The Bible--what is it?

All Scripture comes from the mouth of God (2 Timothy 3:16).

When you open a Bible, what do you expect to read? For some, the Bible is a window into the past. When they turn the pages of Scripture, they do so out of curiosity. How did those people live? What were their homes like, what foods were part of their diet, what technology did they use to make life easier? What was their culture like? How did they solve the problems of living together as a functioning society? Read this way, the Bible is as stale and lifeless as a college textbook.

Others view the Bible as a masterpiece of writing. When they leaf through the Scriptures, they are swept away by the beauty of the poetry, the powerful use of imagery and metaphor. In those pages they see the wisdom of the ages, philosophical thoughts to stir the imagination. Read this way, the Bible is a literary work of art, something to be appreciated like a painting in an art gallery.

There are many people who think of the Bible as a self-help book. When life becomes painful or confusing, they look in its pages for words of comfort and guidance. They want advice on how to achieve quality of life; they want rules of conduct that make hard decisions easy; they want assurance that love will triumph over hate. Read this way, the Bible comes off as a life coach, psychologist, or motivational speaker.

The Bible is all these things to some extent, but in reality it is much more. The Bible is God’s way of speaking to us. Think about that for a moment. Through Holy Scripture, God speaks to you! These words come from the Almighty Creator of the universe. God is invisible and unapproachable, yet through the Bible He shows Himself to you. He is the Judge of all humanity; He alone decides whether to punish in hell or bless in heaven. Through the Bible, God tells you how He will make that all-important decision when you die and go to stand before Him. Through the Bible, God speaks to you about life and death, about love and sacrifice, about forgiveness and reconciliation, about using your life on earth to prepare for what follows death. Read this way, the Bible transcends every other book—it combines facts and power and beauty and wisdom and comfort, yet goes beyond them. Read properly, the Bible is a book that we treat with awe, respect, and a healthy bit of fear, because it delivers a message like no other.