Series: Start Here

Part 3 – Why The Bible Can Be Trusted

(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.

(Matthew 24:35 NIV) Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

1. It is historically accurate.

(Psalms 33:4 NIV) For the word of the LORD is right and true;

Three tests in order to be historically accurate:

1. 1. Eyewitness Accounts
   2. Recorded and copied with extreme care.
   3. Archaeological confirmation.

 

2. It is scientifically accurate.

God created all of the scientific laws.

(Psalms 148:5-6 NLT) Let every created thing give praise to the LORD, for He issued His command, and they came into being. He set them in place forever and ever. His decree will never be revoked.

Scientific things that were believed when then Bible was written are proven wrong by what the Bible says.

• The earth was flat.

(Isaiah 40:22 NIV) God sits enthroned above the circle of the earth…

• The earth is held up or suspended on something.

(Job 26:7 NIV) He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing.

• The numbers of stars can be counted.

(Jeremiah 33:22 NLT) And as the stars of the sky cannot be counted…

• Too much blood made you sick.

(Leviticus 17:11 NLT) …for the life of the body is in its blood.

• Man cannot pass disease to another human being.

(Leviticus 13:4 NLT) “…the priest will quarantine the person for seven days.

(Psalms 12:6 NIV) And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.

3. It is prophetically accurate.

1000 prophecies in the Bible with 300 being about Jesus alone.

David prophesied about crucifixion in Psalm 22 before crucifixion was even created.

(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.

(Matthew 26:56 NLT) But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures.” At that point, all the disciples deserted Him and fled.

(Revelation 22:6 NIV) The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”

It takes more faith to believe the prophecies of the Bible are coincidence than to believe that God spoke and planned them.

4. It is thematically unified.

It was written over a period of 4000 years in over a dozen countries on three continents by people from all walks of life (in three languages)

There were about 40 writers but only one Author.

How did they come up with the same story?

(Luke 24:27 NIV) And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

5. It is trusted by Jesus.

If you are going to trust Jesus, you have to trust what Jesus trusted.

(Matthew 5:18 NIV) For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

If you believe what you like in the Bible but don’t believe what you don’t like, it’s not the Bible you trust but yourself!

6. It has survived attacks.

The Bible has been the most despised, derided, denied, disputed, dissected, debated, outlawed, and destroyed book ever.

(1 Peter 1:24-25 NIV) For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever

7. It has transforming power.

(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.”

Take a year of your life and see if the Word will change you and your life.

 

Part 2 – Understanding the Bible

(John 1:1-3 NKJV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

(John 1:14 NKJV) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

We want you to love it, learn it, and live it.

The more you understand something, the more you can desire and love it.

The same is true with the Word of God.

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• The word “Bible” means Book.

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• • The most read book in history
  • The longest running best-selling book ever
  • The most translated book in history

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• It was written over a period of approximately 4000 years in over a dozen countries on three continents by forty people from all walks of life, in three languages.

Poets, prophets, princes, kings, sailors, soldiers, attorneys, doctors, farmers, scholars, shepherds, priests, historians, fishermen, tax collectors, and businessmen.

Caves, ships, homes, palaces, prisons, and deserts.

How did they come up with the same story?

• • There were about 40 writers but only one Author.

(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.

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The Bible is not in chronological order. It is grouped by the type of book.

Overview of the Old Testament

• Law – 5 books – Genesis through Deuteronomy
• Historical – 12 books – Joshua through Esther
• Poetical – 5 books – Job through Song of Solomon
• Prophetical – 17 books
  • 5 Major Prophets – Isaiah through Daniel
  • 12 Minor Prophets – Hosea through Malachi

Overview of the New Testament

• Gospels – 4 books – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
• Acts – historical record of the early church
• Epistles – 21 books – Romans through Jude
• Revelation – prophecy of the last days and eternity

Some Humor in the Bible

(Numbers 12:1-3 NKJV) Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman. (2) So they said, “Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?” And the LORD heard it. (3) (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.)

(John 20:1-4 NKJV) Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. (2) Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” (3) Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. (4) So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.

The Plot – The Mirror Image

The New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed, but the Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed.

God and righteous man in Paradise
Genesis 1-2

Satan and sin enter
Genesis 3-5

The world judged and destroyed
Genesis 6-9

“One World” Government System
Genesis 10-11

12 Tribes / Israel, God’s holy people
Genesis 12 – Malachi

Jesus Christ
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John

12 Disciples / Church, God’s holy people
Acts – Jude

“One World” Government system
Revelation 6-19

The world judged and destroyed
Revelation 6-19

Satan and sin exit
Revelation 20

God and redeemed man in Paradise
Revelation 21-22

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• The Subject – Jesus

(John 5:39 NLT) “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to Me!

• The Object – Us
• The Verb – Give

(John 3:16 NIV) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

(1 John 3:16 CEV) We know what love is because Jesus gave his life for us. That’s why we must give our lives for each other.

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Part 1

Build Your Life on the Word

(John 1:1-3 NKJV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

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• The Word of God is more than a book. He is a Person.

(John 1:14 NKJV) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

• The Word of God is alive.

(John 6:63b NKJV) …The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

Spirit = (Greek – Pneuma) The literal translation means the breath of God for the fulfillment of what He just said. When God speaks, His power is present to cause that word to come to pass in whatever He spoke it to.

• The Word of God has a way of getting deep in you.

(Hebrews 4:12 AMPC)  For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.

You are not just getting information; you are getting the power to do the information.

For the Bible to Come Alive in You:

• Faith activates the Word.

(Hebrews 4:2 NIrV) The good news was preached to our people long ago. It has also been preached to us. The message they heard didn’t have any value for them. They didn’t combine it with faith.

Faith in God’s Word is what turns it from the natural to the supernatural.

• Revelation activates faith.

(Romans 10:17 NKJV) So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Vine’s Dictionary – implies two kinds of hearing, more than just the physical hearing

Logos – written Word

Rhema – revealed Word

(Luke 1:34-38 NKJV) Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” (35) And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. (36) Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. (37) For with God nothing will be impossible.” (38) Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

v. 37 – For no (rhema) word of God will ever fail…

• Meditation activates revelation.

It takes time to slow down and ponder it, think about it.

(Joshua 1:8 NIV) Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Prosperous – Hebrew meaning: break out, be victorious

Successful – Hebrew meaning: to be prosperous and deal wisely; to prosper and know why

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Practical Steps:

1. I must accept its authority.

This has to do with your attitude towards God’s Word.

There are some things we just have to accept it by faith!

(1 Thessalonians 2:13 NIV) And we also thank God continually because, when you received (welcomed like a stranger) the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.

2. I must assimilate its truths.

You must work it into every area of your life.

By reading God’s Word.

• • • Get a Bible you understand.
    • Make an appointment to read your Bible.
    • Have a reading plan.
    • Don’t just read the Bible, let the Bible read you.

3. I must apply its principles.

(James 1:22, 25 NIV) Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.