The Bible contains the most amazing story ever told. The Bible is God's love letter to humanity, revealing Who He is and who we are to Him. It is our manual for life and living. The Old and New Testaments together comprise this essential revelation to humanity and cannot be divided or separated. God desires us to interact with His revealed Word in a meaningful way, applying common sense, self-consistent methodology. As we read and apply the Word to our lives by faith, the power of the Holy Spirit that inspired the human authors is unlocked to change us.
YHWH God is the Wellspring of life as both Creator and Redeemer. The Sovereign King over all of existence, every good and perfect gift comes from the Father. In character, God is described as embodying the essence of self-emptying love. God is likened to light, which is substance and revelation and movement. His glory shines brighter than the sun, to the point where sinful beings cannot be in His direct, personal presence unprotected. There isn't even a shadow of darkness within God. He knows everything there is to know, with perfect wisdom, absolute authority and unlimited power. God is revealed to have a divine form, in which image humanity is created. God dwells in Heaven, enthroned in the Sanctuary there, but is spoken of as present by His Spirit throughout all space by virtue of His ability to see and act in all places.
Equal in all things with God the Father, Christ/Messiah is the express image of His nature and character. Pre-existing from eternity, the divine Son of God has always been the Mediator between God and creation, the Word that manifests and reveals God's will and self-emptying love. This Anointed One is the active Agent in both creation and redemption. Throughout the Old Testament, Messiah appeared frequently as God's Messenger, the Angel of YHWH and the General of the heavenly armies. The Prince that was promised came to earth as Jesus (or Yeshua), clothed in the weaknesses of humanity, to redeem mankind. Now He continues His intercessory work as High Priest and Judge in the Heavenly Sanctuary and awaits the time when the Father will bid Him to return and gather His followers - both living and asleep in death.
The origin of evil is a confounding mystery. The highest created angel came to think that it should be equal with God, just like the Son. Pride and sin originated when this being turned its focus inward on self and away from the Source of its very existence. Leading a rebellion in heaven by defaming the character of God and Christ, this accuser or "Satan" was kicked out and continued his warfare on this newly created earth. The claims of this devil were proven to be lies when he murdered the Son of God at the Cross. Since that time, in the eyes of the rest of the universe, this devil is exposed and defeated. In desperation he and his followers seek to cause as much destruction before he will be finally destroyed along with those who join his rebellion and refuse the free gift of eternal life.
God created this earth and man to be His delegated governors of this planet about 6000 years ago. As our Creator, God knows exactly what will fulfill our souls. His covenant commission to the first humans, Adam and Eve, gave them identity, purpose and empowerment, while setting boundaries for their happiness. Unfortunately, under temptation they defied God and broke the Covenant. This disconnected them from a natural connection with the living God and death became a part of human experience. Having been led into sin, they transferred their authority over this world into the hand of the great enemy. In return, they became slaves to sin which is the state of living outside of God's will. Living in harmony with God's law of liberty is to be truly free. While humanity cannot return to the state of freedom on their own, God has in His unfathomable love provided a Way back.
Humanity was lost to sin and death. Our first parents passed this on to every descendant. In our own strength we could not hope to climb out of the pit of darkness. God sent His Son on a daring rescue. Jesus became our substitute, literally walking in our sinful skin and taking back the dominion over this world by living out God's law of love. Jesus showed obedience right up to the point of allowing Himself to be swallowed up by sins that were not His own so we could be credited His righteousness that is not our own. Jesus is our perfect Substitute and Example in His life and death. His death was the fulfilment of the symbols outlined in the sacrificial rituals throughout the Old Testament. These symbols had no power in themselves, but pointed to the death of Jesus which covered every person ever born with a free gift of grace which they can accept by faith or not.
Jesus' life, death and resurrection are a reliably certain historical event. However, they are more than this. Everyone who puts their faith in the Messiah are to experientially enter into this. Our old, sinful self can be crucified with Christ. We receive a new nature after the likeness of our Saviour. The Bible describes this with analogies like "new creation", "born again", "adoption", etc. Due to the fractured natures of our hearts within a world at spiritual war, we need to enter into this experience day-by-day and moment-by-moment. The initial act of burying our old way of existing and rising to a new life in Jesus is symbolised by the act of baptism. The frequent identification with this life is symbolised by following Jesus' example through footwashing and taking part in the unfermented wine and unleavened bread symbolising His blood and body.
The Holy Spirit is divine, personal and powerful. God, Christ and the Spirit are the three living persons of the heavenly trio. By the Spirit, God and Christ created and uphold all things. By this same Spirit, fallen humans are given the power to become children of God. The Spirit is the gift given to all who believe in Jesus and it manifests itself in a variety of gifts. The primary gift given to every believer is the grace to overcome and resist evil and to be continually transformed into the likeness of Jesus, the embodiment of self-emptying love. Additional gifts for the building up of the Kingdom such as leadership, teaching, miracles, healing, prophecy, speaking or interpreting foreign languages are also available through the Spirit as God wills according to the calling of the individual. These gifts continue to be displayed within God's people.
The community of those who embrace the free gift of salvation is known as the Church. The family of God embraces all those in heaven and on earth who are loyal to the Sovereign King. Jesus stands as the only Head of His people. Within the priesthood of all believers, mutual submission binds the faithful together. While the true family of God is known only to He Who can read hearts (flock), God has always maintained a visible structure on earth as a repository of His truth (fold). The visible Church in all ages has been comprised of both faithful and faithless members (wheat and tares). Prior to the flood the visible Church was known as the "sons of God". Later, God raised the offspring of Abraham, "Israel", to continue His purpose on earth. After the rejection of Jesus, the Christian remnant continued the mission of Israel, including the gathering in of the Gentiles. As a God of order, the Church is administered through congregational offices such as Elders and Deacons/Deaconesses as well as offices of spiritual gifting such as Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, and Pastoral Teacher. These giftings can come to anyone according to Gods calling.
There is no favouritism in God's eyes. No one has greater status based on gender, ethnicity, position, or any other class or status divide. Even being part of the Church does not afford one greater value in God's eyes as His attention is ever on those who are stumbling in darkness. The giftings to His followers are to be used in mission and service to fellow man. We are blessed so we can pass on those blessings to those in need. Jesus has bought back not only every man who receives the gift of eternal life, but the dominion over this world. He gives power to resist and push back the forces of darkness. He commissions His people as ambassadors and soldiers and grants them power to extend deliverance in the world. Christians are to be stewards of their time, relationships, talents, health, money, the environment, serving as representatives of Heaven.
At the Cross the character of God was most fully displayed in contrast to evil, granting pardon to rebellious sinners. However, the Cross was only the beginning. Since His return to Heaven, Jesus has been officiating as High Priest, applying the merits of His atonement. Through prophecy and symbols, God had outlined that this broken world would not go on forever. Successive kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome and the divided colonial powers of Europe are described, along with a religio-political power that persecuted true Christians during the period of the Dark Ages. As we approach the final events outlined in prophecy, it is clear that the process of judgement has begun in which the coalition of darkness will be defeated. This process culminates in the second coming of Jesus Who returns to claim His sleeping and living saints and take them to heaven.
The epilogue of the story that unfolds in the Bible deals with the destruction of sin and Satan. After 1000 years in heaven, during which the saints review the judgements of God, the New Jerusalem returns to earth and those who died without Christ are raised a final time. These show the persistence of their rebellion as they are urged by Satan to attack the city of the saints. The great white throne judgement takes place and they are shown all the opportunities they had to be saved and every knee bows before Jesus as a final event before those who have rejected God and therefore the source of life are cut off and cease to exist. Sin, Satan and death are abolished. The only reminders of the damage of sin will be the scars carried by Jesus and the grief in the heart of God over those who refused the free gift of life. Due to the victory of God's character of love in the eyes of all of creation there will never be a discordant note ever again in the harmony of existence.