What are the Two Major Sections of the Bible?
Question 4 of our Scripture Catechism, plus the sermon from Sunday, January 22, 2023
Q4: What are the two major sections of the Bible?
A4: The two major sections of the Bible are the Old Testament, containing 39 books, and the New Testament, containing 27 books.
The Old Testament contains a redemptive-historical narrative that includes the promises made about the coming Messiah and deliverer, Jesus Christ. Through Adam, who ushered in the curse of sin into the world, followed by Noah, Moses, the patriarchs, judges, kings, and prophets, a true and perfect Savior was still needed. Some kings were good, some kings were wicked. Some priests were faithful while others were corrupt. But none, not even the one after God's own heart, David, could provide the rescue needed from the curse that Adam brought in. Yet peppered all through the Old Testament were promises that God made regarding a prophet, priest, king, and son who would rescue his people from their sins.
In the Old Testament, God provided his law. The moral, ritual, and civil laws that he gave were put in place to identify the people of God and distinguish them from the surrounding nations who served false gods and engaged in false worship. Yet we know that the Law, specifically the moral law, is good and serves to expose sin and our need for a savior, but the law fails to provide an escape (cf. Romans 3:19-20; 7:12). Someone needed to come who not only gave the law to God but also kept the law as a human being on our behalf.
The New Testament opens up with the last Old Testament prophet, John the Baptist. His role was to prepare the way of the one who would meet all of the qualifications of the one who made the law and keeps the law. That person is Jesus Christ. The New Testament exists to show that all of the promises of the Old Testament were kept. God provided a way that those listed beforehand could not do. The Savior comes from the people of God, Israel, but would be one who would call out a people from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. As the gospel began to spread in the book of Acts, we see that the gospel is not just a tribal belief for a few people in a certain culture in a particular geographical location. The gospel is for all people. Jesus Christ is for all people. He is the only one that provides the solution to the brokenness that's in this world.
You may be coming across this newsletter somehow someway, and the person of Jesus intrigues you. I encourage you to reach out to another follower of Jesus or to me and have that conversation about who he is and what he's done. I'd also encourage you to read the New Testament, starting with John. The Gospel of John shows Christ as fully man but also a holy God. In John you'll find what many consider to be the greatest verse in the Bible:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
God used His servants to write down His Word so we may know how to have eternal life (1 John 5:13). We show the belief not just by turning to Christ but by turning from (repenting) of our sin that takes us away from God's design. Christ rescues, reconciles, and restores that broken relationship.
Sunday’s Sermon
“Really Fulfilling the Royal Law: What Loving Your Neighbor Really Means” (James 2:1-13 for Sanctity of Human Life Sunday)
On June 24, 2022, a turn took place in American history: Roe v. Wade was overturned by our U.S. Supreme Court. Those of us who are in and support the pro-life movement rejoiced--while those on the other side did not. It must be said now that 61% favor a woman’s right to choose an abortion, according to Pew Research. The ruling sent the matter back to the states. This information was found on the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission’s website:
Earlier this month, the Supreme Courts in Idaho and South Carolina issued rulings on pending cases concerning abortion. In Idaho, abortion is now allowed only to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incest. Sadly, in South Carolina the state Supreme Court ruled a 2021 Heartbeat Bill be unconstitutional, granting the right of abortion up to 22 weeks.
Abortion is currently banned in 13 states. In Georgia, where a complete ban was blocked by the courts, it is allowed only in the first six weeks. Eleven more states have restrictions between 15 and 22 weeks of gestation. Abortion is legal beyond 22 weeks’ gestation in 25 states and Washington, D.C.
Sanctity of Human Life Sunday corresponded with the date that the Supreme Court made abortion legal nationwide (January 22, 1973). But this is one of many pieces of human life sanctity that we must rally around. In James 2:1-13, he leads off with a truth: we fail to love our neighbor when we show partiality. We often ask the question, “Well, who is my neighbor?”
Coming up on Thursday: Carry That Notebook with You for the Sake of Your Soul
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