Draw Near – 365 Guides to Greater Intimacy with GodSample

BRING THE BOOKS For five hundred years after Christ, the Bible had no name. Derived from the Greek word biblos which means "book," our title for God's Word came in the following way: The religious leaders in charge of the various manuscripts used in the churches referred to them as "the books." Eventually, they dropped the plural and merely called this collection of manuscripts the "Holy Book." The name stuck, and for fifteen hundred years we have called the Scripture, "The Holy Bible." Believers refer to the Bible also as "Holy Scripture," "God's Word," and "The Law." However, the most popular name by far is "The Holy Bible." The designation "Old and New Testaments" comes from the Bible, from the book of Hebrews. There the writer calls attention to the "Old and New Covenants." The Latin word testamentum means "covenant." The two parts of the Bible indicate how God once dealt with man and how He deals with him today. Paul referred to the Bible as "Scripture." In writing to young Timothy, he was careful to capture the purpose for God's Word: All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Regardless of what title we use when we speak of the Bible, we should remember it is God's Word and that it gives a foundation for faith, reproves us for errors, and offers instructions on becoming the kind of people God desires. For these reasons, the Bible is a vital part of our daily life. We not only read it, we live it; and in so doing begin to grow into the image of God's Son. In our growth toward perfection, prayerful Bible reading provides us the help we need.