Gospel Gazette Online
Volume 23 Number 9 September 2021
Page 10

Is the Bible from God?

Terry Wheeler

Terry WheelerIs the Bible from God? You say, “Yes!” Yet, how do you know? To answer the question by pointing to Scriptures that say that God wrote it is round-robin reasoning – circular reasoning – assuming what is to be proved. Your faith has to rest on more solid ground than circular reasoning. However, is there more solid ground? Oh, yes! Let’s look at some of it.

Two points of faith stand on their own that can then help us know whether to trust the Bible as God’s Word. The first is God’s existence. Whether the Bible is God’s Word or not, He exists. The order of the universe, the existence of the intangible (like love, mind, intelligence, emotion, etc.), the moral compass of man and the very concept of God itself demand the reality of God’s existence. There is no other reasonable answer.

The second is the Old Testament. Once God’s existence is demonstrated, then the Old Testament is appropriate to study to see if it points toward God’s existence. A major concern here is prophecy. Since many New Testament persons, places and events have been verified independently, then these historically established data can be used to check the veracity of Old Testament prophecy. If prophecy shows itself fulfilled, then it can only be the work of God.

Using Old Testament prophecy, we can investigate Old as well as New Testament fulfillment. The invasion of Canaan and the establishment of Israel, the failure of Assyria to capture Jerusalem, the Babylonian invasion, the restoration of Israel from Babylon, the crucifixion of Christ, His empty tomb, the establishment of the church, the great apostasy, and so much more clearly show that the Bible did not originate with men, nor would men have come up with it if they could. It is too contrary to how men choose to live.

So, is the Bible from God? Oh, yes, indeed! In fact, there is no other reasonable explanation for it.

Four Steppingstones
to Bring Souls to God

Cliff Holmes

Jesus told us to evangelize the world. Here are four steppingstones from Scripture that can make you a successful evangelist for the Lord Jesus.

  1. Cliff Holmes God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (NKJV). John 10:10 gives us the reason that Jesus came. “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” What is blocking us from God’s love? What is preventing us from having an abundant life?
  2. Humanity is tainted by sin, and therefore, it is separated from God. As a result, we cannot know God’s wonderful plan for our lives. Romans 3:23 affirms this information. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 6:23 gives us the consequences of sin. “The wages of sin is death…” God created us to have fellowship with Him. However, humanity brought sin into the world, and therefore, it is separated from God. We have ruined the relationship with Him that God intended us to have. What is the solution?
  3. Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for our sin. Through Jesus Christ, we can have our sins forgiven and restore a right relationship with God. Romans 5:8 tells us, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” First Corinthians 15:3-4 informs us of what we need to know and to believe in order to be saved. “…Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” Jesus Himself declared in John 14:6 that He is the only way of salvation. “…I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” How can I receive this wonderful gift of salvation?
  4. We must place our faith in Jesus Christ as Savior in order to receive the gift of salvation and to know God’s wonderful plan for our lives. John 1:12 describes this for us. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God…” Acts 16:31 clearly says, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…” We can be saved only by the grace of God, through faith in Jesus Christ in total submission to His words and His will (Ephesians 2:8-10). Such a submission is not a labor of oppression, but rather a labor of love that brings us back around full circle to the fact that “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

[Editor’s Note: Belief or faith is more than a mental assent; otherwise, demons would be saved (James 2:19). True biblical faith requires action (James 2:20, 26), for faith without activity – “not by faith only” (James 2:24) – will not save anyone from anything. Regarding salvation, faith must be coupled with repentance (Acts 20:21), confessing Christ (Romans 10:9-10) and baptism (Mark 16:16). After conversion, one must be faithful even in the face of death, awaiting the Second Coming (Revelation 2:10). ~ Louis Rushmore, Editor]

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