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As new Christians it is likely we find ourselves simultaneously in love with it and somewhat confused by it. And to be sure, it is often treated and taught from as though it were a book of morals, or wise sayings, or unfortunately in some circles, a book of what we can get from God. And it is true that it contains all these things but it should never be seen as a bunch of disconnected anything. And it should never be seen and used as "what we can get from God." He makes promises, and in these we can trust, but they are not random. They are a part of a consistent whole. Nothing is disconnected from any other thing.
It is important, because it is very beneficial to the believer in building a rock solid base on which to stand, that we understand what the Bible is and approach it in that way.
It is of course the very word of God. It is pure grace and mercy that he has given it to us. In it he reveals who he is and we would know by know other means.
It contains a number of different types of literature, or genre. There is historical narrative, as we see in Genesis through the Nehemiah. There is wisdom literature as in Proverbs and Ecclesiastics, though wisdom writings also show up in the other forms of literature. There is poetry as in the Psalms and Song of Solomon, though it shows up in other places also such as in some of the Prophets. There is prophecy and apocalyptic prophecy that is full of symbolic images. Each genre should be read according to the interpretive methods of the genre. Some study Bible will give these methods or it can easily be found through an internet search. What would be best of all, would be if participants who have this knowledge post it in this thread!
But most important of all is to realize that the Bible is a unique book, but nevertheless has the ingredients of every other book that tells a story. And it is the same story from its beginning to it end. It has the story of creation as its opening event, followed by a great tragedy and a promise made by the narrator of the book and central figure of the story. The promise is to undo the tragedy and restore the relationship that mankind had with God, before the tragedy. There is a promise of another who will come to undo what the first man did. He would come from God, and also be as a man to redeem man and the creation from the tragedy. It is the story of redemption from beginning to end.
Everything that follows is the actual historical (it played out in our history) account of that goal coming to pass, and in the middle, with the arrival of our hero, a people are snatched out of one kingdom and brought into another, though they still live in the land of darkness. The darkness can no longer separate them from God. The book ends with the completed redemption where we again dwell with God and the darkness is no more.
In short---the Bible is a story of a mighty rescue the likes of which never was before and never will be again. And every word of it is true and trustworthy.
To the members who have been steeped in this Word for many years, I offer the words of Jesus to Peter. "Feed my sheep." Let's bring to the table the milk and the meat.
It is important, because it is very beneficial to the believer in building a rock solid base on which to stand, that we understand what the Bible is and approach it in that way.
It is of course the very word of God. It is pure grace and mercy that he has given it to us. In it he reveals who he is and we would know by know other means.
It contains a number of different types of literature, or genre. There is historical narrative, as we see in Genesis through the Nehemiah. There is wisdom literature as in Proverbs and Ecclesiastics, though wisdom writings also show up in the other forms of literature. There is poetry as in the Psalms and Song of Solomon, though it shows up in other places also such as in some of the Prophets. There is prophecy and apocalyptic prophecy that is full of symbolic images. Each genre should be read according to the interpretive methods of the genre. Some study Bible will give these methods or it can easily be found through an internet search. What would be best of all, would be if participants who have this knowledge post it in this thread!
But most important of all is to realize that the Bible is a unique book, but nevertheless has the ingredients of every other book that tells a story. And it is the same story from its beginning to it end. It has the story of creation as its opening event, followed by a great tragedy and a promise made by the narrator of the book and central figure of the story. The promise is to undo the tragedy and restore the relationship that mankind had with God, before the tragedy. There is a promise of another who will come to undo what the first man did. He would come from God, and also be as a man to redeem man and the creation from the tragedy. It is the story of redemption from beginning to end.
Everything that follows is the actual historical (it played out in our history) account of that goal coming to pass, and in the middle, with the arrival of our hero, a people are snatched out of one kingdom and brought into another, though they still live in the land of darkness. The darkness can no longer separate them from God. The book ends with the completed redemption where we again dwell with God and the darkness is no more.
In short---the Bible is a story of a mighty rescue the likes of which never was before and never will be again. And every word of it is true and trustworthy.
To the members who have been steeped in this Word for many years, I offer the words of Jesus to Peter. "Feed my sheep." Let's bring to the table the milk and the meat.
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