Chapter 1

Question 1

(1) What is the Bible?

Answer 1

The Bible is God’s inspired revelation of the original destiny of all things.

Question 2

(2) What is the Bible?

Answer 2

The Bible is the power of God unto eternal salvation and the source of present help, for body, soul and spirit.

Question 3

(3) What is the Bible?

Answer 3

The Bible is God’s will or testament to men in all ages, revealing the plan of God for man here and now, and in the next life. It will be opened at the judgement and it will last forever. It involves the highest responsibility; will reward for the least to the greatest of labour; and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.

Question 4

(4) What is the Bible?

Answer 4

The Bible is the record of God’s dealings with man in the past, present and future, it contains His message of eternal salvation for all who believe in Christ, and eternal damnation for all who rebel against the gospel.

Question 5

(5) What is the Bible?

Answer 5

As a literary composition, The Bible is the most remarkable book ever made. It is a divine library of 66 books some of considerable size, and others no larger than a tract. The books include various forms of literature – history, biography, poetry, proverbial sayings, hymns, letters, directions for elaborate ritualistic worship, laws, parables, riddles, allegories, prophecy, and all other forms of human expression.

Question 6

(6) What is the Bible?

Answer 6

The Bible is the only book that reveals the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts binding, its histories true and its decisions immutable. It contains light to direct, spiritual food to sustain and comfort to cheer.

Question 7

What should man do with the Bible?

Answer 7

Man should read it to be wise, believe it to be safe and practice it to be holy; he should read it that it might fill his memory, rule his heart and guide his feet in righteous and true holiness. He should read it slowly, frequently, prayerfully, meditatively, searchingly, devotionally; and study it constantly perseveringly and industriously through and through – until it becomes a part of his being, generating faith that will move mountains.

Question 8

(1) The Bible is not …

Answer 8

The Bible is not an amulet, a charm, a fetish, or anything to work wonders by its very presence alone. It does not claim to be such; it does claim that if one will study and practice its teachings he will see wonders worked in his life both now and in the hereafter.

Question 9

(2) The Bible is not …

Answer 9

The Bible is not a book of chronological events or an unbroken series of divine utterances. It was given here a little, there a little, to many men
through eighteen centuries [Isaiah 28:9-11]: but regardless of this it forms a perfect unity.

Question 10

(3) The Bible is not …

Answer 10

The Bible is not a book of heavenly utterances in supernatural languages; it is God’s revelation in the simplest human language possible.

Question 11

(4) The Bible is not …

Answer 11

The Bible is not a book of mysteries; it explains its so-called mysteries, and is so self-interpreting that no mystery remains.

Question 12

(5) The Bible is not …

Answer 12

The Bible is not a book that says one thing and means another. Generally, the passages have one simple meaning. In the few, which have a double meaning this fact is quite clear, either from the verses themselves or from parallel passages. One cannot, as is sometimes said – get a thousand different meanings from The Scriptures.

Question 13

(6) The Bible is not …

Answer 13

The Bible is not a specimen of God’s skill as a writer or logician. It is a book written by men who he used to record his revelation. The method was by giving them ways of expressing truth and freedom in the use of their own language. What inspiration guarantees is unity of truth, not sameness of words and expressions.

Question 14

(7) The Bible is not …

Answer 14

The Bible is not a book of systematic discourses on any one subject; but it does give divine information on practically every subject. One must collect together from here and there all God’s information through the various writers, in order to know the whole truth. When this is done there is a perfect harmony and everything, which a man really needs to know about a subject, is clear.

Question 15

(8) The Bible is not …

Answer 15

The Bible is not a book adapted to the tastes, customs and habits of any one nation or people; it is not for any one age or period of time. It is a book for which all people in all ages can conform and yet retain their own lawful customs and habits, which are not contrary to the will of God.

Question 16

2 Peter 1:20-21

Answer 16

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Question 17

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Answer 17

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Question 18

The Word of God is …

Answer 18

• Specific revelation to man.
• The gospel of salvation for mankind.
• Authoritative and final.
• Divinely inspired for godliness.
• Powerful and searching.
• The way to prosperity and life.

Question 19

Hebrews 1:1-2

Answer 19

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Question 20

Romans 16:25-26

Answer 20

Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

Question 21

Romans 1:16

Answer 21

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Question 22

Hebrews 2:1-4

Answer 22

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

Question 23

Hebrews 4:12

Answer 23

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Question 24

Joshua 1:8

Answer 24

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Question 25

Proverbs 4:20-22

Answer 25

My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.