What is the Bible?
I. Names for the Bible The word “Bible” itself simply means “book.” Many religions have their collection of sacred writings, sometimes spoken of as their bibles. To the Christian, the Bible means the collection of the Scriptures of the Old Testament and New Testament recognized and used as the basis and authority of the Christian faith. The Bible uses other terms to identify itself. A. Word of God . “And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe” (1 Thess. 2:13). Peter states that we are begotten through “the living and enduring word of God” (1 Pet. 1:23). This identifies the Bible as the message or word which has come from God. B. Living Oracles or Oracles of God . Stephen speaks of the law given on Mt. Sinai as a “living oracle” (Acts 7:38, NASB). An oracle is a message handed down from a divine being or source. T