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Why the Bible is the word of God
by Pastor Sal Termini
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Isaiah 55:8-13 (NLT)
"My thoughts are completely different from yours," says the Lord. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. [9] For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
[10] "The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. [11] It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. [12] You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands! [13] Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where briers grew, myrtles will sprout up. This miracle will bring great honor to the Lord's name; it will be an everlasting sign of his power and love.
The multiple witnesses – The Bible has 66 books with over forty authors all saying the same thing over thousands of years. The unity of minds is proof of one superintending mind. The people who spoke and wrote the Bible were from diverse walks of life spanning almost 7000 years and agree on every major Bible doctrine. The Bible is a cohesive document revealing God and His kingdom over thousands of years. We thus have God overseeing His word by revealing it through multiple sources in many times and in many ways. Its unity of thought and purpose shows one author God but many writers moved by His spirit.
Unlike many religions with a single author and no corresponding witnesses over thousands of years the Bible has stood the test of authenticity. The appearance of Jesus is the culmination of Biblical truth and prophecy predicating His coming and ministry. Jesus life is confirmed by thousands because of His miracles over 500 witnesses of His resurrection and deity. His life is marked by the most wonderful miracles, the presence of God’s Spirit, the favor of His Father, and many prophecies about Him fulfilled.
A revealing of God’s perfect holiness – God’s moral nature is beyond human comprehension and ability. The Bible reveals what is truth and error what is good and what is evil. There is no way that mankind in His corrupt state could come to such morally perfect truth without a revelation from God. The truths of God’s word are against mankind’s nature. Even today we debate morality that God has revealed to the world. It is debated because it is hard to live up to God’s perfection and goodness. There is a complete absence of evil in God and His motives are always pure. God is sufficient in Himself and therefore needs nothing from us. His pleasure and purpose in creating us existence is to share His love with us for our benefit. God is selfless and unselfish in His love. For more of a definition read 1 Corinthians chapter 13.
The Bible reveals the person of God as holy. God is moral perfection and it is a reflection of His nature. His moral perfection is perfect love defined for us to live out in our lives. The purpose of our lives is to know God’s love, respond to it, and to love others. Jesus said, “All the commandments can be summed up in loving God with your whole mind, your, whole soul, your whole strength, your whole body and your neighbor as yourself.”
Sin is nothing more than failing to love God as He deserves and others as we ought to. Love is the driving force of God’s moral law. Law is equity, justice, the same treatment for all people. It is not bound by gender, race or age. Jesus rebuked any laws because of their discriminatory nature. He railed and condemned those whose laws reflected no love and therefore failed to reflect God’s character.
The New Testament is about people receiving God’s Spirit and thus having the ability to live out God’s moral law. The message of the New Testament is we need God’s Spirit and must turn to Him to receive victory over our evil nature. If we do not choose God’s way we are doomed to a powerless existence until we will be totally consumed by evil. The prerequisite is to surrender to Jesus Lordship. Under His Lordship we receive forgiveness of all our sins by His substitutionary death. We receive entrance into the kingdom because rebels against God’s moral law are not given access to heaven and God’s presence. History is the perfect timing and intervention of God into our lives so that we might learn to learn and love God and one another.
Bible prophecy proves its divine origin – One of the purposes of prophecy was to prove the Bible is the word of God and that it was written by God. It is only God who could speak days, weeks, months, years, hundreds of years even thousands of years ahead and bring the word spoken to pass exactly. God using imperfect men moved by His Spirit foretold events thus glorifying God’s power to perform His word. Prophecy was meant to create faith in us for what God is doing knowing He will soon bring to pass His word. Prophecy proved the accuracy of the word of God. Prophecy also proves there is a God in control and interacting in this world for our good and for our welfare. The Bible is to proclaim God’s word which means it is to reveal who God is, what He requires from us, How to relate to Him, and what to expect from Him. The Bible reveals God’s plans and purposes. If we see them fulfilled in the past it will give us faith He will fulfill His word to us in the future.
The Bible has power - The Bible has power to create faith in our hearts, to reveal God, to grant us authority over a fallen world, Satan and hordes of demons. The Bible reveals Christ our savior and soon coming king. The Biblical principles in it work in every generation and for every human being who will be bold enough to believe it. We can get the same results as others did who obtained blessings from God. The Bible is the word of God and is thus the will of God. God promises us He will perform His will to those who love Him and believe His word. The Bible is backed by god who is faithful to perform and keep His word to those who ask.
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