Major Bible Themes

V. Reasons Why We Believe the Bible is Inspired by God

A. The claims that the Bible makes to be the Word of God

The Bible claims to be the Word of God in both the Old Testament and the New

Testament.

B. The attitude of Christ toward the Old Testament

Jesus quoted the Old Testament with respect and honor.

C. The uniqueness of the Bible

Humankind has produced other books that claim to be from God, but they present

information and concepts that are nothing like the unique message of the Bible.

D. The exposing of our sinful condition

The Bible exposes our sinful condition. Apart from God, we tend to justify our sin.

E. The central theme of the Bible

God is the central theme of the Bible. It is a revelation of Himself. No other book presents

God in the same way. Concepts of God originating from a human perspective inevitably

reflect God in a distorted way. This is evident in our imaginations and idol images.

F. The unique teachings in the Bible about God

These teaching could not come from our own human reasoning.

G. The teaching of the Trinity (one God, and yet, three persons)

H. The teaching of salvation as a gift

Biblical salvation is contrary to every other religious system.

I. The person of Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ, the God-Man, is one person, yet with two natures.

J. The wonderful knowledge of the Bible

The Bible was not written to be a scientific book, but as it touches on science, medicine,

astronomy, and many other subjects, it is accurate, though it was written many years

before modern scientific technology.

K. The biblical teachings of the creation of all things

It speaks about heaven and about hell. Its reach moves from the physical world to the

spiritual world without hesitation.

L. The ethics of the Bible

The Bible presents a complete code of ethics. It presents a code of ethics different from

anything humankind has produced through its best philosophers, religious leaders, and

governments. Those who have no contact with the Bible are seldom disturbed about

morals. Godless education, arts, and science tend to ignore morality; yet the Bible teaches

from cover to cover the highest code of ethics and morality.

M. The continuity of the scriptures

The Bible carries the same message from cover to cover.

• It contains 66 books.

• It was written by about 40 different authors.

• Its human authors include farmers, fishermen, kings, priests, and scholars.

• It covers hundreds of years of history, written by men from many generations.

Continuity would be impossible in any other book under these conditions, yet the Bible

is a marvelous harmonious whole. The only answer to this phenomenon is that the Holy

Spirit is the author behind every human author.

N. The one central theme of the Bible

The theme of the Bible is someone!

• In the Old Testament, someone is coming.

• In the gospels, someone is here.

• In Acts and the epistles, someone has come and is coming again.

• This someone is Jesus Christ.

O. The eternal character of the Bible

People have devised philosophies, religions, governments, and civilizations, which have

flourished and then faded into history. However, the Word of God continues to bring

the truth and meet the deepest needs of those who will take time to read it, to study it,

and to obey it.

P. The prophetic message of the Bible and its fulfillment

As you compare prophecies with the events that follow, you get the impression that these

prophecies were written after the events happened, however, it is well documented that

these passages were written hundreds of years before the events took place.

• Psalm 22 is an excellent example. This passage was written about one thousand

years before Christ, yet it tells of His crucifixion in much detail hundreds of years

before the Romans ever invented crucifixion.

• Isaiah 53 describes the suffering servant, which foretells the substitutionary death

of Jesus Christ.

• Ezekiel 37 foretells the establishment of the sovereignty of Israel as a nation. This

was fulfilled on May 14, 1948, over twenty-five hundred years after God gave

this vision to Ezekiel.

• Ezekiel 26:1–5 describes the destruction of the great city of Tyre and how the

debris of the city would be scraped into the sea. This is another example of the

graphic way in which prophecy was fulfilled. (See also Daniel, Micah 5:2, Isaiah

7:14, Isaiah 9:6–7.)

Q. The literary excellence of the Bible

This is the ability of the Bible to say so much in so few words; it makes an appeal to all

types of people from all walks of life.

Note: The story is told of Benjamin Franklin reading a story to the British Parliament

during a filibuster. Members of Parliament were so impressed at the literary quality of the

piece that they crowded around him to determine the source of the writing. Benjamin

Franklin was happy to tell them, “It is the Book of Ruth from the Bible.”

R. The freshness of the Bible

The Bible appeals to people down through the ages and never grows old to anyone who

will take the time to study it.

S. The power of the Bible

The Bible sets forth a message that can transform lives. No other book has changed the

course of people’s lives and human history as much as the Bible. Individuals are changed

daily by its glorious message.

T. The agreement of archaeology and the Bible

1. Archaeology has wonderfully supported the Bible. There has never been an

archeological discovery that has contradicted the narrative of the Bible.