The Unity of the Bible

2 Timothy 3:16-17
(16) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
(17) That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

In Bible study it is very important to recognize and consistently maintain the divisions that God has set in the scripture (2 Tim. 2:15). But it is also important to understand that although the Bible contains divisions, it still ONE BOOK.

 

Diversity does not destroy unity. For example, the church which is the body of Christ is made up of many members and yet it is ONE BODY. There is only ONE true and living GOD and yet He exists in three distinct Persons. There will be Gentile nations, the nation Israel, and the body of Christ in the eternal state and ALL three groups will be:

1. Redeemed by the same blood of Christ

2. Part of the same family of God

3. Serving the same God

 

There is much evidence that would convince any reasonable, objective, and unbiased person that the Bible is unlike any book in the world and that it could not possibly be the mere product of the minds of men. By faith I accept the Bible as the inspired word of God and my faith is not some superstitious leap into religious darkness. There is much evidence for what I believe. The unity of the Bible is one of many evidences that the Bible is a supernatural Book given by inspiration of God. The manner in which the Bible has been produced actually argues against its unity and yet its unity is undeniable (66 books written over a period of about 1500 years by over 40 different writers).

 

There are no real errors or contradictions in the Bible, only imagined ones! The only way that a book could be put together in the manner that the Bible was and yet it still maintain a perfect unity is if there is ONE main Mastermind behind its production. There may have been about 44 writers but there was only ONE Author and He used those writers to give us His words. The words of this Book did not come from the minds of men but from the Spirit of God (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21).  

 

I. The Bible Reveals ONE Main Person

The Bible presents many different personalities but its purpose is to reveal one main Person. The Bible is God's perfect revelation of Himself to man. The Son of God is called the Word of God (Rev. 19:13) because He reveals and declares the Father (Jn. 1:1-3, 14, 18). Yet, what would we know of the Son of God apart from the written word of God? The written word of God reveals and declares both the Father and the Son and it was given by the Spirit's inspiration and only understood by His illumination.

 

Jesus Christ is CENTRAL in the Scripture (OT - Lk. 24:27, 44; NT - Jn. 14:26; 16:12-14):

•   OT - Preparation - promises, prophecies, and pictures of the coming Christ

•   Gospels - Manifestation - Fourfold presentation of the person and work of Christ    

•   Acts - Propagation - "they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ"

•   Epistles - Explanation - doctrine and application concerning what Christ accomplished

•   Revelation - Consummation - purposes of God in and through Christ consummated

 

OT - Behold, He comes!

Gospels - Behold, He dies!

Acts - Behold, He lives!

Epistles - Behold, He saves!

Revelation - Behold, He reigns!

 

Jesus Christ is the King and God purposes to establish His Kingdom on the earth:

•   OT - The King and His Kingdom promised and prophesied

•   Gospels - The King and His Kingdom presented and rejected

•   Acts - The King and His Kingdom offered and rejected (transition away from kingdom)

•   Pauline Epistles - The King in royal exile, Head of one new spiritual man, Kingdom postponed

•   Hebrew Epistles - The King and His Kingdom once again anticipated

•   Revelation - The King returns and His Kingdom is established 

 

II. The Bible Reveals ONE set of Moral Principles

According to the scripture, God does change in His dealings with man according to His progressive revelation (dispensational truth) but He never changes in His moral principles which are always the SAME. The world may change its so-called moral values but God never changes! In any and every dispensation God hates sin and loves righteousness. For example, murder was wrong before the giving of the written law (Cain), under the Law, and is till wrong under Grace! 

 

III. The Bible Reveals ONE Plan of Redemption

Christ shedding His precious blood on the cross for our redemption was no afterthought or "Plan B" of God. God planned redemption by the blood of Christ before the world began (1 Pet. 1:18-21). It was pictured throughout the OT by sacrificial lambs (beginning with the record of the fall in Gen. 3). It was not understood by men until after the resurrection of Christ (Lk. 24:13-27). It is a wonderful study to trace the unfolding of God's plan of redemption throughout the scripture. Every saved soul in eternity is redeemed by the SAME precious blood of Christ!