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Can the Bible be
trusted?
Several questions arise when we
consider the trustworthiness of the Bible.
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What is its source?
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Could the source be wrong?
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Do we accept what is
recorded by this source as being accurate and applicable to our current-day
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Jesus said, "If you
hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth,
and the truth will set you free." [John 8:31-32]
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Who wrote the
Bible?
The original manuscripts that
make up the Bible were written over a 1,500 year time span by more than 40
authors from every walk of life including kings, peasants, philosophers,
fishermen, poets, statesmen, and scholars.
They were written in three
languages: Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek; in times of war and times of peace; and
written on three different continents: Asia, Africa and Europe.
Do we accept
the Bible as our authority?
The Bible
is central to Christian life and faith as it is the very life and Word of God.
God's Word must be received, believed and obeyed as the final authority in all
things pertaining to life and godliness.
"I tell you the
truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least
stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is
accomplished." [Matthew 5:18
"Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he
is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too
will love him and show myself to him." [John 14:21]
Some people might reject the
Bible as the Word of God because to them, it just doesn't feel right. However,
how you feel about the Bible does not define the Bible. In fact, our feelings
are the most unreliable indicators of the meaning of anything. Nor does our
experience define the Word of God, rather the Word of God corrects, rebukes and
teaches us how to live. God's Word must be dealt with based upon the meaning of
words within the context of all of Scripture.
It must be used in the
church as the final authority in all matters for teaching, rebuking, correcting
and training in righteous living (2 Ti. 3:16-17). One cannot submit to Christ's
lordship without submitting to God and His Word as the ultimate authority.
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Can the writers of the Bible be
wrong?
Without question, the Bible
writers' personalities, writing styles, perspectives, and distinctives are
reflected in their words. But their accounts are more than the words of men -
they are the Word of God. The Bible writers were guided in their writing to go
where God wanted them to go and to produce what God wanted them to
produce.
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All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,
rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may
be thoroughly equipped for every good work. [2 Timothy 3:16-17]
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The Bible writers were not inspired as great artists
are 'inspired' to produce great art. The word translated 'inspired' means
"God-breathed." The Greek word is theopneustos, from two Greek words:
theos, meaning "God," and pneo, meaning "to breathe". It conveys
the idea of God "breathing out" the Scriptures. And since the word for "breath"
can also be translated "spirit," we can easily see the work of the Holy Spirit
as he superintended the writing.
Doctrine of Biblical
Inerrancy
One of the most vexing
controversies within conservative Protestantism since World War 2 has focused
on the doctrine of biblical inerrancy. "Inerrancy" means "without error
- containing no mistakes or errors in the original writings, and having no
errors in any area whatsoever." Inerrancy is the view that when all the facts
become known, they will demonstrate that the Bible in its original autographs
and correctly interpreted is entirely true and never false. This is true not
only when it speaks of salvation, ethical values and morality, but it is also
without error on all subjects about which it speaks, including history, the
cosmos, as well as the prophetic text.
The Old Testament, one of the
most ancient of books, is always marvelously accurate when it touches
scientific questions; whereas ALL other books a hundred years old, whenever
touching such questions are full of glaring, and often foolish
mistakes. |
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The Bible has proven itself
historically accurate. No historical revelations disprove the Bible's
account of history. New historical findings continue to verify the accuracy of
the Bible's historical basis.
The Bible has proven to be
archaeologically accurate. No archaeological evidence has ever been
unearthed that disproves the Bible's account of civilizations and cultures that
have existed since the beginning of man's life on earth.
The Bible has
proven itself prophetically accurate. Hundreds of prophesies recorded in
the Bible have been fulfilled to the letter, centuries after they were
recorded. The only exception are those pertaining to the return of Jesus Christ
to establish His reign on earth, and the subsequent establishing of the new
heavens and the new earth.
Jesus bears witness to the
Bible's inerrancy where He emphasizes that the actual written words of
Scripture can be trusted, not just the ideas they contain. Jesus demonstrated
the power of the words of Scripture to defeat Satan when he tempted Him. We
have that same weapon available to us today - the sword of the Spirit, which is
the Word of God (Eph. 6:17).
Then Jesus was led
by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty
days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you
are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Jesus answered, "It is
written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from
the mouth of God.'"
Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him
stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said,
"throw yourself down. For it is written: "'He will command his angels
concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not
strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus answered him, "It is also written:
'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"
Again, the devil took him to
a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their
splendor. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and
worship me." Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written:
'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'"
Then the devil left him,
and angels came and attended him. [Matthew 4:1-11]
Do you accept God's Word...
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Understanding the Times:
The
Religious Worldviews
of Our Day and
the Search for Truth
Come, Let Us Reason:
An Introduction to Logical
Thinking
Jesus Under Fire
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