Why “What Is the Bible” Still Matters Today
Did you know the Bible has sold the most copies of any book ever? According to the Guinness World Records, an organization dedicated to recording record-breaking achievements, the Christian Bible has sold more than five billion copies.1 That’s a pretty amazing number. Although it’s impressive, we must ask ourselves, why would so many people want to own a Bible? Since I can’t ask five billion people, I’ll guess it’s because it is the Word of God.
What Is the Bible According to Scripture?
The Bible is “God-breathed” (2 Tim. 3:16 NIV). This means that God shared His message with people, and those people wrote that message down. When you read the Bible, you will see that each book in the Bible has an author. There are approximately forty different writers. But each of them was inspired by God to write down His words. The Bible is true and accurate. That means we can trust what God says through His Word.
The Bible contains many books: sixty-six to be exact. These books are divided into two sections: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament helps us understand the foundations of our faith. We learn about God’s creation and His love for and commitment to people, specifically the nation of Israel, and it’s where we hear the prophecy that Jesus was coming to the earth.
The New Testament is where we learn about Jesus’ life and ministry, the early church, and how to grow in our understanding of the Christian faith. We also find out that Jesus will come again!
Why Should I Ask, “What Is the Bible?”
Ultimately, we read the Bible so we can know God and grow to love and obey Him. One of God’s sweetest gifts, besides Himself, is His Word. Both the Old and New Testaments are His words that tell us all about Him (2 Peter 1:21). The Scriptures are “useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right” (2 Tim. 3:16–17). God’s instructions are perfect and make us wise (Ps. 19:7). The Lord uses His Word to bring people to Himself (Rom. 10:17).
God has been gracious to give us access to know many things about Him: His creation, His desires for us, and, most important, His Son, Jesus.
I have some good news and maybe some bad news: we aren’t always going to feel something when we read God’s Word. If you approach the Word with the idea that if you don’t feel something, then you aren’t getting anything from it, you won’t read it. Once you change the focus from yourself to God, it’s not only proper, but it’s also freeing. We find joy in Scripture primarily because it leads us to the One who spoke it into existence.
I have some more good news and maybe some bad news: we don’t read the Word because it’s fun. (Although I really believe it can be!) What I mean is, sometimes God’s Word talks about serious things. Although that won’t always be easy, you can be sure that reading the Bible is the best use of your time. Change your focus from how you feel to what you will learn about God.
Adapted from 52 Weeks in the Word Student Edition by Trillia Newbell ©2025. Published by Moody Publishers. Used with permission.
1. “Best-selling book,” Guinness World Records, https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/best-selling-book-of-non-fiction.
