A 6-Week Series Begins...
For the first time in three months, Revelation is in your rear view mirror! For some this is great news! Revelation was a lot of hard work to understand and apply to our lives.
This week we are beginning a new series entitled
“Skeptical.”
This series will not be located in one place in scripture. Instead, over the next six weeks we are going to bounce around the Bible in order to answer some of the biggest questions facing our culture and faith.
Questions like:
- How can we know the Bible is True and Reliable?
- Is Jesus the Only Way to Heaven?
- How can a Good God allow Suffering and Evil?
- How did We get Here?
- Who am I?
- Is there Life after Death?
Now more than ever before, we live in a world skeptical of absolute truth and the claims of Christianity.
What is “absolute
truth?”
Why do you think our culture is so skeptical about absolute truth?
Whether you’re
skeptical or you just happen to live in a skeptical world, this series is for
you. To the skeptic, Jesus Christ has an answer for your every doubt. The
Skeptical series is designed to show you how Jesus answers questions that might
keep you from believing. To the Christian who lives in a skeptical world,
Skeptical is meant to equip you to take the truth and certainty of Jesus to a
world that doubts truth and certainty.
We have questions. Jesus has answers.
First Skeptical Question of the Series:
In the roughly 2,000
years since the final book of the Bible was written, and approximately 1,600
years since the canonization (or official compilation) of the Bible, no book in
human history has suffered more scrutiny. Rightfully so. The Bible is talking
about some pretty big stuff! Eternity, judgment, salvation, righteousness,
life, and death – these are important things. They are so important; we should
take time to consider whether what the Bible has to say about them is true or
not.
People throughout history have tried their best to either conform the Bible or delegitimize the Bible. After all this time, there are some things we know for sure.
The Bible is one of the most historical reliable documents in existence. Christian Scholars have more confidence in the reliability and validity of the transmission of the Bible’s message throughout human history than almost any other historical document in existence. There are more manuscripts, and in some cases older manuscripts, of the books of the Bible than any of the works of the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar, or the Historian Herodotus, or even the great author Homer.
All that to say, we
know the book we hold in our hands is the same book given to Christians before
us, all the way back to the ones who wrote down the very words of God for the
first time.
Moreover, the
events of the Bible in many cases are supported by historical evidence. For
example, archeologists have located ancient cities such as Ur the home of Abraham.
Ancient Babylonian text talks about the great confusion of world languages like
what occurred at the Tower of Babel. Historians mention a Jewish teacher named Jesus
who was crucified by the Romans. Ancient letters have been found describing the
function of the early church that sounds an awful lot like Acts 2! Most
importantly, no one has ever found the body of the Lord Jesus Christ!
What does all this
mean? The message of the Bible in your hands is the message originally
delivered to humanity, and the message can be trusted. Though it may be
difficult, ultimately, we trust the Bible not because history tells us to, but
because God tells us to. The same God who created the earth, the same God who
raised Christ Jesus from the dead, gave us a Bible. It is true and trustworthy
– we must decide if we will believe it or not.
Bottom
Line:
The Bible is reliable and relevant for every person.
2 Timothy
3:10-17
10 “You, however,
have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience,
my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to
me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra — which persecutions I endured; yet from
them all the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in
Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on
from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in
what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned
it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings,
which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof,
for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may
be complete, equipped for every good work.”
The Holy Bible:
English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Timothy
3:10-17.
Study
Notes:
This week we are
not only studying the Bible, but the subject of our study is the Bible. What
does the Bible say about the Bible? What do Christians believe about the Bible?
2 Timothy 3:14-17 gives us one of the clearest expressions of Christian belief
concerning the Bible in all of scripture. In 2 Timothy 3 Paul defines how
Christians should relate to the Bible, what Christians should believe about the
Bible, and what benefit the Bible has for Christians.
Christians Should Have an Ongoing
Relationship with the Bible!
The Bible
is the Only Word of God.
Paul calls the
Bible sacred. Sacred means that something is different, unlike anything else.
The Bible is unlike anything else because it’s the only book on Earth that is
the word of God, delivered to humans. That the Bible is sacred means that we
approach it very differently than any other book. We come before the Bible with
reverence and intentionality as we understand that when the Bible speaks, God
speaks.
The Bible points us to Jesus and makes
us more like Jesus.
This passage gives
us clarity as to the purpose and benefit of the Bible in the life of
Christians. First, the Bible points us to the path of salvation by faith in
Jesus. We approach the Bible wrongly when we come to it as if it were an
instruction manual about life. It’s actually much more than that. The Bible is
the revelation of God about the Savior Jesus Christ, and the Bible tells us how
we can find salvation in God. Second, the Bible shapes us by correcting wrong
actions and encouraging new actions that make us more like Jesus. Understood
rightly, the Bible shows us the path of salvation and the way we can progress
in the Christian life.
Questions
for Discussion
Are you continuing
to learn the Bible? How are you pursuing that study?
If the Bible is a
book about Jesus, in what ways does the Old Testament point us to Jesus?
Why is it important
to understand that the Bible is a book about Jesus, not a book about us?
How can we let the
Bible correct, reprove, and train us?
What other books
have helped you grow in your Christian walk?
END
Teacher Notes:
The song portrays truth as a person — Jesus Christ. This is important because you could say that when we deny truth, we are denying Jesus.
“What is
truth?”
In John 18:37-38,
Jesus is before Pilate and Pilate asks him the question for the ages, “What is
truth?”
…I came into the world,
to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me.
The amazing thing
about this question from Pilate is that standing before him was the embodiment
of truth and yet it seems Pilate missed it. Like Pilate, every person is in
search of the truth, most asking the same question what is truth? The
challenge we face is not people asking the question, but do they really want
the answer.
What Is
truth?
Dictionary defines
truth: “the true or actual state of a matter; conformity with fact or reality;
a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle, or the like.”
This definition shows
there is a definitive nature to truth. The words are very decisive. Truth is
factual and indisputable.
Today, the average
person would probably narrow down truth into two categories, absolute and relative
truth.
What Is
the Difference Between Absolute and Relative Truth?
1.
Absolute Truth. Absolute truth is true regardless of how a person thinks or feels about
it. Here is a biblical example of absolute truth. Jesus is Lord. Regardless of
how you feel about that statement, it is true. Many will argue about this
statement and try to debate its veracity, but this does not change the truth
that Jesus is Lord.
Here is a verse
that defines what absolute truth looks like.
“Therefore, God
exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every
name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth
and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to
the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).
In this verse,
every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
On this day opinions or feelings won’t matter because everyone will acknowledge
Jesus as Lord. Whether you agree or not, what makes this truth absolute is it
doesn’t change based on your opinion.
2.
Relative Truth. Relative truth is the belief that truth changes based on the
individual’s understanding of it. There are no absolutes - what may be true for
you is simply not true for me.
A common statement
reflecting relative truth may sound like this “You have your truth and I have
mine.” The problem with relative truth is it is a contradiction in terms. If the
truth is factual and indisputable then you cannot have different truths for
different people. Relative truth is a rejection of absolute
truth.
One reason people
embrace the idea of relative truth is because it allows them to create their
own reality that frees them to do whatever they want.
Truth and
Jesus
John 14:6 Jesus
said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through me.
John 1:14 And the
Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of
the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 16:13 When the
Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not
speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will
declare to you the things that are to come.
2 Timothy 2:15 Do
your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need
to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
John 1:1 In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Ephesians 6:14
Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the
breastplate of righteousness,
1 John 5:20 And we
know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we
may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ.
He is the true God and eternal life.
How Can
We Know the Bible Is True and Reliable?
How do
you answer this for yourself?
Well, if you
believe that absolute truth is a person namely Jesus Christ and the Bible is
the revelation of Jesus Christ then there is one reason we know.
Notes:
In the roughly 2,000
years since the final book of the Bible was written, and approximately 1,600
years since the canonization (or official compilation) of the Bible, no book
in human history has suffered more scrutiny. Rightfully so. The Bible is talking about
some pretty big stuff! Eternity, judgment, salvation, righteousness, life, and
death – these are important things. They are so important; we should take time
to consider whether what the Bible has to say about them is true or not.
People throughout
history have tried their best to either conform the Bible or delegitimize the
Bible. After all this time, there are some things we know for sure.
The Bible
is one of the most historical reliable documents in existence. Christian
Scholars have more confidence in the reliability and validity of the
transmission of the Bible’s message throughout human history than almost any
other historical document in existence. There are more manuscripts, and in some
cases older manuscripts, of the books of the Bible than any of the works of the
Roman Emperor Julius Caesar, or the Historian Herodotus, or even the great
author Homer.
All that to say, we know
the book we hold in our hands is the same book given to Christians before us, all the way back
to the ones who wrote down the very words of God for the first time.
Moreover, the
events of the Bible in many cases are supported by historical evidence. For example,
archeologists have located ancient cities such as Ur, the home of Abraham. Ancient Babylonian
text talks about the great confusion of world languages like what occurred at
the Tower of Babel. Historians mention a Jewish teacher named Jesus who was crucified
by the Romans. Ancient letters have been found describing the function of the early
church that sounds an awful lot like Acts 2! Most importantly, no one
has ever found the body of the Lord Jesus Christ!
What does all this
mean?
The message of the
Bible in your hands is the message originally delivered to humanity, and the
message can be trusted. Though it may be difficult, ultimately, we trust
the Bible not because history tells us to, but because God tells us to. The same God who
created the earth, the same God who raised Christ Jesus from the dead, gave us
a Bible. It is true and trustworthy – we must decide if we will believe it or
not.
…………
2 Timothy
3:10-13
“You, however, have
followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my
love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at
Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra — which persecutions I endured; yet from
them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ
Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from
bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
What does this
passage say to Paul’s belief in the truth and reliability of God’s Word?
2 Timothy
3:14-15
But as for you,
continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom
you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred
writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in
Christ Jesus.
What does this
passage say to Paul’s belief in the truth and reliability of God’s Word?
2 Timothy
3:16-17
All Scripture is
breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction,
and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete,
equipped for every good work.”
Scripture is
completely trustworthy because God was in control of its writing.
How can we let the
Bible correct, reprove, and train us?
If you can read any of the thousand languages where the Bible is translated, you can hear the voice of God infallibly.
Whether you will
acknowledge that He is speaking is another matter, but He is speaking.
For Timothy, the
holy Scriptures was the Old Testament – Genesis to Malachi. The Old Testament
is important because it points to Jesus Christ.
In what ways does
the Old Testament point us to Jesus?
1. Christians Should Have an Ongoing Relationship with the Bible!
Paul’s first point
to Timothy is that he “continues in” what he had previously learned about the
Bible. Paul is asking Timothy to engage in an ongoing, continuing relationship
with the Word of God.
Are you doing this?
How are you
pursuing a relationship with God’s Word?
Why is it important
to understand that the Bible is a book about Jesus, not a book about us?
In his charge, Paul told Timothy that people who obey God and live for Christ will be persecuted. Don’t be surprised when people misunderstand, criticize, and even try to hurt you because of what you believe and how you live. Don’t give up. Continue to live as you know you should. God is the only one you need to please.
2.
The Bible is the Only Word of God.
Paul calls the
Bible sacred. Sacred means that something is different, unlike anything else.
The Bible is unlike anything else because it’s the only book on Earth that is
the word of God, delivered to humans.
If the Bible is
sacred, how are we to treat it?
3.
The Bible points us to Jesus and makes us
more like Jesus.
What other books
have helped you grow in your Christian walk?
2 Timothy
4:2-4
Preach the word; be
prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with
great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will
not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will
gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears
want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to
myths.
This is
the age we are living in.
People are
surrounding themselves with those who will tell them the “truth” they want to
hear. While this gives them the freedom to justify how they live, they are
basing their lives on a truth that is not true at all.
Relative
Truth
Bottom Line: The
Bible is reliable and relevant for every person.
Billy Graham writes
that the great Swiss theologian, Dr. Karl Barth, was probably in his generation
the greatest theologian and philosopher in the world. He didn’t always agree
with him, but he was a friend and he respected him. While he was in this
country, a student at one of the seminaries said, “Dr. Barth, what is the
greatest truth that ever crossed your mind?” All the seminary students were
sitting on the edge of their seats to hear some great, profound, deep,
complicated answer. Dr. Barth slowly raised his shaggy gray head and looked at
the student and said,
“Jesus
loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”
END
Bible Commentary:
In Lystra,
Timothy’s hometown, Paul had been stoned and left for dead; and this was only
one incident among many. In 2 Corinthians 11:23-33 Paul summarized his lifetime
of suffering for the sake of the gospel. Paul mentioned his suffering here to
contrast his experience with that of the pleasure-seeking false teachers.
In his charge, Paul
told Timothy that people who obey God and live for Christ will be persecuted.
Don’t be surprised when people misunderstand, criticize, and even try to hurt
you because of what you believe and how you live. Don’t give up. Continue to
live as you know you should. God is the only one you need to please.
Don’t expect false
teachers and evil people to reform and change on their own. Left alone, they
will go from bad to worse. If you have the opportunity, correct them to bring
them back to faith in Christ. Fight for the truth, especially to protect
younger Christians.
Besieged by false
teachers and the inevitable pressures of a growing ministry, Timothy could
easily have abandoned his faith or modified his doctrine. Once again Paul
counseled Timothy to look to his past, and to hold to the basic teachings about
Jesus that are eternally true. Like Timothy, we are surrounded by false
teachings. But we must not allow our society to distort or crowd out God’s
eternal truth. Spend time every day reflecting on the foundation of your
Christian faith found in God’s Word, the great truths that build up your life.
Timothy was one of
the first second-generation Christians; he became a Christian not because an
evangelist preached a powerful sermon, but because his mother and grandmother
taught him the holy Scriptures when he was a small child. A parent’s work is
vitally important. At home and in church, we should realize that teaching small
children is both an opportunity and a responsibility. Jesus wanted little
children to come to Him. Like Timothy’s mother and grandmother, Eunice and
Lois, do your part in leading children to Christ.
For Timothy, the
holy Scriptures was the Old Testament – Genesis to Malichi. The Old Testament is
important because it points to Jesus Christ. At the same time, faith in Christ
makes the whole Bible intelligible.
The Bible is not a
collection of stories, fables, myths, or merely human ideas about God. It is
not a human book. Through the Holy Spirit, God revealed His person and plan to
certain believers, who wrote down His message for His people. This process is known
as inspiration. The writers wrote from their own personal, historical, and
cultural contexts. Although they used their own minds, talents, language, and
style, they wrote what God wanted them to write. Scripture is completely trustworthy because
God was in control of its writing. Its words are entirely authoritative to our
faith and lives. The Bible is God-breathed. Read it and use its teachings to
guide your conduct.
The whole Bible is
God’s inspired Word. Because it is inspired and trustworthy, we should read it and
apply it to our lives. The Bible is our standard for testing everything else
that claims to be true. Its our safeguard against false teaching and our source
of guidance for how we should live. It is our only source of knowledge about
how we can be saved. God wants to show you what is true and equip you to live
for Him. How much time do you spend in God’s Word? Read it regularly to discover
God’s truth and to become confident in your life and faith. Develop a plan for
reading the whole Bible, not just the familiar passages.
In our zeal for the
truth of Scripture, we must never forget its purpose – to equip us to do good.
We should not study God’s Word simply to increase our knowledge or to prepare
us to win arguments. We should study the Bible so that we will
know how to do Christ work in the world. Our knowledge of God’s Word is not useful
unless it strengthens our faith and leads us to do good.
Is the
Bible true?
Logic requires that
there is only one objective “truth” for any specific claim. Contradictory
claims cannot be equally true. For example, the statements “the hamster is in
its cage” and “the hamster cage is empty” cannot both be true simultaneously.
This evaluation of truth applies to spiritual matters as well as logical or
physical matters. It’s reasonable to claim that the Bible is true in a way that
excludes all other statements. Examining the Bible in the same way we would any
other text, we can confidently say that it is, in fact, true.
The Bible not only
encourages readers to examine their own beliefs (1 John 4:1), but it also
commends those who check spiritual claims for truth (Acts 17:11). The Bible
makes claims based on history and eyewitnesses (Luke 1:1–4; 2 Peter 1:16),
connects belief to visible evidence (John 20:30–31), and ties biblical ideas to
the observable world (Psalm 19:1; Romans 1). Jesus overtly claimed to represent
an exclusive truth (John 18:37; 14:6). So, the Bible is clearly meant to be
interpreted as true, and exclusively true (John 17:17).
Where we can check
biblical claims against verifiable truth, the Bible proves itself accurate. History,
archaeology, science, and philosophy have shown Scripture to be factual and
consistent.
This correspondence between various forms of evidence is a major advantage the
Bible has over the scriptures of any other faith system. In many cases, it has
been the deciding factor in converting skeptics and nonbelievers to faith in
Christ.
Whether or not the
Bible is true is a separate question from whether or not a particular passage
is “literal.” It’s reasonable to say that a phrase or statement is true, even
if the truth is not presented in literal terms. For example, if a person says during
a heavy rain, “It’s raining cats and dogs,” the statement is true — it’s just
not literal. Idiomatic phrases are meant to be interpreted. The same principle
applies to John’s words about Jesus: “Look, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36). Of
course, a person might ask for clarification, and be told, based on Old
Testament passages, that Jesus isn’t literally a wooly farm animal, but that
He’s the fulfillment of the Law and the divinely chosen sacrifice to redeem the
world. The figurative nature of John’s statement doesn’t make his statement
untrue, simply metaphorical. It’s good to remember that the Bible is comprised
of sixty-six separate books, and each of them often contains different types of
literature and a mixture of literal and figurative language.
More so than with
any other religious text, we have assurance that the Bible is true. The
combination of internal consistency, connection to evidence, and relevance to
our experience makes the Bible unique among books. Like many religious works,
the Bible claims to be true (2 Timothy 3:16). Unlike any other religious work,
the Bible emphatically supports that assertion.
Is the
Bible reliable?
Using the same
criteria by which we judge other historical works, not only is the Bible
reliable, but it is also more reliable than any other comparable writings.
Reliability is a question of truthfulness and accurate copying. Writings that
are historically and factually correct and that have been faithfully preserved
over time would be considered reliable. Higher levels of historical
verification and better confidence in transmission make it easier to determine
whether an ancient work is worthy of trust. By those measures, we can consider
the Bible reliable.
As is true with any
historical work, not every single detail in the Bible can be directly
confirmed. The Bible cannot be called unreliable simply because it contains
parts which cannot be confirmed or have not yet been confirmed. What’s
reasonable is to expect it to be accurate where it can be checked. This is the
primary test of reliability, and here the Bible has a stellar track record. Not
only have many of its historical details been confirmed, but certain portions
that were once in doubt have been verified by later archaeology.
For example,
archaeological finds in the 1920s confirmed the presence of cities much like
Ur, described in Genesis 11, which some skeptics doubted had existed so early.
Engravings discovered in an Egyptian tomb depict the installation of a viceroy
in a manner that exactly matches the biblical description of the ceremony
involving Joseph (Genesis 41:39–42). Clay tablets dating to 2300 BC have been
found in Syria strongly supporting Old Testament stories, vocabulary, and
geography. Skeptics doubted the existence of the Hittites (Genesis 15:20;
23:10; 49:29), until a Hittite city, complete with records, was found in
Turkey. There are dozens of other Old Testament facts supported by
archaeological discovery.
More importantly,
no facts presented in the Old or New Testaments have been shown false. This
historical reliability is crucial to our trust in other statements made in
Scripture.
Even the
“miraculous” occurrences of Genesis have evidential basis we can appeal to
today. Ancient Babylonian records describe a confusion of language, in
accordance with the biblical account of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1–9).
These same records describe a worldwide flood, an event present in literally
hundreds of forms in cultures all over the world. The sites where Sodom and
Gomorrah (Genesis 19) once sat have been found, displaying evidence of fiery
and violent destruction. Even the plagues of Egypt and the resulting Exodus
(Exodus 12:40–41) have archaeological support.
This trend
continues in the New Testament, where the names of various cities, political
officials, and events have been repeatedly confirmed by historians and
archaeologists. Luke, the writer of that gospel and the book of Acts, has been
described as a first-rate historian for his attention to detail and accurate
reporting. In both the Old and New Testament writings, the Bible proves
reliable wherever it can be checked.
Accurate copying is
also an important factor in the Bible’s reliability. New Testament writings
were composed within a few decades of the events they describe, far too early
for legend or myth to overtake actual history. In fact, the basic framework of
the gospel can be dated to a formal creed just a few years after the
crucifixion of Jesus, according to Paul’s description in 1 Corinthians 15:3–8.
Historians have access to a tremendous number of manuscripts, proving the New
Testament was reliably and quickly copied and distributed. This gives ample
confidence that what we read today correctly represents the original writing.
The Old Testament,
as well, shows all evidence of being reliably transmitted. When the Dead Sea
Scrolls were discovered in the 1940s, they were 800 years older than any other
available manuscripts. Comparing earlier and later manuscripts showed a meticulous
approach to transmission, once again adding to our confidence that what we have
today represents the original texts.
Those factors all
give objective reasons to consider the Bible reliable. At the same time, it’s
critically important to examine those same factors in other texts we use to
write our history books. The Bible has more empirical support, a shorter time
between original writing and surviving copies, and a greater number of source
manuscripts than any other ancient work, by far.
For example, there
are 251 copies of the works of Julius Caesar, the earliest from 950 years after
he wrote, with no way to know how well those copies represent the originals.
There are 109 copies of the works of the historian Herodotus, the earliest from
1,400 years after he wrote. Archaeologists have found 1800+ manuscript copies
of the works of Homer, allowing us a 95 percent confidence in the original
text.
For the New
Testament, there are currently more than 5,000 manuscripts, with most early
copies anywhere from 200 to 300 years later, and some less than 100 years
later. This gives a better than 99 percent confidence in the contents of the
original text.
In short, we not
only have objective reasons to claim the Bible is reliable, but we cannot call
it unreliable without throwing out almost everything else we know of ancient
history. If the Scriptures don’t pass a test for trustworthiness, no records
from that era can. The Bible’s reliability is proven in both its historical
accuracy and its accurate transmission.
Why
should I believe the Bible?
The Bible makes
claims about the creation of the universe, the nature of the God who created the
universe and reigns supremely over it, and the fate of mankind. If these claims
are true, then the Bible is the most important book in the history of mankind.
If the Bible is true, then it holds the answers to life’s biggest
questions:
“Where did I come from?” “Why am I here?” and “What happens to me when I die?”
The importance of the Bible’s message demands it receive fair consideration,
and the truthfulness of its message is observable, testable, and able to
withstand scrutiny.
The writers of the
Bible claim that the Bible is God’s very Word. The apostle Paul
writes that “all Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16).
All the words recorded in the original writing of Scripture originated
from the mouth of God before ever reaching the minds and pens of the biblical writers. The apostle Peter
also writes that “prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but
prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy
Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). The phrase “carried along” is indicative of a sail
being propelled by the wind. That is, the writing of Scripture was directed by
the Holy Spirit. The Bible does not originate with man and is, then, a product
of God and carries the authority of God.
At this point, it
is important not to let circular reasoning become the justification for
believing the Bible. We cannot say that one should believe the Bible simply
because the Bible says it should be believed. If, however, the truth claims of
the Bible are found true whenever it is possible to test their veracity or are
proved true during historical and scientific discovery, then the internal
claims of the Bible’s own trustworthiness are more compelling. The internal
evidence works in tandem with the external.
The internal
evidence of Scripture’s veracity provides many compelling arguments for why one
should believe the Bible. First, the unique message of the Bible sets it apart
from other religious texts. The Bible, for instance, teaches that mankind is
inherently sinful and deserving of eternal death. If man were responsible for
the content of the Bible, the view of humanity would not be so dark — we tend
to make ourselves look good. The Bible also teaches that humans can do nothing
of themselves to remedy their natural state. This, too, goes against human
pride.
The unity of the
biblical message is further reason for why one should believe the Bible. The
Bible was written over a period of approximately 1,550 years, with at least 40
human writers, most of whom did not know each other and were from varying
backgrounds (king, fisherman, tax collector, shepherd, etc.). The Bible was
written in various environments (desert, prison, royal court, etc.). Three
different languages were used to write the Bible, and, despite covering
controversial subjects, it carries one harmonious message. The circumstances
surrounding the writing of the Bible would seem to guarantee its fallibility,
and, yet the message from Genesis to Revelation is uncannily consistent.
Another reason why
one should believe the Bible is its accuracy. The Bible should not be confused
with a science textbook, but that does not mean that the Bible does not speak
to issues that are scientific in nature. The water cycle was described in Scripture
centuries before it was a scientific discovery. In some cases, science and the
Bible have seemed to be at odds with each other. Yet, when science has
advanced, the scientific theories have proved wrong, and the Bible proved
right. For example, it used to be standard medical practice to bleed patients
as a cure for illness. Many people died because of excessive blood loss. Now
medical professionals know that bloodletting as a cure for most diseases is
counterproductive. The Bible always taught that “the life of a creature is in
the blood” (Leviticus 17:11).
The Bible’s truth
claims concerning world history have also been substantiated. Skeptics used to
criticize the Bible for its mention of the Hittite people (e.g., 2 Kings 7:6).
The lack of any archaeological evidence to support the existence of a Hittite culture
was often cited as a rebuttal against Scripture. In 1876, however,
archaeologists discovered evidence of the Hittite nation, and by the early 20th
century the vastness of the Hittite nation and its influence in the ancient
world was common knowledge.
The
scientific and historical accuracy of the Bible is important evidence of the
Bible’s trustworthiness, but the Bible also contains fulfilled
prophecies.
Some of the biblical writers made claims about future events centuries in
advance. If any one of the events predicted had occurred, it would be
astounding. But the Bible contains many, many prophecies. Some of the
predictions were fulfilled in a short amount of time (Abraham
and Sarah had a son, Peter denied Jesus three times, Paul was a witness for
Jesus in Rome, etc.). Other predictions were fulfilled hundreds of years later. The 300
messianic prophecies fulfilled by Jesus could not have reasonably been
fulfilled by one person unless some greater power was involved. Specific
prophecies like Jesus’ birthplace, activities, manner of
death, and resurrection demonstrate the preternatural accuracy of
Scripture.
When it is put to
the test, the Bible is proved true in every area. Its truth extends to the
spiritual, as well. That means that when the Bible says the Hittite nation
existed, then we can believe that there were Hittites, and when the Bible
teaches that “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23) and the “wages of sin is death”
(Romans 6:23), then we need to believe that, too. And, when the Bible tells us
that “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still
sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8) and that “whoever believes in [Jesus]
shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16), then we can and should
believe that, also.
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