Firm present books, making sense (8)
I believe the answer is:
coherent
'making sense' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'firm present books' is the wordplay.
'firm' becomes 'co' (a firm is a company).
'present' becomes 'here' (both can mean in attendance).
'books' becomes 'NT' (New Testament).
'co'+'here'+'nt'='COHERENT'
(Other definitions for coherent that I've seen before include "Intelligible and lucid" , "Articulate" , "making sense" , "Holding together as a whole" , "Orderly, logical, consistent" .)