A-Z Of Boldness
A Bold Defense
1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness
Introduction: Many books claim to be the word of God. The Koran, The book of Mormon. The Hindu’s believe that the Bhagavad Vita is the source of eternal truth.
Even Karl Marx with his atheistic worldview claimed that his writing "The Communist Manifesto, was the ultimate truth.
I believe that the Bible is the Word of God and the eternal source of truth to live by. Can we actually prove that the Bible is the word of God. The answer is yes.
Let me share with you two verses before we continue.
Joh 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
What is vital about these scriptures is that we understand the world’s attitude towards those who follow Christ, and stand on the Bible as the ultimate authority. The world in rebellion against God and worldly people under the influence of Satan seek to destroy our faith. In light of this, and the times that we live in, it is important that Christians not only know what we believe but why we believe what we believe.
It has been indicated that 80 percent of college-bound students who profess to be Christians leave for school and return home no longer believing as they did. Why ? It is because students are incapable of defending their faith against the onslaught of professors who try and discredit the Bible.
These things happen because believers know what they believe, but can’t express why they believe it !
Luk 21:14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
The word that is translated for us as answer is the greek word Apologia which is where we get our word apologetics. It is defined as a (verbal defence, speech in defence ) Christian apologetics is a field of Christian theology that aims to present a rational basis for the Christian faith, defend the faith against objections, and expose the perceived flaws of other world views.[1] Christian apologetics have taken many forms over the centuries, starting with Paul of Tarsus, including writers such as Augustine of Hippo and Thomas Aquinas, and continuing currently with the modern Christian community, through the efforts of many authors in various Christian traditions such as C.S. Lewis. Apologists have based their defense of Christianity on favoring interpretations of historical evidence, philosophical arguments, scientific investigation, and other disciplines.
I do not believe that there has ever been a book that has been so criticized and attacked as the Bible. To counter this attack, and be able to defend our faith we need to know what we believe about the word of God ,and why ! Thus we begin our study today on Why The Bible Is The Word Of God !
I. The Bible Is The Word Of God Because Of It’s Claim.
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness
Many critics would say that the Bible is inspired the same way that musicians are inspired when composing a song, or inspired the saw way as artists are inspired to paint.
However, that is not what is meant in "inspiration" The greek word is "theopnuestos" which literally means God-breathed ! It isn’t the sense of inspiring as in stirring the mind, but it is inspired in the sense of bringing to life ! The Bible was brought to life or originated from God.
Remember the words of Jesus when tempted....."Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God" Mt 4:4, Deut 8:3
It is his word spoken out, breathed out from his lips ! It is interesting to know that 3808 times in the O.T. it is explicitely states that what is being conveyed is the express words of God. This same thought is conveyed in the following passage.....
2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
The word "moved" means "driven".
The Bible claims to be the word of God.
II. I Believe The Bible Is The Word Of God Because Of It’s Composition.
The Bible contains 66 books, written by over 40 different writers. Among it’s writers were judges, and tentmakers, kings and herdsmen, priests and soldiers, prophets, and doctors, presidents and fisherman. The Bible was written on three different continents. It was written in tents, in deserts, on mountains, in cities, in palaces, and in dungeons. It’s last writer died approx 1500 years after its first writer ! From Genesis to Revelation it teaches one code of ethics, one system of doctrine, one plan of salvation and one rule of faith. It is one book !
Where else can you find a book written by over 40 different people, living under different circumstances, practicing different occupations, writing in different periods of history whose writings form one perfect book of unity ! No human being could be behind this writing, this is the word of God !
III. I Believe The Bible To Be The Word Of God Because Of Its Credibility !
Skeptics have tried in every way possible to discount and destroy the authority of the word of God, and can’t ! It has undergone intense scrutiny from archaeology, science, philosophy, and computers. Yet, despite all the attacks, the Bible continually proves itself to be true on every front.
Nelson Glueck, a renowned Jewish archaeologist, states, "No archaeological discovery has ever controverted a biblical reference !" Dr. William Bright, who was not a friend to Christianity and who was probably the foremost authority on Middle Eastern archaelogy in his time said this about the Bible..."There can be no doubt that archaeology has confirmed the substantial historiticy of the Old Testament."
Examples of it’s historical credibility:
In Gen 14 The Bible speaks of Abraham’s victory over Chedorlaomer and five Mesopotamian Kings. For years skeptics laughed at these accounts called them fictious. And yet in the 1960’s the Ebla tablets were discovered in N.Syria. Thousands of tablets were discovered with many of them making reference to the five cities identified in Gen 14.
Two of the cities mentioned are Sodom & G0morrah which as you may know were destroyed by fire, and brimstone as related in Gen 19. Critics said that the story was created to communicate moral principles. Yet, the story was proven to be accurate by excavation in the late 60’s, and early 70’s in the area. A city was discovered that had obviously been destroyed by a massive fire. It lay buried under a coating of ash several feet thick. A cemetery one kilometer outside the city contained charred remains of roofs, posts, and bricks turned red from heat.
Dr. Bryant Wood, in describing these charnel houses, stated that a fire began on the roofs of these buildings. Eventually the burning roof collapsed into the interior and spread inside the building. This was the case in every house they excavated. Such a massive fiery destruction would match the biblical account that the city was destroyed by fire that rained down from heaven. Wood states, "The evidence would suggest that this site of Bab edh-Drha is the biblical city of Sodom." Another city believed to be Gomorrah was also found. In some places the city was covered under 7ft. of ash.
Another example is found in the Biblical account of Jericho and the falling walls. Skeptics maintained for years that it was myth. However in the 1930’s Dr. John Garstang made a remarkable discovery. He states..."As to the main fact, there remains no doubt, the walls fell outwards so completely, the attackers would be able to clamber up and over the ruins of the city.
In the March 1990 issue of Time...Kathleen Kenyon a archaeologist says that the walls found suddenly, and that the city was conquered guickly. Further study found that the date of the fall of Jericho matched the timeframe in the Bible.
The Bible is credible because of its many prophecies fulfilled.
According to scholars there are about 2500 prophecies in the bible. Approx 2000 of which have been fulfilled.
Let me share a few of these.
2700 years ago the prophet Micah prophecied of the destruction of Jerusalem. Jerusalem was destroyed in 586 B.C. And then the Romans destroyed the city twice...70 A.D. and 135 A.D. Micah also stated the Zion would be plowed like a field. History shows that the Romans did do exactly that. They ran a plow over the temple site in hopes of discovering any riches that might be buried there.
In Deut 29:23, God said that the land of Israel would one day be a wasteland where nothing would be sown, and there would be no grass.
American writer Mark Twain wrote this, in 1867, about the land of Israel, which at the time was called Palestine: "Palestine sits in sackcloth and ashes… the spell of a curse that has withered its fields and fettered its energies… Palestine is desolate and unlovely… It is a hopeless, dreary, heartbroken land." - from Mark Twain’s Innocents Abroad.
The Bible also foretold the scattering of the Jews, the persecution of the Jews, and the resettling of the Jews back in the promised land.
Concerning Jesus consider the following....it has been said that there are over 300 prophecies relating to Christ. Here are a few:
Genesis 49:10
The Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah
Psalm 22:1,7,8,16,17,18
Psalm 22 foreshadowed the crucifixion of Jesus
Isaiah 40:3
The Messiah would be preceded by a messenger
Isaiah 42:1-9
Jesus’ life was foreshadowed by the prophet Isaiah
Isaiah 49:6
God’s salvation would reach the ends of the earth
Isaiah 53:3
The Messiah would suffer and be rejected
Isaiah 53:5God’s servant would be wounded and whipped
Isaiah 53:7
God’s servant would be silent before His accusers
Isaiah 53:9
God’s servant would be buried in a rich man’s tomb
Isaiah 53:12
God’s servant would be crucified with criminals
Isaiah 61:1-2
Isaiah foreshadows the ministry of Jesus
Jeremiah 23:3-6
The Messiah will appear after the Jews return to Israel
Daniel 9:24-26
Daniel predicted when an anointed one would be rejected
Micah 5:2
The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem
Zechariah 9:9
The Messiah would enter Jerusalem while riding on a donkey
Zechariah 11:12-13
Zechariah foreshadowed the betrayal of Jesus for 30 pieces of silver
The prophecys of the bible have either been fulfilled or will be. Biblical prophecy and its fulfillment show the credibility of the Bible.
Though put the test for hundreds of year, the Bible has stood the test of the skeptics, the word of God is true !
The following probabilities are taken from Peter Stoner in Science Speaks (Moody Press, 1963) to show that coincidence is ruled out by the science of probability. Stoner says that by using the modern science of probability in reference to eight prophecies, ’we find that the chance that any man might have lived down to the present time and fulfilled all eight prophecies is 1 in 1017." That would be 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. In order to help us comprehend this staggering probability, Stoner illustrates it by supposing that "we take 1017 silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They will cover all of the state two feet deep.
"Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly, all over the state. Blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up one silver dollar and say that this is the right one. What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing these eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man."
Stoner considers 48 prophecies and says, "we find the chance that any one man fulfilled all 48 prophecies to be 1 in 10157, or 1 in
100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.
The estimated number of electrons in the universe is around 1079. It should be quite evident that Jesus did not fulfill the prophecies by accident."
IV. I Believe The Bible To Be The Word Of God Because Of It’s Constancy.
Psa 119 Forever O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. Isa 40:8 The word of God abides forever. Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
The survival of the Bible through the ages is very difficult to explain if it is not in truth the Word of God. Books are like men—dying creatures. A very small percentage of books survive more than twenty years, a yet smaller percentage last a hundred years and only a very insignificant fraction represent those which have lived a thousand years. Amid the wreck and ruin of ancient literature the Holy Scriptures stand out like the last survivor of an otherwise extinct race, and the very fact of the Bible’s continued existence is an indication that like its Author it is indestructible.
He further states....The story of the Bible’s persecution is an arresting one. During the first three centuries of the Christian era the Roman Emperors sought to destroy God’s Word. One of them, named Diocletian, believed that he had succeeded. He had slain so many Christians and destroyed so many Bibles, that when the lovers of the Bible remained quiet for a season and kept in hiding, he imagined that he had made an end of the Scriptures. So elated was he at this achievement, he ordered a medal to be struck inscribed with the words, "The Christian religion is destroyed and the worship of the gods restored." One wonders what that emperor would think if he returned to this earth today and found that more had been written about the Bible than about any other thousand books put together, and that the Bible which enshrines the Christian faith is now translated into more than four hundred languages and is being sent out to every part of the earth!
V. I Believe The Bible Is The Word Of God Because Of Its Converts.
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
The multiplied millions who have believed the message of this book from the remotest parts of the jungle to the high rises in Manhattan testify that this book is the word of God. Freed from sin, delivered by the God who authored this book, and indwelt by the Spirit that moved those who penned it...they proudly proclaim this book is the very word of God. It does not contain the word. It is the Word ! Hear them shout for joy across deserts, and barren lands to the rain forest.....Born Again by the incorruptible word of God !!
Multitudes from every kindred, tongue, people and nation rejoicing and worshiping the Lamb in heaven ! How...because they once heard the word of God, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and sensed the convicting power of the Spirit of God. They have been born again by the word of God ! It is through the preaching of the word of God that God has chosen to save the lost ! Romans 10:17 "17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" They were all changed, converted, and saved through the power of the word of God ! This book is unlike any other book ever written. It is more than just a beautiful composition of stories, and poetry, and history. This is the very word of God which shares the message which is able to penetrate the hardest of hearts ! It is the power of God unto salvation ! Drunkards have been transfored by this book ! Drug addicts have been miraculously converted through the preached word ! See yonder on the shores of heaven...millions and millions before the throne of God night and day praising the Lord........from every corner of the globe they have gathered because of the word of God ! I believe this book is the word of God because it is able to penetrate the hardest of hearts with the message of God’s redeeming love ! It is also just as able to speak to heart of the little children that they would come to Jesus ! He who hath ears, let him hear !
1Pe 3:15 "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: "
Are you readyy to be BOLd in your defense of the Word?
We can stand Boldly in our defense of the Word because of :
1. It's Claim
2. It's Composition
3. It's Credibiliity
4. It's Constancy
5. It's Converts
