Why should I believe the bible?

Before the start of another year, it is important that we affirm what is important in our life!

Holy Scripture is the preeminent authority for every Christian, and the rule of faith and of all human perfection. –John Wycliffe

2 Tim 3:15-17 (ESV) tells us that all Scripture is breathed out by God:

10You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 12Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

The Word of God is absolutely sufficient, it lack nothing.

We know the bible is true and trustworthy. The psalmist wrote: “All your words are true; all Your just laws will stand forever” (Psalm 119:160). In the New Testament, John writes, “Your word is truth.” (John 17:17, NIV).

Why should I believe the bible? There are reasons such as:

• The proof from prophecy (many OT prophecies are fulfilled in the NT)
• The unity of the Bible (there are no contradictions between the two testaments and among the different books in the bible. Being words empowered by the Holy Spirit, its message is uniform. The writers agree despite their
  -Different social standing
  -Different languages
  -Different writing styles
  From the two testaments, Christ is the principal message.
• The indestructibility of the Bible (having lasted more than 2000 years)
• The testimony from Church History (how it influenced countless lifes)
• Proof from Science (eg. Earth is not flat!!)
• Proof from Archeology (From paleography, the similarities between the many manuscripts/ codex [Codex Vaticanus, Codex Sinaiticus ] is proof!)

But more than these reasons, I think it is still the Holy Spirit who helped us to believe the great truth that the bible is the living Word of God! May we read the bible with our heart and mind ... in 2007!