What if everything you KNOW about the Bible is only part of the story?
The Story...
The Bible tells the story of what God has been doing throughout
It tells the story of how humans have been trying and failing to find identity and value in themselves, by themselves and for themselves, and how this cycle of failure has formed a pattern of suffering that continues to this day
It reveals Jesus as being the one and only true fulfilment of what it means to be human. Jesus wants to break us free from our pattern of failure, which leads to every kind of suffering and death, and to rescue us from our failure's consequence
It shows us that no matter how much we convince ourselves of our own value and worth, our character, words and actions pale in comparison to those of Jesus, revealing who we truly are, leaving us without excuse
It shows us how God invites people to be members of his covenant family, by allowing them to discover Jesus and place their identity and self-worth in him alone, growing in fondness to him, and following his words and example
human history to rescue his people and world, and how this story finds it’s apex in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus
"The more you know the essence of a thing, the better able you are to use it for its proper purpose."
Aristotle
The Bible is not a divine rulebook
...it's not a theology textbook
...it's not a divine love letter, telling us how good and pure we are
But the Bible does change how we behave
...it does influence our beliefs
...it does allow us to hear directly from God, and find out who we really are
The Bible is not an emotional support tool or crutch for the naïve
But it does help us through life's toughest moments
...and gives us an enduring purpose
The Bible doesn't belong to, nor has it been created by any religious body or group
...it's not a tool for the powerful to oppress the vulnerable
But many groups and people have tried to claim the Bible as their own
...and many throughout history have tried to weaponize it
...but learning its truth allows us to spot the many who abuse it
The Bible doesn't mean whatever we want it to mean
But its meaning is something we can unearth and discover
"Desire without knowledge is not good - how much more will hasty feet miss the way!"
"It is Christ Himself, not the Bible, who is the true Word of God. The Bible, read in the right spirit and with the guidance of good teachers, will bring us to Him."
C.S. Lewis