The word testament has three usages or applications in the Bible:
- Testament is another name for a covenant, specifically an agreement between God and mankind.
- Testament can refer to someone’s will, as in their last will and testament.
- Lastly, the Bible is divided into two sections or testaments, so named because each encompasses a major covenant from God.
The first is the Old Testament, which refers to being made right with God by following a strict code of conduct and rules.
The second is the New Testament, which refers to being made right with God by following Jesus.
Although virtually all Bibles include the sections of Old Testament and New Testament, this usage is not actually found in the Bible’s text.
Key verse about testament (second definition): “For where there is a will and testament involved, the death of the one who made it must be established, for a will and testament takes effect [only] at death, since it is never in force as long as the one who made it is alive (Hebrews 9:16-17, AMP).
A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.
