Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. (1 Peter 3:15)

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2Tim. 3:16)

Is The Bible True?

This is a key question believers must be ready to answer when witnessing to a skeptical non-Christian friend. The Westminster Confession of Faith (1.4) states that the authority of Scripture does not depend on the testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon God. In both Old and New Testaments the Bible declares itself to be the very Word of God (2 Tim. 3:16). The Bible's own internal evidence bears witness to its truthfulness and authority. All the rational arguments in the world will not convince man of its veracity. Because man is by nature inclined to reject God and His truth, the Holy Spirit must work to change someone's heart and mind.

Having said this, I believe when the Holy Spirit is at work to regenerate a person's heart, He changes their disposition toward the Scriptures convincing them of the evidence that they are reliable and true. God can certainly use believers in this process as they present the case for Biblical authority and reliability. Here are a number of key points that can be made in support of the Bible's veracity. Because of space I will categorize them under two headings and briefly highlight the major points of emphasis with the understanding that further study and explanation is necessary.

Internal evidence: First, in no other religious literature do we find the accuracy of fulfilled prophecy (over 300 Old Testament prophecies fulfilled about Christ). Secondly, the Bible is an amazingly unified book of 66 volumes, by 40 authors, written over 1500 years. Despite its diversity, it is logically consistent with itself and focused on one theme from beginning to the end - the redemption of man through the covenant of grace fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ. It has never been proven to contradict itself. Thirdly, the Old and New Testaments claim they are the Word of God. Jesus claimed to be God and His Word to be the Word of God. Furthermore, He verified the Old Testament as the Word of God, and promised that His Spirit would reveal more of the Word of God through the Apostles. The Apostles treated each other's writings as the Word of God. The church progressively acknowledged the inspiration of the entire 66 books of the Bible by the 4^th century.

External evidence: First, there is sufficient evidence (that is continuing to grow) the Bible is historically accurate from archeological and historical evidence.  Secondly, the manuscript evidence of the Bible gives us a more reliable text than any other text from antiquity. It has been preserved as no other writing on earth. Thirdly, the resurrection of Christ, written about in the New Testament documents (A.D.47- A.D.70), witnessed by thousands (1Cor.15:6) who testified to its truth publicly, and also proven by the inability of others to successfully refute these, attests to the validity of Christ and all His truth claims.

Let us not shy away from our confidence and use of the Word of God in evangelism, teaching, and preaching, for faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Rom. 10:17)

For further study: A Ready Defense, Josh McDowell; He Walked Among Us, Josh McDowell; The Reason For God, Tim Keller; Now That's A Good Question, R.C. Sproul; The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable, F.F. Bruce

Pastor Doug Griffith