How Shall We Then Live

The only way to understand the Bible, and so to understand what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, is to see the entire Bible as one book, one story, from beginning to end. The story begins even before God created, and it ends in the transition to a new heavens and a new earth, where God dwells with those who have believed in Jesus Christ, in a perfect world, forever! As certainly as the earth exists, and mankind upon it, the same God who created the earth will fulfill every promise He has ever made. The only question is, “Will you be there?” While it is impossible to “digest” the entire Bible at one sitting, it is also impossible to understand the meaning of verses or passages without seeing their connection to the whole story. The same is true of your life! You cannot truly understand the purpose of your life without seeing it in the context of GOD’s story … in the context of His plan and His promises. Either you are an heir to all that God has promised through faith in Jesus Christ, or you are separated from God, living in this world without hope.  Those are the only two alternatives. The wonderful thing about the Bible is that following the resurrection of Jesus Christ and His ascension into heaven, God sent His Spirit to be the Teacher for all those whom He has given to His Son. We who believe are not alone! We have the “mind of Christ” (I Corinthians 2:16) living within us to give us understanding. It doesn’t come all at once, but through prayer and study it is possible to know God, to understand His plan, and then to live as disciples of Jesus in a world that does not know Him and that is destined for judgment. By His amazing grace we are “heirs accord to promise!”