What is the Bible?

I recently received an email from a man describing himself as a new convert to the Kingdom. He asked four questions about the Bible, which he said had been troubling him for some time. 1.What is the Bible? 2. Is the Bible truly God's Word? 3. Why should we read the Bible? 4. Does the Bible contain errors, contradictions, or discrepencies? How would you have answered? See what you think of my attempt below:-

Hello M,

Thank you for sending me your questions, which I found very interesting. Here are my responses, which I hope you will find helpful:

1. The Bible is a library of books of various genres including poetry, history and religious law, through which God is revealed to us. The revelation of God is progressive through the Bible, so that for example the depth of understanding of God in the new testament gospels and epistles is far more accurate and complete than that of Joshua or Judges.

2. Jesus Christ is the living Word of God who reveals exactly what God is like and fulfils all of God's purposes (John 1.1-18, Isaiah 55.10-11, Hebrews 1.1-3). The Bible is the written word of God and although it has reached us through imperfect human writers and translators, it is able to reveal to us the living word, Jesus Christ.

3. We should read the Bible because "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living, so that the person who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good deed" (2 Timothy 3.16-17). What better reason could there be for reading the Bible?

4. Yes, in all our modern translations of the Bible there are errors, contradictions and discrepencies. This should not surprise us in such an old book with so many different writers, editors and translators. In spite of this, what the Bible does is reveal to us the true and living word of God, Jesus Christ. When we read and think about the Bible we encounter the living word of God which "is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of the heart" (Hebrews 4.12).

To sum up, I would say that the Bible is something more mysterious and powerful than just an infallible book. It is a gateway to meeting the living God who saves and heals and loves us and who is bringing his kingdom on earth. To understand the Bible we need to study it within the christian community (the church), with faith, and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit who, as Jesus promised, "will lead you into all the truth" (John 16.13).

God bless you on your journey of faith,

With love and prayers, Rev Andrew Tweedy