Bible Reference Guide

Plain-English definitions to read over: 76 terms across 9 topics.

About the Bible

What it is and how to find your way around it.

• Bible
  A collection of 66 books written over many centuries by many authors, which Christians believe is God’s Word: one story of God making and rescuing his people.
• Old Testament
  The first 39 books: creation, God’s covenant with Israel, the Law, the history, the poetry, and the prophets pointing ahead to a coming Savior.
• New Testament
  The final 27 books: the life of Jesus (the Gospels), the early church (Acts), the letters to churches (the Epistles), and Revelation.
• Chapter & verse
  The numbered way we locate a passage. “John 3:16” means the book of John, chapter 3, verse 16. The numbers were added later to help us find things.
• Testament / Covenant
  A binding promise. The “old” and “new” covenants are God’s promises to his people. The new one is sealed by Jesus.
• Canon
  The set of books the church recognized as Scripture. “Canon” means “measuring rod”: the trusted standard.
• Translation
  The Bible was written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. A translation (NIV, ESV, KJV, etc.) carries it into English. They differ mostly in style, not message.

How the Bible is organized

The main kinds of books, in order.

• The Law (Pentateuch)
  The first five books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Creation, the exodus from Egypt, and God’s law given through Moses.
• History
  Joshua through Esther: Israel entering the promised land, the kings, exile, and return.
• Wisdom & Poetry
  Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs: songs, prayers, and practical wisdom for living.
• The Prophets
  Isaiah through Malachi: God’s messengers calling his people back to him and pointing to the coming Messiah.
• The Gospels
  Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John: four accounts of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
• Acts
  The story of the first Christians and how the good news spread after Jesus returned to heaven.
• The Epistles
  Letters (many by Paul) written to churches and people to teach, encourage, and correct them.
• Revelation
  The final book: a vision of Jesus’ victory and the renewal of all things, written to give hope under hardship.

Who God is

• God
  The eternal Creator of everything: holy, loving, just, and personal. The Bible is the story of him drawing people to himself.
• Trinity
  One God in three persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. Not three Gods: one God, eternally three.
• Jesus Christ
  God the Son, who became human, lived a sinless life, died for our sins, and rose again. The heart of the Christian faith.
  See the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.
• Holy Spirit
  God present and at work in believers, giving new life, comfort, conviction, and power to live faithfully.
• Messiah / Christ
  Means “anointed one”: the rescuer God promised. Christians believe Jesus is the promised Messiah.
• Lord
  A title meaning master and king. To call Jesus “Lord” is to trust and follow him as the one in charge.

The big story & core beliefs

• Gospel
  Literally “good news”: that God loves us, Jesus died and rose to rescue us from sin, and new life is offered freely to all who trust him.
• Grace
  God’s unearned kindness: favor we’re given, not wages we earn. We’re saved by grace, not by being good enough.
• Sin
  Falling short of God’s good design: the things we do, and leave undone, that break our relationship with God and others.
• Salvation
  Being rescued by God, forgiven, restored, and given eternal life, through trusting in Jesus.
• Faith
  Trust. Not just believing facts about God, but resting your life on him.
• Repentance
  A change of heart and direction: turning away from sin and back toward God.
• Forgiveness
  Releasing a wrong: both God forgiving us, and us forgiving others as we’ve been forgiven.
• Covenant
  A sacred promise between God and his people. God keeps his promises even when we fail.
• Kingdom of God
  God’s reign, wherever his will is done. Jesus announced it has come near and invites us to live in it now.
• Resurrection
  Jesus rising bodily from death, and the promise that those who trust him will also be raised to eternal life.
• Eternal life
  Life with God that begins now and never ends: knowing him, not merely living forever.

Words you’ll meet

• Mercy
  Not getting the punishment we deserve: God’s compassion toward us.
• Righteousness
  Being right with God and living rightly. A gift credited to us through Jesus, and a way of life we grow into.
• Redemption
  Being bought back and set free, like a slave purchased into freedom. That is what Jesus did for us.
• Sanctification
  The lifelong process of becoming more like Jesus, shaped by the Holy Spirit.
• Wisdom
  Skill in living well: seeing life God’s way and acting on it. The book of Proverbs is full of it.
• Blessed
  Deeply well-off in God’s eyes: favored and flourishing, not necessarily comfortable.
• Disciple
  A learner and follower of Jesus who seeks to live as he taught.
• Amen
  A word meaning “so be it” or “truly”, said to agree with a prayer or a truth.
• Hallelujah
  A Hebrew word meaning “praise the LORD.”
• Glory
  God’s weight, beauty, and worth on display. To “glorify” God is to honor him and show what he’s like.

People to know

• Abraham
  The father of God’s people, who trusted God’s promise to bless the whole world through his family.
• Moses
  The leader who, with God’s power, brought Israel out of slavery in Egypt and received the Ten Commandments.
• David
  Shepherd, psalm-writer, and king: “a man after God’s own heart,” yet also a sinner who repented. Jesus came from his line.
• Mary
  The mother of Jesus, who humbly said yes to God’s call.
• Peter
  A fisherman who became a leading apostle: bold, impulsive, restored after failure.
• Paul
  Once an enemy of Christians, dramatically changed by meeting the risen Jesus; wrote many New Testament letters.
• The Apostles
  Jesus’ closest followers, sent out to tell the world about him and lead the early church.

Places to know

• Eden
  The garden where the Bible’s story begins: life as God intended, before sin entered.
• Egypt
  Where Israel was enslaved and from which God rescued them in the exodus.
• Jerusalem
  The central city of God’s people, home of the temple, and where Jesus died and rose.
• Bethlehem
  The small town where Jesus was born, as the prophets foretold.
• Galilee
  The northern region where Jesus grew up and did much of his teaching and healing.

Practices & disciplines

Habits that shape a life of faith.

• Prayer
  Talking with God: praising, thanking, confessing, and asking. The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6) is the model Jesus gave.
• Worship
  Honoring God for who he is: in song, in words, and in how we live.
• Sabbath / Rest
  A rhythm of stopping to rest and trust God, built into creation itself. A gift, not a burden.
• Fasting
  Going without food (or something else) for a time to focus on God and pray.
• Devotional
  A short daily time with Scripture, reflection, and prayer, to meet with God and grow steadily.
• Baptism
  A public sign of new life in Jesus: being washed clean and joined to his death and resurrection.
• Communion / The Lord’s Supper
  Sharing bread and cup to remember Jesus’ death until he returns, as he asked his followers to do.
• Fellowship
  Sharing life with other believers: encouraging, serving, and growing together.
• Tithing / Generosity
  Giving a portion of what we have back to God’s work, trusting him as our provider.
• Scripture memory
  Learning verses by heart so God’s Word is with you anywhere: a treasure for the family.

Sharing the gospel with others

How to tell others the good news with love, humility, and hope.

• The gospel, in one breath
  God made us and loves us; our sin separates us from him; Jesus lived, died, and rose to rescue us; and everyone who turns and trusts him is forgiven and given new, eternal life. That is the good news worth sharing.
• The Great Commission
  Jesus’ parting command to his followers: “Go and make disciples of all nations…teaching them to obey everything I have commanded.” (Matthew 28:18-20) Sharing the good news is the calling of every believer, not only pastors.
• Evangelism
  Simply telling others the good news about Jesus. Not an argument to win or a sales pitch, but good news to share, gladly and naturally.
• Witness
  Pointing to what you have seen and know to be true about Jesus. “You will be my witnesses.” (Acts 1:8) We witness by our words and by the way we live together.
• Your testimony
  Your own story of meeting Jesus: what life was like, how you came to trust him, and how he is changing you. No one can argue with your story.
• Gentleness and respect
  “Always be prepared to give an answer…with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15) How we share matters as much as what we share. Listen well, and love the person first.
• Ambassadors for Christ
  “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” (2 Corinthians 5:20) We represent him, carrying his message of reconciliation to others.
• Salt and light
  Jesus called his followers “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-16), living so that people see good works and give glory to God.
• An invitation
  Often the most natural next step: inviting someone to read the Bible with you, come to church, or simply talk. We open the door; the Spirit does the convincing.
• Pray for the lost
  Ask God to soften hearts and to give you opportunities and courage. Sharing the gospel begins on your knees, and the outcome belongs to him.
• Grace, not pressure
  You plant or water; God makes it grow (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). Share faithfully and lovingly, then leave the results to him. No manipulation, no fear.
• As a family
  The first place to share and model the gospel is home. Talk about Jesus in everyday moments, pray together, and let Kyler see faith lived out (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).