Scripture: Content

Scripture: Content

   What is the contents of Scripture? What does Scripture contain? God has spoken, but what did he say? Generally, God has revealed himself and his wrath against sin through creation (Rom. 1). Specifically, in the word of God he revealed how to escape his wrath through the good news of Jesus Christ. The content of Scripture, then, is God's revelation of himself and his salvation. This includes God's attributes, acts, law, and gospel.

   God has revealed himself throughout Scripture. The word of God overflows with rapturous descriptions of our great God! Stand in awe before the Lord. Bow down before him, put your lips to the dirt and humbly worship at the feet of the King.

God is the Creator- “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1).

He is Almighty- “When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, 'I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly'” (Gen. 17:1-2).

God revealed himself as I Am to Moses- “God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.' And he said, Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you'” (Ex. 3:14-15).

God is merciful, gracious, and just- “ The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, 'The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.'” (Ex. 34:6-7).

The Lord is holy- “For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground. For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44-45).

God is eternal- “'I am the Alpha and the Omega', says the Lord God, 'who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty'” (Rev. 1:8).

The Lord revealed himself as faithful- “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1Cor. 1:9).

God is a jealous God- “For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God” (Deut. 4:24).

God is King- “To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen” (1Tim. 1:17).

God is sovereign- “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases” (Ps. 115:3).

God is said to be love- “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (1Jn. 4:16).

And God is covenant keeping- “And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob” (Ex. 2:24).

   Not only does Scripture reveal God, but it also proclaims his amazing acts. The Bible records the works of the Lord.

God created- “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1).

God redeemed- “Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the LORD; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel” (Is. 41:14).

God judged- “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts” (Mal. 3:5).

God sent the Son- “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (Jn. 3:16).

God delivered up Christ for sinners- “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32)

The Lord crushed Christ- “Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand” (Is. 53:10).

   Scripture reveals the law of the Lord. God has made himself and his works known. However, he did not leave man without standards or boundaries. He wrote his law on the hearts of mankind and then had them committed to stone.

God put his law in the hearts of man- “They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them” (Rom. 2:15).

The Lord gave his law to his people- “And God spoke all these words, saying, ^'I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's'” (Ex. 20:1-17).

   God has revealed himself, his works, and his law within the pages of Scripture. But that is not all. God reveals the gospel in the Bible. We find the saving message of God through Christ in both testaments. Sinners are brought near to God; God forgives and cleanses. What an amazing revelation!

God shines light into the hearts of men- “For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2Cor. 4:6).

The gospel was given to Paul- “For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ” (Gal. 1:11-12).

The good news of the gospel is sent with the power of the Spirit- “Because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction” (1Thess. 1:5).

   The good news of God's salvation through Christ is seen throughout Scripture. Sinners can be made right with God through the person and work of Christ the Son and the power of the Spirit. What a glorious message from a glorious God! The holy, sin-hating God forgives repentant sinners who trust in Christ and his sacrifice for sin. It sounds to good to be true. This is the message of God's word. It may sound unbelievable, but believe it, your eternal life depends on it!