Sometimes we ask this question in very trying seasons of our own journey as we read the Bible sometimes, we ask this question to defend the Word of God to unbelievers. Let’s start with reading:
1 Corinthians 2 v 14
“The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God for they are folly to Him and HE is not able to understand them for they are spiritually discerned.”
By nature, our eyes are blind to God, our ears are deaf to God our hearts are indifferent or even in opposition to God.
For someone who is saved and thereby the Holy Spirit dwells within them, the Holy Spirit enlightens the Scripture to Us. He enables us see God in His word. When we read the 2 Timothy 3 v 16 – “All Scripture is God breathed”, we can believe it because the Spirit helps us to do so.
So when the Scripture, reveals that it is God’s word., it is so for the believer.
When Jesus was in the temple teaching, many Jews marveled at his words and wondered how reliable and wonderful were the words of this man who had never studied. Jesus responds to them in John 7 v 16,17 – “IF anyone’s will is to do God’s will, HE will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority”. Meaning the cirpture will authenticate itself as the Word of God to the one who is genuinely seeking God.
This may seem to the unbeliever circular reasoning. It may seem that Christians hold on to this fallacy that the Bible is the true Word of God because the Bible says it is the true word of God. That reasoning that seems so authoritative and sufficient to the believer appears to be lacking to the unbeliever. One must have the Spiritual discernment that is a gift of the Holy Spirit who dwells in a surrendered heart.
Does this mean that the Bible does not stand up to the authentication standards applied by the World? Absolutely not. Of all ancient literature, the Bible stands the most verifiable source of truth thus far.
I am by no means an expert in this field but I would love to share a few points with the listeners, believers and those who are yet to believe, in defense of the Bible that is often overlooked as a mythical or fictional piece of work. I hope to point out that the Bible defends itself most sufficiently not just in theory but also in verifiable historical, scientific and experiential facts.
First let’s consider the Bible itself. Written by over 40 authors, over a period 1500 years, in three different languages, Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic, in three different continents- Asia, Europe and Africa – In the over 3 million words in the Bible there is absolutely no meaning-altering contradictions. How magnificent a fact is that! How on earth could this Bible have been pulled off if not by the breath of God alone.
Second, lets consider, the historical validity. For years, archaeologists and historians have made repeated discoveries that confirm Biblical accounts. So much so to the point that now the Bible is considered an essential guide to History. So, it stands up to the test of tuthful historical representation.
Third, consider its scientific ingenuity! Hundreds of years before scientists understood the water cycle of Earth – the Bible records it in details in Job 36 v 27,28 and Ecc 1 v 6,7
Fourth, The Bible has unique predictive power. Over 1/4th of the Bible is prophetic and to date we have seen 2/3rds of these prophecies come to pass. The Bible has proved itself reliable and in possession of knowledge beyond human capacities.
There is also much study done on the number of manuscripts available, the reliability of the copies of the manuscripts we have compared to any other ancient literature. It is by far the most copied book of all ancient literature.
So, the Bible, whether you are seeking internal evidence or solid external, empirical evidence proves itself worthy on all accounts.
1 Corithians 2 v 7 reads, “The wisdom we speak of is the wisdom of God, which was hidden in former times, though He made it for our benefit before the Word began.
How amazing that in this Book, that God always intended to leave us, are truthful words of divine inspiration and revelation!
Pick Up Your Bible 