The Christian bible is composed of 39 books of the older Jewish Scriptures (Jewish Bible), written by and for the Jewish people. Christians call this part of their bible the Old Testament.
It also has an additional 27 books which Christians collectively call as the New Testament and these were supposedly written by the disciples of Jesus Christ some two thousand years ago (comparatively recent when compared to Old Testament books). Now bibles of some Christian denominations have a few more books which are called the Deuterocanonical Books.
Bible As Historical
Now you may consider the bible as historical documents written by first-hand eyewitnesses. You may consider it the Word of God, written by humans. You may consider it as purely delusional or at best tales of fantasy, myths and legends. Or you may agree that it does contain portions which are historical but not entirely and it contains a lot of great teachings.
Through the last two centuries, evidence and artifacts have been unearthed and continue to be discovered that give credence to a degree of historical accuracy of biblical writings. And scholars and historians are starting to believe that more and more historical accounts of the Jewish nation and people in the bible are accurate or at least are based on actual events.
Actual Real People
We should also note that Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth and most of the Jewish and the Roman personalities written about in the New Testament Bible were real people who actually lived in the First Century.
And although the Old Testament was written by and for Jews and that Jesus and his early disciples were Jewish, we who are Non-Jews are not to be entirely set aside as we can also share in the promises and the blessings written about in the pages of the Jewish Scriptures which also grace the pages of the Christian bible.
Judeo-Christians (Jewish-Christians)
In the Book of Acts, chapter 11, Peter an apostle of Jesus and one of the leaders of Judeo-Christians said that “God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.” [All verses quoted are from the NIV Bible, unless otherwise indicated]
Thus with his uttering this he opened the Jewish Scriptures to us — heathens, Gentiles, foreigners near and far, or all of us who are Non-Jews.
First Christians (Christians who were not Jewish)
This same chapter also tells about the disciples of Jesus teaching about Jesus to the Greeks (Non-Jews). It consequently records the beginnings of the first Christian Church made up of Non-Jews — the Church in Antioch located near the Turkish city now known as Antakya.
Barnabas and Paul went there for one year and taught about Jesus. And there the believers who were Greeks first became known as Christians.
And Paul made it clear in his writings to the Christian believers in the city of Galatia, also located in modern-day Turkey.
He wrote: “The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles (Non-Jews) by faith, and announced the gospel (of Jesus) in advance to Abraham: ‘All nations will be blessed through you’.” (Galatians 3:8)
Paul explained further and mentioned this in his writing to the Christians in Colossae.
Colossians 3:11
“Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.”
So finally Christianity and Jesus have been opened up to you, me and everyone else who wanted to believe in him.
In Romans 10:12-13 or Paul’s writings to the early believers in Rome, he said “For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile-the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
And if you add this verse to the passage in Hebrew 13:8 which states, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”, then Jesus Christ still is saving anyone, everywhere at all times.
Lastly Paul made it very clear in his writing to the early believers in Ephesus.
One in Christ
Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men) – remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. (Ephesians 2:11-18)
And so are you troubled and without peace?
Have you been seeking out something bigger than you and me?
Then why not open up the pages of the bible and try to read it?
I know you may have read portions of it or you may have read commentaries about it that talks about all the non-sensical things in it.
But if you are almost to the end of your rope, if you are almost hoping against hope and if you have nowhere else to turn to, then maybe it is time to give this very, very old book a chance.
Read it and maybe for once decide for yourself if it is indeed worth your time. I’m sure you’ve done many other more foolish things in your life and one more most probably wouldn’t hurt you that much now.
Peace be with you.