Christian Bible and Its Main Divisions

The Christian Bible is divided into two main parts. These are:

• The Old Testament
• The New Testament

What Does Testament Mean?

The word “Testament” means covenant or agreement.

The Old Testament part of the Christian Bible records the original agreement God made with human beings. In this agreement, human beings had to make blood sacrifices of animals so that God would forgive them their sins. This is because God’s Word says in Hebrew 9:22 that sins are forgiven only if blood is poured out.

The shedding of animal blood in the Old Testament was pointing as symbol to the shedding of Jesus Christ’s blood which would make Jesus a final sacrifice for the sins of all people in the world.

This shedding of Christ’s blood took place in New Testament and brought about a new agreement with God. Jesus Christ sealed the agreement.

Here is what God’s Word says in Hebrew 9:11-15,

11. But Christ has already come as the High Priest of the good things that are already here. The tent in which he serves is greater and more perfect; it is not a man-made tent, that is, it is not a part of this created world.

12 When Christ went through the tent and entered once and for all into the Most Holy Place, he did not take the blood of goats and bulls to offer as a sacrifice; rather, he took his own blood and obtained eternal salvation for us.

13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a burnt calf are sprinkled on the people who are ritually unclean, and this purifies them by taking away their ritual impurity.

14 Since this is true, how much more is accomplished by the blood of Christ! Through the eternal Spirit he offered himself as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will purify our consciences from useless rituals, so that we may serve the living God.

15 For this reason Christ is the one who arranges a new covenant, so that those who have been called by God may receive the eternal blessings that God has promised. This can be done because there has been a death which sets people free from the wrongs they did while the first covenant was in effect.
(Good News Bible – GNB).

Study the Old and New Testaments of the Christian Bible

It is important that we study both the Old and New Testaments of the Christian Bible. They are both God’s Word.

We must study both of them to understand the message God has given us.

Do not neglect the Old Testament by thinking that it is an Old agreement.