18 June 2023 AM – Colossians 2:8 – Col23 – Scott Childs
Introduction: If someone questions you about creation, abortion, morals, or another issue, would you base what you believe on the Bible? If so, why do you believe the Bible is true? Can you defend your belief?
Turn with me to 2 Peter 1:16-21. Peter said that the Bible is a “more sure word of prophecy,” than hearing Jesus personally.
When you leave today, I want you to be able to say that the Bible is a reliable collection of historical, instructional, and prophetical documents, inspired by God, written by eyewitnesses or from eyewitness accounts, during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses, confirmed by fulfilled prophecy, archaeology and ancient manuscripts.
Before I begin, I want to give credit to Voddie Baucham’s sermon, “Why You Can Believe the Bible,” for some of what I will share with you this morning.
1. The Bible is a reliable collection of historical, instructional, and prophetical documents,
a. The Bible is a Collection.
1) It is a collection, not just one individual who heard from God. This is important.
2) It was written on three continents, Asia, Africa, and Europe, in Hebrew, Greek, and a little Aramaic.
3) About 40 authors, from many backgrounds (leaders, kings, preachers, farmers, fishermen, tax collectors, scholars and carpenters), penned the Bible over a period of 1500 years.
4) Their writings make up 66 volumes containing history, poetry, prophecy, and instruction.
5) Adrian Rogers states, “The Bible forms one beautiful temple of truth that does not contradict itself theologically, morally, ethically, doctrinally, scientifically, historically, or in any other way.”
2. Inspired by God
a. The Bible is not a human book
1) (2 Peter 1:20) “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.“
2) It did not come about from any person’s own personal interpretation of events.
b. God the Holy Spirit gave men the words.
1) (2 Peter 1:21) “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.“
2) (2 Timothy 3:16) “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:“
3) This is the reason that we find perfect harmony between all 66 books of the Bible.
4) The 19th Century preacher, J.C. Ryle, listed six reasons the Bible is valuable. Quoted by Josh Mulvihill
a) The Bible alone gives a true account of Creation.
b) The Bible alone gives a true and faithful account of man – inclined to evil.
c) The Bible alone gives true views of God – hates sin and loves sinners.
d) The Bible alone teaches us that God has made a perfect and complete provision for the salvation of sinful man – Jesus Christ became our substitute.
e) The Bible alone explains the state of the world – poverty, oppression, suffering, war, and evil. Neither law nor education can change man’s heart. God is preparing a better place for eternity.
f) The Bible alone gives an account of the God/man, Jesus Christ.
3. Written by eyewitnesses or from eyewitness accounts,
a. Eyewitnesses give credit to the Bible.
1) (1 Peter 5:1) “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witnessof the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:“
2) (1 John 1:1-3) “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.“
b. Eyewitness accounts are very credible.
1) The Book of Genesis, for example, was compiled by Moses from 11 eyewitness accounts, each beginning with the words “the generations of.”
2) Luke based the book of Luke on the accounts of others. (Luke 1:1-2) “Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;” (Cf., Heb 2:3)
4. Written during the lifetime of other witnesses,
a. When the NT was written, many eyewitnesses were still alive.
1) (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.“
2) From this, we know that more than half of the 500 witnesses were still alive when Paul wrote this, true of much of the NT.
b. Living eyewitnesses did not refute what was written.
1) If the Bible is not true, why was it not proved false when it was written?
5. Confirmed by fulfilled prophecy, archaeology and ancient manuscripts.
a. Fulfilled prophecies
1) Micah 5:2 predicted the Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem about 700 years before Christ was born in Bethlehem.
2) Isaiah 44:28; 45:1; 45:13 said that Cyrus would let captive Jews return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple – 150 years before he was born, 180 years before the event.
1) The Pilate inscription “Pontius Pilatus, prefect of Judea”
2) Hezekiah’s tunnel
3) The Taylor Prism (Sennacherib, King of Assyria)
4) The David Inscription “From the house of David”
5) The Moabite Stone
6) The Nazareth House (1st Century foundations discovered)
7) Cyrus Cylinder (Cyrus’ statement about Judah)
8) Pool of Siloam (discovery)
c. Ancient manuscripts confirm the Bible
1) The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls confirm the accuracy of the OT.
2) More than 5,500 manuscript portions of the NT have been found. About 5,000 of them confirm the accuracy of the Greek text behind the KJV.
3) More than 36,000 scripture citations have been found in first and second century writings. Evidence that Demands a Verdict, McDowell p.64 (1 Peter 1:23) “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.“
Conclusion: Why should we believe the Bible? Because the Bible is a reliable collection of historical, instructional, and prophetical documents, inspired by God, written by eyewitnesses or from eyewitness accounts, during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses, confirmed by fulfilled prophecy, archaeology and ancient manuscripts. I hope that this brief overview will strengthen your faith and challenge you to do your own research. If you are not yet a Christian, the Bible foretells your eternal danger. I urge you to trust Christ today!
