2. The message of the Bible – Jesus is the Christ!

Jn 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Why did God write the Bible? What has God been trying to tell us by writing the Bible through over 40 New and Old Testament authors for thousands of years? That is, Jesus is the Christ that the Jews and all mankind have been waiting for. And believe that Jesus is the Christ and be saved. This is the purpose of God’s writing of the Bible.

2 Tim 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Until the completion of the New Testament, the’Bible’ mentioned in the New Testament refers to the Old Testament. Paul explained to Timothy that the contents of the Old Testament Timothy learned from childhood speak of Christ, and that when we believe Jesus as the Christ, we can be saved.

Acts 28:23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.

In two years in Rome’s prison, Paul persuaded people concerning Jesus from both the ‘Law of Moses and the Prophets’, the Old Testament. That is, it was testified that the Christ spoken in the Old Testament was Jesus.

Acts 19:9 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. 10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

Paul also used all of the Old Testament to testify that Christ is Jesus in the school of Tyrannus. In fact, all of Paul’s ministry and preaching was to testify of Jesus as the Christ.

Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

The name Christian is not a name given by believers in Antioch, but is a name given to believers in Antioch by nonbelievers. Why did nonbelievers called believers in Antioch as Christians? It was called the Christian after seeing the unusual appearance of the Antioch believers, who witnessed to Jesus as Christ every day.

1 Jn 5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

When we truly believe in Jesus as Christ, we become children of God and be saved.

Acts 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

If we believe that Jesus is the Christ, we cannot stand still. We will not cease to preach and evangelize that Jesus is the Christ, whether in the temple or in the house, as Acts 5:42.