“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.”
Isaiah 40:8 NKJV
*What is the Bible? The Bible is the Word of God. Holy Scripture is therefore the first & final authority for all matters of faith & practice. This means that Christian doctrine (teaching) & Godly living is determined by the absolute authority of God’s Word.
“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 complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV
Where did the Bible come from? The Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God. This means that the Bible is “God-breathed” by God the Holy Spirit. Since the Bible is God’s Word, it is authoritative for doctrine & the practical application of truth to every area of life.
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,
for prophecy never came by the will of man,
but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
2 Peter 1:20-21 NKJV
Isn’t the Bible a man-made book? No, the Bible is not merely a man-made book. God did use men from many different walks of life to write the Bible. This is called “dual-authorship” (Divine origin & human agency). The Bible is therefore a library comprised of 66 books, written by over 40 different authors, written on 3 different continents in 3 languages over a span of 1,500 years.
“The Bible is a book that man couldn’t write if he would try to do so & he wouldn’t write if he could do so because of how it portrays mankind’s depraved condition in need of redemption.”
“The Bible is a life-changing collection of historical documents, written by eyewitnesses during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses. They report supernatural events that took place in fulfillment of specific prophecies, & they claim that their writings are Divine, rather than human, in origin.” – Dr. Voddie T. Baucham, Jr.
“How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.
Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.
Your word is a lamp to my feet & a light to my path.”
Psalm 119:9, 11, 105 NKJV
Internal Evidence
- Claims to be God’s Word
- Consistent revelation from beginning to end
- Fulfilled prophecies
- Unlike man-made books
External Evidence
- Never completely destroyed despite many attempts
- Oldest and most plentiful manuscripts among ancient literature
- Archaeological discoveries
- Testimonies of the martyrs
- Transformed lives.
Recommended Resources
- “The Ever-Loving Truth” by Voddie Baucham
- “Many Infallible Proofs: Evidences for the Christian Faith” by Henry Morris
- “The Truth Project” video series with Del Tackett
- “More Than a Carpenter” by Josh McDowell
- “The Case for Christ” by Lee Strobel
- Books, Articles, & DVDs at AnswersinGenesis.org
“For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
Isaiah 40:5b NKJV
*Here’s a print-friendly version of this article that could be used for a lesson on biblical apologetics for young and old.
https://gracefamilyministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/How-Do-We-Know-the-Bible-is-True.pdf
