Can We Trust the Bible?

We have all, at one time or another, read or heard stories from the Bible. A great number of people view these stories as they would fairy tales or fables. This is probably because they have only been exposed to the types of Bible stories that appear in children's books and Sunday School classes.

Some people say they believe certain parts of the Bible, but most of it is just too far fetched to have really happened. They choose only the passages that suit them or make them feel good about themselves and quickly dismiss the rest as symbolic or fictional. There is yet another group of people who believe every word of the Bible is inspired by God Himself and the events recorded within are historically accurate. These people have committed themselves to studying the Scriptures and have devoted their lives to following God and His teachings. Why have so many people from so many different parts of the world placed their trust in what the Bible has to say?

A good place to start is to examine what the Bible says about itself. "All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16,17). According to this passage, the men who penned the books contained in the Bible received the words directly from the mouth of God. Also suggested here are several things for which God intends us to use His words. For many people, this alone is not enough evidence to convince them of the Bible's reliability. People tend to be skeptical by nature and usually need something more tangible to prompt them to buy into something. They need something they can actually see or touch.

Historical accuracy is becoming more useful as a way of proving the reliability of the Bible. For centuries, the accounts given in the Scriptures were considered mythical tales fabricated by man to make a point. Modern archaeology has changed that by bringing to life many of the people and places in the Bible. Recently, there has been more and more of these finds making their way into the headlines. Many secular (non-Christian) archaeologists now concede that no archaeological find has ever disproved any reference made in the Bible. Instead, they continue to confirm the accuracy of many accounts given in the Old and New Testaments. Josephus, a non-Christian historian in the first century, also confirms many New Testament accounts with his writings. In this age of information, it is becoming increasingly difficult to dispute the evidence that these people and places really did exist.

There are also numerous scientific facts that were recorded in the Scriptures long before man discovered them on his own. The shape of the earth is clearly depicted in the book of Isaiah. "It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,..." (Isaiah 40:22). There is also the mention of underwater currents in the seas. "...And the fish of the sea That pass through the paths of the seas" (Psalm 8:8). It took man centuries to discover these and many other facts after they were already written in the Scriptures.

Prophetic evidence is another means of proving the validity of the Bible. A prophecy is a prediction of future events. The Bible is filled with prophecies concerning many different things. Some are about people, some have to do with various nations (particularly Israel), and some deal with end times events. God chose certain men as His spokesmen and gave them the words He wanted His people to hear. These are the men we know as the prophets. "For prophecy never had it's origins in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21). The fulfillments of many of these prophecies are recorded in the Scriptures. The most amazing prophecies are the ones that speak of God's deliverer that He would send to free His people from the bondage of sin and death. There are hundreds of allusions to this person, also known as the Messiah (Anointed One), in the Old Testament alone.

The first four books of the New Testament are known as the Gospels, and they are eyewitness accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. A study of these writings reveals that Jesus fulfilled many of the Messianic prophecies during His time here on earth. In fact, He often pointed out to His followers that He was fulfilling prophecy while He was doing it. Some of these prophecies have to do with yet future events, but Jesus promised one day He would return to fulfill all prophecy.

Another reason to believe the Bible is authentic is the fact that it has survived more attempts to attack and destroy it than any book in history and it still thrives today. Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away" (Mark 13:31). The prophet Isaiah wrote, "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever" (Isaiah 40:8). According to these passages, God wants to make it clear that no attempt to destroy or discredit the Bible will ever be successful. There are accounts of many people who have made careers out of trying to disprove the Scriptures but instead they ended up becoming followers of Christ. Even when they studied the Bible with the intent of finding error with it, ultimately God revealed to them it's undeniable truths. At that point not believing didn't make sense anymore.

The Bible is unique in that it consists of sixty - six books penned by forty different men from all walks of life over a span of nearly fifteen hundred years, yet it all fits together to present God's message in a clear way. It has transformed millions of lives. It has freed people from addictions. It has reformed some of the most hardened criminals. It has also laid out God's plan from the beginning until the end of time. After considering the evidence, it becomes clear that the Bible is exactly what it says it is. The Word of God.