What Is the Bible About?

Introduction: What Many Have Said About the Bible

The Bible's purpose is twofold. The first is to show us all have broken God's Law. James 2:10 declares, "For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it" (ESV). God's Law reveals how all people have sinned against God and are deserving of the fullness of His judgment. This ultimately shows the need for a Savior. At the same time, the center and whole point of the Bible concerns Jesus. Jesus is the Savior. John the Baptist called Him, "The lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). -Travis Lauterbach

Another, using Matthew 1:1, Luke 24:44, and Revelation 22:21, states that the Bible is about Jesus. This is true, but what about Him? The answer is so vague that it does not tell an interesting story. It does not command anything from the reader. It simply exists as information—information that one may or may not be compelled to accept, as we see in this age of skepticism.

Most theologians such as Kevin DeYoung has said, “God’s wonderful plan of redemption through Jesus Christ”. The Bible is broken up into four main “parts”: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Consummation.

Though this theory considers the Bible a narrative, it does not tell the right story. It tells a rather compelling story about man at the expense of God’s character and relevance. This often leads one into a large discourse about how important man is rather than how important God’s will is to man.

There are those as in the case of Rob Bell that believe the Bible is a fictitious story of scattered thoughts from ambitious, yet, nice hearted men. The Bible is inconsistent but helpful%.

First, we establish the fact that God inspired the message of the Bible. Second, it one intentional story that tells us everything God wants us to know.

A Simple Explanation

The Bible is a story about how God’s predestined plan finally comes through in Jesus Christ.

This explanation requires a follow-up:

What is God’s predestined plan?

How does Jesus bring God’s plan to pass?

What does it mean to me/ us?

Scriptural References

The Plan Revealed: Colossians 1:15-20

The Plan Opposed: Genesis 1:26-30, Genesis 2:4-25, Genesis 3, Romans 5:14, 18, 1 Corinthians 15:22

The Plan Manifested: 2 Timothy 1:9-11, 1 Peter 1:18-20, 1 Corinthians 15:23-28

In this model, the story includes redemption. Yet, it is not about redemption. Redemption is the thing God does to get us back to what really matters—the plan. The Bible is concerned about the plan that inaugurates a kingdom of universal worshippers of Jehovah, Israel’s God.