Some say these prophecies were fulfilled by chance, but the odds against this would be exceptionally large. His research has shown that the archaeological evidence matches perfectly with the biblical record. This article is also available in Spanish. Most people hardly know where to begin! you are invited to follow my christian blog. The Bible then becomes authoritative because it lets us in on what it was like being an early Christian—and it is the early Christian experience that is then treated as the real authority, the real norm. And because God delegated some of His authority to various human beings, we get to see His authority active every day. They [the Prophets] were shown that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things now announced to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things angels long to catch a glimpse of. Answer: The Scripture has several words translated "right" and the usage of the term, "right hand" ranges from a direction, to the opposite of wrong, what is just or what conforms to an established standard, and to a place of honor or authority. Consider these facts. To say that the church determines the canon grossly oversimplifies the process by which we received our Bible. Another example is the story of Jericho recorded in the book of Joshua. It was completed about 100 A.D. People must have a true and authoritative basis for their faith. This account of the ways in which God has intervened in human history provides us with a description of the nature and the attributes of God completely different from the concept of God found anywhere else in the entire world of literature. Our Government Is From God. In the exercise of … Even if you claim, "the law of non-contradiction is false," you are asserting this statement is true and its opposite is false. When all was ready, God created man. We lack the wisdom, power, and knowledge to order the world. Unless we are willing to obey God’s Word with a sincere heart, we will never learn the deepest truths it contains about eternal life. Let me offer you a good illustration. You could look up the following references by way of example: God spoke to Moses (Exodus 3:4), about 1500 B.C. Because they were inspired by God, the prophets were divinely guided in the selection of facts to be written; they were divinely guided in the choice of words to describe the facts; and they were divinely guided in recording not merely human comment on the facts, but the attitude of God toward the behavior of the persons referred to. Some of the prophecies in the Bible will not be fulfilled until the coming day of judgment. The original version of this article is found at www.probe.org/authority-of-the-bible-a-strong-argument-for-christianity/. The biblical authors made hundreds of specific prophecies of future events that have come to pass in the manner they were predicted. Moreover, it is not being read only by people in Western lands! For more information refer to the articles "The Historical Reliability of the Gospels" (www.probe.org/historical-reliability-of-the-gospels) and "The Uniqueness of Jesus" (www.probe.org/uniqueness-of-jesus).2. The Bible claims to be the only book that is divinely inspired and that all other claims of inspiration from other works should be ruled out. The unity of the Bible is just one more amazing proof of the divine inspiration and authority of the Bible. Throughout His ministry, Jesus made clear His teachings, corrections, and actions were consistent with the Old Testament. : Harvest House Publishers, 1997), 25.7. For this reason, our study of the Bible cannot be treated simply as an academic exercise! The reason God’s Word is our authority in every area is because God is the ultimate Authority, and He is the one who ultimately authored Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16). Certainly they are classified as Jewish literature, but even the Jewish people were able to distinguish between ordinary literature and Divinely inspired literature. Here are some examples. That is my name! Jesus confirmed the Old Testament and promised that the Holy Spirit would inspire the apostles in the continuation of His teaching and in the writing of what would become the New Testament (John 14:25-26 and John 16:12-13). The Bible makes exclusive claims regarding God, truth and salvation that would exclude other scriptures. The Vedas are polytheistic, and the Upanishads present a pantheistic worldview of an impersonal divine essence called Brahma, not a personal God. Paul must send this reminder because the church at Ephesus, where Timothy has been left to continue the work of ministry, is beset by false teaching (see 1:3). Jesus even specifically affirmed as historical several disputed stories of the Old Testament. This does not mean other works do not contain truth. He names Abel as the first prophet from Genesis, and Zechariah the last prophet mentioned in 2 Chronicles, the last book in the Jewish Old Testament (which contains the same books we have today although placed in a different order). 3. Since we have good reason to believe the Bible is the inspired word of God, any teaching that contradicts the Bible must be false. It seems one author guided these writers through the whole process: the Holy Spirit. Biblical archaeology has silenced many critics as new discoveries supported the facts of the Bible. But the Bible goes further than that. We will study this in detail in later lessons. It carries absolute authority and is unflinchingly reliable. The biblical authors made hundreds of specific prophecies of future events that have come to pass in the manner they were predicted. Randall Price, The Stones Cry Out (Eugene, OR. But denominationalism is an intolerable scandal by scriptural standardssee John 17:20-23 and 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 . In the Gospel of Luke and Acts, "Luke names thirty-two countries, fifty-four cities, and nine islands without error. The Bible is the greatest earthly treasure that could possibly be placed in the hands of mankind. Leaders have power, but power is safe only in the hands of those who humble themselves to serve.” – John Stott . God spoke to Samuel (1 Samuel 3:11), about 1000 B.C. In fact the truth of the Bible will be quite evident to us as we continue our study. You will find a copy of the Bible helpful as a textbook for use with this course. Do angels appear to people today? That doesn't mean you have to agree with every one of their decisions, but it does mean you still need to show respect for the position, and by extension, the person who is in the position. Only due to Constantine's opportunism that Christianity got as big as it did. David wrote during a time of war, Jeremiah wrote at the sorrowful time of Israel's downfall, Peter wrote while Israel was under Roman domination, and Joshua wrote while invading the land of Canaan. Jesus claimed to be the divine Son of God and confirmed His claims through His sinless, miraculous life and resurrection. They have thereby tried to deny that they are even prophecies. First, the Bible was written over a span of fifteen hundred years. 4. Don’t panic! “I am the Lord! In Matthew 4:9 and in Luke 4:6, what authority is Satan talking about? The apostles demonstrated that they came with the authority of God through the miracles they performed as Jesus and the Prophets did before them. Archaeology presents tangible proof of the historical accuracy of the Bible. It is summed up in two short readings as follows: Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). It also teaches salvation by works and the doctrine of reincarnation. This is why we continually stress the vital need for clear historical perspective in our study of the Bible. For example, Moses was educated in Egypt, Peter was a fisherman, Solomon was a king, Luke was a doctor, Amos was a shepherd, and Matthew was a tax collector. The Search Of The Wise Men (Matthew 2:1-12), Christmas Searches: Expository Sermons For Christmas, 3. It was given in two main ways, first by direct revelation (by which the actual words of God are recorded by the prophets): second by inspiration (by which the Holy Spirit guided the prophets as they wrote and thus the prophets wrote Divine Truth). Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986), 869.3. Another line of evidence is archaeology. It is profitable for doctrine, for instruction and for correction. Our Lord said, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in … Because the Bible is given by inspiration of God it is profitable. He also judged others' teachings and traditions by the Old Testament. All these authors, from a span of fifteen hundred years, wrote on many controversial subjects, yet they do not contradict one another. Let five hundred people interpret the Bible without Church authority and there will soon be five hundred denominations. But, there is also a secondary aspect of authority, namely, the authority of position or office. The Bible was given by means of direct revelation. Yes! God delegates authority in marriage. For … For this reason Divine revelation is progressive. It would take more a greater leap of faith to believe in that chance happening than in the fact that Jesus is God and these prophecies are divinely inspired. Leah: The Woman No Man Loved But Every Woman Envied (Gen. 29:15-35). These are foundational truths taught in the Bible. “Hello, Pastor John! Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you" (Hebrews 13:17). Consider an excerpt from the Baptist Faith and Message that will serve to illustrate the point. the church cannot add to or take away from scripture! And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to him (2 Peter 3:15). Do Christians have the authority to command angels? Our MB Confession of Faith simply states: “We accept the Bible as the infallible Word of God and the authoritative guide for faith and practice.” But how the Bible functions authoritatively in our lives is not quite so simple. Let him announce it and explain it to me—since I established an ancient people—let them announce future events! Thus, our first topic for study is the basis for this belief. It is found in the following verses. However, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, archaeologists in Turkey discovered a city which proved to be the capital of the Hittite empire. Does the Bible promote or prohibit praying to angels? the bible is the authority in the church. These tablets showed that the Hittite language was an early relative of the Indo-European languages. Today, Tyre is a small fishing town where fishing boats come to rest and fisherman spread their nets. I will not share my glory with anyone else, or the praise due me with idols. Is there any God but me? Thus, making itself the highest authority. The testimony of Christ and the legacy of prophecy are two proofs for inspiration. Let them tell us what will happen! You are my witnesses. Third, it was written in many different places. "{4 Dr. William Albright, who was probably the foremost authority in Middle East archaeology in his time, said this about the Bible: "There can be no doubt that archaeology has confirmed the substantial historicity of the Old Testament. If it is true that I am presently alive, it cannot also be true to say that I am presently not alive. People who believe in Sola Scriptura will frequently make the statement that the Bible alone is the highest authority over men. Since these works contradict biblical teaching, we reject their claim to divine inspiration. In other words you end up appealing to the law you are trying to deny thus making a self-defeating argument. That power is established for the Bible by the claims of the Bible, which is that it, is the word of God. Authority can be defined as the right to issue commands and demand obedience. If we put all these factors together—the Bible was written over fifteen hundred years by forty different authors at different places, under various circumstances, and addressing a multitude of issues—how amazing that with such diversity, the Bible proclaims a unified message! . Did I not tell you beforehand and decree it? Look, you are nothing, and your accomplishments are nonexistent; the one who chooses to worship you is disgusting.” (Isaiah 41:21-24). Tell us about your earlier predictive oracles, so we may examine them and see how they were fulfilled. Other scriptures which contradict it cannot, therefore, be true. For a prediction to be fulfilled in the way and in the time foretold by the prophet is proof that God spoke through the prophet. What legitimate authority does Satan have over this world? God spoke to Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:3), about 600 B.C. We have given several proofs for the divine inspiration of the Bible. The Bible is an interpretation of history, showing how men (as individuals and as nations) have either been blessed or punished by God for their attitude to Him and His holy laws. There are nearly one hundred prophecies made about Jesus in the Old Testament, prophecies such as His place of birth, how he would die, His rejection by the nation of Israel, and so on. This claim is found in a large number of places in the Bible. Some people use Luke 10:19 as proof that they have all authority, even over Satan and his minions. God is eternal, and we are mortal. Is it wrong to have angel figurines? This might make some wonder why God has the right to have authority over everything. Predictions were fulfilled in some cases hundreds of years after they were made, and so the prophets did not live long enough to see the fulfillment of their own words. Thus character is the primary thing in authority, because godly character commands respect and a man with respect has authority. He expects that you will respect the people he's placed in authority over you. Satan's power is over all the nations of the earth. by Ryan TurnerThough Paul did not walk with Jesus while he was on this earth, he did receive approval from the followers of Jesus. All these prophecies were made hundreds of years before Jesus ever came to earth. Here's another example. They were simply God’s messengers, and often the great truths they wrote down were too profound for them to understand. In Galatians chapters 1-2, Paul explains that he took two different trips to Jerusalem to see the Jerusalem apostles. The Bible’s claim to be inspired by the Holy Spirit is the only possible answer to the amazing mystery of the foretelling of the future in accurate detail. The Bible was also given by means of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The first thing that impresses most beginners is the size of the Bible—it contains more than 800,000 words. Question: "Why does Scripture emphasize the right hand of God?" For years, skeptics thought the story of the falling walls of Jericho was a myth. You will notice that even the prophets themselves did not fully understand the words that God spoke through them or revealed to them. Yes, do something good or bad, so we might be frightened and in awe. Another evidence of supernatural confirmation is the testimony of prophecy. We sincerely hope you will discover for yourself the truth about God Almighty, as Creator, Provider and Savior of men. Higher even, than the Bible. Is he lying that he has authority to give? until 1200 B.C. No human mind can fully understand Divine truths. Jesus’ teachings about authority appear in all four Gospels (which means it must have been repeated over and over). What does the Bible say about submitting to authority? reply delete “All authority comes from God, and those in position of authority have been placed there by God” (Romans 13:1). The Authority Of The Bible Does Not Depend On Our Ability To Understand It. Therefore, get your minds ready for action by being fully sober, and set your hope completely on the grace that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. All people are created in the image of God and can articulate principles that are true. However, this places the church in authority over the Bible, for if the church determines what is canon, then the church has final authority. The Hindu scriptures include the Vedas and the Upanishads. Romans 13:1 ESV / 811 helpful votes. In the city they discovered a massive library of thousands of tablets. Ralph H. Alexander, "Ezekiel," in The Expositor's Bible Commentary, ed. The Bible is history, but history strikingly different from ordinary history. . This is why we invite you to commence this study with us. 2. Why were Michael and Satan disputing over the body of Moses (Jude 9)? Look, my earlier predictive oracles have come to pass; now I announce new events. Open your Bible at the title page and you will find an index listing the names of the sixty-six Books of the Bible. Nearly four thousand times in the Bible we find words or expressions such as: And God said... or The Lord spoke to Moses, or The Word of the Lord came to Isaiah. The Bible was written on three different continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe. This Book tells of the ways in which God revealed Himself to mankind over a period of several thousand years. It is not enough to say that it is a unique Book, for it is a collection of sixty-six ancient Books. Does the Bible confirm its exclusive claim to be the Word of God? Related Topics: Apologetics, Archaeology, Basics for Christians, Canon, Inerrancy, Inspiration, Old Testament, Prophecy/Revelation, Revelation, Teaching the Bible, Patrick Zukeran served on the staff of Probe Ministries for 22 years, having received graduate degrees from Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M) and Southern Evangelical Seminary (D.Min). Suppose ten medical students graduating in the same year from medical school wrote position papers on four controversial subjects. So learn to trust him and honor Him. God spoke to Elijah (1 Kings 21:17), about 900 B.C. Does God love Satan? It is foolish for a man to reject a revelation because it does not fit in with the local circumstances of his short life span. Are these sections nothing more than Jewish literature? Many popular religions are based entirely on human ideas and thus are merely theories or philosophies. The Search of the Shepherds (Luke 2:8-20), 1. Now, notice what Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 28: “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to…” who? A Muslim leader once asked, “Would God punish a man for failing to understand Bible doctrines?” The answer is, “No, we are not punished because we cannot understand the mysteries of the Bible, but for unbelief—for refusing to believe what God has said.” The prophets themselves were unable to understand the great truths they taught, so obviously many aspects of Divine revelation are beyond the limitations of our minds. Scholars have found him to be a very accurate historian, even in many of his details. Why do Christians believe the Bible to be a Book inspired by God? . Moses wrote in the desert of Sinai, Paul wrote in a prison in Rome, Daniel wrote in exile in Babylon, and Ezra wrote in the ruined city of Jerusalem. Nelson Glueck, Rivers in the Desert: A History of the Negev (New York: Farrar, Strauss, and Cudahy, 1959), 31. {7, Archaeology has also demonstrated the accuracy of the New Testament. Can such a claim be tested? Based on the Great Commission, the only “authority” believers possess is the authority to go into all the world, the authority to make disciples, the authority to baptize in the name of the Triune God, and the authority to teach Jesus’ commands. Modern research and archaeology have demonstrated the astonishing accuracy of Bible history and supports the claim that the Bible is inspired by God. In this way the Bible was kept from becoming a mixture of truth and legend which is what we find in most ancient books (for instance, the Greek classics). When we read the Bible seriously and ask God to speak to our hearts through its inspired teachings, we begin to realize that God does indeed speak to men with Divine authority through His Word, the Bible. Thus, we have here the actual spoken Word of God. Thus by Divine inspiration, the prophets were protected from errors in historical fact, from errors in doctrine and from mistakes made through ignorance. With all of these thoughts in mind, let’s look and see what the Bible says on three different examples of authority. {1} Since Jesus is God incarnate, whatever He taught is true, and anything opposed to His teaching is false. Thus, God spoke directly to His prophets from time to time throughout the entire period of Israel’s national existence commencing with Moses and ending with Malachi. Well, let us begin at the very beginning! Prior to the late nineteenth century, nothing was known of the Hittites outside the Bible, and many critics alleged that they were an invention of the biblical authors. He presently serves on the faculty of the Bible Institute of Hawaii (www.biblehawaii.org) and is the Director of t... More, 2. 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