Bibles for America (BfA)

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What Is the Bible About?

September 16 2019

What Is the Bible About?

In a previous post, we were calibrated in how we approach the Bible by discovering its essence. In another post, our trust in God’s Word was fortified by seeing its source. Now we’ll look at the contents of the Bible and its focus.

The Bible consists of two sections, the Old Testament and New Testament; sixty-six books; and many chapters. With so much material, what should we focus on when we read the Bible?

What is the Bible all about?

To know what a book is about, you can usually glance at its table of contents for a clue.

But this doesn’t really work with the Bible. When you look at its table of contents, you see a list of sixty-six books. But that list doesn’t tell you much about the subject of the Bible.

So moving on from the table of contents, you can take a quick tour and leaf through the pages to get a feel for the contents of the Bible. You see a lot of interesting, exciting, touching, even heartbreaking stories. You find uplifting poetry in the Psalms and encounter perplexing sections in the books of the prophets. And that’s just the Old Testament.

Continuing on, you can skim through the New Testament and find accounts of Jesus Christ, stories of the early apostles, writings to different people, and finally, the mysterious last book, Revelation.

After your quick tour, you might ask yourself, What is the main focus of the Bible? What is the Bible really about?

A vague answer

“What is the Bible about?” might seem like an odd question. After all, even people who’ve never read the Bible probably have an idea that it’s a book about God. And very generally speaking, that’s true.

But if we as believers also say, “The Bible is about God,” what exactly do we mean?

What the Bible tells us

The Bible itself tells us what its main subject is. Let’s look at a few verses:

1. Matthew 1:1:

“The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”

These opening words of the New Testament immediately indicate to us that the subject of the New Testament is not a thing or an event but a wonderful Person, Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is the true and living God who became a real man. He came to accomplish redemption for us and to give us His eternal life. By His life growing in us, we become His expression to fulfill His purpose.

So Jesus Christ is the subject of the New Testament, but what about the Old Testament? What is the Old Testament about?

2. Luke 24:44:

“All the things written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and Psalms concerning Me must be fulfilled.”

The Lord Jesus spoke these words to His disciples after He was crucified and resurrected. Why did He mention the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms? The note on this verse in the New Testament Recovery Version is very helpful:

“The Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms are the three sections of the Old Testament, that is, ‘all the Scriptures’ (v. 27). The Savior’s word here unveils that the entire Old Testament is a revelation of Him and that He is its center and content.”

Notice the words concerning Me in this verse. Although we don’t see the name Jesus Christ in the Old Testament, the Lord tells us that He is, in fact, the subject and content of the Old Testament.

In the Old Testament, the coming Christ is revealed through many stories, prophecies, types, figures, and shadows. And in the New Testament, Christ comes as the fulfillment of all that was revealed of Him in the Old Testament.

So both the Old and New Testaments reveal Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ is the center and content of all the Scriptures.

3. Revelation 22:21:

“The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.”

This is the last verse of the New Testament. Here again we see the name Jesus. Jesus is the first name spoken of in the New Testament, and it is also the last. By the first and last verses in the New Testament—Matthew 1:1 and Revelation 22:21—we can see that its focus and main content is the wonderful Person, Jesus Christ.

Revelation 22:21 isn’t just the last verse of the New Testament. It’s also the very last word of the entire Bible. The Bible’s final word is concerning the Lord Jesus, not so many other things. So throughout all sixty-six books, from beginning to end, Jesus Christ is the subject of the Bible. Jesus Christ is the answer to the question, What is the Bible about?

Focusing on the main thing

As believers, we should have more than just a vague or general idea that the Bible is about God. This God, the eternal One, in time became a man, Jesus Christ. The Bible abounds in detail concerning Jesus—His nature, His living, His accomplishments, His salvation. The Old Testament and New Testament are full of revelation concerning Him!

If we realize that the entire Bible is focused on Christ as its main subject and content, then we also will be focused on Him when we come to God’s Word. Instead of getting distracted from Christ amid all the stories and less important matters in the Bible, we’ll actively look for Him in the Word. We’ll then discover distinct and specific riches of Christ in both the Old and New Testaments. Our appreciation of our dear Lord Jesus will increase as we discover just how wonderful He is in God’s Word.

All verses are quoted from the Holy Bible Recovery Version. You can order a free copy of the New Testament Recovery Version here.

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NEW VIDEO: What is Baptism and Why Is It So Important?

September 02 2019

We would like to announce our newest video on the importance of baptism.

Mark 16:16 says, “He who believes and is baptized shall be saved.” The physical act of baptism—being immersed in water—when accompanied by faith, has profound spiritual significance.

Through baptism, we are put into Christ and He becomes our new person. Not only that, but when we’re baptized, we are joined with all the other members of the Body of Christ.

Baptism does so much for us! You don’t need to wait to unlock baptism’s wonderful spiritual realities. Whether you’re newly saved, or you’ve been saved for years, you can be baptized today!

Watch our new video to learn more about baptism and why it’s so important.

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How to See, Experience, and Enjoy Christ as Our Good Land Today

August 19 2019

How to See, Experience, and Enjoy Christ as Our Good Land Today

Have you ordered the new free book from Bibles for America called The All-inclusive Christ? This book by Witness Lee is a must-read for every Christian who wants to have a richer, fuller experience of Jesus Christ.

The title of the book itself is very interesting. By definition, the word all-inclusive means something that includes everything. For example, you may have seen this word used to describe a vacation package. An all-inclusive vacation package would include every necessity and then some, such as transportation, accommodations, food, and so on. You don’t need to go anywhere else for anything; it’s all right there for you to enjoy. 

To say Christ is all-inclusive means He includes everything we need. This description of Christ is based on the good land God gave His people in the Old Testament. That land included everything the children of Israel needed for their living and enjoyment and is a detailed picture of Christ, whom every believer has already received. 

Witness Lee goes through the book of Deuteronomy to show how the details of the good land represent many of the unsearchable riches of Christ. Even the topography of the land reveals Christ to us. But the book doesn’t stop there. Because Lee’s intention wasn’t that we would merely gain knowledge about various aspects of who Christ is, but that we would experience Him, he applies those aspects to our life in very practical ways. This opens up a whole realm of Christ for us to enjoy! And as we experience and enjoy Christ, not only our own needs are met; but God’s eternal purpose is fulfilled.

It’s a fact that Christ—the reality of the Old Testament good land with all its riches—has been given to us New Testament believers to be our true life and enjoyment. But in order to actually experience Christ as all the different aspects of the good land, we first need to see all the things He can be to us. That’s where this book comes in. It opens up God’s Word and helps us see how rich Christ is and how we can experience Him.

A brief overview of The All-inclusive Christ

The table of contents of The All-inclusive Christ shows the six major sections of the book: 

  • The All-inclusive Christ—An Introduction
  • The Goodness of the Land
  • How to Possess the Land
  • Entering the Good Land
  • Life in the Good Land
  • The Issue of the Land—The Temple and the City

Let’s get a taste of what’s in The All-inclusive Christ from Chapter 4, which is about the goodness of the land with relation to water. On page 37, Lee says: 

“Deuteronomy says that the land is good in water. Listen to the different terms that are used: ‘a land of brooks of water’—that means a land full of streams of waters—and a land ‘of fountains and springs’ (8:7).”

Continuing on page 38, Lee explains the meaning of these waters:

“The spring, the deep waters, and the streams. Brothers and sisters, what is the meaning of these waters? We can immediately turn to the Lord’s word for the answer. The Lord said that the water He gives will be in us a well of water, a fountain, springing up unto the life of eternity. These waters are types of the various kinds of supply of Christ’s life. The life of Christ as the supply to us is just like the different kinds of waters. The Lord told us that out of the innermost part of those who believe on Him will flow rivers of living water. What is this? This is the supply of the life of Christ as living water. If you reflect upon your experience and consider it carefully, you will realize that in one aspect Christ is so spacious and exhaustless and in another aspect Christ is transcendent and in the heavens. Then, if you view it accurately, you will realize that the supply of the life of Christ is just as living water within you. Many times you are thirsty—not thirsty in your physical body, but thirsty in your spirit. When you come athirst to the Lord and contact Him, you have a certain sense within you. You feel refreshed, you feel watered. When you are thirsty, it means that your spirit, your inner man is dry. But when you contact the Lord Jesus, it is not long before you feel watered and your thirst is quenched. You are refreshed more by this drink than by any physical beverage. Then, if you contact the Lord more and more and even moment by moment, you will feel more than watered; there will be a stream flowing forth from within you.” 

What are these streams of living water in our experience? On pages 39­–40, Lee explains:

“In this land there is not only one stream, but many streams; not just one spring and one fountain, but many springs and many fountains. What does this mean? Sometimes when you are beset with troubles and trials, you contact the Lord and receive something from Him. You experience the Lord as a spring, as a fountain and as a stream in your trial. What kind of spring, what kind of fountain and what kind of stream is this? Can you give them a name? I believe you can give them many names. Sometimes you experience Him as a spring of joy, sometimes as a spring of peace, and sometimes as a spring of comfort. Sometimes you experience Him as a fountain of love, a fountain of grace, and a fountain of light. At other times Christ is a stream of patience, a stream of humility, and a stream of forbearance to you. You see, there are many springs, many fountains, and many streams. There are many kinds of heavenly supplies.”

Christ as our good land is so enjoyable, even just in this aspect of water!

We hope this post has whetted your appetite to experience Christ as the good land. We invite you to learn more by ordering a free copy of The All-inclusive Christ here. Each chapter is packed with wonderful aspects of who Christ is, and practical examples of how we can apply Him in our daily life. 

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