What is the Bible?

Writer: 
Erkki Koskenniemi
Translator: 
Sanna Tarvainen

The Bible is the essential book of Christianity. According to our faith, God speaks to us in the Bible, telling us who we are, what our place is in the world of God and what God expects of us.

The Old and the New Testament, the two parts of the Bible, are closely connected, and they have both been given to us by God through people. The Bible forms a whole: it begins with the Creation of man, followed by his Fall and how God prepared a way back to Him by giving his Son to us. The Bible starts with Creation and ends with it − there will be a Last Judgment, the world we know will disappear, God will create a new world where He will take all those who believe in Christ.

The Bible, all of it, is written by people, but at the same time, we believe all of it is God’s Word. God has given us His Word in a form that is fragile in many ways − He could have written His message in words of fire or sent his angels here to tell it. But it was in a very fragile form that He came to us also when the little baby child was placed in the manger in Bethlehem. This seems to be the way God works. While it is not good enough for the wise and the rich, it is a treasure for the weak and the poor.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.
(Psalm 119:105, ESV)

I thank you God, that You have spoken to us. Let me listen and understand.