WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS
God tells us all that He wants us to know about Himself and His purpose, in the Bible.
The Bible is complete in itself. It begins with the creation of the earth and all the things that live on it, including ourselves, in Genesis chapter 1.
Everything was `very good` (verse 31) It describes how this `very good` state was spoiled when man disobeyed his Creator.
But then the Bible starts to tell us how God began a process to repair the damage, and make all things very good again in course of time.
Man was shown that he could be forgiven if he believed what God said, if he confessed his sins, and offered sacrifices that could teach him important lessons.
In the later parts of the Bible, (each part is called a `book`), this `way of salvation` is made clearer and clearer.
But everybody makes the same mistakes as the first man Adam and fails to some extent, and sooner or later everybody dies.
Then at last comes Jesus, born of a woman and truly human as we all are, but begotten by the power of God.
He succeeds where we have all failed. Unlike us he resisted all temptation and lived a perfect life.
Then he allowed wicked men to crucify him and he died of his own free will, as the perfect sacrifice.
In that way he put that troublesome human nature behind him for ever, because God his Father raised him to perfect immortal life.
Then the apostles of Jesus went out into the world inviting everyone to follow Jesus, to believe his teaching and sincerely try to live the same way.
Those who did this would be forgiven and have hope of enjoying eternal life when Jesus returns as King.
Then the earth, which sinful men have so misruled, will be filled with God`s glory at last.
The Bible ends with beautiful descriptions of the earth and its people when that `very good` state has been restored.
Sin, pain, sorrow, and even death will be gone for ever, and God will be praised. (Revelation chapters 21 & 22)
So the Bible tells the whole story, from beginning to end. For each period of history it gives men and women guidance as to the way they should live their lives.
In the period before `the Law of Moses` (before about 1400 BC), people like Abraham kept God`s `charge, His commandments, His statutes and His laws` (Genesis 26:5).
Then the Law of Moses added details to those principles so that the whole Jewish nation could be governed by them.
When that Law was complete, all were warned not to `add to it, or take away from it` (Deuteronomy 12:32).
The great prophet Isaiah wrote `To the law and to the testimony. If they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them`.
Finally, `God who at different times and in various ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken unto us by His son` (Hebrews 11:1-2).
Jesus calls himself the `Alpha and Omega` (Rev 22:13). Alpha & Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.
In any language, everything is said by using the letters of the alphabet or their equivalent. So it is that God says everything that He wants to say to us in and through Jesus.
He is God`s `Word made flesh` (John 1:14). The Book of Revelation is the last message to us from Jesus before he comes back as King.
In it he says that if we add to his words, God will add to us all the plagues described there, and if we take away from them, God will take away our hope of eternal life (Rev 22:18-19).
So, in the Bible, and especially in the work of Jesus, God`s revelation to us is complete.
Sadly, many religious men & women in every age have not accepted this.
Some `added` traditions that as Jesus said `made the word of God of no effect` (Mat 15:3).
Others added visions and revelations that they thought they had received.
Others have `taken away`, either by rejecting parts of the Bible they do not agree with, or by neglecting them.
The people described in Acts 17: 11 show us the right way !
Next, in 2b, I hope to look at some reasons for believing that all this is true.
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What The Bible Says
