Understanding Scripture's Unified Revelation

The Bible is one unified revelation from God, unfolding progressively across redemptive history. Though it is composed of many books written over centuries, both the Old and New Testaments are essential parts of God's self-disclosure and must be read together. The Old prepares for the New; the New fulfills and illuminates the Old. Later revelation builds upon earlier truths without contradiction. Interpreters must approach all of Scripture as a coherent whole, with the life, death, and resurrection of Christ at its center. Progressive revelation means God revealed His truth and redemptive plan over time, not all at once. This unity shows that the Bible is not a random collection of writings but a divinely orchestrated revelation of God’s purpose for humanity. Christ is the culmination of revelation: “1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” (Hebrews 1:1–2)[5]. The continuity between Old and New Testaments means God’s plan of salvation has always been consistent, working through history to bring about redemption in Jesus.