It is the only book that gives us true knowledge about God, the Lord Jesus Christ and salvation.

It has been written by men who were guided by the Holy Spirit of God.

It promises eternal life to all who believe and obey its teaching.

To understand and believe its message, we need to read the Bible regularly and with a prayer for God’s blessing.

The Bible itself is its best interpreter. Some parts of the Bible help us to understand other parts.

He is the only true God.

God is Spirit.

God is the Creator of all things.

God controls all things. God knows all things, even our thoughts.

God is one, not three.

God is holy and true.

God is kind and merciful.

God is just and will reward the good and punish the wicked.

God has a plan for the future of the earth, and the human race.

God is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Mankind was created “in the image of God”. The first man was formed by God from the dust of the ground. God breathed life into him and he became a living creature.

No. The Bible reveals that God created the first man, Adam, and the first woman, Eve; and that all other men and women are descended from them.

Adam rebelled against God. As his punishment he was sentenced to death by God. This curse of death has been passed down from Adam to us, because we are descendants of Adam, and through him, we are naturally rebellious against God.

Every time we break one of God’s commandments, we sin. It is still sin, even if we do not realize that we are sinning.

Death came as the punishment of sin.

When people die they cease to exist. Dead people are not able to think, or do anything, or feel anything. They are unconscious, as if in a deep dreamless sleep.

No. The Bible does not mention an “immortal soul”. It uses the word “soul” for anything alive — man, animal, bird, fish, insect. The Bible teaches that souls can die and will die. “Living creature” in Genesis 1:21 and Genesis 1:24 are the same words as “Living soul” in Genesis 2:7. The same word is used again in Numbers 6:6 where “dead person” is “dead soul” in the original text.

Yes, but only in Jesus Christ. He has overcome both sin and death. When he comes again to the earth, the dead will be raised and judged. Those who have been faithful to him will be blessed with eternal life in his Kingdom.

The word “hell” in the New Testament of the English Bible covers two different words in the original text: Hades and Gehenna.

n most of the passages where the word “hell” occurs in English, the original is “Hades” which is just another name for the grave. It is used for rendering the Old Testament word for the grave “Sheol” when quoted in the New Testament. There is no knowledge or activity in “Hades” or “Sheol”, the grave.

Everyone, good or bad, to sleep till the resurrection. When Jesus was buried he was laid in “hell” (Hades), and when he was raised from the dead he came out of “hell” (Hades).

The New Testament was first written in Greek; and the Greek word that the Lord Jesus used when he spoke of “hell fire” is “fire of Gehenna”.

The Valley of Hinnom, or Gehenna, is a real place on the south-west side of Jerusalem. In the Old Testament the Israelites sacrificed their children in the fire there Jeremiah 32:35. In later times it was where Jerusalem’s rubbish was destroyed by fires that never went out. When the Lord Jesus uses the word “Gehenna”, he is using it as a parable to show that the wicked will be destroyed as completely and as permanently as the fires of Gehenna destroyed the rubbish of Jerusalem.

Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God. He had no human father, but was conceived when the power of God, called the Holy Spirit, worked a miracle on his mother, who was a virgin.

He was, nevertheless, a human being who grew up, hungered, thirsted, wept, suffered and died like other human beings.

To reveal his Father, Almighty God, to the world in a way that men could understand.

To show the glorious qualities of his Father — holiness, righteousness and love.

To show to men the full meaning of Christian service and obedience.

To preach the gospel.

To die for us.

To bring us back to God.

We are like children who have run away from their father. We are separated from God by our sins. The Lord Jesus is able to bring us back to God by his perfect life and his willing death. Because he was born of Mary, Jesus was human, but because he was also born by the power of the Holy Spirit, he is the Son of God.

He was, therefore, both God’s representative to us and our representative before God. The Bible calls him the “mediator” (this word means “middleman”), between God and men. Being a man, our Lord was tempted like us; but unlike us he always triumphed over sin. He obeyed the will of God in everything, and especially in enduring crucifixion and death as a sacrifice for our sin.

When we truly believe in this work of Christ, and show this by baptism (see topic ‘Baptism’ for more), God forgives us our sins and accepts us as His children.

He was buried, but on the third day God raised him bodily from the dead, to live forever.

Because he was sinless, he did not earn death — “the wages of sin”, as the Bible calls it. So God raised him from the dead.

By raising the Lord Jesus from the dead, God showed all how He will reward all those who truly follow Jesus. If we put our faith in Christ and if we try very hard to obey and follow him, we, too, shall be raised from the dead at the last day (see topic ‘Ressurection’ for more).

Forty days after his resurrection from the dead, the Lord Jesus was raised up to the presence of God In heaven. God made him far greater than any other man, greater than any of the angels — the second greatest Being in the whole universe, next to God Himself.

Jesus Christ is now the only true Priest of God, for whose sake our prayers to God are heard. He also prays to God for us.

God promised it in the Old Testament.

The Lord Jesus promised his disciples that he would return.

The angels of God promised the disciples that Jesus would come again in the same way he ascended.

The Apostles taught the return of Christ.

No one knows the hour or the day. But Jesus will come at God’s appointed time; in the near future.

The Jews have returned to the land of Israel, and Jerusalem is no longer under the rule of Gentiles.

There is trouble, fear and wickedness in the world on a massive scale.

A hundred years ago there was no nation of Israel. The land of Israel was then a Turkish colony. Many Arabs lived there, but only a few thousand Jews. Today. Israel is a strong nation, with nearly three million Jewish inhabitants. This is a very clear sign that the Kingdom of God is near.

Yes. Jesus was born “King of the Jews’. On trial before Pilate, he claimed that he was a king, and when he died, the title over his head said “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews”. He will be King of kings.

When he returns to the Earth again.

He will sit on David’s throne in Jerusalem.

No. Israel will be the first nation he rules over, but he will rule over every nation in the world.

Yes. The kingdom of Israel was called the kingdom of the Lord. When the Lord Jesus comes back he will set up this Israelitish kingdom again, but the coming Kingdom of God will be a far, far better kingdom than the ancient kingdom of Israel.

If we believe God’s promises and obey Him, the Lord Jesus will make us immortal when he comes again. Then we shall help Jesus to rule his Kingdom. Many ordinary flesh-and-blood human beings will survive the troubles on earth in the last days, and they will also live in God’s Kingdom. The immortal rulers will teach them God’s ways.

The flesh-and-blood people on the earth will cultivate the land and their work will be enjoyable and prosperous. They will worship the true God and keep His commandments. God will give them happiness and heal their illnesses. War and hatred will be forbidden. After a long time there will be a final resurrection and judgment. The faithful will be made immortal.

The kingdoms of this world will not become the Kingdom of God until Jesus returns to earth. But God still rules over Creation and the affairs of the nations.

hroughout the ages he has been calling out men and women to belong to the Royal House of the coming Kingdom. Such people must accept, believe and obey the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and by baptism submit to God and to Christ Jesus as Lord. Thereafter they must sanctify Christ as Lord in their hearts. In this way the nucleus of the Kingdom of God is being formed in readiness for the day of Christ’s coming.

“Gospel” is an old English word meaning “good news”. It is the good news about the Kingdom of God, and how we can find salvation in that Kingdom.

No. The gospel was preached to Abraham, who lived about 2,000 years before Jesus Christ.

The gospel is “the promise made to the fathers”.

He gave him the good news of the Gospel.

He said Abraham would be father of a great nation, of many peoples and of kings., and would be a source of great blessing.

He promised that all nations would be blessed in Abraham and his seed.

He made a covenant with Abraham whereby he will inherit the land of Canaan for ever by resurrection from the dead.

He promised that Abraham’s seed (Christ) would inherit the land of Canaan and be king over all his enemies.

The promises were renewed to Abraham’s son, Isaac, and his grandson, Jacob.

That he would have a remarkable descendant whose father would be God.

That God’s covenant with David would be established in this descendant, who is Christ, who would rule on David’s throne

That Christ would also be a righteous saviour.

That the Royal House of David would be God’s house and with Christ would establish a house of worship in Zion.

Yes. The first promise related to Christ is the promise of a ‘seed’ to Eve who would triumph over the ‘seed’ of the serpent; sin.

There is also the promise God made to Noah, never to destroy the world again.

And the promise to Phinehas.

Jesus also made promises to his disciples, to the thief, and to others.

Finally, the promises also apply to us.

Dead people coming to life again, as the Lord Jesus did when he rose from the dead.

When the Jesus Christ comes back to the earth.

They will never rise from their graves, but will remain dead for ever.

Yes. We must all appear before Christ, the great Judge of all. He will decide who are worthy of everlasting life and who are unworthy.

It is God’s right to raise whoever he will, but the Bible says only that “many who sleep in the dust will rise” Daniel 12:2 and also that some “will not rise” Isaiah 26:14; Isaiah 43:17. Those who have never learned about God will not be raised simply to be destroyed, while those that have heard about God and know that they should obey Christ will.

Those who have to face judgment will be gathered by the angels to meet Christ, like those who have just been raised from the dead. The angels will gather believers via the air, but the air is not the final destination, as the judgment will take place on earth, and the kingdom will also be established on earth.

They will be given everlasting Life, which they will spend upon the earth, in Christ’s kingdom.

They will hear Christ condemning them. They will see the righteous going into Christ’s Kingdom, while they themselves are shut out. Finally they will receive everlasting death — the “second death” of Revelation 2:11 and Revelation 20:14, from which there will be no awakening.

Revelation 20:14 tells us that the lake of fire is the same as the second death. Men use fire to destroy rubbish. In the Bible, God speaks of fire in a kind of parable, to show that those whom He finds worthless will be completely destroyed. (See Psalm 37:20; Psalm 68:2; Matthew 3:11-12; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). (See also the topic on ‘Hell’ for more).

No. As we have just seen, the Bible promises that faithful followers of Jesus will live forever on earth. The Bible also says that nobody has gone to heaven, except Jesus.

A few Bible passages are sometimes thought to teach that Christians are promised eternal life in heaven. But they can all be shown to agree with the teaching of the rest of the Bible. For example, “my Father’s house”, of John 14:2 is not in heaven. God’s house is the temple, as John 2:16 shows. The greatest of all temples is a spiritual temple, and the believers are living stones in that great house that is still being built 1 Peter 2:5. God’s house is therefore on earth, and because of this the Lord Jesus says (in the next verse — John 14:3), “I will come again and receive you unto myself”.

You must believe with all your heart in the teaching of the Bible. This is only possible if you are a regular, keen reader of the Bible. Read it every day!

You must “repent”. This means that you must be truly sorry that you are a sinner; you must want God, through Jesus Christ, to forgive your sins; and you must promise God that you will try to live a better life in the future.

You must be baptized.

You must spend the rest of your life trying to obey the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The word “spirit” originally means breath, or wind. The Holy Spirit, sometimes “the Spirit of God”, is a way of describing God’s power. (The term “the Holy Ghost” is only found in the King James Bible – The spirit is not a ghost).

By His Spirit God made the world. By His Spirit God caused Jesus to be born. By His Spirit God caused the prophets and apostles to write the Scriptures. By His Spirit God is everywhere, and knows all that we do, think and say. By His Spirit God will raise the dead to life again when the Lord Jesus comes.

This Spirit-power of God is often called “Holy” when it is applied to God’s special work of producing Holy Scriptures and holy people.

In much of the New Testament the word ‘spirit’ is used in a figurative sense in the battle between ‘flesh’ and ‘spirit’. These are just terms for the ‘new man’ in Christ, and the ‘old man’ in Adam.

The gifts of the Spirit are special powers that God gave some of His servants in, and immediately after, the days of the apostles. By means of these powers, selected men were able to speak and to write the words of God, and to perform other miracles. The gifts of the Spirit included apostle ship, prophecy, healing and “speaking in tongues”. (That is to say, they were able to speak other languages without having to learn them.) These gifts helped the church in a period of exceptional difficulty. In two ways the gifts made it possible for the gospel to be widely preached. Firstly, the early Christian preachers were able to proclaim the gospel boldly and powerfully in many different languages. Secondly, they were able to confirm their message with great miracles. The gifts also enabled the New Testament to be written, and the Christian church to be firmly established.

In Old Testament times Moses, Elijah, Elisha and others possessed similar powers. Paul taught that the time would come when these gifts of the Spirit would be taken away. This happened when the Christian church was established, and the New Testament fully written. That is why nobody possesses these gifts today. When the Lord Jesus returns to the earth God’s servants will once more be given the gifts of the Spirit.

The Bible provides a test for such people in Deuteronomy 13:1-3. By this test it does not matter if their miracles are genuine or not, the issue is – do they speak correctly about God or not? If not then, as Deuteronomy 13:3 says, God may have sent them to test you.

Comparing the teachings of such people with Bible it appears that they are false teachers who do not work by the power of God. Sometimes they are deliberate deceivers, though more often they are themselves deceived. They are like the false prophets and magicians who claimed to be able to work miracles in the days of Moses, the Lord Jesus and the apostles.

Medical investigators repeatedly show that the ‘healings’ of most healers are small scale and temporary, if not outright deception. Likewise linguists can show by analysis of tapes that the ‘tongues’ are no language, just repeated gibberish in the native language of the speaker. And if they are real, where are the miracles that the apostles could do with the Holy Spirit gifts such as raising the dead?

Yes. God’s Spirit is always active Psalm 139:7-10. For the salvation of men and women it is powerfully active in His word, the Bible, which is spirit and life John 6:63. When God’s word is mixed with faith in the heart of the believer, it becomes the incorruptible seed which brings forthwith God’s abundant blessing, a new birth by baptism.

By this means we enter into the life of the Spirit. Thereby we have access to God by prayer through Jesus Christ and find strength for daily living and obedience to the commands of God. (See Hebrews 2:18 and Hebrews 4:16 with Romans 8:26-28). God has promised that He will never leave us or forsake us.

Angels are God’s immortal messengers. Angels protected Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Angels warned Lot of God’s judgments on Sodom. An Angel gave God’s Law to Moses. Angels announced the birth of the Lord Jesus to the shepherds. Unseen angels look after God’s servants today. Angels will help the Lord Jesus when he comes to judge.

We sin when we disobey God’s law.

Temptation to sin comes out of our own minds and bodies; we are tempted by our own “human nature”. The apostle Paul called this the “law of sin” in his body. Sometimes other human beings persuade us to give in to the sinful desires of our own nature.

Temptation to sin comes out of our own minds and bodies; we are tempted by our own “human nature”. The apostle Paul called this the “law of sin” in his body. Sometimes other human beings persuade us to give in to the sinful desires of our own nature.

We shall die. That is why the Bible says that the devil (human nature) has “the power of death”.

The Bible says that the Lord Jesus destroyed the devil when he died. This proves that the devil cannot be a great evil monster, who is alive today.

Our Lord had a human nature just like us, and he was tempted to sin just as we are. This means that the Lord Jesus had to struggle against “the devil” (his own natural desires) just as we do. But, unlike us, the Lord won every struggle; never once did he give in to temptation, and so “the devil” was defeated. Since Jesus Christ rose from the dead he has had an immortal body and no longer faces temptation. For him, human nature (“the devil”) has been destroyed and is dead.

It is a Hebrew word meaning “the enemy” (the Old Testament was written in Hebrew). Sometimes it is translated “the enemy” or “opponent”, or (in the King James translation) “adversary” and sometimes it is used as a name. Peter opposed the Lord Jesus, so Jesus said to Him: “Get thee behind me, Satan”. Human nature is God’s greatest enemy (and ours too!), so the New Testament calls it “Satan” in many places. Wicked men are also referred to as “Satan”, in some verses.

There are a few Bible passages that are commonly interpreted as teaching a supernatural devil, but in every case this is due to careless reading. For example, “Lucifer” of Isaiah 14:12 is not a wicked angel. He is the king of Babylon, a very wicked, cruel and proud man. Read the whole passage, starting from verse 4. Likewise, the “anointed cherub” of Ezekiel 28:14 is not a wicked angel. It is the king of Tyre —verse 12 says so.

In the Bible, illnesses — especially mental illnesses — are called “devils”, or “demons”, or “evil spirits”, or “unclean spirits”. When the people were healed the illness — “unclean spirit” — was said to be “cast out”. Sometimes an “unclean spirit” means ‘“wickedness”.

No. Some churches teach this pagan belief, but it is not true. The Bible does not teach it. The Bible says that God is the Master of His own universe. There are no living spirit beings except God, the Lord Jesus, and God’s angels. The angels do God’s will perfectly, so they can neither sin nor die. As we have already seen, the devil, Satan, and evil spirits are used in the Bible as a kind of parable. They represent sinful human nature, and illness, which is a consequence of our sinful state.

Baptism involves the complete immersion of a person in water.

It reminds us that Jesus was buried and rose again, and so it shows us that we can be saved through his death and resurrection.

It reminds us that because we are sinners, we deserve to die (if we were kept under the water we should certainly die!).

It reminds us that because God is merciful, He wants to save us from death by resurrection. Baptism is therefore a sort of “death” — a “burial” in water — and a sort of “resurrection”. It is an acted parable.

It reminds us that, just as water washes away dirt, so God puts away the sins of those who obey Him. When we are baptized, God forgives us all the sins we have ever committed. Thus we make a fresh start as disciples of Jesus Christ.

It is the sign by which we become children of God and members of the seed of Abraham in Christ Jesus through the everlasting covenant.

Yes. The Lord Jesus was baptized. Paul was baptized. Converts in the early church were baptized, as commanded by the Lord Jesus. Baptism is an act of obedience. We must be baptized because God commands us to be baptized.

No. We must first understand the gospel, then believe it; then, as soon as possible, be baptized.

No, never. Babies are not able to believe; therefore they cannot properly be baptized. (See Acts 8:12, and note the words, “when they believed”, and “both men and women”).

No. The Lord Jesus and his disciples were dipped right under the water, and so should we be.

Yes. In the Bible communion is simply called ‘breaking bread’ Acts 2:42. The Lord Jesus has commanded us to meet together regularly to break bread and drink wine, in memory of his sacrifice until he comes back. The bread represents his body, and the wine represents his blood.

When we are baptized, this is a new birth. A newborn baby needs food at regular intervals. The breaking of bread is a symbolic meal which provides us with spiritual food.

In baptism our past sins are forgiven, but weak human nature cannot keep from sin. The breaking of bread service joins us again to the sacrifice of Christ and renews the forgiveness of sins.

By the breaking of bread we are reminded of the vows we made at our baptism. It is a time for rededication. It reminds us that Jesus will come back.

It also strengthens our fellowship with our fellow-believers.

No. The breaking of bread was instituted on a weekday evening. We are told to keep it “often” 1 Corinthians 11:26; but we are not told how often, or on which day. The early disciples usually kept this ceremony on “the first day of the week” — Sunday Acts 20:7. For most people nowadays, Sunday still seems to be the most convenient day, but in some countries, (like Nepal where Saturday is the weekly holiday) another day will do.

No. The breaking of bread, like baptism, is a reminder of Christ’s death 1 Corinthians 11:26. In the next verses Paul teaches that we are “baptized by one spirit into one body” 1 Corinthians 12:13. This makes it clear that breaking of bread is dependent on understanding of Christ’s death, and also for those baptized into one body. We can only share the bread (Christ’s body) with those in that same body.

The New Testament shows that the early church held meetings for preaching the gospel, and also met for studying the Bible.

No. The command to keep the Sabbath (Saturday) as a holy day was the fourth of the Ten Commandments. The other nine Commandments are all repeated in the New Testament, and are therefore binding on Christians. But the Lord Jesus and his apostles never taught that Christians should keep the Sabbath. The Law of Moses was abolished after Jesus Christ died.

Every day, if possible. David read his Bible every morning and evening Psalm 119:147-148. Those who are unable to read should encourage their children to read to them, or try to go to the house of a brother who can read, so that they can listen to the Bible being read.

A Christian should be truthful, honest, sober, peaceful, kind, generous.

Be pure, clean and holy.

Be “not given to much wine”

Be reliable and hard working

Keep control over his tongue

Faith means belief in the promises of God. For example, Noah believed that God would destroy the world with a flood; he showed his belief (faith) by building the ark. A faithless man is a man who has no confidence in God; he does not believe that God will keep His promises. In his heart, such a man is calling God a liar — one who makes promises and does not keep them.

Faith is an essential part of the Christian life. If we believe that our sins can be washed away through Christ, then we shall show our faith by being baptized. If we believe that God will send the Lord Jesus to cleanse the world and fill it with holiness, then we will show our faith by preparing our hearts for his second coming and praying daily for it. It is impossible to be a Christian without showing faith.

Yes. God wants us to pray to Him regularly. Jesus gave a parable to teach that men “ought always to pray and not to faint”. Christians who do not pray soon lose contact with God, The Lord Jesus sometimes spent whole nights in prayer. Prayer should be a very important part of our lives too.

Jesus Christ is our High Priest in the presence of God, and we pray to God through Christ.

No, never. The Lord Jesus was surrounded by evil people, who in the end murdered him. But he did not harm any of them, and we likewise must never harm anybody — not even in self-defence.

A Christian should always obey and respect national laws because “the authorities are appointed by God” Romans 13:1-5. A Christian should be a good, law-abiding citizen, honestly paying his taxes.

Nevertheless, in the very rare case that a government passes a law that goes against God’s laws (for example, if we are ordered to worship idols, or to join the army) then we must “obey God rather than men”.

A Christian should not take his brother to law.

No. The Lord Jesus made no attempt to help rule his country. He resisted attempts to make him a ruler, and refused any position of power over others. The Lord knew that his Kingdom was “not of this world”, and that his first duty was to preach the gospel. A Christian should carefully avoid becoming mixed up with the affairs of the world.

Sometimes governments may do things that Christians cannot support — for example, going to war, or promoting gambling. Nevertheless as far as possible, a Christian should keep himself out of public affairs, and devote his energy to preaching the gospel and doing good to those in need; this was the example given by the Lord Jesus.

No. By voting a man shows that he is interested in politics, and a Christian should not be interested in politics. A Christian should accept whatever rulers God allows to be appointed, and pray that God will help them rule wisely.

Yes. A Christian should avoid any employment where he may have to use force against another man (such as the army or the police). He should avoid any position in which he has to swear an oath of obedience: no Christian should swear loyalty to any other man, since his loyalty is to Christ.

The Christian should also avoid unchristian situations, for example working in a gambling establishment, or in an arms factory, or in a place where strong drink is sold, or in a shop that sells evil books.

Ideally marriage should be “only in the Lord”

Husbands and wives should be kind and true to each other, just as Jesus Christ is kind and true to his church.

Children should be brought up in a happy home by loving parents, who will teach them to obey God.

Believers are not to initiate divorce against their wives or husbands, even if the wife or husband is a non-believer.