THE BIBLE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Bible is a book that can be found almost anywhere on the earth. It has been translated into more than 2000 different languages and dialects. It is also the worlds most popular book. Every year more copies of the Bible are sold than any other publication, and the number of sales is increasing. Clearly, then, having been written over a period of about 1600 years, the Bible was not written by one person. No one knows precisely how many people contributed to the Bible. It is estimated there were about forty authors. One of the most important facts about the Bible is that those who wrote it did not claim to be the source of the ideas they wrote about. Sometimes directly, sometimes indirectly, the authors assert that what they were writing really came from God. For example, one of the writers, Paul, made this statement: ll Scripture [i.e., the Bible] 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 perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.` (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Another writer, Peter, wrote: ... For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost (2 Pet. 1:21). Other Bible writers confirm the statements of Paul and Peter. Through the years there were those to whom the writings of men such as Paul and Peter were sacred. They understood these writings originated with God Himself. Some of these people dedicated themselves to collecting, arranging, and preserving the Scriptures that existed in their day. Today the names of most of those who did this work are unknown to us. We do know that well before the time of Christ the Jews had already finished assembling the divinely inspired writings of the Hebrews. It is a collection of 39 books. In the list of Bible books appearing elsewhere in this lesson, it is called the Old Testament. Following Christs life on earth, additional sacred books were written. Some of these books record historical events pertaining to Christ and His early followers. Others are letters written to explain Christs teaching or to encourage the followers of Christ to practice the moral principles He taught. There are 27 books in this later collection. Together they form the New Testament. Perhaps at some time you have said, Nobodys perfect. You said it because you made a mistake others were aware of. You felt you needed to justify yourself but had no other explanation to offer. The Bible makes similar statements about every human being: The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all gone aside, they are all together become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one (Psa. 14:3). The Bible is very much concerned with sin--not just with your sin but with everyones sin. The Bible reveals Gods great plan for bringing about the forgiveness of our sins. When we follow the plan, God forgives our sins and will reward us with everlasting life: the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 6:23b). The Bible is about changing from death to life, from destruction to salvation Behold, the LORDs hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither is His ear heavy, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear (Isa. 59:1-2). Unless something is done to erase your sins, you will remain separated from God forever. Paul compared committing sin to working at a job. He pointed out that the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23a). He was not referring to mere physical death but to spiritual death. Elsewhere he describes spiritual death as everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power (2 Thes. 1:9). As we read through the Bible, we begin to realize that we, like the men and women of the Bible, are guilty of displeasing God. We see that we are powerless to reverse the process by which we isolated ourselves from Him. We also begin to realize that God loves us, disobedient though we are, and that He has devised a way for us to be forgiven and saved.to The central feature of Gods plan is Jesus Christ. Jesus left heaven to come to earth to live as one of us. He experienced the temptations, disappointments, and heartaches that we experience. Then He died for us as a perfect sacrifice for sin. 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 (John 3:16). The theme of salvation from sin, which runs throughout the pages of Scripture, is one of the attributes of the Bible showing its harmony and consistency. It is remarkable that such unity could be maintained by so many writers, who lived at different times, at different places, and in different cultures. They did not all speak the same language and did not all write in the same literary form. It is as if the books of the Bible are the instruments in an orchestra whose diverse sounds blend harmoniously under the direction of the conductor. When we recognize that the writers themselves were not the original sources of the information and ideas they expressed but were acting under the direction of God, we can understand why the Bible forms a unit. [email protected]
Posted on: Fri, 17 Jan 2014 02:24:11 +0000
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