What is the Bible?

As a Christian, how should you view the Bible?  How should you approach the Bible?  What should you do with the Bible?  Let me suggest six ways every Christian should think about the Bible.

1) The Bible is God’s word, so believe it. 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is inspired by God...."  In other words, God is the author of the Bible.  He used different men to write it down, but He is the author.  This is His book.   

Notice that “all” Scripture is inspired by God.  Every single word in the Bible was authored by God.  Not some of the words.  Every single word.  Every single book, chapter, and verse.   

What do we know about God?  He does not lie, and He doesn’t make mistakes.  So, if every single word in the Bible was authored by God, and He does not lie, the every single word in the Bible is true.  The Bible is truth, without any mixture of error.  It is inspired (authored by God), and it is inerrant (without error) -- every single word of it.   

The Bible is true when it talks about the creation of the world in six, literal, twenty-four hour days.  The Bible is true when it talks about the origin of life, and how God created each animal according to its kind.  The Bible is true when it says that God created the first man from the dust of the ground, and the first woman from the rib of man.  The Bible is true when it says that Adam and Even were tempted by a talking snake.  The Bible is true when it says that God destroyed the human race with a global flood and started over with Noah and his family.  The Bible is true when it says that there is only one God, and only one Savior.  The Bible is true in what it says about miracles, angels and demons, the afterlife, marriage, money, and morality.  Believe it.  Believe all of it.   

2) The Bible is God’s window, so look through it. 

Exodus 34:6-7 is one of many beautiful passages in Scripture in which God reveals Himself to us.  The Bible is God’s self-revelation.  It tells us who God is. 

God reveals Himself to us through two books.  The book of nature, and the book of Scripture.  We can learn a lot about God just by looking at creation itself.  But creation can only tell us so much.  Scripture, however, gives us a full, complete picture of who God is. 

If you want to know God more, read your Bible.  It tells you everything you need to know about the one true God. 

3) The Bible is God’s will, so obey it.   

Deuteronomy 8:1 is a reminder that the Bible is full of commands that God expects you to obey.  When God first gave the Bible to the Jews, it wasn’t just a book to believe; it was a book to obey.  The Bible doesn’t just tell us who God is, it tell us what God wants.  It tells us God’s will.  It tells us how God wants us to relate to Him, one another, and creation.  The Bible tells us God’s will for our words, our relationships, our sexuality, our money, our attitude – for all of life.  Obey it.    

4) The Bible is God’s wisdom, so study it.   

Psalm 19:7-10 tells of the personal benefits you can get from the Bible.  The Bible renews your life, makes you wise, makes you glad, makes your eyes light up, etc.  It is sweeter than honey and more desirable than money.  

What makes the Bible so beneficial?  The Bible is God’s wisdom about the best way to live.  It tells us how to live a happy, successful life.  It tells us how to succeed with money, with marriage, with parenting, with relationships, with morality, with government, with work, etc.  If you want to be happy and successful, study your Bible.   

5) The Bible is God’s weapon, so wield it.   

Ephesians 6:17 refers to the Bible as the sword of the Spirit.  Why?  You have an enemy named Satan who is trying to take you down.  He is trying to prevent you from living a fruitful, happy Christian life.  And his primary weapon is to lie to you.  He lies to you to tempt you, to discourage you, and to distract you.  Your beliefs determine your behavior.  If he can get you to believe a lie, then he can get you to stray from God’s word.  If he can get you to believe that God doesn’t love you, that God’s commands will suck the fun out of your life, that the Bible can’t be trusted, that sin isn’t dangerous, then he has defeated you.   

But God has given you a weapon defeat Satan -- the word of God; the sword of the Spirit.  The way to resist the devil’s lies is to focus on the truth of God’s word.   

6) The Bible is God's wonder bread, so feast on it.

1 Peter 2:2 says the Bible is like pure milk, and that we need it to grow.  In other words, the Bible is like spiritual food.  If you want to grow up in Christ, read the Bible.  If you want to build up strong spiritual muscles of faith and love and hope, study your Bible.  If you want to grow more useful to God, get in your Bible. 

The Bible is not just another book.  It is the book.  It is not a bunch of opinions, it is God's truth.  Without it you are lost.  With it, you can experience salvation, happiness, and a fruitful Christian life.