What Is The Bible?
What Is The Bible?
An age-old question plaguing the hearts of humanity today is – What is the Bible? As simple as the question is – it is rarely answered in its simplest form.
Theologians can give their account of an answer to what is the Bible. And they would be very knowledgeable. But we are not all students of God, the Bible, or religion. We want the most basic, and uncomplicated understanding of this ancient book. And to grasp why we need it in these times.
The Bible is the written word of God that teaches us who he is and what he wants for us. And it helps us to navigate life.
The Bible serves a few different significant purposes. Not only is it the written word of God, but It also gives instruction and direction for day-to-day life now, in twenty-first century times. Additionally, The Bible helps us to understand spiritual battles and how to address them.
You can check out the post on how to gain victory in spiritual battles here.
The written word of God
The Bible is the written word of God. He inspired every author of every book to record every event we read. And we should understand that what we read in the Bible are real-life events! God may not have personally hand-wrote the words, but they are his thoughts, will, and emotions.
Centuries ago – various disciples, apostles, and prophets – hand-picked by God, recorded the events of that time for us to use as a navigation system for life today.
A navigation system
God was purposeful in his selection of authors of the Biblical text because it is to be a GPS for our lives today.
We all have questions about life. It’s natural human nature. But there is not one problem you could face today that can not reference back to the Bible, and there you will find the solution.
Times are different – While you may not find the specific language of today, You will find applicable scenarios. With The Holy Spirit’s revelation and guidance, you can discern what parts of the Biblical text apply to your situation and how God wants you to use it as a roadmap to victory, deliverance, or anything you seek.
I realize the language in Biblical text can be hard to understand. Also, it can cause frustration when looking for ways to apply it to daily life. Thankfully, there are many translations available with more modern wording. However, I would always use a standard English version like King James or ESV side-by-side with whichever translation you choose. Versions like this tend to be more identical to the original text (There are side-by-side versions of almost every translation).
YouVersion has a great app that allows you to switch between Bible translations. You can also type in a mood or feeling and get recommendations on a daily reading plan. Reading plans help tailor your Bible studies to the different situations you might face.
A revelator of the character of God
The Bible also serves as a history lesson for us. The stories reveal the character of God and his desires for our relationship with him and others. It even provides direction on how we should live.
Every Biblical account is an opportunity for revelation of who God is and how he interacts with his people. God is never changing(Malachi 3:6). So, the way he talked to, dealt with, and loved the Israelites in the days of the Bible is the same way he does with us today. Because The Holy Spirit is the revelator, always pray and welcome him into your Bible reading time. Without his insight and illumination of the text, there can be no understanding or revelation.
So, the best reason to implement consistent Bible reading in your life is to draw closer to God! Reading the Bible is a great way to spend time with The Lord. If you desire to be closer to him – reading his word on a regular is a must because it is in these intimate moments that he can speak to your heart.
