Chapter 2: Unity of the Bible
1. Perfect Unity of the Bible: The Bible is One
The Bible is without contradiction.
There is no error in the Bible. The Bible is the infallible Word ofGod. God's Word is without error or contradiction. The Bible is accurate and complete. The Bible is historically and scientifically accurate. There is no contradiction between true science and the Bible. True historical record andArcheological record are in complete agreement with the Bible.
There is complete harmony in the Bible itself. What has been written in one part of the Bible will be in agreement with what has been written in another part of the Bible. There is total unity within the Bible itself.
1. The Bible is One in Prophecy
The OT contains much prophecy. Prophecy is a declaration of something to come. It is history written in advance. All of these prophecies are in agreement with each other. Some of the OT prophesies have been fulfilled at a later date within the OT. Many OT prophesies were describing the coming of theMessiah.
The NT fulfils much of the OT prophesy. The prophecies are fulfilled in great detail confirming their accuracy. The prophetic note in every book is consistent with that in all the others.
2. The Bible is One in Doctrine
Doctrine is the fundamental truths of the Bible arranged in systematic form. The truths of the Bible remain the same throughout the Word of God. There is perfect unity of Doctrine in the Bible. This unity is carried through from the Old to the New Testament. The Bible is the complete written revelation to man with perfect harmony of every doctrine and truth.
The Bible is a perfect union of truth. Truth does not change. Webster's Dictionary defines truth as : Conformity to fact or reality; "exact accordance with that which is, or has been, or shall be." The Bible truths remain the same from Genesis to Revelation.
John 17:17--Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
3. The Bible is One in Purpose.
The purpose of the Bible is to reveal God's will to man. The Bible reveals God's plan throughout the ages. The Word gives instruction and guidance to the souls of men. The plan of redemption is revealed to man in the Bible.
Each Book of the Bible heralds the one purpose of the Bible. God has revealed His will to different people at different times throughout the Bible.The entire Bible directs men to Christ and the plan of redemption which is the central theme of the Bible.
4. The Bible is One in Structure.
Each Testament is composed of three main divisions -- history,instruction, and prophecy.
There is but one Bible composed of both New and Old Testaments.
The New is in the Old contained; the Old is by the New explained; The New is in the Old concealed; the Old is by the New revealed; The New is in the Old foreshown; the Old is in the New full-grown.
All of this intricate complexity of the Bible in content and design, with its cohesion, unanimity, and mutual confirmation, would be remarkable and impressive enough had it been achieved by a group of scholars working in close collaboration with constant interchange of information and ideas. Even under such conditions, with each writer's assigned portion edited by a master mind and approved by the group at large, the composite unity of the Scriptures would be a phenomenal achievement. BUT, theBible was not written that way! It was composed by forty or more writers who lived over a period of at least sixteen hundred years in about thirteen different countries and on three continents, and who wrote from vastly different backgrounds and experiences. They were shepherds, kings, soldiers,princes, priests, fishermen, scholars, historians, professional men, and common laborers. Their work was done in fields, deserts, caves, palaces, prisons,ships, and homes. They wrote on manifold subjects in many styles and at least three languages. And yet, in spite of such diversities and difficulties their heterogeneous works fit together with unfailing precision and uniformity,obviously designed one for the other.
2. Perfect Unity of the Bible: Redemption
Redemption is the main theme of the Bible.
1. Redemption is the action of purchasing or paying in full.
Man has been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus has paid the price in full with His shed blood upon the cross for the salvation of man. Salvation through the blood of Jesus is the main theme of the Bible. This theme can be found from Genesis to Revelation. The first promise of redemption is given in Gen. 3:15.
Genesis 3:15--And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
This is a prophecy that The Messiah who would come from the seed of the woman would one day bruise the head of the serpent. The theme continues to the Book of Revelation.
Revelation 5:9--And they sung a new song,saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred,and tongue, and people, and nation;
This Scripture refers to the resurrected Christ who redeemed us by his blood.
2. Christ the Redeemer is the main Person of the Bible.
The blood sacrifices in the OT were a type of Jesus who is the lamb slain from before the foundation of the world. "Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing." (Rev. 5:12) The OT looks forward by faith to the cross of Christ. The Gospels portray Christ and His death upon the cross. The NT looks back upon the finished work of the cross.
Christ manifests Himself in the OT at different times in various ways. Christ is portrayed in type and in prophecy as the coming Messiah.
a. From Adam to Abraham we see the beginning of the human race.
Genesis 1:26, 27; 4:1; 5:1-5, 32; 6:9,10; 7:17-23; 9:1; 11:10, 27
Genealogy - a recorded history of one's ancestry, the study of family descent.
b. From Abraham to Christ we see the beginning of a chosen race.
The Hebrew nation.
Genesis 12:1, 2; 22:15-18; 32:9-12; Joshua 1:1-3; Matthew 1:1,2, 16
(The nation was founded & nurtured by God in order to bring the man into the world.)
c. From Christ on we see the beginning of the church.
Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:47; 11:26
We trace His image on each page In holy letters lined with light; Redeemer, Prophet, Priest, and Sage-- Who finds His presence reads aright.
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