Bible

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.

Heb 1:1-2

We believe in a personal, loving God who therefore wants to communicate with us. The main way he has done this is through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. 

Would it not be very strange if God, having done such an important work in the life and teaching of Jesus, then failed to give us a permanent and reliable account of his life and teaching? A written account is the only way to achieve this.

Paul writes: “all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuk­ing, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:14–16). Peter says: “no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20–21).  Peter also calls Paul’s writing ‘Scripture’ and puts them on a level with the rest of Scripture (2 Peter 3:15–16)

The Bible therefore is inspired (i.e. ‘God-breathed’).  However the writers weren’t “human type­writers”. God didn’t ‘switch off’ their personalities. ‘Inspiration’ means such a union of divine and human elements that the result is guaranteed to us as the Word of God for the life of man.

Lest it be thought that this is a very conservative or even fundamentalist position, it is instructive to remember that, for example, the Church of England clearly states that the most important authority for what it believes is the Bible and nothing is to be believed which is clearly contrary to the teaching of Scripture. However the Church takes very seriously the teaching of church leaders in the early centuries, if it is consistent with the Bible.

So the law of the church (Canon A5) states: The doctrine of the Church of England is grounded in the Holy Scriptures, and in such teachings of the ancient Fathers and Councils of the Church as are agreeable to the said Scriptures. In particular such doctrine is to be found in the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion. The Book of Common Prayer. and the Ordinal. Elsewhere it states that the church ought not to teach anything which conflicts with Scripture (Article 20 of the Thirty Nine Articles of Religion).

It is therefore important that the teaching in the local church is based on Scripture and that regular attenders get to know the Bible better. Sadly, many churches, particularly in the West today, only have 10-minute sermons and little else in the way of Bible study, with the result that many Christians have only a superficial knowledge of the Bible.

This section aims to facilitate that by providing a good deal of biblical teaching about basic Christian Doctrines (The Nature of God, including the Trinity; Revelation and Scripture; The Nature of Human Beings and Sin; The Person and Work of Christ; The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit; Salvation, including repentance, conversion, justification, sanctification etc.; The Church; The Last Things, The Second Coming etc.) and about Christian living.

There is more biblical teaching: 

We do not avoid the fact that there are difficult questions about the Bible. In the Apologetics section there are articles on evolution, the historical truth of the story of Jesus, including the Virgin Birth and resurrection, and on the question “Is the Bible historically reliable?”  Also see below for articles entitled: “Interpret Scripture carefully 1: Compare Scripture with Scripture” and “2: Remember the historical context.

If you have questions or comments, feel free to write to my blog.

Articles are arranged according to subject and to whether they are:

  1. Short popular articles for the general reader
  2. Longer popular articles for the general reader
  3. More academic articles where relevant

Teaching about God 

Short popular articles for the general reader

Teaching about God and the World 

Short popular articles for the general reader
Long popular articles for the general reader
More academic articles

Teaching about Jesus 

Short popular articles for the general reader

Teaching about the Bible 

Short popular articles for the general reader
More academic articles
Short popular course for the general reader
Longer popular course for the general reader

“Standing firm in the Faith” 

Longer popular course for the general reader
  • “Standing Firm in the Faith”
    This course gives popular studies on:
    • The Nature of God (including the Trinity)
    • Revelation and Scripture
    • The Nature of Human Beings and Sin
    • The Person and Work of Christ
    • The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
    • Salvation (including conversion, justification, sanctification etc.)
    • The Last Things (Second Coming etc.)

Teaching on Salvation 

Short popular articles for the general reader

Teaching on Christian Living 

Short popular articles for the general reader
Longer popular articles for the general reader

See also the material on homosexuality in the Church Issues section

Teaching on the Church 

Short popular articles for the general reader
More academic articles