The Bible's Claims for Itself

Just the fact that the Bible is historically accurate in areas shown by Archaeology, geography and secular history does not in itself prove the Bible is God's word. The fact that scientific statements made thousands of years before they were known to be true does not in itself prove the Bible is the word of God. The fact that hundreds of prophecies are fulfilled in the minutest details throughout the Bible does not of itself prove the Bible is the word of God --- although I would have to admit, when all these evidences are taken together --- one would be hard pressed not to concede such!

But, before beginning to examine the above "evidences," there is one other point that needs examination. Would not a Book that is supposedly given from God also claim that it is from God? There are many who claim that other books are from God, but within their pages are no such claims. How could a Book from God not tell us it's source? Let's examine what is claimed within the pages of the Bible about the source of the knowledge contained therein.

Is the Bible "Inspired by God"? *In many places the Bible claims to be the "word of God." Paul tells us that "all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness." 2 Timothy 3:16

Inspiration can be defined as the mysterious process by which God worked through human writers, employing their individual personalities and styles to produce divinely authoritative and inerrant writing [Geisler, GIB. 39]. The Bible claims to be His word; it has come from His very mouth --- and this claim is supported by evidences from every area we care to examine.

Old Testament Claims for Inspiration The Old Testament can be divided into two parts, the "Law" and the "Prophets." [Matthew 5:17; 7:12]. The first five books --- Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy are traditionally understood as being the words of Moses, the "Law of Moses," or the "Law."

Some examples are:
Exodus 32:15, which reads, speaking of the stones the Ten Commandments were written on, "And Moses turned and went down from the mountain, and the two tablets of the Testimony were in his hand. The tablets were written on both sides; on the one side and on the other side they were written. Now the tablets were the work of God, and the writings was the writing of God engraved on the tablets."

Numbers 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:1; 10:1-2; 29:1; 31:24-26 also make such claims to inspiration. Genesis alone makes no such direct claim. However Genesis too was considered to be a part of the "Book of Moses" [see 2 Chronicles 35:12 and Nehemiah 13:1]; and by virtue of this association carries the same divine authority. Whatever holds true for one books holds true all the books in that section, i.e. "The Law," and the "Prophets."

The books of the Prophets were considered to be the rest of the Old Testament, other than the first five books from Genesis to Deuteronomy --- also contain the same type of claims of inspiration from God. We find examples in Danial 9:12; Jeremiah 25:11; Ezra 1:1; 5:1, Zechariah 7:12, to name a few. Such phrases as "The word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel," Ezekiel 1:3; " Hear O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the Lord has spoken! " Isaiah 1:2; "The word of the Lord came to me saying .." Jeremiah 1:11. Similar statements can be found throughout the books of the Prophets. The characteristic prophetic introduction "thus saith the Lord" and similar expressions are found in the Old Testament hundreds of times.

The prophets were the voice of God not only in what they said, but also in what they wrote. God commanded Moses, "Write these words" Exodus 34:27. The Lord ordered Jeremiah to "Take yet another scroll, and write on it all the former words that were in the first scroll" Jeremiah 36:28. Isaiah testified that the Lord said to him: "Take a large scroll and write on it," and again God told him: "Now go, write it before them on a tablet, and note it on a scroll, that it may be for time to come, forever and ever" Isaiah 30:8. A similar command was given to Habakkuk: "Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it" Habakkuk 2:2.

The vast majority of the books of the Old Testament (about eighteen of the twenty-four) explicitly claim that they are God's words to men. But all of the books of the Old Testament were written by men accredited of God, who almost without exception, claim them to be the authoritative word of God.[Geisler, GIB 69-10].

New Testament Claims for Inspiration The New Testament also claims to be the "Word of God." From the very time it was being written the people of God knew that the writings were special. "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days has spoken to us by His Son ... After it was first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard" Hebrews 1:1-2; 2:3. In other words, the message of Christ as given by His disciples is God's voice today, just as much as the message of the prophets was in the past!

In a real sense, Jesus Christ is the key to the inspiration and canonization of the Scriptures. It was He who confirmed the inspiration of the Hebrew canon of the Old Testament; and it was He who promised that the Holy Spirit would direct the apostles into "all truth," the fulfillment in the New Testament. [John 14:26; Acts chapters 1 and 2].

According to Ephesians 2:20 the church is "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets". The word "apostle" should not be limited to the twelve apostles. Paul was an apostle [Galatians 1; 2 Corinthians 12]; as was Barnabas [Acts 14:14]; James wrote with divine authority [James 1:1]; and there were others with prophetic gifts in the first century [i.e. Agabus in Acts 11:28]. The gift of either an apostle or a prophet would qualify one to receive a revelation [see Ephesians 2:20], and several New Testament writers qualify as "prophets" [i,e, Mark, Luke, James, and Jude].

Acts 2:42 records that the believers "continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship." One way the authority of apostolic teachings, then, is seen not only by virtue of it's equality with the prophets, but by it's fundamental to the church.

Peter refers to Paul's writing as "Scripture" [2 Peter 3:16], and 1 Timothy 5:18 draws from both Luke 10:7 and Deuteronomy 25:4 in applying the phrase "for the Scripture says." If the writings of Luke, who was not an apostle, are quoted as Scripture, and Peter, who incidentally was rebuked by Paul [Galatians 2:11], considered Paul's books to be Scriptural --- then it follows that the New Testament as a whole should be regarded as Scripture. It would be be included in the statement "All Scripture is inspired of God" 2 Timothy 3:16.

Is God's Word Inerrant? **The Bible claims to be the inspired word of God. And if it is then from God, we can logically assume that the Bible is without error, or inerrant. Jesus said of God's utterances, "Your word is truth" [John 17:17]. The Psalmist wrote, "The entirety of Your word is truth" [Psalm 119:160].Paul wrote to Titus, "God ... cannot lie" [Titus 1:2]. The author of Hebrews declared, "It is impossible for God to lie" [Hebrews 6:18]. In the final analysis, then, an attack on the inerrancy of the Bible is an attack on the character of God. Remember what Paul said in Romans 3:4, "Let God be true, but every man a liar."

The character of God demands inerrancy. If every utterance in the Bible is from God, and God is a God of truth --- as the Bible declares Him to be --- then the Bible must be wholly truthful, or inerrant!

What About So-Called
Modern Day Revelation? Can modern "scriptures" compare with the Bible? The Koran, the Book of Mormon, the Jehovah's Witness, and a host of other so called "scriptures" have been presented as being later revelation from God. However, when these books are subjected to the even the simplest of tests they are found to be instead the product of man's imaginations, philosophy and false wisdom. None of the other false scriptures even come close to presenting God as does God Himself in His inspired Word. It is the text of each of these false "scriptures" that show them to be erroneous and this was the basis by with they were rejected.

For example, Joseph Smith, the founder and author of the Mormon scriptures (Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price), presents God as being an exalted man, who lived on some planet out in the universe, who earned the right to godhood by being faithful and doing good works. This is completely counter to everything that the Bible says about the person, nature and character of God. Further, there are irreconcilable contradictions between Mormon scriptures, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price which clearly establishes its human authorship. God does not contradict Himself as the LDS Standard Works do. For example the Book of Mormon states that God created the heavens and the earth, yet they teach that he was born a man on some planet out in the universe that already existed and that he has a mother and father who had a mother and father and so on back in time. Yet, how then could their god be the creator of the universe in which he was born into and only after a human life was exalted to becoming a god?

The contradiction in their Scriptures shows its blatant error which give proof of its human authorship. The LDS Scriptures do not compare to the Bible on any level and are proven to be historically, culturally and doctrinally to be in gross error with known history, archaeology, and science, therefore it is shown not be from God. In contrast the Bible is proven to be historically, culturally and doctrinally accurate in its statements proving it to be the Word of God.

None of the "later" so-called scriptures can meet even one of the standards on which the canon of the Bible was established. This is an extremely powerful argument that God is not giving new revelation today. One unmistakable and recognizable trait of a false preacher or church is its acceptance of modern day revelation. In every case the new revelation leads men away from God's truth and thus into doctrinal error and away from God.

The same is true of modern-day "creed-books" of denominations. They cause division within the church by teaching doctrine(s) that are not in harmony with the Scriptures. The only "creed-book" that is needed is God's Word the Bible! We must heed the warnings of God's word --- to not add, nor take away from it! We must, "study to show ourselves approved unto God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly divides the word of truth," 2 Timothy 2:15; of which we have example of in Acts 17:11. In other words, we must "Speak where the Bible Speaks. Be Silent where the Bible is Silent"!

The Bible is God's Complete
and Final Revelation As 2 Timothy 3:16 says, is "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." In other words the Bible is complete and adequate and reveals to us all God wants us to know.

The Statements Against Adding or Taking Away from the Bible Speaks Against God Giving New Revelation.
Another strong reason for rejecting that modern day revelation is from God is taken from His very Word, the Bible. Note the following Bible passages that warn about adding or taking away from the Scriptures:
Deuternomy 4:2, "You shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you."

Deuteronomy 12:32, "Whatsoever I command you, observe to do it: you shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it."

Proverbs 30:6, "You shall not unto His words, lest He reprove you, and you be found to be a liar."

Revelation 22:18-19, "For I testify unto every man that hears the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book."

When the canon of Scripture from God was complete God had said all He needed to say to man. This was true throughout the process of revelation. When Moses finished the Pentateuch under the inspiration of God there was no need of further revelation at that time. They had the Law and God's instruction to live their lives by. As time went on God through the other prophets revealed more and more truth about Himself and His plan for the World.

This process of revelation continued until the whole of God's plan was completely revealed with the completion of the Book of Revelation. Some would try to limit the warning of not adding or taking away from the Scriptures to just that of the Book of Revelation. However, its place as the last Book of the Bible and its revealing of what was past, present and future makes this limitation implausible (Revelations 1:19). God not only revealed the truth of John's day in the Book of Revelation, but in 18 of its 22 Chapters reveals what the future will hold until the end of this age and to eternity future.

WHAT IF? What if all the physical things the Bible says can be proven to be true, then what about the spiritual things; are they not true also?

The Bible says that we each will live eternally, either in heaven or hell, depending on whether we obey God. The Bible also says we must: believe (Romans 10:17), repent (turn from sin --- Romans 3:23; Acts 17:30), confess Jesus Christ as the Son of God (Romans 10:10), be baptized by full water immersion into Christ for the remission of sins (Galatins 3:27; Acts 2:38; 8:35-38; Mark 16:16), and to be faithful until death (Revelation 2:10). If you were to die right now, would you go --- to heaven or hell?

* Much of the above information was adapted from "The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict," by Josh McDowell, pgs 333-349.
** Also from Cooper Abrams article "Is God Giving Men Revelation Today?" www.Bibletruth.org

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
You can accept the authority of Christ by doing what He commanded (Matthew 7:21; John 14:15; 15:10-14; Luke 6:46). Notice the pattern for becoming a Christian as revealed in the Scriptures. The Gospel was heard, resulting in faith (Romans 10:17); Repentance of (turning away from) sin (Acts 17:30) and confession of Jesus as the Son of God followed (Romans 10:10). Believers were baptized INTO Christ for the remission (forgiveness) of sins (See Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 8:35-39; 22:16; Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:20-21), and added to His church (Acts 2:47). Christians were taught to be faithful even to the point of death (Revelation 2:10).

WE WELCOME YOU Following the instructions of the Scriptures, members of Christ’s body assemble as congregations for worship, encouragement, and Bible study. The congregation in your community welcomes you to investigate the Bible with us.

With a spirit of brotherly love we would seek to reconcile any differences by following the Bible ONLY. We recognize the Bible as God’s inspired word, the ONLY reliable standard of faith and practice. We desire the unity for which Christ prayed and which the Bible emphasizes in the expression, “one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” Together we seek to maintain “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

A friendly welcome awaits you. We do not wish to embarrass you in any way. You will not be asked for contributions. We assemble for Bible study and worship each Sunday morning and we welcome you to meet with us. We would be happy to talk to you about your questions and we want to be of encouragement.

Please Contact me, Dennis Crawford, at BibleTruthsToU@gmail.com or 253-396-0290 (cell) for comments, questions, further Bible information, or for the location of a congregation belonging to Jesus Christ near you.