Those who truly love Christ will also love the written Word of God as He did. We have already seen Christ as the subject of each Old Testament book. We have seen the thought, manner and teaching of Christ concerning the written scriptures and His example in handling them. But now let’s look at Christ as the key to the New Testament scriptures.
When the apostles preached Christ, the gospel, the new birth and the new covenant of grace they preached from the Old Testament. Their gospel of Christ was founded on the written scriptures as a divine revelation. The very same Holy Spirit who inspired the Old also inspired the New. The same Holy Spirit who breathed on the prophets of Old as they spoke and wrote also breathed on the apostles of the New as they preached and wrote. In this we see that the same inspiration was given by the same person to different penmen in different dispensations.
The Christ spoken of in the OT is the very same Christ spoken of in the NT. The Christ of the gospels is the fulfilment of more than 1500 years of writings in the Old. Matthew opens with a genealogy stretching back to Abraham and David and goes on to quote more than 40 references from the OT in connection with Christ. In his gospel Christ is revealed as King. In Mark Christ is revealed as the Servant. In Luke Christ is revealed in His humanity as the Son of Man and in John He is revealed in His divinity as the Son of God. These four gospels reveal Christ in His birth, life, ministry, death, burial and resurrection. They reveal Christ as the Saviour, Deliverer and Healer.
When we come to Acts He is revealed still further as the Baptizer in the Holy Ghost as well as the soon coming King. As Luke opens his early history of the Church he reminds us that his Gospel was concerning “all that Jesus began both to do and teach” and it is evident that in Acts he tells us of all that Christ continued to do and teach. This is a living Christ vitally, presently and manifestly working in His Church. The bridge between the Gospels and the Epistles is the testimony of a powerful Christ alive and working on, in and through His Church.
The Book of Romans reveals Christ as the Justifier of Sinners. Corinthians reveals Him as the Sanctifier. Galatians reveals the full power of His work on the Cross. Ephesians and Colossians reveal His centrality in all things. In Philippians He is our joy. In Thessalonians He is our hope. In Timothy and Titus Christ is the embodiment of sound doctrine. In Philemon we are His willing prisoners. In Hebrews He is our Great High Priest. In James He is the Christ who rejects dead faith. In Peter we see the sufferings of Christ. In Jude we see the contending of Christ against apostasy. In Revelation we see the judgements of Christ against those not washed in the Blood of the Lamb. And so much more.
All of these NT books reveal Christ. All of these 27 books are united as one in Christ. Christ connects and unites them. Together they have one centre, one common denominator and one subject – the person of CHRIST.