What is The Purpose of The Bible and How Is It Organized? – Part 2
Read Part 1 First
“The Old Testament is not contrary to the New; for both in the Old and the New Testament, everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and man, being both God and man.” God provided provisions and prophets throughout the Old and New Testament, to show that the Law, though given and upheld in the old and the New Testaments, could not produce eternal salvation. This is clearly stated in both Testaments. It is stated by the Article, that Christ offers eternal life in both Testaments. Therefore Christ offers himself in both Testaments, because though the Law may produce a better life upon earth and a path that can lead to the precipice of eternal salvation, the Law was not given to provide everlasting life. However God has provided a way, “Grace” (God’s unmerited favor) and that favor is the “Savior” himself, Christ Jesus, the hope of Glory, the Grace of God.
Ephesians 2:8-9, states, 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
In Hebrews 12: 2 the Apostle Paul provides the way to eternal life, by …”looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Christ is the Grace of God, made accessible to us, when we are within his will for our lives. Anytime we see God interfacing with people in the bible, visiting, talking, and exchanging, this is the Son of God, Our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Jesus is the expressed image of the Father and the expressed Word of God; he is God who walked with Adam and Eve in the garden, God who met Moses on the mountain and hid him in the cleft of the rock, and Moses did see his “Passing Glory”, though he could not see his “Surpassing Glory” and yet live. He is the Living Christ from eternity, he who appeared to Abraham and walked between the sacrifice, making a covenant with him. Christ is he who illuminated Joshua’s path, as the Captain of the Lord’s Army, a mighty soldier whom Joshua asked, are you for them or us? He said neither, “I am the Captain of the Lord’s Host”. In other words, men if they are to be saved must get on “his” side, not “him” on their side.
He is the Rock that followed the Israelites in the wilderness providing water, food, meat and manna. He is the rock of ages that cleft for Moses and hid him on the Mount of Sinai from being consumed by his Glory. He is the Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, where He met with Moses and Elijah, where Peter and the other Apostles heard the Father speak from Heaven, saying “This is my Dear Son, in whom I am well pleased, Hear ye him”. He is the Savior on Calvary’s Mountain, where they hung him high and stretched him wide, the Son, whom God proposed at the beginning of time, to sacrifice, and he did sacrifice him there, to offer salvation to the whole world, by his Grace. Jesus is the cornerstone rejected by the builders and by men; he is the rock of offense, and stumbling stone for the unbeliever. This is the same Jesus, the Son of God, who is that Grace that is offered in both Old and New Testaments, to both Jews and gentiles alike, He who saves to the uttermost.
DIVISION OF BOOKS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AND NEW TESTAMENT
The Second division of the Holy Bible is that of the Books in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, and the best statement to describe those books is our own African Methodist Episcopal Church Article of Religion…
Article 5. THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES FOR SALVATION
The Holy Scripture contained all things necessary to salvation; so that whatever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the Holy Scriptures, we do understand those canonical books of the Old and New Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church.
This article of religion, provide the Books of the Old testament and The Books of the New Testament, which are those accepted as part of the canonized (consecrated) Books, which were included in the Holy Bible.
The Old and New Testaments are further traditionally divided into the following sections:
The 5 sections of the Old Testament
- Law. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
- History. Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1&2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings, 1&2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther
- Poetry and Wisdom books. Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs.
- Major Prophets. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel
- Minor Prophets
The five major divisions of the New Testament
- Gospels. The first four books of the New Testament are the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
- Acts. The fifth book of the New Testament is Acts of the Apostles, or simply “Acts.”
- Paul’s Epistles and Hebrews. Books 6 to 18 of the New Testament are letters,called “epistles,” written by Paul
- General Epistles
- Revelation
Please scroll to the bottom of the page to share your thoughts, questions and/or comments.
Recommended Posts
Truth on Thursdays
June 08, 2023
How Do I Know God Is Answering My Prayers?
October 20, 2022
Q&A With Our New Pastor, Reverend Reuben W. Ford
December 24, 2019
[…] on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.” Read Part II Scroll to the bottom of the page to share your thoughts, questions and comments thus far? share […]