HOW DO I KNOW THE BIBLE IS TRUE?

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

4 ways we know the Bible is true:

1. Historical Accuracy

The Bible is 66 different books written over 1500 years by 40 different authors in 3 different languages on 3 different continents telling one unified story about JESUS.

2 Peter 1:21 NIV: For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 1:16 NIV: For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

J.I. Packer said: “The church no more gave us the New Testament canon than Sir Isaac Newton gave us the force of gravity. God gave us gravity by His work of creation, and similarly He gave us the New Testament canon by inspiring individual books that make it up”

2. Textual Accuracy

A. The Quantity
B. The Quality
C. Time Span

3. Prophetic Accuracy

2 Peter 1:21 NIV: For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

4. The Bible's Ability to Transform Lives

Spurgeon: “A Bible falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t”

Pastor Woolbridge: “A person whose Bible app is streaking belongs to someone who’s not freaking out”

How do I ready and study?

OBSERVATION. INTERPRETATION. APPLICATION.

John 8:31-32 NIV: Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Application:
- READ IT DAILY
- STUDY IT REGULARLY IN COMMUNITY
- APPLY IT CONSTANTLY

2 Peter 1:3 NIV: His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

Resources:
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Swindoll and Zuck (ed) Understanding Christian Theology (Nelson)
Book on overall theology
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McGrath An Introduction to Christian Theology (Blackwell)
Introducing someone into theology
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Boa, K. & Moody, L I’m Glad You Asked (Cook)
Apologetic book answering difficult questions about Christianity
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F.F Bruce The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? (Eerdmans)
Application of bibliographical New Testament documents (manuscripts)
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Geisler, N. Christian Apologetics (Baker)
Defends the historical, inspiration and authority of the Bible
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Geisler, N & Howe. T When Critics ask (Victor)
Resource for answering the hard questions about Christianity.