MBBC2012

Why I Believe the BibleTo Be True

Introduction

Why I Believe the BibleTo Be True

1. The Bible claims it is God’s Word.

2Timothy 3:16, 17

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

Inspiration– from the Greek compound word “theopneustos” which means “God-breathed”

God breathed out His words over a period of about 1,500 years to approximately 40 especially chosen and prepared men of God who wrote them down to give us the Word of God.

God is the Author of the Bible

The Inspiration of the Bible

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

2 Peter 1: 20, 21

Plenary means ‘full’.The full bible is inspired or that

every word is breathed out by God“All [plenary] scripture [verbal] is

given by inspiration of God [God-breathed]” – 2 Tim 3:16

The most important truth of all is that we got our Bible through ‘plenary verbal inspiration’.

Plenary Verbal Inspiration

God set apart a special group of men to write the 66 books of the Bible. “holy men of God” – 2 Peter 1:21

Holy means ‘sanctified’ or ‘set apart’

Before the foundation of the world, God set apart these men and prepared them to write the Bible, long before they were born.

How did God write the Bible

God used and transcend the personalities of these 40 different men, including their backgrounds.

Some of these men were leaders, musicians, teachers, fishermen, lawyers, preachers, etc.

Men of different languages, occupations, educational attainments, vocabulary and writing styles.

How did God write the Bible

The original writings or manuscripts are the inspired Word of God. Those original manuscripts no longer exist.

God promises to preserve His Word.Psalm 119:89 “For ever, O Lord, thy

word is settled in heaven.”We have the preserved text via the

‘textus receptus’ or the ‘received text’

Inspiration and Preservation

The KJV is the English translation that comes from the ‘textus receptus’

It accurately and adequately reflect the ‘textus receptus’ which is the historically used text of the early Churches, over 1800 years of church history

We have the preserved text in KJV

Critical textsVaticanusAlexandrianusSinaiticus

Contains erasures, many changes, and errors

English Standard Version (ESV) – the best translation of the wrong ‘critical’ text.

Other versions are based on ‘critical texts’

Matthew 17:21; 18:1; 23:14Mark 7:16; 9:44; 9:46; 11:26; 15:28Luke 17:36; 23:17John 5:4Act 8:37 “And Philip said, If thou believest

with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

Acts 20:29Romans 16:24And more…

Verses not found on other versions

Accurately represents word for word the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts

Honest translation; added italized words to make good English sense of the Hebrew and Greek texts

If no italized words, not a faithful translation

King James Version – 400 years of faithful translation

2. The Bible is attested to be true by historians.

The Eyewitness testimonies:Matthew, Mark, Luke and John All of these people either knew Jesus

personally (Matthew, John) or knew someone who do (Mark-Peter, Luke-Paul) – First-hand information

Are they reliable eyewitnesses ?

.

Mark: around 70 A.D. Matthew: around 80 A.D.Luke: around 80 A.D.John: around 90 A.D.?

.

The 4 gospels were written very early after Jesus’ death and resurrection:

The Supporting testimonies: Jewish and Roman historians

confirm many details about events in the Bible

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Corroborating testimonies

Jewish Historian Josephus (100 AD) on Jesus:Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man…He

drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles…. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross…

In Antiquities, Book 18 , Chapter 3 A neutral party confirms:

Jesus lived (as historical as George Washington !)Pilate lived

Jesus was crucified Clearly, Jesephus does not accept that Jesus is the Christ

(who was called Christ) Josephus does confirm that:

Jesus existed

Flavius Josephus

JESUS PUT TO DEATH BY PONTIUS PILATE (Tacitus)

Cornelius Tacitus, (born around 52-55 A.D.) became a senator in the Roman government under Emperor Vespasian. In 112-3 A.D., Tacitus was the proconsul (governor) of Asia.

Annals, Book XVAccordingly, an arrest was first made of all who

pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired.

Tacitus on Christians

Tacitus was a Roman Historian – he is neutral (not Jew, not Christian). His testimony is as unbiased as you can get

Tacitus testified that a multitude of Christians would die a cruel death for their faith – these Christians included Peter, Paul and other disciples of Jesus

Tacitus hinted at the miracle of Jesus’ resurrection:He called it a most mischievous

superstition…

Importance of Tacitus’ testimony

Tacitus timeline

3. The Material evidence.

Archaeological evidence .

Unlike many other religious books, the Bible is a narrative in a historical setting

It talks about historical places and historical persons

Many of the historical places and people mentioned in the Bible have been checked out by archeology

The places and the people in the Bible are just as real as Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar and other well known historical things

In fact, we have more accurate historical information on Jesus’ life and deeds than on Julius Caesar !

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Bible and Archeology

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Biblical People found by Archaeology

Luke 3:1 And in the fifteenth year of the government of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch…

In 1877, an inscription was found near Paphos, bearing Sergius Paulus's name and title of proconsul.

Act 13:6-7 And when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain conjurer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-jesus; who was with the proconsul of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man.

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Biblical Places found by Archaeology

John 5:1-15 mentions that Jesus heals a man at the Pool of Bethesda.

John gave the precise location and a description of the pool as having 5 porticoes (pillars):

In the 19th century, archaeologists discovered the remains of a pool exactly matching the description in John's Gospel

.

Biblical Places found by Archaeology

John 9:7 mentions another long disputed site: the Pool of Siloam near the Temple in Jerusalem

This pool was also discovered in 1897

Stones confirming Biblical events

That crucifixion was used by Romans in Jesus’ time to execute criminals

Skeptics once had doubted that crucifixion was ever used – they deemed it too cruel.

They found these remains in a ossuary (Jewish burial box)

dated around 100 A.D.:

The Dead Sea ScrollsEvidence of careful copying of the Bible

Before the discovery of the Dead Sea scrolls, the earliest copy of the Book of Isaiah was from around 980 A.D.

In 1947, a Dead Sea scroll was discovered that contained the entire book of Isaiah dated around 250 B.C. (over 1000 years earlier)

The content of the scrolls are virtually identical – except for a few copy errors

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Noah's Ark found. Great Evidence.

At 7,000 feet, in the midst of crevasses and landslide debris, the explorers found a clear, grassy area shaped like a ship and rimmed with steep, packed-earth sides. Its dimensions are close to those given in Genesis: 'The length of the ark shall be 300 cubits, the breadth of it 50 cubits, and the height of it 30 cubits,' that is, 450x75x45 feet. A quick two-day survey was made. A scientist in the group says "a ship-like object that has almost unbroken symmetry." ~Life Magazine 1960

4. The Bible is attested by great men of all

ages.

“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.”

US President George Washington

“But for this Book we could not know right from wrong. I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man.”

US President Abraham Lincoln (16th)

“In the highest sense the Bible is to us the unique repository of eternal spiritual truths.”

US President Dwight Eisenhower (34th)

“We rest with assurance upon the impregnable rock of Holy Scriptures.”

World Leaders - Winston Churchill

“We account the Scriptures of God to be the most sublime philosophy. I find more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history whatsoever.”

Scientists - Sir Isaac Newton

“Why will people go astray when they have this blessed Book to guide them?”

Scientists - Michael Faraday

“I believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the will and the Word of God.”

Daniel Webster

“Young men, my advice to you is that you cultivate an acquaintance with, and a firm belief in, the Holy Scriptures.”

Benjamin Franklin

“The Bible is the cornerstone of liberty… I have always said, I always will say, that the studious perusal of the Sacred volume will make better citizens, better fathers, and better husbands.”

Thomas Jefferson

“Everyone who has a thorough knowledge of the Bible may truly be called educated… I believe knowledge of the Bible without a college course is more valuable than a college course without the Bible.”

William Lyon Phelps

“No other book in the world has had such a strange vitality, such an outgoing power of influence and inspiration… No man is poor or desolate who has this treasure for his own.”

Henry Van Dyke

5. The Bible changes lives.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. .”

2 Corinthians 5:17

People have been rescued from the darkest, most hopeless situations when they have put their trust in Jesus. Some people try to downplay the power Jesus has to change lives by saying;

"It seems that only people in desperate situations turn to God.“

Many lives changed!

-drugs, depression - atheist believes

-a life of violence -etc.

-a homosexual or lesbian lifestyle

-suicidal thoughts

-the effects of abuse

-searching for meaning, etc.

People have been rescued from:

“Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”

Lord Jesus Christ

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Romans 10:17

Isaiah 64: 6

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Romans 3: 10, 11

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

Romans 3: 20, 23

Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no, flesh be justified in his sight:, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Romans 5: 8

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Isaiah 1: 18

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Sinner’s Prayer

Lord Jesus, be merciful to me, a sinner. I know I am lost and bound for hell. I repent of all my sins, and humbly come to you, asking that you forgive me of my sins and requesting you to come into my heart and life. I accept you as my personal Savior and Lord, from this day onward. Thank you for the gift of eternal life. Amen.

Assurances

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Assurances

John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Assurances

John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

Assurances

1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Assurances

1John 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

1John 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life: and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

Assurances

1John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Book of books!