By Gregory S. Tate
“The primary purpose of reading the Bible is not to know the Bible, but to know God.”
(James Merritt)
The Bible — God’s Word — is the most extraordinary book ever written. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, it was recorded by roughly forty authors over a span of more than 1,500 years in Hebrew, Koine Greek, and Aramaic. These authors came from diverse backgrounds, including fishermen, scribes, prophets, kings, physicians, and laborers.
Composed of sixty-six books — thirty-nine in the Old Testament and twenty-seven in the New Testament — the Bible’s content has been supported by secular historians who lived during the periods of its authorship. In addition, archaeological discoveries continue to affirm its historical reliability even today.
The Bible contains over 1,800 prophecies, representing approximately twenty-seven percent of its content.1 In 2007, mathematician Chris Harrison and pastor Christopher Römhild identified 63,779 cross-references between the Old and New Testaments. Among these are 332 Messianic prophecies in the Old Testament, 191 of which were fulfilled in Jesus Christ’s first coming as recorded in the New Testament.2 In The Case for Christ, Lee Strobel notes that the probability of just eight of these 191 Messianic prophecies being fulfilled is “one chance in one hundred million billion.”3
Based on this evidence, the credibility and inerrancy of the Bible become compelling. As the Apostle Paul states in 2 Timothy, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. . .” (2 Timothy 3: 16, NKJV) Simply put, we can confidently trust the Holy Bible.
Why is this important? Because God has lovingly given us His Word as a guide for life. There is overwhelming historical and spiritual evidence of its truth. If you want to understand who you are, God’s purpose for your life, the meaning of existence, and how to experience peace and joy — now and for eternity — the Bible provides the answers.
Jesus Christ invites us: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7, NKJV)
How, then, do you ask and seek? The answer is both simple and complex.
The simple part is to immerse yourself in God’s Word — read it, study it, and pray over it with humility, an open heart, and a genuine desire for truth. Seek a personal relationship with the Father, His Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The complex part is that forces opposed to truth may attempt to keep you from starting — or distract you once you have begun.
God is seeking each of us. He loves us and desires our love in return. Yet love must be freely given to be genuine; therefore, God has given us free will. God set eternity in our hearts, creating within each of us a sense of His existence and eternity. (Rom 1:20, Eccl 3:11– NKJV) I encourage you to take that step of faith to accept and love Him; begin your journey toward peace, joy, and salvation.
It is also important to keep the Bible as your ultimate authority. In the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, Jesus warns us to beware of false prophets: “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” (Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22, NKJV)
For many years, I followed teachings that I now believe led me away from the full truth of Scripture. While those within such paths may sincerely and deeply believe they are following God, certain belief systems rely heavily on teachings outside the Bible, which can limit exposure to its complete message. When Scripture is filtered or selectively emphasized – as it is in many denominational cults (e.g., Mormonism, Christian Science, Jehovah’s Witness) – it leads to misunderstandings about essential truths such as sin, salvation, the divinity of Jesus Christ, the Trinity, and eternal life.
The Holy Bible is God’s Word. I believe it says what it means and means what it says. It does not require reinterpretation to uncover hidden meanings that contradict its plain message. Inspired by God, its authors faithfully recorded His Word for humanity.
Would a loving God — who sent His Son to live among us and die for the remission of our sins — intentionally communicate in a way that confuses those seeking Him? Does God do anything serendipitously, allowing for unintentionality? I believe the answer to both questions is no. Instead, we are called to trust Him at His Word.
I encourage you to commit yourself fully to Him. Read and study Scripture in its entirety. Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Invite Him into your life and understand what the Apostle Paul says: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2: 8-9, NKJV)
As Jesus Christ says: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6, NKJV)
Establish a personal relationship with God — get to know Him. You will never regret it.
- Payne, J. Barton. 1973. Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy. New York, NY: Harper & Row.
- Josh McDowell and Sean McDowell, Evidence That Demands A Verdict. (Nashville: Harper Collins Publishing, 2017), 229.
- Strobel, Lee, The Case for Christ.(Grand Rapids, Michigan: Harper Collins Christian Publishing, 2016), 198.