How Do We Know the Bible is the Word of God?
Let's start with a simple assumption: God exists. "In the beginning God...." If there is no God, there is no Word of God. Fair enough? Let's define, as much as possible, God. If there is a God, (or Gods), what is He (or They) like? If one ponders the thought of God, as many people down through history have done, one may come to realize we can't know or can't come to know for a certainty about God if relying upon our own (man's) knowledge. Nothing man can do on his own can came to an accurate knowledge of God. That is why man has come up with a myraid of beliefs concerning God.
There is monotheism, polytheism, pantheism and agnosticism - the belief that it is impossible to know that God exists. There is atheism, a belief that insists there is no God. With all these and many other conflicting beliefs, how does one come to know if there is indeed a God?
If one believes God created the universe, and many believe He did, we can ascertain from creation certain facts about God, such as He is powerful, intelligent, imaginative, appreciates beauty, etc. But from creation we can not know with certainty God's character - whether the Creator is good or evil, caring or selfish, loving or hateful. He would have to communicate with us what He is thinking or do something that we could observe in order for us to know what kind of character God exhibits.
If God exists, and for the purpose of this discussion, we assume He does, He must communicate with man regarding Himself if man is to discover God's nature.
That brings us back to the Word of God.
If God did communicate to man through a book such as the Bible, we would expect certain things about that book to be true.
* It would be like no other book, i.e. it would be unique
* It would reveal God and depict man accurately
* It would be accurate with no contradictions. Truth does not contradict itself.
* It would be enduring - through time, persecution and criticism.
* It would be substantiated by external evidence.
The Bible is all of this and more. Evidence
The evidence that the Bible is the Word of God consists of two types, internal and external.
The internal evidence.
The Bible's uniqueness:
Written by 40 different authors from all walks of life, over a at least a 1500 year time span, with 66 chapters and yet one single theme - The Lord Jesus Christ and HIs redemption of mankind.
The Bible's 4o different authors were from all walks of life. For example Moses – political leader, educated in Pharaoh's palace; Joshua – general; Solomon – wealthy and wise king; Amos – shepherd; Nehemiah – cup-bearer; Daniel – King Nebachadnezzar's highest officer; Luke – physician; Matthew – tax-collector; Paul - tentmaker; Peter and John - fishermen.
[still under construction]
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