The Basics ofThe Basics of

ChristianityChristianity

Seven Wonders of the Seven Wonders of the Word of God Word of God

(Part 1)(Part 1)

WONDER #1

THE BIBLE’S DIVINE

INSPIRATION

II PETER 1:16

 16We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

II TIMOTHY 3:16

16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

GALATIANS 1:11-1211I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. 12I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

I THESSALONIANS 2:13

 13And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.

WONDER #2

THE BIBLE’S UNIQUE

FORMATION

II PETER 1:20-2120Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. 21For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

WONDER #3

THE BIBLE’S WIDESPREAD CIRCULATION

Bible Trivia

In 2005 the Gideons International distributed 59,460,000 Bibles worldwide. (This is an average of over one million Bibles every week, or about 113 a minute).

The Gideons have placed 1,880,480,000 Bibles since they began in 1899.

WONDER #4

THE BIBLE’S HONEST

CONFIRMATION

ACTS 7:22

22Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.

LEVITICUS 13:46

46 As long as he has the infection he remains unclean. He must live alone; he must live outside the camp.

How Were the Stories Passed Down?

John Rylands Papyrus 52 records portions of John 18. The writing style and material suggest that this fragment was copied around AD 110.

How Can We Know the Bible was Copied Accurately?

How? There are more than 5,700 manuscripts

and fragments of the New Testament available to us.

It would be impossible for anyone to have modified major portions the New Testament without their changes being quite easily noticed.

What history actually tells us:

The first collection of scrolls was discovered in 1947 in caves in the Qumran area near the Dead Sea, about seven miles south of Jericho.

The Dead Sea ScrollsThe Dead Sea Scrolls

Some of the scrolls were found in jars.

Practically all of the Dead Sea scrolls are written in Hebrew and Aramaic.

Among them are the oldest copies yet found of almost all of the books of the Old Testament.

The Dead Sea ScrollsThe Dead Sea Scrolls

These copies of Old Testament books are over 1000 years older than most of the manuscripts scholars previously had available for study and translation.

The Dead Sea ScrollsThe Dead Sea Scrolls

ACTS 2:22 22"Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.

II PETER 1:19

 19And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

JOHN 12:48-4948There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. 49For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it.