This year my blog will feature articles I wrote for Keon’s Commentary’s “In the Bible” column to remind us of some timeless truths. Enjoy…
Over the years people have invented all sorts of stories about the origin of the Bible? Why? The idea of a book from God means humans are not the final authority so we can’t do what we want without a guilty conscience. If the Bible was made up by people as part of a religious conspiracy, it can be dismissed and we can be our own gods living by our own rules.
What does the Bible say about itself in answer to the conspiracy theories? The human penmen of the scriptures tell us clearly that it is God’s unaltered Word.
For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. (2 Peter 1:16)
The Apostle Peter said he was not stupidly believing in a fable when he told what he had seen with his own eyes. The historical events and teachings in the Bible are not myths and legends made up by mere men, but the Word of God given to show you the power of God!
For He [Jesus] received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. (2 Peter 1:17-18)
Peter literally heard the voice of God declaring that Jesus was the Son of God! Lest you doubt his testimony, more than 500 eyewitnesses saw Jesus alive after he had been killed on the cross. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) No one in Jerusalem or the surrounding area at the time could legitimately deny Jesus resurrection because of these eyewitnesses. Nor could they produce Jesus’s body because He still has it! This resurrection is the ultimate proof that Jesus is God because no human can raise anyone from the dead, especially himself. (Romans 1:4)
Even if you don’t want to accept Peter’s testimony, he said the words of the prophets that came before him are even more certain.
And so we have the prophetic word confirmed…for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:19a, 21)
Again, the prophets Moses, Samuel, Daniel, etc. did not make up the Old Testament, it was given to them by the Spirit of God. You can verify the historicity, accuracy, and evidence to realize it was impossible for mere men to make up the scriptures. Archeology has confirmed everything that can be physically known about the Old Testament so you can trust it about the non-physical things it discusses. Paul confirmed this when he wrote,
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16)
God’s Word is His and His alone. If it were human, it could not be profitable for doctrine about the divine, reproof or correction, and instruction in righteousness because humans are not righteous. Friends, don’t be fooled by the latest ignorant assertion or an old recycled fable that denies the Bible is God’s true and accurate Word. Those lies are designed to keep you in spiritual darkness so the perpetrators don’t feel guilty about being there alone!