Monday, September 27, 2010

The bible and why we can trust it

The Bible exists among us as one book. Yet it is in fact it is made up of sixty-six books, written by forty authors. Its compilation extended from the days of Moses (1400 BC) to the days of the apostle John (end of 1st Century AD); a period of 1,500 years. Its narrative extends from the creation, and extends through history right up to the present day; then goes further and tells what will happen to man and his world in the future.

The Bible maintains one view of human nature from beginning to end:  Man is not only mortal, a creature destined to die after a period of years, but he is morally weak as well. Endowed with the most remarkable powers of intelligence and reason, conscience and will, he is also subject to the pressures of his own desires to please himself. He is constantly under pressure to be self-indulgent, covetous, and above all to defend his own pride. Knowing what he ought to do, he so often fails to do it. In the terms of the Bible, even when men know the will of God, in general they prefer to do their own will instead.

The bible details the birth of a people: The nation of Israel.  A people called by God to follow Him, yet who failed time and time again to live up to God’s calling.  The portrait of the nation which emerges is that of a people constantly abandoning the true worship of their God and adopting the corrupt idolatrous practices of their pagan neighbors, with the inevitable immorality. The writings of the prophets without exception contain substantial passages exposing Israel’s failure to obey their God, and prophesying the judgments which would come upon them, if they did not mend their ways. Those judgments were fulfilled in successive invasions by surrounding nations.

The bible clearly speaks of a coming Messiah to the nation of Israel; then fulfills that prophecy through the account of the birth, ministry, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The bible devotes significant room to the exhortation of the New Testament Christian, through the writings of Luke, the Apostle Paul, James, Peter, Jude, and John.

Finally the bible spells out in vivid detail what will come to the present age: The rise of a world power, lead by none other than Satan and the Anti-Christ, who will be defeated at the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who will then establish His Kingdom here on earth.

There is no other book in the world which has such a range and scope as this.

The question is, where did it come from? Judging by the evidence of the past, no man nor any human authority could have thought out this view, nor would they have been able to maintain it over a period of many centuries. The one explanation that remains is that the bible is truly the Word of God, given to us through the hand of man.

For, “All men are like grass,and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you. 1 Peter 1:24-25

Join us Sunday for “The bible, and why I can trust it”
Pastor Clay

No comments: