Is the Bible God’s Word?
Is the Bible God’s Word? Yes!
2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Hebrews 4:12; Romans 15:4; Matthew 4:4
How do we know the Bible is God’s Word?
1. It claims to be the very words of God.
Of course this doesn’t make it God’s Word but it does put it into a unique category that must be reckoned with. If not, then it is a false document that is seriously misleading people.
a. Direct speech from God.
Gen. 2:15-18
b. Written words from God.
Ex. 20
c. God’s Word given by people.
Jer. 30:4-24
d. Vision and dreams from God being recorded.
Rev. 4
e. God directing the words that people wrote.
2 Pe. 1:21
2. It is historically and archeologically accurate.
Over the years you would have people say “the bible is not accurate because we have never found the Hittites … and then they do a dig and find evidence. This has happened many times.
Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 found a much more complete copy of Isa. And it was 95% identical to ours.
3. It has never been disproven.
In other words, it has never been shown to be unreliable in any sense. Nor has it ever been shown to be historically inaccurate. So, taken with point one you have something that claims to be written by the hand of God through humans, and it has not been proven to in any way be false. Again, this doesn’t prove it is God’s Word but it builds a case for its reliability.
If it were merely a book by man, you would expect to see some mistakes or inaccuracies.
4. Jesus affirmed the sacredness of the Old Testament.
Mt. 5:17; Lu. 24:44; Mt. 12:40
Should we not want to have the same view of the OT as Jesus did? He believed the stories were literal historical fact, even creationism
5. The New Testament writers affirm the sacredness of the Old Testament and other New Testament writers.
2 Pe. 1:21; 2 Pe. 3:2, 15-16
1 Tim. 5:18 (1st part quotes Dt. 25:4 and 2nd part quotes Lu. 10:7)
1 Cor. 14:37 Paul claims to speak for God
6. It has a unique unity despite enormous diversity.
66 books were written over a 1500 year span, by over 40 different writers from various situations in life, in 3 languages on 3 continents… on a variety of different subjects and controversial topics and yet one central message and that is redemption and salvation in Jesus Christ.
Luke 24:44
7. It supernaturally predicts the future with accuracy.
The bible is the only book written by the creator of the universe for His creation. If you did this and wanted to prove it, what better way than to predict the future well in advance and have it all come true? That is what God did with prophecies.
a. Fulfilled prophecies about Jesus.
Isa. 53 written in 700 BC
Isa. 7:14; Isa. 9:6
Ps. 22 in 1000 BC before crucifixion
b. Fulfilled prophecies in our day.
Mt. 24
8. It includes divine insight into science and life. Lev. 6:28; Dt. 23:12-13; Mt. 5-7
9. It has been preserved over time despite many attempts to destroy it. Hebr. 1:1-2
10. It has changed countless lives over the years! 2 Tim. 3:16
The world is filled with testimonies of people whose lives have been changed by this Book: addicts set free, marriages healed, sinners saved, homes restored, businesses guided by this book, etc.
The best way to know this Book as God’s Word is to experience its power for yourself.
Never forget that the written word is always designed to point us to the Living Word, Jesus. Lu. 24:44; Jn. 5:39; Hebr. 1:1-2
The Bible is the infallible and inerrant Word of God!