IF ONE WHO HAD NEVER read the Bible or heard a lesson taught were to take the Bible and study it, what would that person find?

In the Old Testament he would find that God created the heavens and the earth in six days: He would find that God created man in His own image.

He would find that man was told to multiply and replenish the earth. He would find that man disobeyed God's command and brought sin and death into the world.

Later he would find the account that man became so wicked that God sent a flood over all the earth and destroyed all of man except a man named Noah and his family, eight souls. He would see that this family grew and spread over the earth. He would later see the account of God calling a man named Abram to leave his home country and come into the land of Canaan.

He would see that from this man's descendants God chose a man named Jacob to be the father of a family that would be the people of God in the-Old Testament, the nation of Israel. This nation of people would spend four hundred years in Egyptian bondage, before God brought them out of Egypt. After forty years of wondering in the wilderness, God brought them into the land promised by God to Abram (Abraham). In these forty years all the people over twenty who came out of Egypt, except two, died because of unbelief.

During this time in the wilderness God gave to Israel, through Moses what is called the law of Moses, including the Ten Commandments and the laws of worship and daily living. In this time God chose two tribes for special service in the Jewish worship and the plan of God for the salvation of man. The tribe of Levi was chosen to be over the worship of Israel, and the tribe of Judah was chosen to be the tribe from which the Messiah was to come.

The land was divided between the twelve tribes of Israel. The nation of Israel for many years lived under the guidance and deliverance of judges. When Israel rebelled against the guidance and authority of God, God gave them kings to rule over the nation of Israel.

One would find in this time that the nation of Israel, after the reign of three kings, was divided into two kingdoms, the southern kingdom of Judah (two tribes) and the northern kingdom of Israel (ten tribes). One would find that the descendants of David ruled over the kingdom of Judah, while men of various tribes ruled over the northern kingdom.

In the time of the judges and the kings one would find that God repeatedly sent prophets to warn the people against leaving the true worship of God and turning to the worship of idols. One would find that these same prophets repeatedly spoke of a coming Savior, the Messiah. One would find in the kingdom of Judah that several good kings arose to seek to turn the people back to God and to true worship to Him.

One would find that because of the continued sin and disobedience the northern kingdom fell and was taken into captivity by the nation of Assyria. Soon thereafter one would find the southern kingdom of Judah also fell because of unbelief and disobedience, and was taken into captivity by Babylon.

The nation of Judah was in captivity in Babylon for seventy years. When the nation of Babylon fell and the Persian kingdom took power, God gave his people favor in the eyes of the king of Persia, and delivered the Jews from captivity and returned them to rebuild the temple and restore worship to God in Canaan.

The Old Testament closes in this time period of Jewish history. It closes with a final promise of the coming Savior. It closes leaving those who lived in that time looking for the Messiah and things to come. One might ask, "What is the point of this article?" It is to point out two things: 1) God's Word can be understood when studied, and 2) many times men with their interpretations and opinions confuse and distort, more than help, in the understanding of God's Word. In the next article we, will continue with the New Testament.

We continue with what is found in the New Testament. In the first four books they would see the promised Messiah, the Son of God, being born of a virgin birth to a woman named Mary. They would see Jesus' personal ministry and the teaching and training of the apostles who were to carry on the work of spreading the gospel after Jesus' departure from this earth. They would see Jesus mocked, rejected and crucified by the Jewish nation. They would find the account of His resurrection and ascension back into heaven. They would find Jesus leaving his disciples with the promise of a coming church / kingdom.

In the book of Acts they would see the coming of this church / kingdom with the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ on the day of Pentecost. They would find those obeying the gospel repenting and obeying the command to be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins and those saved being added by the Lord to His church. They would find numerous accounts of' conversion throughout the book, each declaring the same plan of salvation. They would see a persecution arise against the church and a spreading of the gospel and salvation to all nations.

In the books from Romans to Jude they would find detailed instructions on how Christians are to live in their relation to God, other Christians and the world. They would find that those who are children of God are to live by faith in Christ having been reconciled to God, the Father, through the blood of Christ. They would find that the forgiveness of their sins in becom­ing a child of God just begins them on their journey of service and obedience in the Lord's church. They would find this salvation was made available to mankind through God's, love, mercy and grace, when man was unworthy of salvation.

They would find that the Christian life is to be a life of faithfulness, devotion, purity and love for God, Christ, the church, and those lost in sin. They would see that evangelism and benevolence are the two ma­jor activities of the New Testament church. -They would see that members of the church being human will make mistakes and cause problems and division within the body of Christ. They will see these are con­demned by the scriptures. They would find that false doctrine and moral impurity must be exposed and cor­rected. They will find that those members who refuse to repent and live a Christian life are to be marked and fellowship withdrawn from them. They will find that children of God are to continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of God. They will find that the scrip­tures reveal all things necessary for one's salvation. They will find warnings of the fact that all will one day give an account of God for their lives. They would find that the division and confusion in the religious world today is condemned. They will find a promise of Jesus' coming, a resurrection of the dead, the final judg­ment, and eternal salvation of the faithful.

The final book of the New Testament promises victory over sin, trials and tribulations to the faithful, "those who overcome." It closes with a promise of the judgment and assurance that God's promises are true.

What they will not find are many of the things taught in the religious world today. They will not find the approval of one joining the church of their choice. Christ died for and is Savior and Lord of but one. They will not find the authority for the governmental structure of many churches today. Jesus is the head and the Bible is the soul authority (creed if you will) of the New Testament church. They will not any authority for many of the names that churches wear today. The church belongs to Jesus. They will not find many of the plans of salvation taught today. Study it close with an open mind, let it speak for its self, don't study it trying to prove a preconceived opinion or doctrine! 

Gary Barnes

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