Whether you’ve heard about Christianity from a family member or friend, or found out about God and Jesus on your own, you would have noticed that all the sources of information inevitably point back to the Bible. You might even have heard them say, again and again, “Because the Bible says so.” Why do Christians talk so much about the Bible? Why is it so important to them?

It is important because the Bible is central to the Christian faith. We call it the “Word of God” because it is God’s channel of communication with us. It is through the Bible that we know God created the universe, that he sent his son Jesus to die for us, and that we are saved when we believe in him.

It is also through the Bible that God teaches us how to live according to his standards, which is why Christians spend much time reading and studying it. Paul, a follower who personally met Jesus, noted that the Bible “is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives” (2 Timothy 3:16).