The Linearity of the Bible

The Bible is a linear book.

It could be nothing else than linear, because absolute truth must follow a line. God is the author of this line, called the line of truth.

We often think of a line as when we draw a “straight line” on a piece of paper, however what we draw is a line segment having two endpoints and is only part of a line. The formal definition for a line is that it is made of infinite points extending in two opposite directions but has no end points. We therefore can’t fathom any origins, nor can we touch any peak, because eternal things are unreachable and untouchable.

According to the Bible, some point on this line, humanity had its origins for “In the beginning God created the Heavens and the earth,” (Genesis 1:1), and at some point on this line, human life will literally end or eternally transform, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom 6:23).

A line is one dimensional much like Bible truth.  We cannot redefine its dimensions. In another post, we discussed that the Bible is also a circular book. It is this line of truth that forms the circle and gives the Bible its circular characteristic.

This line of truth guides us around this circle, the doctrine.  The linear test works in conjunction with the circular test. It takes a line to make a circle, and both are made of infinite points.

Why are these two features of great importance to the Bible, and why is this important now?

Well, if anyone is paying attention, truth has become like a tree branch, extending outward in all kinds of directions, blossoming all kinds of false spiritual fruits. There is always a counterfeit to truth.

In our times, if we are to advance with certainty that we are on God’s path, following God’s plan, obeying God’s truth and not man’s theories. The linear and circular test are sure ways to help guide our interpretation of scripture. If we follow the line of truth, it will lead us on a circular path not just historically, but doctrinally.

So, what makes Bible truth linear?

Bible truth as a guide must be constant and consistent. It cannot change with centuries, culture or with generations. As mentioned earlier, it could be nothing else but straight, meaning plain, consistent and honest. This line follows the same story from start to finish of human existence.

Bible truth as a guide must not just be unique, it must be singular. The Bible is the inspired word of God (2 Tim 3:16), written by over 40 authors, in vast generational differences, walking on the same line of truth. They tell the same story from human beginning to human end. By being linear, the Bible follows the same unchanging principle for human relationships, salvation, worship, dress, diet, work… For any topic, God’s truth must follow this immutable line of truth, and any contradiction is a deviation from the line.  There is no contradiction in the Bible, a line cannot conflict itself, and neither does truth. Mathematicians will tell you that between two distinct points only one unique line exists. From Genesis as the beginning point of human birth to Revelation’s account of the endpoint of our current world, only one straight line of truth exists. Who would want to follow another line? Any other line is fabricated, artificial.

Just think! 

Imagine a father with seven (7) children, and the father tells each of the seven children a different story about the family castle on the hill where they all live. He tells one that he bought it, then he tells another one that he inherited it, then he tells another that he won it, and he continues to tell each one a different story. Each child would be adamant that their version of the castle story is true because, “Father said so.”  Their home would be filled with contentions and strife, and everybody kind of tolerate each other, but also slams their door to each other, because they all believe differently.

This is the trend of our world and particularly of those who claim to worship God.

Could God, the only wise one (1Tim 1:17), who is love (1John 4:8), by whom “all things were created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth,” (Col 1:16) be such a Father? He couldn’t; by nature, because lying is not wise. He couldn’t; by love, because deception is hate. He couldn’t, by Creator, because confusion does not create, it destroys. He began our world by bringing order to confusion.  

He couldn’t tell the Jews that Jesus is not the Messiah, but tell Christians that He is the Messiah, then He tells Mohamed to tell the Muslims that Jesus was only a prophet but not the son of God, then He tells Joseph Smith of the Latter Day Saints something else, then He gave Jehovah Witness another explanation, and tells every Christian church what He wants to tell them.

Bible truth as a guide must represent the linear character and nature of God, “For I am the LORD, I change not,” (Mal 3:6).  He is “the same, yesterday, and today, and forever” (Heb 13:8). Oh, how our false doctrines and beliefs belittle the God we claim to worship.

Part of our confusion in doctrine, part of our contentions and separation as the body of Christ is that we stubbornly claim “Father said so” about many doctrinal beliefs we hold “true” to suit our appetites, purposes, culture, lifestyles and agenda, when He never did say so.

Just like Ezekiel confirms the circularity of the Bible in his first vision, he also confirms it’s linearity.

Ezekiel saw these angels, he called living creatures. They had wheels demonstrating the unified circularity of Bible doctrine, (Ez 1:16). They also moved in unified linear motion. “Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went everyone straight forward.” (Ez 1: 9).

We can draft many lessons from the living creatures, one of which is the ultimate unity of the church. When we are joined together in truth, turning not away into our own doctrine, nor devising our own truth, but following the straight line of God’s truth, then we will become the true remnant.

Jesus also encourages us to “Enter ye in at the strait gate,” then he warns that, “wide is the gate and broad is the way, which leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in there at. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matt 7:13).

The question is, who will seek to walk on God’s line unwaveringly without gaze to sidewalk distractions of false doctrine, but like the angels go “straight forward?”

Charles Blondin walked across the Niagara River on a “straight line” over 100 times in his career. That, though extremely difficult physically, is easier than spiritually following the Bible’s line of truth in a generation that tosses the Bible aside, and in a generation where it is easier to bend truth.

However, it is possible through Jesus Christ our Lord (Phil 4: 13).

I encourage us on to get God’s line of truth!

Walk while ye have light (John 12: 35), for soon utter darkness is coming on our world. To walk on the line of God’s truth and around the circle of His doctrine is eternal wisdom.