Can You Trust The Bible? Series

INTRODUCTION

• Today, we will dive into the second message of our Hot Topics series.

• The topic we are diving into today is one of the most important topics we will deal with.

• The question of the day is, CAN YOU TRUST THE BIBLE?

• This is a vital question for us to answer because if we are trying to win people to Jesus, the Bible is an essential part of the process.

• Think about it, if you are seeking to win over a skeptic, and you start using your Bible with them, they would want to know if you can trust it.

• The Bible claims to be inspired by God, as I would assume other "HOLY' books do.

• If a book claims to be inspired by God, the creator of Heaven and earth, I think there are some minimum expectations we should expect from said book.

• It should be historically and geographically accurate.

• In other words, it should jive with known history.

• The book should be accurate to known geography.

• When it says something is west of something, it should be accurate.

• We would also expect it to be consistent.

• I would also expect the book not to change over time and that what we now possess is like holding the original writings.

• In other words, what we have today has not deviated from the original.

• If it is from God, then it should not change, and if it is from God, the text should have been preserved, so what we have today is an accurate copy of the original.

• If someone was seeking to convert or win me over to Islam, Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, Scientology, or some other belief system, I want first to make sure I can trust the book they claim is the one I need to follow.

• By the way, none of those mentioned can stand the test.

• I am going to go at the message in a little bit different manner than I usually do, we are going to read the text for the day together, and from our reading, we will see why it is vital for us to be able to trust the Bible.

2 Timothy 3:14–17 (NET 2nd ed.)

14 You, however, must continue in the things you have learned and are confident about. You know who taught you

15 and how from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

16 Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

17 that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work.

• In this passage, Paul is writing to his young protégé, Timothy.

• He has just finished telling Timothy that the times they live in are difficult and will likely get worse.

• People will become more selfish, arrogant, greedier, more brutal, and less interested in God and his ways.

• They will pretend to be godly but instead do what they want, led by their own desires (2 Timothy 3:1–9).

• Paul tells Timothy that he is different.

• Timothy has watched Paul's life, his faith, his love, and his struggles.

• Timothy recognizes that a life of faith will be difficult, but God is good (vv. 10–13).

• Paul wants Timothy to keep on keepin' on (v. 14).

• Timothy has been taught by the Scriptures since he was young.

• Scripture has helped him become wise and has led him to salvation through Jesus (v. 15).

• Paul tells the reader that Scripture is "breathed out by God," which is the path to understanding, instruction, discipline, correction, and growth (v. 16).

• Knowing Scripture equips the believer to live a life that aligns with God's will (v. 17).

• Think about this; Paul calls Timothy not to give up and to continue reaching and teaching people.

• Paul tells Timothy to do these things based on the fact that the Bible is inspired by God.

• Literally, God-breathed.

• He tells Timothy that Timothy knows the Scriptures, that he can use said Scriptures to help others grow in Jesus, and that the Scriptures will equip people to serve and live for Jesus.

• For Timothy to carry out his calling, he must know that he can trust the Bible.

• In your life, if you do not trust the Bible, you will never fully give yourself over to Jesus.

• There are many different ways we can set out to show that we can trust the Bible.

• I have chosen three things that will help us to see we can trust the Bible.