Hey friends~
Long time no posts from me~ so sorry, if you've missed me! :)
Today I am posting a review for a new Bible from Thomas Nelson Bibles ,
the Life in Christ Bible (NKJV).
Today (and honestly throughout history), many people often wonder "what is the meaning of life?" in general, and what is the meaning of their life specifically. It is evident by the rampant depression, anxiety, and general dissatisfaction and disregard for life we see increasing around us, that people are not finding relevant and encouraging answers to that basic question.
A number of years ago, rapper Lecrae released a song "Identity" that always comes to my mind when talking about a person's identity (imagine that!), and is one of his songs that I can get behind. I believe it totally relates to this whole question of "Who am I?"
"Identity is found in the God we trust and any other identity will self destruct..."
So, where does one find out about their identity in the God we trust?
The Bible is the best answer (in my opinion), and the Thomas Nelson Life in Christ Bible can help you discover why YOU matter (hint~ it's not because of anything you DO, but because *you are made in the image of God). God has a purpose for your life in this moment. You have a part to play in what He is doing in the world, but knowing why you are here starts with knowing who God says you are.
Whenever I get a new Bible, I want to know what sets it apart from any other Bible. Generations ago this wasn't an thing, but today there are Bibles for college students, Bibles for youth, Bibles for Children, Bibles for Women, Bibles for Men, etc... This doesn't mean that the text of the Bible is different depending on the audience, but that the included notes and helps are geared toward that specific audience.
The features included in the Life in Christ Bible are intended to help you explore not only how the gospel of Jesus Christ makes you a new person, but also to help you learn how "who God says you are" can change how you think, speak, work, and move through the world.
I appreciate the overview in the front of the Bible, as it details three basic goals for this particular Bible, which I would like to share with you here:
The concept that every human being (Christian or not) is made in the image of God. That sin did not destroy this image of God in people, but severely damaged it. Scripture shows that people can discover that they have intrinsic worth as image-bearers of God. There are eight themes that explore this view:
- I Create
- I Reflect
- I Discern
- I Matter
- I Reason
- I Relate
- I Rule
- I Worship
This focus also clarifies that the gospel is not just about salvation from sin (as critical and wonderful as that is), but restoring identity and relationship between God's image-bearers and Himself, by knowing "My Identity in Christ" with 17 themes:
- I Am a Citizen
- I Am an Ambassador
- I Am and Heir
- I Am Adopted
- I Am Chosen
- I Am Complete
- I Am Forgiven
- I Am Holy
- I Am Justified
- I Am Known
- I Am Loved
- I Am Reconciled
- I Am Redeemed
- I Am Righteous
- I Have A Family
- I Have A Purpose
- I Will Be Glorified
- I Live with Compassion
- I Live with Faithfulness
- I Live with Forgiveness
- I Live with Generosity
- I Live with Gentleness
- I Live with Goodness
- I Live with Hospitality
- I Live with Humility
- I Live with Joy
- I Live with Kindness
- I Live with Love
- I Live with Obedience
- I Live with Patience
- I Live with Peace
- I Live with Self-Control
Now, I am generally not a fan of seeing "I" in such quantity, with a focus on the individual "me," but in this instance, it is a call to learn how to be the best one can be, so that our lives manifest the goodness of God. Imagine what a world we could live in if every image bearer of God truly lived their identity in Christ as outlined above. There would be no more call of "Maranatha! Lord Jesus, Come!" Because He would already be here. The best way to work towards people in every tribe and nation coming to know their true identity is for each of us to begin (or continue) to strive to live daily exhibiting the attributes mentioned.
Many notes for each theme are included, each tied to a specific verse or section of Scripture. A number of longer articles can be found throughout the Bible, exploring themes such as Age and My Identity, Consumerism and My Identity, Disability and My Identity, Gender and My Identity, Marriage and My Identity, Parenting and My Identity, Technology and My Identity, and more. I skimmed through some of the articles, and was pleased to see that they tend to hold to a Biblically sound and gracious tone.
Many notes for each theme are included, each tied to a specific verse or section of Scripture. A number of longer articles can be found throughout the Bible, exploring themes such as Age and My Identity, Consumerism and My Identity, Disability and My Identity, Gender and My Identity, Marriage and My Identity, Parenting and My Identity, Technology and My Identity, and more. I skimmed through some of the articles, and was pleased to see that they tend to hold to a Biblically sound and gracious tone.
As an example, I was curious how 'Marriage and My Identity' would be treated, and found it interesting that the article found in Ephesians 5, subtitled "Representing Christ to the World," deals solely with the comparison of Christ to the husband in a marriage. It totally skips the "Wives submit to your own husbands" section (which, to be fair has been totally overdone and twisted by too many people), and leans into the reality of a Christ-following husband's headship as a reflection of Christ's sacrificial relationship to the church. Not overbearing and autocratic and self-serving, but loving and encouraging. In short, men bear a great responsibility for the health of their marriage. They have big shoes to fill.
Here is a short video showing the size, and sharing the inside of the Bible in hand.
This Bible is available in Hardcover, Leathersoft, and Bonded Leather. For the purposes of this review I received a brown Leathersoft style. The Leathersoft and Bonded Leather Bibles offer two ribbons (Old Testament and New Testament placement!) and all of them are printed in Thomas Nelson's exclusive, easy to read "comfort print," which I can verify is easily readable for 50+ and 60+ eyes.
If you (or a loved one) are confused about who you are, why you matter, and what the sense of life is in today's world, order a copy of The Life in Christ Bible, and explore that focus, which will lead you to the ultimate answer of who you can be for eternity~ a Child of the one true God.
*Giveaway has ended
Blessings~
#LifeInChristBibleMIN #LifeinChristBible @nelsonbibles
Many thanks to HarperCollins Christian Publishing for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation.
