Christian Evidences - C.D. #3 - The Trustworthiness of the Bible

The Trustworthiness of the Bible

(Vindicated by Faith, Reason, History and Archaeology)

C.D. #3

“Paul and Reliability of the New Testament Documents”

Romans 10:17, “Consequently, FAITH comes from HEARING the message and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”

Christian religion is based on faith. The message is about Christ and the message is from Christ. The Christian religion is based off solid evidence.

Acts 7:54-8:3, “When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’ At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices; they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he fell on his knees and cried out, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he fell asleep. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.”

Saul was his Hebrew name and Paul was his Greek name, but it was the same person. He would later become an apostle of Jesus Christ.

Acts 9:1-31, (Luke’s account on the conversion of Saul.)

Galatians 1:11-24, (Paul called by God) “I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ……”

Saul/Paul was the #1 enemy of Christianity was converted to Christianity. The Lord Jesus converted Paul into Christianity. What was it about Jesus that converted Saul/Paul into Christianity? 1st Corinthians 15:1-4, (the earliest account of the gospel, called the Kerugma, which means the message). The “Kerugma” or the gospel message is the basis of our faith. Verse 2 of 1st Corinthians states, “By this gospel you are saved, IF you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 1st Corinthians 1:21, “For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.”

1st Corinthians 15:1-5, (1-2) Keep the faith and stand in it (once we’ve received it). Salvation is continual. We are continually being saved. By this gospel you are saved is passive. This means that God is doing the saving. That’s why the Scripture says we are being saved. We aren’t saving ourselves. There’s nothing we did to earn our salvation. (3) Christ died for our sins. That’s why we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. It’s to remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross (crucifixion). (4) Jesus Christ was buried indicating that he was dead. And since the 3rd day of his resurrection, he is alive according to Scriptures. This took place in the past and the results are still continuing now. Christianity without a resurrected Christ isn’t Christianity at all. (5) Paul is writing as a historian by mentioning these eyewitnesses of the resurrected Christ (Paul himself testifies to being an eyewitness of the resurrected Christ, 1st Corinthians 9:1). When this book was written by Paul most of the eyewitnesses were still alive.

Paul and the written word

The word of God is the source of our faith. If you aren’t reading the Bible, your faith will get weak.

John 20:30-31, “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Acts 18:8, “Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who HEARD him believed and were baptized.”

The Old and New Testament are regarded as Scripture inspired by God:

1st Timothy 5:18, “For the Scripture says, ‘Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain, (Deuteronomy 25:4)’ and ‘The worker deserves his wages (Luke 10:7).’”

Paul and the Reliability of the New Testament Documents

Books written by Paul (these aren’t all the books written by Paul):

Romans, 1st & 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, Philemon and 1st Thessalonians are respected by religious scholars.

The same way Paul wrote in the past is the same understanding given to us now!!!!

Archaeologists have found writings of Paul dating back to 125-150 A.D. The manuscript (on papyri) is called the P46. It’s not the original copy, but a copy of a copy. It contains all of Paul’s letters.

Acts 19:28-29, (There are pictures of the ruins of this theatre and statues of the Great Artemis of the Ephesisans)

Acts 21:28-30, (There are pictures of the actual stone with the inscription of the Gentiles not allowed into the Temple. This was found in Jerusalem)