Bible is one big book with many smaller books inside it. Though each of these books were written by different authors, the verse above clearly tells us that all scripture i.e. words in the bible were written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. So God is the author of the bible...2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.
Our life generally has 2 stages:
Stage 1: Life before salvation, living according to our will -> then we are Saved
* Gods grace makes us aware of the precious gift of salvation
* Holy Spirit convicts us of how sinful we are and shows us God's free gift of salvation
** But the choice to choose salvation is our own. We have to make a willful decision to follow Jesus and accept the gift of salvation.
Stage 2: Growing in Christ, in holiness and in discipleship.
* 1 Peter 2 :1,2,3
Like new born babies, crave the pure spiritual milk so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
* Heb 5:11-14
For everyone who lives on milk is still an infant, inexperienced in the message of righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained their senses to distinguish good from evil.
** It is not normal for a child to be short and small or mentally underdeveloped just like a 1yr old after 10 years. Similarly in our spiritual life also we cannot stagnate, but should move from simple milk like spoon feeding from pastors and friends to read God's word form the bible ourselves and move to solid food like strong in the foundational truths.
Action items:
* Choose to read God's word daily (daily quite time/devotions, bible study, deep research and understanding more)
* Ask God to make the scripture wonderful to you (he is the author, he can explain it best) Psalms 119:18.
Books of the Bible
Total = 66
Old Testament = 39 (Shadow)
New Testament = 27 (Real)
Old Testament helps us to understand the New Testament better.
OT contains :
- Laws
- History
- Prophets books
- Wisdom books (Psalms, proverbs, songs of Solomon and Ecclesiastes)
OT gives info to many questions we have:
- Satan's fall
- Fall of man and origin of sin
- Holiness of God (laws)
- Need for a sacrifice / Shedding of blood for forgiveness
- Justice & Righteousness of God (If I am the offender I want FORGIVENESS, if I am the victim I require JUSTICE). God is Just and Loving.
- Prophesies about the Messiah (Jesus Christ) - Birth of Jesus and salvation thro' Christ is not a sudden happening. It was a clearly planned activity by an all-knowing God.
JESUS is the fulfillment of all the above shadow...
Authenticity of the Bible (New Testament)
NT Contains:
- Gospels
- Early church formation (Acts)
- Epistles
- Revelation (days to come)
Gospels were written between 60AD to 100AD
- Mark: It's the first gospel written. In 60 AD. (Jesus died and rose again and ascended to heaven in 33AD, so at the time of writing of the Gospel of Mark, there were lot of living eye witnesses. This account is an authenticated account written to the churches. )
- Matthew and Luke: Written between 70-85AD .
Luke 1: 1-4
Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled[a] among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
So Luke was a methodical person, who collected eye witness accounts of everything that happened. And wrote it to a person of authority "Most Excellent Theophillus". So there is a guarantee that the account is verified and authenticated.
Also the entire NT books were make into the Canon (or accepted list of books compiled into the Bible) between 200AD to 400AD. So very early in church history these books were authenticated and today this is our Bible.
What a precious gift we have. Let us make this word of God part of our every day life. Meditate on it and allow it to change us and make us more like Jesus. Amen.
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