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The Bible is a book different from any other book. It was
written over a span of 1500 years (over 40 generations), by more than 40 authors
from various walks of life and with various experiences. It was written on 3
continents, in 3 languages and has been meticulously copied, translated and
circulated more than any other book. Archaeological evidence supports it. Much
of the Bible is comprised of eyewitness accounts. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John (who
wrote the biographies of Jesus), Paul, Peter (whose writings also contribute to
the New Testament) and others were willing to die for what they had seen and
knew to be true.
With so many people contributing to the Bible over such a period
of time, in a variety of circumstances and cultures, wouldn’t you think that
there would be major discrepancies in its content and meaning– especially when
dealing with "controversial" subjects, including the nature and will
of God? Such discrepancies simply do not exist in the Bible.
Referring to the New
Testament, Eugene H. Peterson writes:
"Three kinds of writing-- eyewitness stories,
personal letters, and a visionary poem-- make up the book. In the
course of this writing and reading, collecting and arranging, with no
one apparently in charge, the early Christians, whose lives were being
changed and shaped by what they were reading, arrived at the conviction
that there was, in fact, someone in charge-- God's Holy Spirit was
behind and in it all. In retrospect, they could see that it was
not at all random or haphazard, that every word worked with every other
word, and that all the separate documents worked in intricate
harmony. There was nothing accidental in any of this, nothing
merely circumstantial. They were bold to call what had been
written "God's Word," and trusted their lives to it.
They accepted its authority over their lives. Most of its readers
since have been similarly convinced." (The Message, ©
1993, 1994, 1995 by Eugene H. Peterson)
When people begin
to take a serious look at the Bible, they find a book marked by accuracy and
consistency. In fact, many seekers find more than a book– they find a reliable
voice of authority, revealing God and the answers to life’s ultimate
questions, such as: Why am I
here? What is the purpose of my life?
It sheds light on human nature and human suffering.
Most importantly, it clearly reveals the way to
God. The
Bible is all about God, in love and mercy, revealing Himself to humankind. This
is because God directly inspired the words that His spokespersons wrote down. In
other words, His Spirit instructed them on what to write. God has spoken to us
through the Bible.
We have all heard skeptics who ridicule the Bible. But even from
among the most hardcore skeptics, people who take up a serious investigation of
all the evidence find that the Bible is unique, accurate, and reliable– and
therefore relevant to life here and now, in the 21st century. The most
significant question that remains is: Will
I approach the Bible as God’s Message to me? What
does it mean in my life?
"I have other
questions."
"I want to talk to someone about
it."
"I want to know
how to get a copy of the Bible in language that I can relate to."
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How do I know the Bible is
true?