Tuesday, October 15, 2013

The Bible and Its Reliability

I'd like to share what a pastor friend of mine, Joey Rogers of Means, KY, shared in the way of how amazing and reliable Scripture is:           

              
                     


First, you have a religious text unlike any other book. A collection of 66 books with approximately 40 authors written over approximately a 1600 year period of time, and yet you have perfect agreement and continuity. You can't find any two authors of any religious persuasion that can agree in continuity on anything!
Second, you have an incredible accuracy as far as historical claims are concerned. Archeology and other extra-Biblical records show the people, places, and events recorded in the Bible were real historical people, places, and events. No other religious text can hold this claim with such precision and accuracy.
Third, you have the prophetic uniqueness of Biblical text. The Dead Sea Scrolls were a unique discovery showing us the reality of Old Testament manuscripts. In Daniel you have a perfect description of a coming leader, a young man who will die young after conquering the known world. He will leave his Kingdom to four warriors, and they will divide it into four parts. This is a perfect description of Alexander the Great and his four generals, and it was written hundreds of years before him. The prophet Zepheniah described the crucifixion of Christ, again hundreds of years before crucifixion was dreamed of. Isaiah perfectly described the life, ministry, events, and death of Christ Jesus hundreds of years before many of these possibilities existed. These prophecies did not come in vague mysterious random visions that could be interpreted a million ways. They came with clear attention to the most minute detail. The odds of even a tenth of them being accurate are impossible for human scientists to calculate... ALL of them were perfectly accurate!
Fourth, the philosophical difficulties we face in our own existence and purpose are only properly answered by scripture. Atheist after atheist has been recorded as saying the Biblical text can be argued against in it's description of the human condition. The claims made in scripture about mankind are true and reliable.
Fifth, the Gospel records were public record. There were thousands present at each recorded incident in the New Testament Gospels who could have easily written in length to discredit Jesus. Problem: secular authors in early AD history wrote to add credit to the Person of Christ and His miracles.
Sixth, the Bible and the Bible alone presents a unique perspective on the salvation of human souls. Every other religion in the world is based upon the idea of human achievement. What you achieve morally determines where you spend eternity. Yet, the scripture speaks of Divine Accomplishment, in that Christ Jesus accomplished on your behalf what you could never accomplish. He lived your perfect life for you, and He died in your stead the death you deserved. No other religion can make that claim.
Eighth, the Person and works of Jesus Christ. His claims are true. His life was a reality. His works are attested even in secular writings. What He did for us... Unimaginable.


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