Today, many people view the Bible as, at best, ancient stories with some moral meaning, and, at worst, fabricated lies developed to control people. Many doubt the reliability and truthfulness of the Bible.
When looking at the Bible it is important to recognise that we are not looking at one book written by one person, but rather at a library of 66 books written over a period of 1,500 years. We also need to know that these writings did not come into being because the writers decided to give us their thoughts about God; but rather, as the Apostle Peter says, they were compelled to write what they did regardless of the consequences (see 1 Peter 1:21; Acts 3:21).
The Bible is the only book in the world that dares to claim to be inspired by God. In a world where we appear to be surrounded by all kinds of deceptions, we have been given a book that will help us to identify all that is false, and to show us the way of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 3:15-16; Psalm 119:160).
Prophecies
Evidence that the Bible is God’s inspired word can be seen in the hundreds of prophecies that predict certain events that would happen in the future, and which were subsequently fulfilled years later.
… how were these prophets able to speak of all these things hundreds of years before they happened?
In particular there are many prophecies concerning Jesus Christ; telling us the circumstances surrounding His birth, giving us some detail of His life and many prophecies relating to His death and resurrection. If the Bible is just an ordinary book, then the question we have to ask ourselves is, how were these prophets able to speak of all these things hundreds of years before they happened?
Historical reliability
Further evidence is seen in the historical records that can be referred to concerning certain events recorded in the Bible; for example, the names of the rulers and governors who were in charge at the time of Christ’s ministry (Luke 3:1).
… there have been many archaeological discoveries which again give support to what has been written in the Bible
Again, in the Old Testament there are the names of a number of kingdoms that can be verified by historical documents. In the last 200 years there have been many archaeological discoveries which again give support to what has been written in the Bible.
Unity
Another point for our consideration is the unity and consistency that runs throughout the Bible. This is even more amazing when we consider the fact that those who made their contribution to these writings lived at different periods of time and in different locations in the Middle East. Where else do we find a library of books written over many hundreds of years that are so united in their message?
Jesus
Finally, when we read through the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John we will find that Jesus believed the Old Testament Bible implicitly and used it as the authority for all that He taught (Matthew 5:17-18; Luke 24:44-46).
You!
The best way to know the truth of the Bible is to read it for yourself. Examine its contents and ask God to speak to you through its pages.
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To read more about the reliability of the Bible, visit Answers in Genesis