THE PURPOSE OF THE BIBLE
The churches of Christ
Greet
You (Romans
To understand the Bible one must have knowledge of the Bible as a
whole. The Bible plan is historical. The scheme of
redemption is presented historically. It must be studied with
respect to this fact. While there is great value in studying
small sections of the Bible - a chapter,
a paragraph, a verse, a phrase, a word, a man or woman, etc. - yet,
knowledge
of the whole is indispensable.
While an artist might have occasion to carefully scrutinize each square
inch of a painting, he would first see the picture as a whole. If
you
would know Abraham or Moses or David or Paul (those parts), if you
would
comprehend the Abrahamic Covenant, the scenes on Sinai and on Calvary,
or
the sermon on the day of Pentecost, you must know them as parts of a
sublime
whole.
It IS good to read an entire book of the Bible at one sitting. We must
strive always to see how the part fits into the whole. It is
important that
we study each book of the Bible as a whole, realizing that it has a
significant relationship to a larger whole - the whole Bible.
The Bible relates to the need for human redemption. The fact of
redemption
necessarily implies man’s need for redemption. The first three chapters
of
Genesis are specifically designed to explain the need for
redemption.
In spite of all that God had done, and in spite of all the wonderful
circumstances,
blessings and opportunities He gave to the first couple - Adam and Eve
transgressed
God's will - they sinned.
Through this sin of Adam, sin and death entered into the world (Rom.
5:12). Consequently, men are born into a world where sin and death
(both physical
and spiritual) do exist. One dies physically as a consequence of
Adam's sin. One dies spiritually as a consequence of his own
sins. When an accountable person yields to temptation and transgresses
God's law he thereby becomes a sinner and involved in spiritual
death. He stands in need
of deliverance - redemption.
All accountable persons share this need for redemption. This is
true because all sin. "There is none righteous, no, not one" (Rom.
3:10).
The Gentiles had violated the law which God had given them, and were
therefore
condemned before God (Rom. 1:18-32). The Jews had violated the
Mosaic
law, and were therefore condemned (Rom. 2 & 3). Thus, the
Jews
and Gentiles were alike - sinners, guilty, condemned. There was no
distinction,
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom.
3:22-23).
There is no distinction among people today...we all sin. "If we
say
that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us"
(1
John 1:8).
We all sin, and therefore the need for redemption! The Bible
shows
that redemption is through Jesus Christ. In Rom. 3:24 Paul refers to
"being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in
Christ Jesus."
Redemption here comes from the Greek to signify or mean "deliverance
effected
through the death of Christ from the retributive wrath of a Holy God
and
the merited penalty of sin." Paul refers to..."the Beloved: in
whom
we have our redemption through his blood" (Eph. 1:6-7). It is in
God's
"dear Son" that "we have redemption" (Col. 1:14). Jesus is the
deliverer
(Gal. 1:4).
The Old Testament points to the Christ (please turn to Luke chapter
24).
After the Lord's resurrection two of the disciples were on their way to
Emmaus (Luke 24:13ff). As they talked together, the Bible
says the Lord "drew near,
and went with them" (vs. 15). Jesus then said to them (Read vs.
25,
27). After Jesus vanished from their sight, they recognized who
He was,
and they said (Read vs. 32).
Recognition of the fact that the coming of the Christ, for man's
redemption,
is the message of the Old Testament is the key which opens the Old
Testament.
Paul persuaded the Jews "concerning Jesus, both out of the law of
Moses,
and out of the prophets" (Acts 28:23). Jesus Himself said, "All
things
must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the
prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me" (Luke 24:44).
Again, concerning the Old Testament Scriptures, Jesus said, "They are
they which testify of me" (John
Paul emphasized that in preaching the salvation of mankind in Christ,
he
was preaching "none other things than those which the prophets and
Moses
did say should come" (Acts 26:22-23). Obviously, the Christ is
the center,
sum, and substance of the Bible message. The coming of Christ is
its
theme. The Old Testament points forward to His coming; the New
Testament
emphasizes that Christ did come, and that He will come again.
Additionally, the redemption of mankind glorifies God! Being
adopted
as God's children through Jesus Christ is "to the praise of the glory
of
his grace" (Eph. 1:5-6). "For of him, and through him, and to
him, are
all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen" (Rom.
Summary
What we've said is that the Bible relates to the need for human
redemption.
All accountable persons share this need for redemption. The Bible
shows
that redemption is through Jesus Christ. The Old Testament points to
Christ.
The Christ is the sum and substance of the Bible message. Human
redemption
is to the glory of God.
From these fundamental facts we have the inevitable conclusion that the
purpose of the Bible is "THE GLORY OF GOD, AND THE SALVATION OF
MAN,
THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD." This is the purpose-line which runs all
the
way through the Bible, from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21.
Every
word in every verse of every paragraph of every chapter of every book
has
a vital connection with this purpose-line. Every book fastens in
a
wonderful way upon this purpose-line. It is our task as students
of
the Word to ascertain exactly what that connection is. We must study
all
the parts and see how each relates to the purpose of the Bible.
Go To: Why We
Must Preach The Gospel