The Holy Bible is the word of God which has been given to mankind. It is not possible to truly know the thoughts of another unless he reveals them; that is what God has done in giving us the Bible (1 Cor. 2:11-13; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). Without God's guidance, we would be left to our own wisdom and intuition (Prov. 14:23). While we may conclude that God exists from observing his creation
(Ps. 19:1), we cannot know his will without knowing his word.

Across the centuries God has given various portions of the Bible as needed. The Old Testament consists of 39 books and covers the history of God's dealings with man from the beginning of time until 400 years B.C. In the second book of the Bible, God formed a covenant with the nation of Israel; they became his chosen people until the coming of Christ. The Law of Moses was given to guide Israel and prepare them for the arrival of the Son of God. God used many spokesmen called prophets to correct and instruct his people as needed.

The New Testament presents Jesus as the Son of God and the formation of his church as the collective body of the saved. The New Testament consists of 27 books. The Gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John give highlights of the life and ministry of Jesus. They demonstrate his divine nature and stress his sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection. The book of Acts records the beginning of the church and presents numerous cases of conversion, showing us how to obey Christ and be saved (see HOW TO BE SAVED). The letters of the New Testament, from Romans to Jude, are inspired communications to churches and individuals, providing guidance for Christian living. The book of Revelation is a highly figurative book given to troubled churches at the end of the first century. It was written to encourage them and guide them through a time of tremendous persecution.

Understanding the Bible involves recognizing the major divisions of the Bible and how they apply to us. The Old Testament remains valuable to Christians as history and example (Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11). However, the Old Law has been fulfilled and abolished; it is not binding on Christians and has no power to save us from sins (Acts 13:39 ; Eph. 2:14-15). The New Testament presents the Gospel of Christ, God's power to save us (Rom. 1:16) and his pattern for the Christian age (2 Tim. 1:13).

Bible correspondence courses are available upon request. Our preacher and other members are also available for personal Bible studies.