What Is The Message Of The Bible?
The Bible is the sacred text for Christians and Jews around the world. Its pages contain wisdom, guidance, stories of faith, and revelations about God. But what exactly is the overarching message that the Bible aims to convey to its readers?
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: The central message of the Bible is the good news of God’s salvation plan for humanity centered in Jesus Christ. Through Jesus’ life, death on the cross, and resurrection, God makes a way for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life for those who place their faith in Christ.
In this comprehensive article, we will unpack the message of the Bible in detail. We’ll look at how that message develops throughout the Old and New Testaments, the covenant relationship God establishes with His people, the problem of sin and need for redemption, God’s solution found in Christ, and the hope and instruction Christians gain from Scripture.
The Bible’s Storyline and Message Develop Gradually
God’s Covenants and Promises in the Old Testament
The Old Testament tells the story of God’s covenants and promises to His people Israel. Through Abraham, Moses, David and others, God made agreements to bless and protect His people, if they would worship Him alone.
Major covenants included promises of land, descendants, blessings, preservation, and a future redeemer.
For example, in the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 12, 15, 17), God promised to make Abraham a great nation, bless those who blessed him, and bring redemption through Abraham’s line. The Mosaic covenant (Exodus 19-24) gave the 10 Commandments and a Law to follow, with blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.
The Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7) established David’s throne forever. Despite the people’s repeated disobedience, God remained faithful to His promises.
Through the prophets, God also foretold the coming of a future Messiah who would deal with sin once and for all. So while immediate fulfillment of some promises was seen, the ultimate fulfillment awaited something greater still to come.
Jesus Christ Fulfills God’s Plans in the New Testament
The New Testament opens with the coming of Jesus Christ, the long-awaited Savior. Jesus proclaimed the arrival of God’s Kingdom and backed up His claims by fulfilling over 300 Messianic prophecies from the Old Testament.
Through His teaching, miracles, death on the cross for sin, and resurrection from the dead, Jesus brings the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants to fruition.
Jesus also spoke of a “New Covenant” (Luke 22:20) which He ratified through His blood, sacrifically shed on the cross. By dying as a substitute for sinners, He paid their penalty and enabled them to be forgiven and have a renewed relationship with God.
The blessings of this covenant are applied to all who put their faith in Christ alone for salvation.
After Jesus ascended to heaven, His followers spread the Gospel message across the Roman world. Through preaching and the writings of apostles like Paul, the Bible’s storyline continues to unfold. It tells how the early church took root and the Gospel was sent out to people of all nations—just as God had promised long ago.
So while the central message of salvation through faith remains the same throughout Scripture, the Bible text progressively unfolds God’s full plans from initial promise to ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
Humanity’s Need for Redemption and God’s Solution
The Problem of Sin
The Bible teaches that humanity is in a fallen state due to the introduction of sin into the world through the disobedience of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3). This fall has corrupted human nature and separated people from the holy and perfect God (Isaiah 59:2).
The consequences of sin are dire – it leads to spiritual death (Romans 6:23a) and eternal separation from God. No matter how hard people try, they cannot save themselves or earn salvation through good works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Sin is pervasive and affects every human heart (Jeremiah 17:9).
According to a 2020 survey by the Pew Research Center, over 80 percent of Americans agree they are sinners[1]. The testimony of Scripture and human experience is clear – humanity is in desperate need of redemption and restoration.
God’s Response and Sacrifice
In love, God provided the solution to the problem of sin. God sent His one and only Son Jesus into the world to save sinners (John 3:16). Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18-25). Fully God and fully man, He lived a perfect, sinless life (Hebrews 4:15).
Jesus willingly suffered and died on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice, taking upon Himself the punishment that sinners deserve (Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21). After three days, He rose again, conquering sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
Jesus’ sacrificial death is the basis for redemption, the forgiveness of sins, and restoration of relationship with God. It is an act of amazing grace. The Bible says, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Ephesians 1:7).
There is nothing humanity can do to earn this gift, but it is freely offered to all who place their faith in Christ (Romans 3:22-24).
Salvation by Grace Through Faith
The gift of salvation must be personally received by faith. The Bible says, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
When a person repents of sin and trusts in the finished work of Christ, believing that He died for their sins and rose again, they are forgiven, saved, and granted eternal life (John 1:12; Acts 16:31). Their relationship with God is restored.
This salvation is secure and cannot be lost (John 10:28-29).
The offer of salvation by grace through faith is available to all people regardless of background, ethnicity, age, or past sins (Romans 10:13). Over two billion people worldwide identify as Christians, testifying to receiving this gift of redemption and new life in Jesus Christ[2].
It is an abundant gift overflowing with mercy, transforming the human heart and granting peace with God (Romans 5:1-2). The amazing message of the Bible ultimately points to God’s gracious redemption through Jesus for lost and broken humanity.
What This Means for Christian Believers
The message of the Bible provides profound meaning for those who believe in Jesus Christ. As the Word of God, it reveals God’s plan of salvation through faith in Christ. This has several implications for Christian life and practice.
A Relationship with God
The Bible teaches that through Jesus, believers can have a personal relationship with God. They become adopted children of God and enjoy intimate fellowship with Him through the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:12; Romans 8:14-17).
This transforms every aspect of life, providing purpose, meaning, and guidance.
Forgiveness and Eternal Life
Sin separates people from God, but Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for sin. When people repent and believe in Christ, they receive forgiveness and eternal life (Romans 6:23; 1 John 1:9). This gives freedom from guilt and the promise of heaven.
A Transformed Life
The Bible provides moral guidance for how to live a life pleasing to God. Christians are called to develop Christlike character by studying Scripture, relying on the Spirit, and practicing spiritual disciplines like prayer and fellowship (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Galatians 5:22-23).
This process of sanctification leads to spiritual growth.
Purpose and Mission
Believers have a God-given mission to share the gospel and make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). Sharing Christ’s love through word and deed is the ultimate purpose in life. Serving others brings joy and draws people to Jesus.
Hope and Comfort
Even in hard times, the Bible offers hope and comfort. Believers have the Holy Spirit’s presence and God’s promises to sustain them (John 14:16-18, 27). They can trust God’s sovereignty, believing He works all things for good (Romans 8:28). This gives strength to persevere.
Conclusion
In summary, while containing many stories, themes, genres, and messages within its pages, the overarching thrust of the Bible focuses on God’s redemptive plan for creation centered in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Through Jesus, God makes reconciliation and eternal life possible for sinful human beings by grace through faith.
This basic storyline and message ties together both Old and New Testaments, despite the many human authors and varied contexts in which the books of the Bible were written. For Christians, the Bible teaches vital truths about the nature of God, the problem of sin, God’s solution for redemption, and how to live in light of God’s salvation plan revealed through Scripture.
