The Bible

The Bible is God's Word, completely true and without error. Its ultimate purpose is to reveal God's plan to redeem mankind from Satan, sin, and death. The heart of this plan is found in the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—where we encounter the good news of Jesus. In a profound way, the entire Bible is about Jesus.

This doesn't mean the Bible only teaches us how to convert to Christianity. All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for doctrine, reproof correction, and instruction in righteousness. However, it does mean that the Old Testament points forward to Jesus' coming and is fulfilled in Him. The New Testament, from Acts to Jude, guides Christian living by pointing back to Jesus. And Revelation looks ahead to His second coming.

Therefore, studying the Bible without considering all that Jesus accomplished would lead to empty religion. As Jesus Himself said, "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me" (John 5:39).

So, whenever we study the Scriptures, interpret the Scriptures, or seek to apply the Scriptures to our lives, we do so through the lens of all that Jesus did and taught.