EVIDENCEFORTHEBIBLEASGOD'SWORD

2PETER1:16-21HEBREWS4:12

“Tobefair,muchoftheBibleisnotsystematicallyevilbutjustplainweird,asyouwouldexpectofachaoticallycobbled-togetheranthologyofdisjointeddocuments,composed,revised,translated,distortedand'improved'byhundredsofanonymousauthors,editorsandcopyists,unknowntousandmostlyunknowntoeachother,spanningninecenturies.”

- RichardDawkins(TheGodDelusion)

“Webelievethat‘allScriptureisgivenbyinspirationofGod,’andthewholeBibleisinspiredinthesensethatholymenofGod‘weremovedbytheHolySpirit’towritetheverywordsofScripture.ThewholeBibleintheoriginalwritingsisthereforewithouterror.”

- CBCStatementofFaith

IIPETER 1:16-21 (ESV)ForwedidnotfollowcleverlydevisedmythswhenwemadeknowntoyouthepowerandcomingofourLordJesusChrist,butwewereeyewitnessesofhismajesty.17ForwhenhereceivedhonorandgloryfromGodtheFather,andthevoicewasbornetohimbytheMajesticGlory,“ThisismybelovedSon,withwhomIamwellpleased,”

IIPETER 1:16-21 (ESV)18weourselvesheardthisveryvoicebornefromheaven,forwewerewithhimontheholymountain.19Andwehavethepropheticwordmorefullyconfirmed,towhichyouwilldowelltopayattentionastoalampshininginadarkplace,untilthedaydawnsandthemorningstarrisesinyourhearts,

IIPETER 1:16-21 (ESV)

20knowingthisfirstofall,thatnoprophecyofScripturecomesfromsomeone'sowninterpretation.21Fornoprophecywaseverproducedbythewillofman,butmenspokefromGodastheywerecarriedalongbytheHolySpirit.

“TheBibleshouldbetaught,butemphaticallynotasreality.Itisfiction,myth,poetry,anythingbutreality.Assuchitneedstobetaughtbecauseitunderliessomuchofourliteratureandourculture.”

- RichardDawkins

1. REALWORLDEVIDENCEPOINTSTOTHEBIBLEASGOD’SWORD

• Fulfilledprophecies

“Idon’tthinkthere’sanyserioushistorianwhodoubtstheexistenceofJesus….WehavemoreevidenceforJesusthanwehaveforalmostanybodyfromhistimeperiod.”

- BartEhrman

ProvingJesusdidn’texist…“isabitlikehavingtodemonstratethattheearthisn’tflat,orthatthesundoesn’trevolvearoundtheearth,orthatthemoon-landingsweren’tdoneonamovielot.”

- LarryHurtado(EdinburghUniversity)

1. REALWORLDEVIDENCEPOINTSTOTHEBIBLEASGOD’SWORD

• Fulfilledprophecies• JesusaffirmedtheOldTestament

MATTHEW15:3,4(ESV)ThensomePhariseesandteachersofthelawcametoJesusfromJerusalemandasked,2“Whydoyourdisciplesbreakthetraditionoftheelders?Theydon’twashtheirhandsbeforetheyeat!”3Jesusreplied,“AndwhydoyoubreakthecommandofGodforthesakeofyourtradition?4ForGodsaid,‘Honoryourfatherandmother’and‘Anyonewhocursestheirfatherormotheristobeputtodeath.’

1. REALWORLDEVIDENCEPOINTSTOTHEBIBLEASGOD’SWORD

• Fulfilledprophecies• JesusaffirmedtheOldTestament

• TheNewTestamentisgreathistory

“….agrowingconvictionamongmanyscholarsthattheGospelstellusmoreaboutJesusandhisaimsthanwehadpreviouslythought…subsequentChristianitymaybeingreatercontinuitywithJesusthanwaspreviouslythought.”

- JPaget(Cambridge)

1. REALWORLDEVIDENCEPOINTSTOTHEBIBLEASGOD’SWORD

• Fulfilledprophecies• JesusaffirmedtheOldTestament• TheNewTestamentisgreathistory

• TheGospelsshownosignsofcollusion• NewTestamentbookswrittentooearlytobelegend

"Theintervalthenbetweenthedatesoforiginalcompositionandtheearliestextantevidencebecomessosmallastobeinfactnegligible,andthelastfoundationforanydoubtthattheScriptureshavecomedowntoussubstantiallyastheywerewrittenhasnowbeenremoved."Thus,"BoththeauthenticityandthegeneralintegrityofthebooksoftheNewTestamentmayberegardedasfinallyestablished.”

- SirFrederickKenyon

1. REALWORLDEVIDENCEPOINTSTOTHEBIBLEASGOD’SWORD• Fulfilledprophecies• JesusaffirmedtheOldTestament• TheNewTestamentisgreathistory• TheGospelsshownosignsofcollusion• NewTestamentbookswrittentooearlytobelegend

• Enormousnumberofmanuscripts

1. REALWORLDEVIDENCEPOINTSTOTHEBIBLEASGOD’SWORD• Fulfilledprophecies• JesusaffirmedtheOldTestament• TheNewTestamentisgreathistory• TheGospelsshownosignsofcollusion• NewTestamentbookswrittentooearlytobelegend

• Enormousnumberofmanuscripts

• Manuscriptsareincrediblyaccurate

1. REALWORLDEVIDENCEPOINTSTOTHEBIBLEASGOD’SWORD• Fulfilledprophecies

• JesusaffirmedtheOldTestament

• TheNewTestamentisgreathistory

• TheGospelsshownosignsofcollusion

• NewTestamentbookswrittentooearlytobelegend• Enormousnumberofmanuscripts

• Manuscriptsareincrediblyaccurate

• 99%NTquotedbyancienthistorians• ArcheologicalfindsaffirmBiblicalaccounts

2. CONVICTIONAFFIRMSTHEBIBLEASGOD’SWORD.

HEBREWS4:12(ESV)ForthewordofGodislivingandactive,sharperthananytwo-edgedsword,piercingtothedivisionofsoulandofspirit,ofjointsandofmarrow,anddiscerningthethoughtsandintentionsoftheheart.

PSALM119:165(ESV)

Greatpeacehavethosewholoveyourlaw,andnothingcanmakethemstumble.