What is the main theme of the bible?

Answer 1

It is be hard to limit this question to simply three teachings, and others may disagree with me or have other opinions of three even more important teachings, but here it goes: # The doctrine of the Trinity. Although it does not explicitly appear in the scriptures, essentially all Christians believe and understand what is meant by the Trinity: that God has been revealed as ONE, but in THREE persons: Father, Son, and Spirit. Each divine person is co-eternal within the Godhead, not having been formed or created. God's existence is not contengent on this world (for instance, within the laws of time, space, etc), which was created by God ex nihilo, that is, from nothingness. # Jesus Christ, as the second person of the Trinity is truly, fully human and truly, fully divine, and out of the pure love of God, came to the world to reveal the Father, to send the Spirit, and to save men and women from the darkness of sin. He was born of the Virgin Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit (a necessary element of his humanity). He suffered death and rose from the dead, and lives today at the right hand of God. # God has left the means of salvation through Jesus Christ for his people in this world-- salvation is intended for all through all times, places, and ages. The instrument of salvation is the Church, properly constituted with Christ's own delegated authority (to 'bind and loose'), celebrations of the New Coveneant in Christ (Baptism, Eucharist, and the other sacraments), an unbroken link to the authentic teaching of the apostles (which is expressed through scripture written and recognized by the Church herself, through authentic interpretation of that scripture, through authentic teaching of the successors to the apostles), and the guarantee and protection of the Holy Spirit to carry out this mission to teach and baptize all nations in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I would say that these are the three basic teachings of Christianity, from which all other teachings derrive. The one that is most difficult, I think, is the teachings about the Church. Without a doubt, Christ desired salvation for his people in all times and places. He also desired that his people be One, as he and the Father are one. Alas, there are thousands of Christian denominations in the modern world expessing just as many, if not more, variations of the Gospel message. This seems mostly due to a failure of understanding the nature of the institution Christ intended to establish for his people... oh, and plain old human sin. The classic marks of the true Christian Church, recognized by the same creeds which express the doctrine of the Trinity and the Divinity and Humanity of Christ are that this authentic Church must be: One (in unity within itself), Holy (set aside by and for God for his purposes alone), Catholic (universal, without limit in space and time and membership and outreach), and Apostolic (based on the authentic teachings of the Apostles). To be truthful and above all be good to your fellow man regardless of his shortcomings.

Answer 2

"The Good News of the coming Kingdom of God on earth, and man's future birth into the Family of God."

God is making for Himself a Family, a Home for His Children... and the entire universe [all things] shall be their inheritance.

"He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My Son." (Rev.21:7)

"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the Children of God: and if Children, then Heirs; Heirs of God, and Joint-Heirs WITH Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also Glorified together." (Rom.8:16-17)

Answer 3

Love God above all, and love all other people equally too.

Answer:

Government is the main theme from Genesis to Revelation. Both man's inability to govern himself apart from God... but, mostly, the coming Government of God.

Revelation is all about the Day of the Lord, the time and events surrounding Jesus' return with the Kingdom of God.

Even Enoch preached it before the flood: "...Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." (Jude 1:14-15)

Answer 4

Jn:5:39: Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Lk:24:27: And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

Acts:18:28: For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.

1Cor:15:3: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

2Tm: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.

The focus in the scriptures is salvation through Jesus, the old testament looking forward to the sacrifice of Jesus which was prefigured in the sacrificial lamb,and the New Testament looking back to the cross, and the hope contained therein.

Jn:1:29: The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Answer 5

God caused The Bible to be written for us in these last days... so we don't forget Him.

Its main theme can be compared to an automobile's "owner's manual."

The Bible is the "Manufacturer's" Divinely revealed Truth about Himself for the maintenance and upkeep of His "product."

For instance, the proper diet for the temporary sustenance of the physical body is provided. As well as the Words of the Bible itself, which are "spiritual bread," for the spiritual intake of the nourishment of wisdom, knowledge and understanding of God.

"...Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matt.4:4 and Deut.8:3)

"...the flesh profiteth nothing: the Words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." (John 6:63)

The "Manual" lists the laws of the Manufacturer for the Product to obey for its "well-being" and "happiness."

And, unfortunately, like the average automobile owner's manual... the Bible, too, is seldom used, except when the product breaks down and one finds oneself stranded... or in need of a jump-start.

But, that's the main theme of the Holy Bible. It's God's "Owner's Manual": instructions for the longevity of His prized Product, man.

"...useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (II Tim.3:16-17)

Answer 6

God is the creator of all things. God created man.

Man once had a relationship with God. Man has turned away from God. This is called sin. Man is spiritually dead and helpless to restore his relationship with God.

Because man has turned away from God God will one day judge all of mankind.

God has also provided away for man to restore his relationship with God.

Jesus has taken God's judgement that is due to mankind, a person can be saved from God's judgement by believing Jesus died in their place.

Answer 7

Jewish answer: The only proper response would be to include the entire text within the answer to the question. But here are a few examples:

Some teachings or observances (such as the Passover) serve to reenact or remember events of history.
Some (such as saying the Shema prayer; Deuteronomy ch.6) serve to reiterate belief in God.
Some of the laws (such as those of ritual purity and kosher food) serve to sanctify us.
Some (such as the laws of torts) serve to maintain an orderly society.
Some (such as the law against breaking a vow) serve to prevent bad character traits.
Some (such as the command to offer help) serve to engender good character traits.
And all of the commands serve to subjugate one to God's will (especially those commands for which no explanation is easily apparent).
A few of the commands are:
Putting on Tefillin (a.k.a. phylacteries) in the morning
The sukkah-booth during Sukkot
Avoiding leavened products in Passover
Not eating on Yom Kippur
Not working on the Sabbath
Paying workers on time
Marital rights for one's wife
Counting the days of the Omer
Returning lost objects when feasible
Wearing the tzitzith-garment
Learning Torah
Marrying and having children
Giving tzedakah (charity)
Honoring one's parents

The Hebrew Bible reiterated the teachings of Abraham (Talmud, Yoma 28b) and codified their exact details; and at Mount Sinai, the Israelites accepted as obligatory what had until then been national custom.
Practicing kindness and avoiding dishonesty became obligatory instead of merely proper.
Agriculture in the Holy Land included tithes to be given to the Levites and Kohens, thus providing for a scholarly class of people. One of the tithes was given to the poor, thus obviating the existence of starvation.
Immorality and incest were legislated against in detail. Instead of instinct or "crimes against nature," they were subsumed into religious law.
The roles of king, prophet, Kohen, Levite, officers and judges were all provided for in the Torah, thus defining the shape of the society and its institutions and providing certain balances.
The Israelite year was filled out with the national festivals; and they too were imbued with the function of worshiping God instead of being secular celebrations.
The judges were commanded to fear God, instead of relying on the skills of jurisprudence alone.
The laws of the Tabernacle (and later the Holy Temple), and commands to love God and fulfill all of the commandments, were written in the Torah together with (and mixed among) the seemingly mundane laws of testimony and witnesses (etc.), in order to convey the message that for us it is allpart of religion. Secular life was a foreign concept. For example, a shopkeeper would be constantly aware of the religious laws of maintaining honest scales, giving a tithe to the poor (maaser kesafim), not overcharging, returning lost objects left behind, etc.; and he would set aside times for the daily prayers.
The above are just a few examples.