Holy Bible
God’s Book to Man
“All Scripture is give by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
At first glance, the Bible does not seem to be much different from any book. However, since its content did not come from the thoughts of its writers but from God, they are the very words of God. “No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21). Over a period of more than 1,500 years, God moved the hearts of about 40 people from various walks of life to record what they had witnessed. These sacred writings were later compiled to become what we know today as the Bible.
The Bible is God’s self-revelation to the world. God speaks to us through the prophets, the apostles, and His own Son, Jesus Christ. The Bible also records God’s interactions with men throughout history, focusing on the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ—God’s greatest gift to the world. Through these historical events and divine messages, the Bible shows us who God is, where human beings came from, and what God expects from us. It explains how we have all rebelled against God, how God has sent His Son to the world to reconcile the world to Him, and what happens in the afterlife. The Bible is a letter from God with a most important message about man’s origin, purpose, and eternal destiny.
Word of Life
The Bible is able to instruct us “for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). In other words, the Bible teaches us how to receive salvation and what true faith in Christ means. God’s word as found in the Bible has power to save us. “Therefore lay aside filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21)
It is not the text of the Bible that gives eternal life, but the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord said “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). Because the Bible bears witness to Jesus Christ and directs our faith to the Savior, we can receive salvation by trusting and obeying all that is written in the Bible, which is the word of God.
The word of God carries a life-giving power. God “gives birth” to believers through the word of truth (James 1:18). When we give our lives to Jesus Christ and obey Him as Lord, we can live a new life and have the hope of eternal life. “You have been born anew, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God… That word is the good news which was preached to you” (1 Peter 1:23, 25 RSV). The gospel of Jesus Christ that the Bible preaches is truly the word of life!