Lovin' the Word

Lovin’ the Word. This briefing comes now—in response to some inquiries I have had about the scope of the Bible … never underestimate the life-changing power of Scripture!

Greetings, Friends.

It was almost 46 years ago when I got my first Bible for Christmas.  ‘My very own Bible!’ I thought.  How I loved to hold it in my little hands, turn the pages, look at the few colored pictures, and try to understand the meaning of the King James text. 

I think I have been at a distinct advantage in my life because I grew up believing and accepting the Bible as the Word of God.  I never really doubted it.  Oh sure, in college, I tested it in different ways; I asked myself ‘how could this or that be?’ questions, and ‘is it really possible—creation in seven days?’ and that sort of thing.   In short order though, my conclusion was the same: the pages of Scripture contain the thoughts and words of God, and because I believe that is true, no other book on my shelf compares!  Later in college, I took theology classes, Old and New Testament survey classes, and those served to shore up my thinking. 

But the Bible really began to ‘pop’ for me when I began to share my faith experience with someone, and he would shoot back at me with some skeptical or scoffing statement.  It was then that I saw the Bible was defensible and solid, and when combined with apologetics, is an indomitable force. (‘Apologetics’ simply is a logical, reasonable defense of the gospel.)

The Bible can be defended because it is supported by scientific, archaeological and historic evidence.  In truth, “examined objectively, the claims of the Bible are rational propositions well supported by reason and evidence.”^* It is quite valuable to have a basic understanding of what you are holding in your hands.  Take note:  if you are clasping your closed Bible in your hands, your left hand would grasp the Old Testament, and your right hand, the New Testament--

Old Testament

-It is a written record of the history of Israel, written between 1440 B.C. and about 400 B.C.; it is not ordered chronologically.

-There are 39 books in the Old Testament, which can be classified as:

   The Law of Moses – first five books – “the Torah”

   The Prophets – Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel + 12 Minor Prophets

   The Writings – Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah and Chronicles

-The Protestant church accepts identically the same Old Testament books as the Jews had, and as Jesus and the apostles accepted.  The Roman Catholic Church, since the Council of Trent in 1546, includes 14 books of the Apocrypha

-There are 400 years between the testaments—sometimes called the ‘400 years of silence’

New Testament

-finished before 100 A.D. (knowing that is critical to supporting the veracity of Scripture)

  contains in 27 books:

   The Gospels – the four gospels record the birth, life, death, resurrection of Jesus Christ, and his training of the disciples

   History - the establishment of the early church and its spread through Mediterranean lands

   Letters – After Paul’s conversion on the Damascus Road, recorded in Acts 9, we are able to read his letters to the churches—the ‘epistles’

   Apocalypse – the book of Revelation, written by the apostle John when he was on the Isle of Patmos                                                              

The New Testament was written by the apostles of Jesus Christ, or companions of the apostles.  This means that the authors were either eyewitnesses of the events they described or they recorded eyewitness firsthand accounts.        (Check out  2 Peter 1.16;  1 John 1.1-3;  1 Corinthians 15.6-8;  John 20.30,31;   Acts 10.39-42;   1 Peter 5.1;  Acts 1.9;  Acts 2.22;  Acts 26.24-28)

It is valuable to know that the first three gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) were written at a time when many were alive who could remember the things Jesus said and did. . . and many would still be alive when the fourth one was written as well.  The Gospels would have been refuted and the writers discredited if they recounted or represented falsehoods.

The Bible is inspirational and useful for instruction and application to our lives; because it is the Word of God to us, it changes us.  Do not be mistaken . . . the Bible is one marvelous book.

Be encouraged~