Monday, December 31, 2007

THE OUTLINE AND

THEME OF THE BIBLE

The Bible is a divine Library containing sixty-six

volumes — thirty-nine in the Old Covenant, and twentyseven

in the New.

Both Covenants have three sections:

a.History,

b.Instruction, and

c.Prophecy.

In the Old Covenant:

1. History is Genesis thru Esther.

2. Instruction is Job thru Song of Solomon.

3. Prophecy is Isaiah thru Malachi

In the New Covenant:

1. History is Matthew thru Acts.

2. Instruction is Romans thru Jude.

3. Prophecy is Revelation.

The theme of the Bible is salvation — that is, God's

revealing Himself to save mankind.

In Genesis, chapters 1-11, summarizing world

history from Adam to about 2,000 B. C.,

we see

SALVATION NEEDED

in the fall of man,

in the pre-flood wickedness, and

in the rebellion and confusion at

the Tower of Babel.

From Genesis 12 through Esther, the historical

books of the Old Covenant, we see

SALVATION PLANNED

in the call of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and

in the history of the children of Israel.

In Job through Song of Solomon, we see SALVATION

DESCRIBED PERSONALLY.

In Isaiah through Malachi, the Prophets, we see

SALVATION PROPHESIED

pointing us to the coming Christ who as

Priest would take away our sins, who as

Prophet would instruct us in holy living, and as

King would rule over us in righteousness.

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the histories of the

life of Christ, show us that

SALVATION IS ACCOMPLISHED —by the

birth,

life,

death, and

resurrection of Jesus Christ.

In Acts, the history of the early church, we see

SALVATION SHARED

with the Jew first, and also

with the Gentile

[or non-Jewish or other peoples. The word “Gentile”

does not appear in the Bible. It is always people, peoples,

or ethnics.]

Romans through Jude, the Pauline and General

Writings, show us

SALVATION EXPLAINED

All men need to be saved.

We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus

Christ.

We are saved to serve God in the present world

through the church.

Christ will bring our salvation to a victorious consummation

at His coming.

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