In a world that is dominated by reading, it tells a lot that the Bible is by far the most printed book in history and seems bound to hold that record for years to come. This is most definitely a testament to its crucial function amongst the billion Christians. Reference to Christians herein is made because this is the group of people who consider the bible to be the epitome of their faith. Indeed, for over millennia now, the Bible has been the primary source of reference for the faith of all who adhere to Christianity. Yet to many others, the Bible is more than just a book and/or point of reference with many giving the book itself some form of spiritual significance. Finally, the Bible also serves the general world as a source of historical reference as its content relates to many important historical happenings spanning over thousands of years. It can, therefore, be said that the bible serves various functions to different people, with its principal function being the holy book for all Christendom.
For the ardent Christian, the bible has the function of settling the age old debate of where mankind emanated from. The first book of the bible, Genesis gives the story of not only the origin of the world but also the advent of mankind. To those who elect to believe in the bible, being a majority of the global population, the Bible provides the answer to the questions scientists and philosophers have been working on for so long. This answer is the fact that the world and all that is in it, including mankind, was created by the Jewish God Yahweh, who is now God to all Christendom. This function combines with the bible being a source of all history. For example, the advent of cities is attributed to a biblical character, Nimrod. Further, the advent of different languages is explained by the story of the power of Babel. This makes the bible an important source of historical material for Christians.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Another function of the bible is a source of wisdom, knowledge, and learning. Several books of the Bible contain words of great wisdom, attributed to great scholars and intelligent people such as the great Kings David and Solomon as well as the great lawyer Paul of Tarsus. The information contained therein enables adherents of the Christian faith to understand how to live their lives in a manner pleasing to God. Some books such as Deuteronomy contain extremely particularized instructions about life, mostly in command format. Others such as the Book of Proverbs contain circumspectly veiled words of wisdom which when interpreted can have a positive impact on the lives of those who believe in them. Among the issues advised on include how to relate to fellow men as well as spiritual matters.
Finally, the Bible acts as an important source of eschatological information, which has been interrelated to foretell future events. Many books of the bible such as the Book of Daniel, the four Gospels and also the book of revelation contain what has been termed as coded information about what will happen in future. Many modern scholars have been able to relate portions of the bible to modern happenings. This includes the war in Iraq, why there are so many religions today, the different political powers and even the possible advent of the third world war that will end the world. This final function is among the most controversial functions of the bible. This is because the future seemingly defined in the bible also includes the fate of human beings when they die. Some will be promoted to glory and live in heaven while others will be condemned to hell.
