Major Theme of the Bible

[KeptByTheWord]

I agree that death and Jesus are definitely the major themes of the Bible, but I have to go back to the greatest commandment of all - Love. Were it not for Love, God's love for us, there would have been no Bethleham and a Calvary. God could have left us to our own destruction, but his LOVE for mankind brought about redemption from DEATH through JESUS.

[Godsdrummer]

Originally Posted by KeptByTheWord

I agree that death and Jesus are definitely the major themes of the Bible, but I have to go back to the greatest commandment of all - Love. Were it not for Love, God's love for us, there would have been no Bethleham and a Calvary. God could have left us to our own destruction, but his LOVE for mankind brought about redemption from DEATH through JESUS.

I agree the theme of the bible is LOVE anything other would be counter productive to the mind of God. Death is the opposite of Love God is Love. Jesus said I came to bring life , nothing God did to Isreal in OT was out of negative feelings it was all for Love. Just as a father that loves his child will dicipline him/her it is for Love. God did not give Adam death he gave him LOVE and life. Adam brought death (separation from God) into his life. That is another thing I don't believe when God speaks of death it is of this mortal body. He speaks of life and death as separation from relationship with him.

Just my thought on the subject. As I have said before the bible is a guide book to relationship with God. With examples of those that have found and lost said relationship.

[Lafon]

Originally Posted by KeptByTheWord

I agree that death and Jesus are definitely the major themes of the Bible, but I have to go back to the greatest commandment of all - Love. Were it not for Love, God's love for us, there would have been no Bethleham and a Calvary. God could have left us to our own destruction, but his LOVE for mankind brought about redemption from DEATH through JESUS.

In my efforts to answer the question concerning the "Major Theme" of the Bible, and trying to decide what "singular" word might best describe/portray that, I expended a great amount of time trying to decide between DEATH and LOVE. I elected that it should be the former rather than the latter, and this primarily because of that small phrase found in Revelation 13:8 - "...the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." As I pondered this, I began to think along this line: What event brought about a "need" for a "Lamb" to be slain so that I might be reconciled to God? It was then that I realized the importance of the word "slain," which is to say, be killed.

I view God's LOVE for mankind as being the single greatest "motivational force" which brought into existence all of the visible universe, including mankind which He created "in His image." However, having said this, I think it must be recognized that even before God spoke the first words of creation, and created mankind as a final act, He foresaw the fact that man's willful rebellion would give birth to the penalty of DEATH, thereby disrupting the intended relationship which He desired to have with mankind. I also believe that it was because of this impeding factor, coupled with His "righteousness," that He chose, as the central element of His plan for the reconciliation of mankind to Himself, the incarnation and resultant DEATH of His own flesh to effectutate that plan, with LOVE being, as I have already stated, the "motivational force" which caused, or moved Him to devise and implement this redemptive plan.

So, yes, I do wholeheartedly agree with you that LOVE played an extremely important part in God's redemptive plan for mankind, but it was DEATH which made that plan an absolute necessity, and that only God could "devise" the "means" whereby we, by obedience thereto, might become reconciled to Him. I thank God for His LOVE for me, without which I, nor any other, could have no hope of redemption!