The Bible, has a very impressive history. It was the first book printed on the Gutenberg press and is the most-published and widely read book of all time. In addition, it’s the most highly contested book of all time. More people have tried to disprove the Bible than they have any other piece of literature in history. When you think about all the literature ever published throughout history, you quickly realize the magnitude of the assault! (Another fun fact- The Bible is also the most shoplifted book of all time.)
So what makes the Bible the best-selling book of all time?
It is filled with amazing stories of real-life struggles (good and bad) and provides a historical account by more than forty authors spanning over fifteen hundred years. If you question the Bible as historical truth, ask yourself this: Why would someone recording their history describe events in a way that puts them in a bad light? Why would they discuss events that were immoral and criminal? Many accounts in the Bible tell of hardship, wrong choices, and disaster. It is the “ugly” parts of the Bible that ring true to us. If the Bible contained only “good and happy things,” it wouldn’t be real.
Also, if the authors wanted people of their time to consider the Bible as truth, they would not have used women as witnesses to many of the events; the virgin Mary and Mary Magdalin to name a few. Women of the time were not considered credible witnesses. So why would someone promoting a lie enlist women as witnesses? Because the prophets wrote about authentic human struggles and people of their times. To exclude those turbulent times would be a discredit to the Book itself. It would not be real! However, the Bible is very real. It discusses issues that we still confront today. The problem is that many people don’t like to read the Bible. Whatever reason they have, I’m not sure, but for me deep down I worried about feeling convicted for the life I chose to live. So I continued to read literature that reinforced whatever belief’s I had to discredit the Bible. This type of mentality is called “Confirmation Bias”- Reading literature that reinforces ones belief or only reading literature that discredits an opposing belief. For example, I was telling a friend (an atheist) about a historian who supports the Bible as fact based on archeological and historical documents. Many historians are Christian and many are not. This particular historian happened to be Christian. When my non-believing friend heard the facts, he asked “Is that historian a Christian? Because if he is I won’t read it.” That’s like going to the scene of a crime and getting one side of the story and then forming your opinion of someones guilt or innocence on what you want to be true. I grew up in the American public school system, so I have heard an abundance of one side. It’s only fair to hear the other- Jesus’:
3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
(2 Timothy 4:3-5 NIV)
Is the Bible historical and valid?
One of my chief complaints was the validity of the Bible, it’s authors, and how the history was documented in the pages of this great book. To begin, it’s important that in order to understand how such a book can have fourty authors and consist of sixty six books written over fifteen hundred years, one must first understand Jewish culture. The Israelites have historically kept meticulous records of their heritage and lineage. After all, they must — since the beginning of their existence not a day has gone by that someone has not tried to extinguish them from the face of the Earth. They had to keep diligent records of their heritage and pass it down from generation to generation, along with the sacred holidays and feasts. The writings of the Bible must be accurate when being copied by Jewish Scribes. If there is even one letter that is wrong or out of place, the entire book must be destroyed.
The Old Testament is the Jews spoken word of God to the prophets, and the Jewish Talmud includes additional laws and guidelines added by man. I find it odd that the Bible’s authenticity is still brought into question despite the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1946. The scrolls are the earliest known surviving manuscripts from the Old Testament and date as far back as four hundred BC. Our current Bible was found to be accurately depicted in the Dead Sea Scrolls, with the only differences consisting mostly of slight variances in spelling. The content was consistent with that of the current Bible we use today.
So what causes people to give up their jobs, families, houses, and lives for Christ?
Because they have been dramatically changed by their experience with Him — why? Because He has helped them overcome their fear of death, to find peace through forgiveness, as well as hope and joy knowing that Jesus will never forsake them. Most importantly, they know that Jesus provides us with the three most important things in life: love and security, which everyone seeks in a relationship, and salvation for eternity.
So why does it seem like broken people are usually the ones hearing from God?
Many of us have a comfortable life, we have a house, a car, running water, etc. but the problem is that we are all going to die! Do we need to be utterly broken to give God consideration? Do you put God in a box and take him out “as needed”? Jesus said:
17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
(Mark 2:17 NIV)
24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
(Matthew 19:24 ESV)
I used to think that ignorance was bliss. As time went on I realized God has put people in my life to expose me to the Truth, which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and I will be held accountable for ignoring it. God is a loving God, but he is also a gentleman and will not force himself on me or anyone for that matter! Would you pay or force people to be your friend? That’s not the kind of relationship I would want. So God gives you free will to decide on your own. However, He is also a righteous God and a jealous one. If you deny Him, He will deny you.
33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
(Matthew 10:33 ESV)
No Christian wants to see anyone go to hell, and this is why they try to evangelize non-believers. Unfortunately, many times these well-intentioned people go about it the wrong way. So the next time someone tries to talk to you about Jesus, do not be offended. It actually means they care about you. Think of it this way: if you knew your close friend would die in a horrific car crash if they drove on a particular night, would you try to stop them? If they ignored you, drove anyway, and were killed, would you feel worse if you had not tried telling them? You get my point.
My walk in life led me to two conclusions or choices. Either God exists or He doesn’t. If you believe there is something else, can you PROVE it? If not, why do you believe it? Everything either happened for no reason at all, and we all grew into complex life forms from nothing and with no guidance over the course of billions of years of unobserved evolution…or there is a divine Creator who is, who was, and will always be. If there was a time when nothing existed, then there still would be nothing. Why? because nothing cannot create something.
No one made God. He has existed forever. How can that be true? Our world consists of time, space and matter, so as people we put God in that same “box” and confine Him to those same laws. However, He cannot be confined to those laws of physics because he created them. Time, space and matter are scientific laws that effect our lives and existence, not God’s. He is the ultimate law maker!
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8 ESV)