Introduction

Are we as transient as a butterfly and flowers?

Do you sometimes wonder if life has any meaning? Are we here just to survive a little while, then cease to exist forever? Is this meaningless cycle to go on generation after generation until mankind itself is no more?

Not at all. We were created for a purpose. Try to imagine the whole earth at peace, with all people really caring for each other. No hatred, no selfishness, no war, crime, or poverty. This is not impossible; it is promised by the most authoritative source: the One who formed the Earth and designed mankind for it. He explains how he will make it so in a book that most people have in their homes — the Bible.

If you have tried to research the Bible already, you have discovered that there is much bitter disagreement on what it means or even what it says. Many give up in disgust after seeing its supporters fighting, or after listening to scoffers ridicule it. Why is there so much argument? Could the truth be much simpler than most debaters realize?

Many who sincerely feel that they understand the Bible's message do not realize the degree that misinformation and bias, insistently taught on every side, has distorted and limited their knowledge. For example, some believe that God has absolutely everything planned in advance, that He has scripted our every joy and injury to serve some divine plan of the ages. All we can do is yield. Resistance is futile, or if we try it, it is part of the script too. Such a view makes freedom of will an illusion. It also eliminates personal responsibility: if it were true, every genocidal slaughter was fated by the Deity, so why blame the murderers? The real Perpetrator would be God! No, such a view defames and dishonors the Creator, yet many religions teach variations of it. They do not really know God. So who do you listen to? Does anyone have the truth? You will find a satisfying answer in this online book.

You do not need a degree of philosophy or doctorate in theology to understand the Bible. Sophisticated philosophies of worldly men actually obscure rather than reveal its essential message. The Bible assures us "if you search for understanding as for hidden treasure, you will find the very knowledge of God." (see Proverbs 2:3-5.) God is watching for those who desire to know Him accurately, and He helps them. He has packed this knowledge into His Book for all people, almost like the DNA code folded into the nucleus of a cell. With His help, unfolding it and reading it out is something anyone can do. And like DNA, a world of life is available through that knowledge. So, in this website we cite many scriptures to support what we say. Please read them all; they are selected to provide much valuable detail beyond what we actually comment on.

CloseIf you call out for understanding itself and you give forth your voice for discernment itself, if you keep seeking for it as for silver, and as for hid treasures you keep searching for it, in that case you will understand the fear of Jehovah, and you will find the very knowledge of God.

The scripture texts are primarily from the modern New World Translation (sometimes modified for clarity, as informed by other translations) and, in chapter 1 only, the traditional King James version. Other translations are used occasionally to illustrate variations. You should compare your favored version (see chapter 3 for why so many versions exist).

Although the author is associated with a religious organization (mentioned in the book), this book is not produced or supported by that organization, and it does not directly represent that organization. This is a personal effort to obey the command "Preach the Word... correct, reprove, and encourage, with great patience and careful instruction." (2 Timothy 4:2, NIV)

How To Use This Site

With javascript enabled, you can click the scripture citations to read them. Without javascript, they will show in order in a scrollable pane. If you click that area, you can move the text quickly with the Page Up and Page Down keys.

You can easily peruse this site in any order, but to learn the most, start at the beginning and work through in chapter order. Each chapter assumes you know about matters covered in previous chapters.

The toolbar above the chapter title allows you to go directly to chapters and subheadings and take review tests. Some chapters have a few footnotes. To read one, click its "anchor" (an asterisk). If you have javascript disabled, the footnotes will appear in-line, usually above the paragraphs they connect to.

Sometimes I rework the code as I learn javascript better. If something doesn't work right that did work on a previous visit, either I have not tested thoroughly or your browser is working with an older copy cached on your machine that is incompatible with the new code. In that case, refreshing (reloading) the page should solve the problem.

This site is a work in progress. Some updates are minor, such as improved code and corrected spelling or grammar. Others are substantial, such as whole sections added or revised, and pictures inserted or changed. Significant changes are noted in the Update Log.