Reasons to Believe in the Bible
- Its Uniqueness
- Its Preservation
- Its Miracles
- Its Accuracy
- Its Power
1. Its Uniqueness
The Bible is not simply one of the great works of literature,
but is in fact, the one…the only great work, for it is
unique among all other books.
Some great works take one man's lifetime to write; the Bible
was composed over a period or roughly sixteen hundred years.
Some books require a team of scholars; the Bible is the work
of more than forty authors from every walk of life, including
kings, peasants, philosophers, fishermen, poets, statement,
and scholars. Portions of the Bible were written in the wilderness,
in a dungeon, in a palace, in exile, in wartime, and in peacetime.
The Bible was written on three continents in three languages
on hundreds of controversial topics. It contains inspired
poetry as well as detailed history, biography, letters, memoirs,
and prophetic writings. Yet this astonishingly diverse book
speaks with amazing continuity, as it depicts one unfolding
story…God's redemption of man.
2. Its Preservation
In 1947 a Bedouin shepherd made an extraordinary find in
a cave above the Dead Sea. The broken jars he found yielded
documents that had been hidden for two millennia. Additional
finds produced manuscripts that predated previous oldest copies
by 1,000 years. One of the most important was a copy of Isaiah.
It revealed a document that is essentially the same as the
book of Isaiah that appears in our own Bibles. The presence
of the Dead Sea Scrolls discredit the claims of those who
believed that the authenticity of the Bible had been lost
to time and tampering.
The books of Moses were written 500 years before the earliest
Hindu Scriptures. Moses wrote Genesis 2,000 years before Muhammad
penned the Koran. During that long history, no other book
has been as loved or as hated as the Bible. No other book
has been so consistently bought, studied, and quoted as this
book. While millions of other titles come and go, the Bible
is still the book by which all other books are measured. While
often ignored by those who are uncomfortable with its teachings,
it is still the central book of Western civilization.
3. Its Miracles
Israel's exodus from Egypt provided a historical basis for
believing that God revealed Himself to Israel. If the Red
Sea did not part as Moses said it did, the Old Testament loses
its authority to speak on behalf of God. The New Testament
is just as dependent upon miracles. If Jesus did not rise
bodily from the dead, the apostle Paul admits that the Christian
faith is built on a lie (I Corinthians 15: 14-17). To show
its credibility, the New Testament names its witnesses, and
did so within a time-frame that enabled those claims to be
tested (I Corinthians 15:1-8). Many of the witnesses ended
up as martyrs, not for abstract moral or spiritual convictions
but for their claim that Jesus had risen from the dead. While
martyrdom is not unusual, the basis on which these people
gave their lives is what's important. Many have died for what
they believed to be the truth. But people do not die for what
they know to be a lie.
4. Its Accuracy
Down through the ages, many have doubted the historical and
geographical accuracy of the Bible. Yet modern archeologists
have repeatedly unearthed evidence of the people, places,
and cultures described in the Scriptures. Time after time,
the descriptions in the biblical record have been shown to
be more reliable than the speculations of scholars. The modern
visitor to the museums and lands of the Bible cannot help
but come away impressed with the real geographical and historical
backdrop of the biblical text.
5. Its Power
There are many who claim to believe in the Bible without
being changed by it. However, there are many more who have
known the transforming power of the truth of the Bible. The
Ten Commandments have been a source of moral direction to
countless numbers of people. The Psalms of David have offered
comfort in times of trouble and loss. Jesus' Sermon on the
Mount has given millions an antidote for stubborn pride and
proud legalism.
The real power of the Bible can only be known through the
illumination of the Holy Spirit, who works through the Word
and indwells those who are Christ-followers (I Corinthians
2:9-16). It doesn't mean that people can make up their own
interpretations (2 Peter 1:20), rather the Holy Spirit uses
the inspired words of the Biblical text to convict it's readers
of sin and testify to the work of Jesus Christ (John 16:8-15).
So What About You?
You're not alone if you have questions about the reliability
of the Bible. The Scriptures, like the world around us, are
marked by elements of mystery. Yet if the Bible is what it
claims to be, you don't have to try to sort out the evidence
on your own. To be tested in such a setting is Jesus' promise
of divine help to those who want to know the truth about Himself
and His teachings. As the central figure of the New Testament,
Jesus said, "If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will
find out whether My teaching comes from God or whether I speak
on my own" (John 7:17NIV).
One important key to understanding the Bible is that it was
never meant merely to bring us to itself. Every principle
of Scripture shows us our need of the forgiveness that Christ
secured on our behalf. It shows us why we need to let the
Spirit of God live through us. It is for such a relationship
that the Bible was given.
Here's Some Good News
If you've never received Jesus in this way, we encourage
you to carefully read just a few verses from one book of the
New Testament. These verses clearly present some very good
news. Romans 3:23 (which says that all have sinned), Romans
6:23 (which says that the wages of sin is spiritual death,
separation from God), and Romans 10:13 (which assures us that
all who call on the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved).
To accept God's gift, you can pray something like this: "God,
I know I'm a sinner. I know I can't save myself. I believe
Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I believe He rose from
the dead to live His life through all who believe in Him.
I now receive Him as my Savior. I accept your offer of forgiveness
and everlasting life. Thank You, Father. In Jesus name I pray.
Amen."
Did you pray that prayer? If so, you have accepted the greatest
gift of all. The gift bought by God Himself—for you.
Please contact us for
more information about how to grow in your new life as a child
of God. Also, we would welcome you to join us as we grow in
our faith together. Washington Heights Baptist Church is a
body that faithfully teaches the bible in a spirit of love
and continued support.
| 
