The Bible was written as a WHOLE, to reveal Christ Jesus above all things. This works on two levels. 1. That people might be reconciled to God through the revelation of God’s salvation plan through Jesus’ substitutionary death on the Cross. (John 5:39-40) 2. That Christians might be completely equipped to live rightly, and to be prepared for eternity in Heaven with God. (2 Tim. 3:15-17)

The Bible is designed & structured to meet those two needs.

‌Genesis – Beginnings: WHERE we came from. WHY we’re here. WHY the world is the way it is.

‌Exodus – Salvation requires supernatural DELIVERANCE from the BONDAGE of sin.

‌Leviticus, Numbers & Deuteronomy – What it looks like when RELATIONSHIP with God defines & impacts every area of life.

‌Joshua – The Christian life will be a BATTLE. Within and without.

‌Judges – Our AFFECTIONS toward God are constantly FLUCTUATING.

‌Ruth – Gentiles can enter into the PROMISES of Abraham.

‌1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles – When mankind rejects GOD’S RULE, and the utter failure of ALL Human Government.

‌Esther – God PROVIDENTIALLY ruling all, even when He can’t be seen.

‌Job – The chief question in life is WHO? not WHY?

‌Psalms – Learning to WORSHIP God in EVERYTHING.

‌Proverbs – Wisdom – Learning to THINK God’s way.

‌Ecclesiastes – Need for, and reality of PURPOSE in life in God.

‌Song of Solomon – Revelation of God’s PASSION for His Bride.

‌Prophets:

a. God NEVER ignores sin – by anyone.

‌b. God is faithful to His People & Promises.

‌c. God loves mankind, and is merciful to those who confess their sin and repent.

‌d. God CONSTANTLY Warns, Informs, Calls, Encourages, Receives & Restores.

‌New Testament

‌Matthew / Mark / Luke / John – The person and work of Jesus Christ: a. The Messiah/King of the Jews, b. The Son of God; c. The Son of Man; d. God in human flesh.‌

Acts – INVADING the world with the GOSPEL message.

‌Romans – The Gospel and all of its RAMIFICATIONS.

‌1 Corinthians – The UNITY of Gospel love in Christ’s Church.

‌2 – Corinthians – Taking advantage of our SUFFERING.

‌Galatians – Living in victory over sin by faith.

‌Ephesians – METANARRATIVE / The BIG picture from eternity past.

‌Philippians – Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS.

‌Colossians – Our IDENTITY is completely in Christ.

‌1 & 2 Thessalonians – Living while WAITING.

‌1 & 2 Timothy / Titus – MINISTRY leadership in the Church.

‌Philemon – RESTORATION in Christ.

‌Hebrews – All the “BETTER” things in Christ.

‌James – Living an “INTEGRATED” life (faith AND works).

‌1 Peter – Living RIGHT in world GONE WRONG.

‌2 Peter – Growing in the KNOWLEDGE of CHRIST.

‌1 John – Knowing WHO we are by who & what we LOVE.

‌2 John – There will be DECEIVERS in the Church.

‌3 John – There will be SELF-PROMOTERS in the Church.

‌Jude – CONTENDING for The FAITH.

‌Revelation – The CONSUMMATION of all things in Christ Jesus.

‌‌The Story-line and Message of the Bible.

The Bible as revelation is written such, that an uninitiated reader would come away with the following things as controlling concepts:

1. God created the world and everything in it.‌

2. Mankind as a race, was created in the image of God – bearing His holy and flawless image (character).‌

3. In love, God gave humanity every benefit, and a warning not to eat that which God had put off limits, or we would die.‌

4. Man was tempted by the serpent to rule his own life and disobeyed God’s command.‌

5. Man hid in his shame.‌

6. Instead of man dying right away, God showed mercy. He sought man out, covered his nakedness and promised to send the “Seed” of the woman who would bruise the serpent’s head – the tempter behind the Fall. The race was spared – for now.‌

7. Man lost his access to the Tree of Life, and suffers the effects of this loss in physical corruption as well as in his separation from God. All human misery is linked to this fall.‌

8. Man very quickly descended into envy, hatred and murder.‌

9. While man continued to digress, in love God continued to sustain him.

‌10. God repeatedly intervened in the affairs of mankind to prevent its total demise, displaying special grace to certain individuals, thus preserving the race while also letting it suffer the first pains of His just wrath.

‌11. Out of the mass of fallen men, God chose one man – Abraham – and in making a covenant with him (a promise confirmed by signs) set Abraham and his offspring apart to be the means of preserving the witness, worship and Word of the true God among men. Through this arrangement (Abraham was told), all of the nations of the earth would eventually be blessed.

‌12. For the most part, the rest of mankind outside of this new nation were given up to their sin, though through this nation (Israel) the testimony of God, His purposes and His Word were preserved and could be sought.

‌13. Irrespective of their repeated rebellion and sinfulness, in grace, God preserved the nation which came from Abraham, and the promised “Seed” eventually did come through them in the person of Jesus Christ.

‌14. This Jesus who was fully both God and man, was rejected as the “Seed” by the vast majority of the nation (Israel) God had preserved all along.

‌15. This Jesus announced that God loved not only the Jews, but the whole world. So much so that He (Jesus) had been sent so that whosoever – without qualification – would believe in Him, would be spared from the final wrath of God still due on their sin, and instead gain eternal life with Himself.

‌16. Dying on the Cross at Calvary, and experiencing God’s wrath which is justly due to fallen mankind, Jesus arose from the dead on the third day, and commissioned those who believed in Him to make the good news of His death, burial and resurrection known to every living creature.

‌17. Those who believed God’s willingness to receive them if they believed on Jesus as their sin-bearer, and demonstrated that belief in serving Him, would be saved. Those not believing would remain under God’s wrath and would finally be condemned when Jesus returns to judge mankind for its rebellion against God.

‌18. His disciples engaged in telling this good news immediately, but still needed to be shown that this news was in fact to be made known to all people – not just the nation of Israel.

‌19. With supernatural signs attesting to it, this message began to be taken everywhere, and preached freely to everyone. “To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:43)

‌20. God has demonstrated His love in sending His Son to die for human sin, so that if I believe, receiving Him as my savior, and Lord – I can be saved from God’s wrath too.