How do we know that we can trust the Bible?
This is a very common question raised in debate against the Scriptures. How do we even know that what we read is the actual truth? Is this Book really the very Word of God? The answer is yes, and for a good number of reasons and proofs that back this claim. Let me break it down:
The Bible has survived the test of time, and not once does it contradict itself throughout; even though the Bible is made of 66 books, was penned by 40 different authors, in several different languages, and spanned throughout a hundreds of years prior to the next book that follows. In the end, totaling a grand sum of 1,500 years of inerrant dictation.
The theme of the Old Testament is the history of God's plan for the redemption of man through the promised Messiah. Continuously, the coming of the Christ was foretold and prophesied in the Old Testament by its authors. In the new Testament, each one of these prophecies were fulfilled.
For example:
--His virgin birth. Old Testament reference: Isa. 7:14. New Testament fulfillment: Matt. 1:20; Luke 1:30-35.
--His birthplace in Bethlehem. Old Testament reference: Mic. 5:2. New Testament fulfillment: Luke 2:4-7.
--His Triumphal Entry. Old Testament reference: Zech. 9:9-10. New Testament fulfillment: John 12:12-19.
--His side pierced at Calvary. Old Testament reference: Zech. 12:10. New Testament fulfillment: John 19:34.
--Darkness at His crucifixtion. Old Testament reference: Psa. 22:2. New Testament fulfillment: 27:45.
--Christ's Resurrection. Old Testament reference: Psa. 16:10; Hos. 6:2. New Testament fulfillment: Luke 24:1-7.
--Christ's Ascension. Old Testament reference: Psa. 110:1; Psa. 24:3-10. New Testament fulfillment: Acts 1:8-11.
...And that's just to name a few.
Dictation vs. mechanical dictation
The Holy Spirit gave each of the Bible's human authors His inspired, God-breathed words. They wrote down those exact words. Think of it this way, when a secretary writes down the exact words spoken by her boss, this process is called dictation. So that word is best used to describe God giving His word.
Many religious librals deny the divine verbal inspiration of the Bible. They have constructed an artificial straw man theory and called it "mechanical dictation." Ever heard of the that? Well, the defination of their "mechanical dictation" theory is that the writer was turned into a nonthinking puppet, or a machine. But no intelligent individual who defends inspiration has ever believed or taught the theory when referring to the Bible, so mechanical dictation is a misnomer. If God wished to have his words penned, He could just as easily have them suddenly appear there on the paper, He wouldn't need to use a human author if He didn't want to.
"But He answered and said, 'It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" Matthew 4:4 (Luke 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3) (NKJV)
God said to Isaiah and Jeremiah,
"And I have put My words in your mouth;
I have covered you with the shadow of My hand,
That I may plant the heavens,
Lay the foundations of the earth,
And say to Zion, ‘You are My people.'" Isaiah 51:16; Jeremiah 1:9 (NKJV)
David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,
"'The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me,
And His word was on my tongue...'" 2 Samuel 23:2 (NKJV)
God said to Ezekiel,
"Then He said to me: 'Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them.'" Ezekiel 3:4 (NKJV)
"The Church has never held what has been stigmatized as the mechanical theory of inspiration. The sacred writers were not machines. Their self-consciousness was not suspended; nor were their intellectual powers superseded. Holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
--Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology
"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 complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17. (NKJV)
"For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled." Matthew 5:18 (NKJV)
The Bible is supernatural in origin, divine in authorship, human in penmanship, infallible in authority, inifite in scope, universal in interest, eternal in duration, and personal in application.
This is a very common question raised in debate against the Scriptures. How do we even know that what we read is the actual truth? Is this Book really the very Word of God? The answer is yes, and for a good number of reasons and proofs that back this claim. Let me break it down:
The Bible has survived the test of time, and not once does it contradict itself throughout; even though the Bible is made of 66 books, was penned by 40 different authors, in several different languages, and spanned throughout a hundreds of years prior to the next book that follows. In the end, totaling a grand sum of 1,500 years of inerrant dictation.
The theme of the Old Testament is the history of God's plan for the redemption of man through the promised Messiah. Continuously, the coming of the Christ was foretold and prophesied in the Old Testament by its authors. In the new Testament, each one of these prophecies were fulfilled.
For example:
--His virgin birth. Old Testament reference: Isa. 7:14. New Testament fulfillment: Matt. 1:20; Luke 1:30-35.
--His birthplace in Bethlehem. Old Testament reference: Mic. 5:2. New Testament fulfillment: Luke 2:4-7.
--His Triumphal Entry. Old Testament reference: Zech. 9:9-10. New Testament fulfillment: John 12:12-19.
--His side pierced at Calvary. Old Testament reference: Zech. 12:10. New Testament fulfillment: John 19:34.
--Darkness at His crucifixtion. Old Testament reference: Psa. 22:2. New Testament fulfillment: 27:45.
--Christ's Resurrection. Old Testament reference: Psa. 16:10; Hos. 6:2. New Testament fulfillment: Luke 24:1-7.
--Christ's Ascension. Old Testament reference: Psa. 110:1; Psa. 24:3-10. New Testament fulfillment: Acts 1:8-11.
...And that's just to name a few.
Dictation vs. mechanical dictation
The Holy Spirit gave each of the Bible's human authors His inspired, God-breathed words. They wrote down those exact words. Think of it this way, when a secretary writes down the exact words spoken by her boss, this process is called dictation. So that word is best used to describe God giving His word.
Many religious librals deny the divine verbal inspiration of the Bible. They have constructed an artificial straw man theory and called it "mechanical dictation." Ever heard of the that? Well, the defination of their "mechanical dictation" theory is that the writer was turned into a nonthinking puppet, or a machine. But no intelligent individual who defends inspiration has ever believed or taught the theory when referring to the Bible, so mechanical dictation is a misnomer. If God wished to have his words penned, He could just as easily have them suddenly appear there on the paper, He wouldn't need to use a human author if He didn't want to.
"But He answered and said, 'It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" Matthew 4:4 (Luke 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3) (NKJV)
God said to Isaiah and Jeremiah,
"And I have put My words in your mouth;
I have covered you with the shadow of My hand,
That I may plant the heavens,
Lay the foundations of the earth,
And say to Zion, ‘You are My people.'" Isaiah 51:16; Jeremiah 1:9 (NKJV)
David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,
"'The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me,
And His word was on my tongue...'" 2 Samuel 23:2 (NKJV)
God said to Ezekiel,
"Then He said to me: 'Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them.'" Ezekiel 3:4 (NKJV)
"The Church has never held what has been stigmatized as the mechanical theory of inspiration. The sacred writers were not machines. Their self-consciousness was not suspended; nor were their intellectual powers superseded. Holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
--Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology
"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 complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17. (NKJV)
"For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled." Matthew 5:18 (NKJV)
The Bible is supernatural in origin, divine in authorship, human in penmanship, infallible in authority, inifite in scope, universal in interest, eternal in duration, and personal in application.
