David Knopp gave us 15 minutes to write down our reasons for belief in the Bible. Normally, this wouldn't be challenging, because there are lots of nice, cookie-cutter reasons why we believe in the Bible. I balked at the assignment because I know David to be a certified cookie-cutter mangler.
So I wracked my brain, trying to figure out why I really, truly, deep-down-inside believed the Bible to be the words of God. I'll lay out the reasons I gave so you can get the full appreciation of how David responded.
Minor reasons for why I believe the Bible:
1. Historical Accuracy. The Bible matches up with other historical accounts.
2. Alternatives Are Flawed. The other spiritual holy books fall apart under scrutiny while the Bible has never been proven to have a single flaw.
3. Synthesis of Scripture. The entirety of the Bible tells one continuous, fluid story of God's redemptive plan for His creatures to bring Him glory.
Major reasons for why I believe the Bible:
1. Faith
2. Personal Experience
What was interesting to me as we went around the group reading our answers, was that I found myself laughing inside at all the answers that went like this: "I believe in God therefore I read the Bible because I believe it is the inspired words of God." It just seemed like the ultimate "cookie-cutter" response. I was much more inclined to agree with my buddy Ethan's response that the Bible lined up with all other historical accounts because that seemed to be (and was) the intelligent answer.
But after a long, engaging discussion about proving the Bible to be accurate I realized something very simple, yet profound. In a world that denies the existence of a spiritual realm, the Bible is just like any other book. The only way to explain or understand the significance of the Bible is if you do believe in the spiritual, in the supernatural.
Once we become open to the existence of a spirit side of our world, we then realize that the Bible becomes so much more than a historically accurate collection of Hebrew and Greek writing. Suddenly, the Bible becomes something to be feared and respected, because it is what it claims to be, which is the very out-breathing of an all-powerful, universe-creating God.
And it was then that I knew why I believed the Bible.
I believe an explanation is in order on why once we believe in the spiritual side of our world, that the Bible then becomes powerful. I'll try to write on that soon. :)
ReplyDeleteI like this post. Good stuff, Mr. Bradley. Impressed.
ReplyDeleteMr. Bradley,
ReplyDeleteI stumbled onto your blog and thought you might be interested in checking out some of our materials covering the reliability of the Bible.
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Good work, Ted.
ReplyDeleteNay-- God's work in you. Although it is good work. =D
That's so very true!
ReplyDeleteps. I like your link names "people who write" "people who take pictures" ;) :D