QUESTION: In the first lesson of the correspondence course it says that the Bible has a theme, a plot, a conflict, a climax, and a conclusion. What does this mean?

ANSWER: In the lesson where these words are found the writer is showing that the Bible consists of sixty-six books written over a period of 1600 years by about forty different authors. When all of these were put together (by direction of the Holy Spirit) it made up one complete and thorough volume, the inspired Word of God. Each of these books was necessary to reveal the total will of God to us. If one of them were missing, we would have an incomplete volume and Bible.

Further, it was necessary that all of the sixty-six be included to reveal all the characteristics of a well-written, complete book; that is, a theme, a plot, a conflict, a climax, and a conclusion. The “theme” of the Bible is God’s plan of salvation for man through His Son; the “plot” is Satan’s plan and activities to bring about the destruction of man; the “conflict” is the warfare between good and evil; the “climax” is seen in the establishment of the church of Christ for which He died, and wherein evil can be overcome; the “conclusion” is that the faithfully obedient follower of Christ will win the victory over this world and enjoy heaven in eternity!