Most of us know that the bible is divided into the Old Testament and the New Testament. So what is a testament? Again, most of have heard of Last Will & Testament. Looking up the definition we find: “noun –
1) Something that serves as tangible proof or evidence.
2) A statement of belief; a credo.
3) A usually formal, written directive providing for the disposition of one’s property after death; a will”

So what does it mean in the bible? It testifies about man and God. We also find the word “covenant” which is a contract or agreement made by just one party but between that party and another party. So it could just as easily be translated Old Covenant and New Covenant.

The Old Testament or Covenant was the agreement God made with man. It was in existence for some 4000 years. Jesus came along and changed everything. He made a new Covenant which is recorded in the New Testament. We are no longer under the Old contract made by God, but the New contract made by Jesus. That was some 2000 years ago … totaling 6000 years … the current age of the earth and mankind … not millions of years like lost man wants us to believe.

Did you know that God told about the New Testament or Covenant in the Old Testament? In Jeremiah 31 we read … “31Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” It is a new birth Jeremiah speaks of.

Yes, Jesus told us that if we do “this” He will do “that”. He made the deal. He is faithful to His Word for He is not a liar like you and I are … man is. He offers us eternal life with Him in heaven. We all have eternal life. It is just a matter of where we are going to spend it. We can choose our destiny. God does not force Himself on us. But He offers a contract made by Him where we can escape the fate awaiting us … the fate we deserve.

The bible is divided into two parts … old and new. In the old we are being told “Someone is coming” and in the new we are told that that Someone has come. That Someone, of course, is Jesus, the Son of God. He Himself is not new. He always existed. He is the “I AM” Who appeared unto Moses at the burning bush. And He said of Himself that before Abraham existed I AM.

The bible is God’s love letter to man. Have you ever bothered to read it? It is alive and will speak to you if you let it. I suggest you start reading in the New Testament in the book (Gospel) of John. Read a translation or version you can understand … perhaps the Living Bible. It is a paraphrase not a translation. It is not any good for bible study, but it is excellent for first time readers. It is what I first read when I got saved. That was nearly 49 years ago. It was the best decision I have ever made in my life.

Once a person is saved they need to read a translation version of the bible. I recommend either the New American Standard Bible (NASB) or the English Standard Version (ESV). They are very similar and are a word for word translation which is the most accurate translation other than perhaps the Amplified Bible (AMP). The New International Version (NIV) is also good but it is not a word for word translation. It is a thought for thought rendering and therefore not as accurate in translation. My favorite for accuracy is the Amplified Bible. I am not going to go into why here and now as it would take too long. The Preface of the Amplified Bible tells it all.

Anyway, there is no more important book you can read that the holy bible. God will speak to you if you seek Him with all your heart. He has a new contract He wants to offer you. It is a much better deal than the first one He offered. No one could be saved under the old contract. All it did was show us why we could not be saved. The new contract takes care of that problem. And we do have a problem that must be resolved. Turn to Jesus, as He alone can resolve it.