Explore God Week 6 - How Can I Know the Bible is Reliable?
October 29, 2023
What is the Bible?
The Bible is a collection of 66 books written over a period of about 1500 years by about 40 different authors addressing many different topics telling one unified story of God’s redemptive purposes over His creation.
– How can I know the Bible is reliable?
– Why do Christians believe it to be divinely inspired rather than just human hands?
– How can we know it’s not just a mythical story or made up narrative?
1. The Reliability of the Bible: The Bible is the
of God as seen throughout the Old and New Testament.
“1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” —John 1:1-4 (NIV)
–In the Old Testament, the ancient Scriptures reveal the word of the Lord sent to His people. The Spirit of God or Ruach(רוח) which is the breath or wind of God is seen working in and through His creation.
– In the New Testament the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, can be understood as a kind of Ancient Biography as eye witness accounts of Jesus who is the living word or logos (λογος).
“We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but the prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” —2 Peter 1:19-21
2. The Reliability of the Bible: The Bible acts as a
that is both historically and geographically accurate.
–The Bible is historically trustworthy in comarison to other ancient literature as seen in it’s quantity of accounts, copies, and the timing of the original manuscripts.
– The Archaeological evidence through excavations reveals that the locations written in the Bible are accurate, and further the Dead Sea Scrolls confirm the reliability of Scriptural texts.
3. The Reliability of the Bible: The Bible is the source of truth and
rudder for our lives.
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” —2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” —Psalm 119:105 (NIV)
4. The Reliability of the Bible: The Bible is
and
. It is relevant to our lives today.
“12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” —Hebrews 4:12–13 (NIV)
–If we don’t know and apply the truth to our lives, then we can’t operate in the fulness of the freedom that it offers.“32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” —John 8:32 (NIV)
“But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.” —James 1:25 (NIV)