Can We Trust the Bible?

Introduction

Post-modern culture denies Scripture

It is the most attacked book in the world

It is also the most validated

Its important we answer this question - Can we trust the Bible

We are basing our lives upon this book (and our eternity)

So maybe you have had this question or someone has questioned you about the Bible

What do we say

1. The Bible claims to be from God.

Hundreds of times in the Old Testament, we see these words: “This is what the LORD says….” , for example, introduces the Ten Commandments with this claim: “God spoke all these words.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

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.

2 Peter 1:21 ESV

21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 3:15–16 ESV

15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.

2 Peter 1:20–21 ESV

20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

. Both Paul and Peter affirm that the words of Scripture come from God Himself, not from any man. Even New Testament authors treated other New Testament writings as Scripture! (See what Peter says about Paul’s letters in )

Clearly, the Bible has internal claims that it is revealed directly from God.

But is there anything outside the Bible itself that can give any validation to its reliability or accuracy?

2. The Bible Has Been Successfully Handed Down Over the Ages

Enemies of God have the constant claim - Men have changed the Bible over time - Who could know what was really written

This topic is too extensive for this post, but here are some excellent resources to explore:

Oh, really?

How does textual criticism work? Is the New Testament Text Reliable? (Greg Koukl, STR)Chart comparing the New Testament with other ancient manuscript evidence: Manuscript evidence for superior New Testament reliability (Matt Slick, CARM)Images of ancient manuscripts: Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts (CSNTM) (Dr. Daniel Wallace)

Let’s look at the Dead Sea Scrolls

The story of the Dead Sea Scrolls begins in 1947, when – so the tale goes – a Bedouin shepherd found a collection of apparently ancient scrolls in a cave above Khirbet Qumran, near the north end of the Dead Sea. Over the course of the next year, seven scrolls from the cave reached scholarly hands. When examined by experts, the importance and antiquity of the find was quickly understood. For starters, included among these first seven scrolls was a fairly well-preserved copy of the biblical book of Isaiah, soon determined to be the oldest complete manuscript of a Hebrew scripture yet discovered and dating to before 100 BCE.

About 190 of the 800 scrolls were from every book of the Hebrew Bible, except the book of Esther. The most popular biblical books were Isaiah, Psalms, Deuteronomy and Genesis.

The critics were proven wrong - Man had not changed a thing - The book of Isaiah Jesus had is the book of Isaiah we have

3. The Bible’s accuracy is affirmed by history and archaeology.

Many non-Christian historians confirm facts in the New Testament, from the simple fact of Jesus’ existence to details of his trial and execution. Two of the most well-known are from Josephus, the first century Jewish historian, and the great Roman historian Tacitus. (For those exact quotes, refer to the sermon notes from August 11, 2013.)

Archaeologists have used the Bible as a guide for excavations, and others have made discoveries that affirm exactly what the Bible says.

Excavations have validated battles, customs, and even places like the synagogue in Capernaum and the pool of Bethsaida in Jerusalem.

The City of Jericho has been excavated - with the fallen walls - just as the bible says

Video of the top 9

4. The Bible details multiple prophecies that have already been fulfilled in history.

One example from the Old Testament is the Book of Daniel. All scholars agree that chapters 2, 7, 8, 11 accurately describe the historical rise and fall of these great empires: the Babylonians, Persians, Greeks and Romans. Despite much scholarly debate, there is strong evidence leading to the 6th century B.C. as the date of writing, well before these empires rose and fell!

The Gospels detail dozens of Old Testament prophecies, written hundreds of years before Jesus was born, that He fulfilled perfectly. Here are just a few examples:

Handout

Total of about 2500 biblical prophecies - 90% have been fulfilled - We will have to wait for the other 10%

Slide - fulfilled Prophecies - https://assets.answersingenesis.org/doc/articles/am/v6/n2/fulfilled-messianic-prophecies.pdf

If there is good evidence for the date of those writings (and there is plenty), and if there is good evidence of Jesus’ life (and there is), then we must admit there is something absolutely supernatural going on in the Bible!

5. The Bible is Consistent and Unified

“The Bible was written by more than 40 very different authors, including kings and servants, tax collectors and rabbis, fishermen and farmers, who wrote over a period of 1,000 years. The various books of the Bible were composed on three continents -- Africa, Asia, and Europe -- from very different places like prisons, battlefields, palaces, and the wilderness.

Despite this vast amount of diversity, the Bible reads like one cohesive story, with tremendous unity and consistency throughout its pages. It is the story of a holy and sovereign God’s magnificent creation, humankind’s tragic fall, God’s rescue plan through Jesus Christ, and the full redemption in His eternal Kingdom, offered to all who turn from sin and trust in Christ.”

6. The Bible is Scientifically Accurate

Video - Top Ten Scientific Facts of the Bible

7. The Bible Contains no Genuine Contradictions

Illuss.: Imagine a murder - the eyewitness accounts will vary - stories will change - This isn’t the case with Scripture

8. Written By Eyewitnesses

Going to dive in this further later but we when look at the gospels we know these were written early -

Lee Strobel story - Realized that when the NT did not mention the fall of Jerusalem in 70AD

9. The Only Book with the Answers to Lives Major Questions

Three major questions:

Where did we come from?

What are we here for?

Where are we going?

10. The Bible Has Transformed Lives

It is through this book that lives have been changed