style or
literary genre and authorship. Over a period of about 1,500 years, approximately
40 authors from all walks of life including poets, preachers, shepherds,
physicians, lovers, lawgivers, statisticians, biographers, historians and prime
ministers, wrote codes of law, biographical sketches, building specifications,
dramas, lusty war songs, tender love lyrics, sermons, proverbs, allegory and
letters.
Jesus Christ
The main big idea of the Bible is Jesus
Christ. Although God spoke in heaps of ways, like dreams and visions, and
through lots of different prophets and writers, they were all ultimately
pointing to one person - Jesus Christ. Jesus was God's final word for humanity.
Jesus was God in human form. God with skin on. His life, teachings, ministry,
death and resurrection are pivotal to an understanding of the message of the
Bible. Time and eternity hinge on his death and resurrection.
The Old
Testament
The Bible is split into two main parts - the Old Testament and
the New Testament. Testament means covenant or mutual understanding or
agreement.
The Old Testament contains 39 books. It records the history
and religious literature of the Jewish people who believed in one God who was
loving and just. The Old Testament is full of promises that God would send a
deliverer to his people, someone who would bring freedom and redemption.
The first book of the Old Testament is called Genesis, which means
beginning. Starting with creation, the book of Genesis includes many of the
themes which are developed later in the Bible. The hope of a great deliverer is
first found here, while the last book of the Old Testament - Malachi - closes
the Old Testament story with a 400 year wait for the arrival of the Great
Deliverer - Jesus Christ.
The New Testament
The New Testament
contains 27 books including gospels, history and letters. Gospel basically means
good news.
The four gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John - tell of the
birth, life, teachings, death and resurrection of Jesus. The book of Acts is
like a short history. It tells of the spread of Christianity.
The
letters are from Christian leaders to individuals and to churches. They deal
with things like living as a Christian, why Jesus had to die and how we are all
equal in the eyes of God. The last book of the New Testament is Revelation. It's
also a letter but it's written in a very different style to the earlier
letters.
There's lots of picture language and imagery. It was written by
a follower of Jesus called John who was in exile. It's a powerful message of
hope for Christians who suffer for their faith.
Christianity says that
the Old Testament promises of a great deliverer and the expectation of a Saviour
have found their fulfilment in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is excellent news!
The one for whom generations of men and women had waited has come.
The
book of John in the New Testament says: 'God loved the people of the world so
much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have
eternal life and never die.' (John chapter 3 verse 16)
Jesus Christ
the Lord took the penalty of your sins and mine. He bore this penalty Himself
when He died in your place and mine. He offers us forgiveness and eternal life.
We can either accept or reject His offer.