Why Do You Question?!

Before I start this article, I just want to greet everyone a belated Merry CHRISTmas!! This occasion is truly the most precious, ever, because this celebrates the birth of our Savior; our AWESOME GOD didn’t just watch over us, but humbled HIMSELF for us, so that we can be with HIM… that’s amazing love guys, and we are so blessed to be HIS…

Recently, I’ve realized that as much as more and more people are gaining faith in CHRIST (woohoo!!) the enemy on the other-hand, has been doing double time at work trying to destroy our faith as well, and his main target is, the MIND! You see, more and more people have become skeptical of the authenticity of the BIBLE, and as a CHRISTIAN, I can’t bear to witness this without taking a stand in the TRUTH, and that I believe is through the BIBLE alone, the true WORD of GOD.

Right now, you must be thinking, “HOW CAN SHE BE SO CONFIDENT?!”, well to tell you honestly, my confidence first of all comes from my faith and relationship with CHRIST and the rest, is from the evidences which scientists, archeologists, and historians present to us. After reading some books and watching some awesome DVDs in DEFENDING THE FAITH by Charlie Campbell, I was able to summarize some notes that I’d like to share with you.

Fulfilled prophecies, archaeological evidences, the bibles’ internal consistency, extra-biblical writings, amazing scientific accuracy and insights, manuscripts, forthrightness of Heroes’ success & failures and most of all the willingness of JESUS’ disciples to suffer a painful death just to preach the gospel surely attests to the Authenticity and Trustworthiness of the BIBLE!

1.Fulfilled prophecies- In the bible lies so many prophecies being fulfilled, and for prophecies for one MAN (JESUS CHRIST) to fulfill alone, is even more amazing. Peter Stoner, a former chairman of the Departments of Mathematics and Astronomy at Pasadena City College, who published a book entitled “Science Speaks” (1963) calculated and estimated the probability of one man fulfilling as many prophecies as JESUS fulfilled in the scriptures, and the estimation was 1 in 1017 (100 quadrillion). To think that the fulfillment of such predictions is by chance is absurd, the testimony of the scriptures shows that the purpose of such prophecies being fulfilled is that a GOD does exist and that He has a plan for this world.

2.Archaeological evidences- Knowing that the bible is full of historical events, we have to note that archaeology without History is meaningless. Though archaeology can give us the sequence of cultural development, it can’t give the chronology. What archaeology has done for the past century is to verify the history contained in the bible and it proved it to be historically accurate. To name a few of such evidences which you can search about are the ruins of Nineveh (Genesis 10:11), Hezekiah’s Tunnel (2Kings 20:20), the ruins of the Hittite Civilization (Genesis 15:20), Pool of Siloam (John 9:1:7), Jacobs well (John 4:1-6), Caiapha’s Ossuary found in 1990’s, evidence of Pontius Pilate found in Caesarea in 1960’s, and even the legendary Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19). Recent excavations at Tell Mardikh now known to be site of Ebla, uncovered 15,000 tablets mentioning Sodom and Gomorrah and recent evidences presented by scientific research has even pinpointed the area to which it was located.

3.Bibles internal consistency- Despite it being a collection of 66 documents, there is unity in all of it. It was written approximately by 40 authors, from different backgrounds, in 3 different countries (Asia, Africa, and Europe), in 3 different languages (Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic) and in a span of about 1,500 years. Complex in the making, yet full of harmony with each other, with its message centering basically in JESUS CHRIST. The Old Testament is the preparation (Isaiah 40:3), the Gospels are the manifestations (John 1:29), the Book of Acts the propagation (Acts 1:8), the Epistles give the explanation (Colossians 1:27) and the Book of Revelation is the consummation (Revelation 1:7).

4.Extra-biblical writings- Roman Jewish Historian, Flavius Josephus (Antiquities 1863-64) attested to 80 persons, historically in the bible (50 from the Old Testament and 30 from the New Testament). 39 sources outside the bible also testify more than 100 facts regarding Jesus’ life, teaching, crucifixion and resurrection. According to Charlie H. Campbell, he suggests you read the book entitled “The historical Jesus: ancient evidence for the life of Christ” by Gary R. Habermas.

5.Scientific accuracy and insights-The bible was never intended to be a science book, but rather an account that an Omnipotent GOD created everything and set standards for His creation and has a plan for His creation. Yet if we do take recent scientific findings and compare it with the bible, we can find that there is a correlation and accuracy in what the bible presents. Before man found out about space, the book of Job already had an account about it (Job 26:7) and even before Galileo Galilee invented the telescope to see the stars in the sky Jeremiah 33:22 already had an account of that, which he described as being as measureless as the sand on the seashore. And though medieval Christianity was leaning on a “FLAT earth” theory, I guess they didn’t read there bibles correctly (LOL!) because Isaiah 40:22, Job 26:10, Proverbs 8:27, and Amos 9:6 claimed it to be ROUND. To name a few, the Bible even describes other issues such as the hydrologic cycle, circulation of the atmosphere, and fluid dynamics.

6.Manuscripts- When examining manuscripts we have to take into account the span of time of when it happened to when it was written to the date of when it was actually found and the number of original manuscripts there are. If we were to take Roman history, where the earliest existing documents concerning it were found 900 years after the events happened and that only 20 original copies exist, and compare it with the Bible manuscripts, we could say it to be a mere “fairy tale” as compared to the later. Remember guys, Bible manuscripts date from 30-150 years after they happened and that more than 30,000 original manuscripts exist!! This fact would definitely have to convince the most skeptical of the Bible. Try researching about Dead Sea Scrolls which even increases the bibles authenticity, accuracy and integrity.

7.Heroes’ success & failures- The Bible is a record of so many people, including Abraham, Moses, Joshua, King David, Saul, and many more. But what makes it unique, is the forthrightness of the success of these people and their failures. I don’t think it would be human nature to right something bad about ourselves, but in the Bible you see it, men writing their weaknesses, mistakes, and their cries for help and mercy to GOD.

8.Willingness of Jesus disciples to die a painful death just to preach the gospel- I have a question to all of you, “would you go to great lengths to preach something, even if it means DEATH, which wasn’t TRUE?!” I bet you’d say, NO!! So to the skeptics, if the gospels were not true, then why would the 12 disciples willing to go through persecution and die painful deaths just to preach about JESUS? Andrew, Bartholomew, Simon Peter and Phillip were crucified; James the son of Alphaeus was stoned to death; James the son of Zebedee was cut off with a sword; Thomas was stabbed; Matthew killed by a sword wound; James the brother of Jesus (not officially an apostle) was beaten to death with a club; and the apostle Paul was beheaded. Their refusal to renounce their faith in Christ is tremendous evidence enough to prove the TRUTH OF THE BIBLE and the RESURRECTED JESUS CHRIST.

Brothers and sisters, may you have the right attitude and the write words when confronted with such skepticism about our faith, as it says in 1 Peter 3:15 and I quote, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as LORD. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” Continue to pray for the unbeliever that the doors of there hearts may be opened to the TRUTH that the BIBLE tells. May their hearts be quickened by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the cleansing power of His WORD. I recommend you visit www.alwaysbeready.com by Charlie Campbell and read the book entitled “Answers to Tough Questions” by Josh McDowell and Don Stewart for all the information stated above.

Isaiah 40:8 says…

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.”