The Uniqueness of the Bible

Most religions have holy books or sacred Scriptures. In light of the many sacred texts, what’s unique about the Bible? Here are a few of my initial answers to that question.

The Bible is unique because:

  • It is the record of God’s enduring relationship to a specific people group spanning about two millennia.
  • It shows how various ideas, such as sacrifice, redemption, and God’s triune nature, developed over time.
  • It highlights and gives a voice to the marginalized and outcasts of society (e.g., those not firstborn, slaves, the poor).
  • It records a high number of miracles.
  • It focuses on the life, death, and resurrection of one person—Jesus of Nazareth. The OT contains prophecies about a coming Messiah, the four Gospels narrate his life, and the NT epistles explain the meaning of Jesus’ life.
  • It offers the hope of a new creation: new bodies, new heavens and a new earth.
  • It presents God’s love for undeserving sinners. I don’t know of another book that teaches that God loves sinners and sacrifices himself on their behalf. (See Romans 5:8.)

 

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.