Blog – Page 4 – Pursuit Bible

The Bible is a big book, a collection of 66 books written by around 40 different authors over a period of 1600 years. Is there a unifying theme in the Bible? In this article, I’ll share an overview of the Bible so that the main message of the Bible will be easier to see. What is the main message of the Bible? The main message of the Bible is that God is restoring the world to His original design through Jesus Christ. The world is in a state of brokenness because of mankind’s rejection of God and His plan. Jesus entered into a broken and hurting world to die on the cross to restore mankind to God. There are lots of different opinions when it comes to interpreting the Bible's main message. How do we know which one to go with? The best way to interpret the Bible is to start with the big-picture themes and ideas. What does the Bible say that its main message is? The Main Theme of the Bible Is the Kingdom of God The entire Bible can be summed up in the theme of the Kingdom of God. The different parts of the Bible can be explained in terms of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is the reason God created the world, the reason Jesus came to die on the cross so that people can enter into the Kingdom of God. God has a good plan for the world and the people He created to rule over the earth. To understand the main message of the Bible, you have to understand the theme of the Kingdom of God. It will help you get an overview of the Bible. The Kingdom of God means His rule and reign. God’s Kingdom is His original plan as the Creator of the world and as the King who establishes what is good and right. KINGDOM REVEALED: In the beginning, God created the world and placed mankind as His representatives in charge of caring for it (Gen. 1:28). God is the Creator and the King and He delegates His authority to mankind. Words like “subdue it” and “have dominion” in Genesis 1:28 describe how man is to use God’s authority to bring the earth to its fullness. KINGDOM FORFEITED: Man rejected God’s will and plan and went his own way (Gen. 3:6-7). This is what the Bible calls sin. Sin is when we depart from God’s plan and go our own way. Sin is what leads us to brokenness (Rom. 3:23). This results in death entering into the world (Rom. 6:23). God created a perfect world without brokenness (Gen. 1:31). Man opened the door to sin and death, leading into brokenness. RESTORATION INTRODUCED: The Old Testament after Genesis 3 is the introduction and working out of God’s restoration process. God chose Israel, one nation, out of all the nations of the earth to call His own. The people of Israel were to learn God’s way and become a blessing to all the nations (Gen. 12:1-3). Israel as a literal kingdom on earth becomes a history lesson to prepare the world for the Cross. Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 1 Cor. 10:11 (ESV) KINGDOM RECLAIMED: The Kingdom was reclaimed when God Himself entered into the brokenness of this world. Jesus, as the Son of God, was born as a man. Jesus’ main message was the Gospel, or the Good News, of the Kingdom of God. The Good News is that God is doing something about the brokenness of man and the world. Israel was not able to uphold the Law and live as God intended. God Himself would have to redeem mankind from sin and death. The Kingdom of God, His rule and reign would be reclaimed on the earth. Jesus accomplished this through His death on the Cross. Jesus’ death on the Cross pays for the penalty of sin (1 Pet. 3:18). Jesus says after His resurrection from the dead that all authority in heaven and earth had been given to Him (Matt. 28:18). KINGDOM FULFILLED: The Bible ends with the Kingdom of God fully established on earth (Rev. 21-22). Jesus comes to replace the kingdoms of this world with God’s Kingdom. He will remove all evil from the earth. Until then, God is patient to give people time to turn to Him (2 Pet. 3:9). All of the Bible Points to Jesus Why is Jesus Christ important? Jesus is the central figure and theme of the Bible. Jesus is important to Christianity because of the Good News that He came to make known and His work of redemption through His death on the cross. The Kingdom of God was forfeited by man as we went our own way away from God’s design, so it required God to redeem the world. The name Jesus comes from the Hebrew name Joshua. Joshua means “the Lord saves.” Jesus is the Son of God who saves the world from its sin and brokenness. Jesus did this by entering into a broken world, being born as a man. All of the Bible points to Jesus. All of Scripture points to some aspect of who Jesus is or what He would come to do. And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. Luke 24:27 (ESV) The main theme of the Bible is the Kingdom of God. And Jesus, as the Son of God, and as the King, is the center of its message. Jesus' Main Message Was the Kingdom of God Jesus’ main message was the Good News of the Kingdom of God. But he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” Luke 4:43 (ESV) Jesus’ mission statement is that He came to tell people the Good News of the Kingdom of God (Luke 4:43). Why is it good news? The bad news is that we live in a world of brokenness, separated from God. What is the Gospel, or the Good News? The main message of the Gospel, or Good News, is that we can be restored to God and live as people of His Kingdom, under God’s rule and reign through Jesus Christ. This is great news to people who admit that they’re living in brokenness and not in God’s design for the world. This is good news to people who are experiencing brokenness in this world: sickness, broken relationships, war, famine, injustice, etc... Jesus not only told people about the Kingdom of God, He showed people that God’s Kingdom is here and that God cares. The Gospels record the many miracles of healing that Jesus displayed to show that God’s Kingdom was here to restore the world. Jesus came to show people that there’s a different way to live and a way to be restored, or saved, from the brokenness of this world. We can enter the Kingdom of God and live as God’s people. Jesus’ life and ministry is summed up in the cross. The cross is where Jesus died to pay for the penalty of sin and to reconcile man to God. Jesus laid down His life as a sacrifice. The death on the cross and the blood that was shed for sin is what brings forgiveness of sin and pays the price so that we are redeemed by God and restored to Him. Through His death on the cross, Jesus reclaimed the Kingdom of God on man’s behalf. It’s reclaimed for people who forfeited it by going out of God’s Kingdom through sin. Through the cross, Jesus makes a way for people to enter into the Kingdom of God. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6-7 (ESV) The Bible Calls People to Repentance and Faith The message of the Kingdom of God requires something of us. What does God want us to do? Jesus sums it up in Mark 1:15 when He began His ministry: repent and believe the Good News. And saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15 (ESV) The Bible calls people to repentance. What does repentance mean? In the Bible, to repent means to think differently after. It means to change your mind. It’s what the hymn Amazing Grace describes when it says “I once was lost, but now am found.” Jesus presents a way to look at the world. We could not see clearly before. We are not victims of a broken world anymore. There is good news. After we hear the good news, we have to think differently about God, the world, and ourselves. After we hear the Good News, we have to think differently about God, the world, and ourselves. What is the purpose of the Bible? The Bible is God’s Word to man so that mankind can align with God’s rule and reign, His Kingdom. The Bible calls people to faith. Faith means to believe and trust. To have faith means to receive Jesus, to believe in His name, that He came to save us. He came to restore us to God, to become children of God. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12 (ESV) Jesus gathers people who believe into a community called church (Matt. 16:18). The church is not a building, but a group of people who live with Jesus as their King, under His life-giving and joy-filled authority. The mission of the church is to show others the Kingdom of God and to invite people to follow Jesus. The church points people to follow Jesus and to live out God’s plan for their lives. God’s people are called to love God and love others as Jesus commanded. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matt. 28:18-20 (ESV) Jesus' message was that the Kingdom of God is near. God wants people to repent and believe in Him and follow His ways. Jesus builds His church to extend God's rule over hearts, individuals, marriages, families, work, and overall society. Jesus Fulfills the Kingdom of God on Earth The final part of the main message of the Bible is that Jesus is coming to fulfill the Kingdom of God on earth. Jesus’ first coming was to preach the Kingdom of God and make a way for people to enter it. Jesus’ Second Coming will be as King and Judge to fully establish God’s Kingdom on earth. He does this by removing all evil from the earth. Jesus will sit as the righteous Judge on His throne. God’s original plan was forfeited by man. Jesus made a way for it to be restored. God will once again live with man on earth. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Rev. 21:3-4 (ESV) What separated man from God will be fully removed. All evil will ultimately be removed from the earth by Jesus, the King, and Judge. He will return to finish what He started in His first coming. Hope is an eager expectation of what is to come. The message of the Bible is that there is hope in this world where we experience pain and brokenness. The hope of the Bible is that Jesus is returning to restore God’s plan for the world. The Bible calls people to see from God’s perspective and to believe in Jesus, the Son of God, who died for their sin. What is the message of the Bible in one sentence? God calls people to believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who died to restore mankind to God and fulfill His original plan and purpose for a broken and hurting world. If you enjoyed this article and want to learn more about understanding the Bible, you might be interested in this article: The Essential Guide to Understanding the Bible for Beginners. In it, I share some tips and guidelines to help you get the most out of your study of the Bible.Thy Kingdom Come - What It Means & How to Pray It. It's from the prayer that taught His disciples. It explores the powerful prayer which summarizes the entire Bible.There are some misconceptions about what the Bible says about going to heaven. In this article, we explore this all-important question: How to get to Heaven According to the Bible: It's NOT By Being Good. Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash