The Bible is a collection of 66 individual books that together tell the story of a group of people bound by a common faith in God. It is divided into two main sections: the Old Testament containing 39 books originally written primarily in Hebrew, and the New Testament containing 27 books originally written primarily in Greek. For Presbyterians and others of the Reformed tradition the Bible is the means by which Christian believers come to understand how God has been present with humanity since the beginning of time and is present in our world today. By studying the scriptures we can begin to know of God's faithfulness, constant love and eternal goodness.

To handle the Word of God responsibly,
Presbyterians have always stressed the importance of scholarship.

Other Topics about Presbyterians

Brief Statement of Faith

Reformed Tradition

Worship Style

Jesus Christ

Holy Spirit

Our Confessions

Sin & Salvation

^"All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work."
(2 Tim. 3:16-17)

   Old Testament. The Old Testament tells the story of God's covenant with the Hebrew people. It is regarded as sacred scripture by both Jews and Christians. For a brief introduction into the Old Testament, Click Here.

   New Testament. The New Testament contains four accounts of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the account of the earliest Christian churches and other writings from the early Christian era. It is considered sacred scripture by Christians.  For a brief introduction into the Old Testament, Click Here.

Bible Translations

   The Bible has been translated from its original languages into the languages of people throughout the world. The first translation into English was by John Wycliffe in the 14th century. Since that time, there have been a myriad of English translations. One of the most familiar, the King James Version (KJV), was commissioned by James I of England and published in 1611. Although the language of the King James Bible reflected the everyday speech of England in the 17th century, changes in speech patterns and the meaning of certain words have made it more difficult to understand than more modern translations.
   Since the 1950s, there have been many translations of the Bible into contemporary English. Translations frequently used by Presbyterians in their worship services include the Revised Standard Version (RSV) and the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV). Both are considered excellent translations that are faithful to the original texts insofar as scholars can determine.

   The church confesses the Scriptures to be the Word of God written, witnessing to God's self-revelation. Where that Word is read and proclaimed, Jesus Christ the Living Word is present by the inward witness of the Holy Spirit. For this reason the reading, hearing, preaching, and confessing of the Word are central to Christian worship. The session shall ensure that in public worship the Scripture is read and proclaimed regularly in the common language(s) of the particular church. (Book of Order W-2.2001)
   Leaders in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) can be expected to affirm that "... the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments...[are]...., by the Holy Spirit, the unique and authoritative witness to Jesus Christ in the Church universal, and God's Word to [them]." (Book of Order G-14.0405b.2)

^"We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God’s word, which is also at work in you believers."
(1 Thess. 2:13)

  The Reformed faith has always emphasized that God is made known to us in and through the Bible. We look to the Bible to gain knowledge of God. The Bible uniquely conveys a knowledge of God, which we can gain in no other way, through no other source. In the Bible, we don’t only gain a knowledge of God, but we have an encounter with a living, loving and caring God. The Bible reveals to us who God is, what God does, and what God wants human beings to be and do. We encounter God who reveals a desire to seek a relationship with us based on love, peace and justice.

   The Holy Scriptures are to be read with an high and reverent esteem of them; with a firm persuasion that they are the very Word of God, and that he only can enable us to understand them; with desire to know, believe, and obey, the will of God revealed in them; with diligence, and attention to the matter and scope of them; with meditation, application, self-denial, and prayer. (Westminster Larger Catechism)

Suggestions on reading the Bible.

1. Set aside time daily to read the Bible. If you don’t manage to read it every day don’t worry about it, no one is perfect. The discipline of daily Bible reading takes time to develop. In time you will establish a daily habit of reading scripture as you pursue the goal of daily reading and as you read more you will find yourself drawn into your to reading more and more.

2. Try to read a "Book at a Time." You don’t have to read them in the order listed in your Bible but once you start a book try to stay with it. Some books will be easier to read than others.

3. As you read try to understand the writer’s purposes. Who was he? What was his world like? Why did he write? How did he understand God to be?

4. Who was the message intended? Who was the writer addressing this message to? What did it mean to them? What does it mean to you?

5. Keep a notebook or journal as you read. Jot down words to look up later. What questions did this scripture cause you to ask. How did you feel about what the writer was saying?

6. After you have completed your reading, take the time to look up things you don’t understand. Use a Bible concordance, dictionary commentary or atlas for help. Our church library has many of these resources available for your use.

   Also check out the spiritual practice of Lectio Divina as an additional approach to understanding and appreciating scripture.

"Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed." (Luke 1:1-4)

"Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name."
(John 20:30-31)

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First Presbyterian Church of Logan is a member congregation
of the Presbytery of West Virginia, The Synod of the Trinity,
and the Presbyterian Church (USA)