Thursday, December 3, 2009

Is The Bible From God or Men (Part ll)

SCIENTIFIC ACCURACY:

My friends,the Bible is not a text-book on science (its theme is man's salvation from sin through Jesus Christ), but in it we do find incidental reference to various branches of science, and all that it says on these subjects is scientifically accurate. Although there are some who claim that the Bible is opposed to science, it proves itself to be the inspired Word of God because of its scientific wealth and accuracy. In fact, we could say that the Bible is pre-scientific; it anticipates scientific discoveries. These scientific references were made hundreds of years before they became known to man by discovery! We marvel at the accuracy with which Scripture presents these various subjects.

The word Science simply means Knowledge. I perfer to define it, as "Man's Observations of God's Creation". What is commonly called science is frequently nothing more than certain theories and conclusions based on man's limited and imperfect knowledge of God's perfect laws. All of man's theories of science do not always agree with the Bible. (1 Timothy 6:20).

If the Bible agreed with all the theories of science it could not possibly agree with true science. But when a "Truth" or fact has been discovered, we find the Bible, if it speaks on that subject, has already declared that truth. The world is interested in the origin of the universe and man. The idea is presently much discussed.

Thre are (3) verses in the Book of Genesis one that answer more satisfactorily the question people are asking than all the books written by men. "In the begining God created the heavens and the earth" (v.1). "And God said, Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind... and it was so" (v.24) "And God created man, in his own image.. male and female created he them" (v.27; cf: 2:7.

Now note, my friends, "He created Adam and Eve", NOT... Adam and Steve! (Homosexuality) is Sin. And God Hates Sin. For Sin separates Man from God, that leads to eternal destruction(Hell) forever, per His written Word. Christ also said "from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female" (Mark 10:6; cf. 1 Timothy 2:13). Man (DID NOT) evolve from lower animals. He is the "offspring of God" (Acts 17:28, 29); God is the Father of our spirits (Hebrews 12:9).

My friends,the theory of evolution pertaining to the origin of man is unscientific. It has never been proved, nor shall it ever be proven. Life does not come from non-life. The theory of evolution is nothing more than the "flat earth" syndrome of modern foolish man. It is embraced in spite of the evidence-not because of it. Too, the earth is not eternal; it was created. "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is" (Exodus 20:11). "For every house is builded by some one; but he that built all things is God" (Hebrews 3:4; cf 11:3).

My friends, as to the age of the earth, no one knows, or does the Bible say. The Almighty God, who could create Adam and Eve full-grown, could instantly create a full-grown bed of coal or minerals. "By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the "Breath" of His mouth.. For He spake, and it was Done! He commanded, and it stood fast." (Psalms 33:6,9).

My friends, no scientist can "prove" that this is Not True! For the Bible is clear and accurate, therefore, as to the origin of things; the majestic first chapter in the Book of Genesis contains the only "Authentic" account of creation. It is not a "Myth" or "Fable", as Some Foolish Man have claim, and still do, to this day. If it is, then how can any part of the Bible be trusted? Besides, who is to judge where myth begins, and where it ends? Or, what is "Truth" and what is error? One's view of the Bible is important; it determines his attitude toward its teachings.

For remember, my friends, man, for thousands of years, did not know that the earth was round; he believed it was flat. Yet Isaiah, seven centuries before the birth of Christ, spoke of God as: "He that sitteth above the circle of earth" (Isaiah 40:22). This was scientific "Foreknowledge". The patriarch Job, speaking of God, declared; "He stretcheth out the north over the empty space, and hangeth the earth upon nothing" (Job 26:7)

Today every school boy and girl in America knows that the earth is round, poised in space, hanging "Upon Nothing", and that astronauts have circled the earth and looked down upon it from their spaceships. And Not once, Thanked God,for what they were then seeing! His Creation! How sad is that?

We ask, how was it possible that the writers of the Bible described physical phenomena with such amazing accuracy? There is but one plausible explanation: He who planned and made the vast universe inspired the writers, and that which they recorded was not ancient wisdom but "Divine Revelation".

There is not one real scientific principle known that is in violation of, or contrary to, the Word of God. Nothing that any scientist knows today in any way contradicts any statement of the Bible. A true understanding of the Bible and correct understanding of the facts of science are always found to be harmonious. When one adds together all of the scientific evidence he is overwhelmed with the proof that the Bible must be, as it claims. A "Divine Book".

MIRACLES:

Miracles attest to the divinity of the Bible. Miracles were works of supernatural character such as could not be produced by natural agents or means. For example, when a blind man is healed by medicine, then it is by natural law; but when a blind man is healed instantly(as the blind man mentioned in John 9), then it is a miracle. The raising of Lazarus from the dead was a miracle (John 11). The miracles performed by Christ proved that His message was from God, so that men might believe Him. (John 3:2, 20:30, 31). Miracles were used to show that certain others, as the apostles, had divine power and spoke God's Word; their words were confirmed by "signs and wonders" (Hebrews 2:3, 4).

After the ascension of Christ , the apostles "went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed" (Mark 16:20). Also, Moses proved by miracles before the children of Israel and Pharaoh that he had the Word of God (Exodus 4: 1-9, 29-31; Chapters 7-13).

Miracles were an indelible stamp of God's approval of His Word and of His messengers. The pretentions of men today to work "miracles" pale into insignificance when compared to the miracles of the Bible; which declares the only "lying wonders" (2 Thessalonians 2:9). However, infidels deny in vain the real miracles of the Word of God because they are a strong proof of its divine origin.

EXALTED MORAL AND ETHICAL TEACHING:

The Bible has given the finest teaching on morals and ethics the world has ever known. Scripture clearly teaches that the highest duty of man is to God his Creator. The duty man owes to others is also set forth, and the duty man owes to himself is defined.

The Bible demands the denial of "EVERY" vice, and the practice of "EVERY" virtue. The degree of enlightenment in the world is in exact ratio with the prevalence of those ethical principles, so clearly taught in the Scriptures. In the realm of law there is no higher code of ethics than that found in the Bible!

The Greeks and Romans never produced such moral and ethical teaching. Where shall we find a legal code that excels the "Mosaic Law" (Exodus 20)? Where did Moses get this law which surpasses the wisdom and philosophy of the most enlightened ages? Where did Jesus get the unparalleled moral teaching of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5, 6, 7) and the idea to fear God and to "Love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matt: 22:36-40), as well as the Golden rule (Matt: 7:12)? Where did the apostle Paul get the beautiful pslam on Christian love ( 1 Corinthians 13)?

It is impossible to account for the exalted qualities of this teaching on any other hypothesis than that the writers were under the special influence of God.

My friends, surly the Bible bears its own witness of its divine origin. Paul said: "The gospel which was preached by me.. is not after man" (Galatians: 1:11).

IS THE BIBLE FROM GOD OR MEN? (CONCLUSION)
I Will Be Discussing:
External Evidences: (Influence):
Indestructibility:
My Closing "Food For Thoughts:

********Stay Tuned My Friends**********


Jim

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Is The Bible From God or Men?

"Food For Thought"


INTRODUCTION:


Two basic questions concerning Christianity are: (1) Is there an Eternal God who created the universe and man, and (2) Did the Bible come from God? The purpose of this study is to examine the question of the origin of the Bible.

My friends,the Bible is here! Now, from whence did it come? There are only two possible answers: either the Bible came from God as Christians contend and believe, or the Bible came from man as infidels, agnostics, and atheists affirm. Is the Bible the result of unaided human wisdom, or of divine inspiration? Can we put implicit faith in the Scriptures as a revelation from God, or view the Bible as just another book of human origin? This is the most crucial question that confronts the religious world today.

THE BIBLE'S CLAIM:

The Bible itself claims to be from God. Either its claim is true or false. The apostle Paul wrote: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God." (2 Timothy 3:16). This literally means "God-Breathed," or "breathed out by God." This is a clear claim to plenary inspiration, that is, the Bible is inspired in all its parts. The apostle Peter, speaking of the Old Testament prophets said: "For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved, by the Holy Spirit". ( 2 Peter 1:21) The writers of the New Testament were likewise inspired; the truth was revealed unto the "holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit" (Ephesians 3:3-5; John 16:13; 14:26; Jude 17). My friends, If God gave the Bible we would expect Him to tell us so in that Book. If there is a God, and if that God is our Father, then we may be sure He has spoken to His children, for what earthly parent with a child away from home would not, if he could communicate with him? Over two thousand times in the Bible we find such expressions as "Thus saith the Lord", or "The Word of Lord came to me", or "The Lord spake to me." ( See for example, 2 Samuel 23:2, Jeremiah 1:4-9; Matthew 1:22, 2:15; Acts 1:16, and many other passages.)

When the Bible tells us plainly what Kind of Book, it is, we should not reject its testimony as unworthy of belief unless we have sufficent evidence. But how may we know that the Bible is inspired?

My friends,there are evidences, both internal and external, of the divine origin of the Bible. The Bible's content bears confirming marks of its own claim to be from God. There is unmistakable evidence that it is the inspired Word of God; the evidence are abundant that "God.. hath spoken unto us.." (Hebrews 1: 1, 2).

I now shall examine some of the proofs whereby the Scriptures reveal their divine orgin.

INTERNAL EVIDENCES:

INERRANCY: The Bible is verbally inspired of God and is inerrant. The apolstle Paul, speaking of the truths of Christianity said; "But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit. Which things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth, combining spiritual things with spiritual words" (1 Corinthians 2:10-13) A "Word" is simply the vehicle through which thought is communicated from one mind to another. Inspired "Words" were the means which God used to convey to man the thoughts of His heart. Through the medium of Words He revealed His Will. The things that the writers-uttered were not of their own origin, but were the very word of God Himself. The words of Scripture are divine Words, and yet they are also the words of human writers. Hence, the original autographs of the Bible were verbally inspired as they came from the men guided by the Holy Spirit.

What is "God-breathed" must be inerrant, for God cannot Lie (Hebrews 6:18). The Lord said through David the the Word of God, is "Pure" (Psalms 19:8;119:140), which means it is free from all error. David also wrote: "Thy Word is true from the begining, and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever" (Psalms 119:160/ cf 19:7).

God gave to man a perfectly errorless Book, an infallible message. The writers expressed the Truth why they affirmed the divine origin of the Holy Scriptures. God's men wrote exactly what the Lord wanted them to write. God's law is "The Truth" (Psalms 119:142; John 17:17).

My friends,if the Bible is not to be depended upon when it speaks of itself, how do we know it is to be trusted when it speaks on other matters?

If the Bible is not trustworthy, we have no assurance that our Christian faith is founded upon the truth. But if the Bible is the verbally inspried and the infallibly true word of God, it follows we are listening to God, and not to man, when we harken to its teaching.

My friends, the Bible is one Book. Though composed of sixty-six (66) books, there is a golden thread of unity running throughout this entire volume. The Jews, through whom the Bible came, were not noted for any scientific, or literary fame. Some of the writers were fishermen, some tax-collectors, and others shepherds. Most of them never travelled beyond the narrow limits of their native land. But, despite all this, these who were termed by men to be "unlearned and ignorant men" (Acts 4:13) gave to the world a Book of perfect harmony and free of all mistakes. Although they differed greatly from each other and perhaps knew not that they were engaged in writing a single book, when all of their works, are put together there are no contradictions or errors.

Surely this is proof of the Bible's divine origin; one Master Mind controlled them all. Otherwise, how could forty(40) men, different in habits, languages, and education, over a period of sixteen centuries - Moses,being the first writer, to John, the last writer - produce such a book if there were (as some claim) unaided by divine power?

The enemies of the Bible have gone over it with a microscope, seeking to find inconsistencies; they have paraded alleged contradictions, but no contradictions have been proven. Unlike the books written by men, every word of the Bible is absolutely reliable.

The Bible in its entirety is the Word of God. Therefore, the Bible differs from all other religious books in the world in that it has a divine Author. On this ground we rest our faith, believing we can trust the Bible implicity as the verbally inspired and inerrant word of God.

FULFILLED PROPHECIES:

Next I will examine the the powerful proof of prophecy. Fulfilled prophecies are facts which establish "Omniscience". Prophecy is history written in advance. What the prophets stated by inspiration concerning individuals, nations, and cities, long before the events occurred, sometimes centuries before undeniably attests to the fact that the Bible is from God, as we see from their complete fulfillment.

Let me share a few examples. Without doubt, the most important prophecies are those which relate to the coming of Christ. There are more than 330 distinct prophecies in the Old Testament about our Savior relating to His earthly life, which have been fulfillled. He was to be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14), of the seed of Abraham (Genesis 12:2; Galatians 3:16), of the tribe of Judah (Gen: 49:10; Heb: 7:14), and of the family line of David (2 Samuel 7:13-16). The place of His nativity was to be Bethlehem of Judah (Micah 5:2). All the main events in His personal ministry were minutely and accurately predicted. He would be betrayed for (30) pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12). In His death, His hands and feet were to be pierced (Psalms 22:16). He was to be buried with the rich (Isaiah 53:9). He was to arise from the dead and to ascend into heaven (Psalms 16:10; Daniel 7:13, 14). He was to appear and following His ascension set up His kingdom during the fourth universal monarchy (Daniel 2:44), which was the time of the Roman Empire (Luke 2:1; Mark 1:15).

My friends, all of these and many more prophecies were made concerning Christ, hundreds of years before His birth, and were fulfilled, according to the records given in the New Testament. In fact, Jesus claimed that all the Messianic prophecies were fulfilled in Him (John 5:39; Luke 24:44-49). He once made a defense for the Scriptures He said, "And the scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35).

He believed that the Scriptures were infallible. It was customary for the apostles in their preaching after the Church of Christ was established, to prove from the Old Testament that Jesus was the Christ (e.g., Acts 13:23-37). This agreement of prophecy and history cannot be explained away. That the prophets were inspired is the only explanation. How could these various prophecies have been made centuries before their fulfillment if there was no divine foreknowledge of these future events?

My friends,the prophecy of Moses concerning the final overthrow of the Jewish nation, recorded in the Book of Deuteronomy 28, is of remarkable interest. Moses said the Lord would bring against the Jews a nation from afar "as swift as the eagle flieth," speaking a strange language. They would besiege Jerusalem until all her walls would come down. In this siege the people would suffer unparalleled horrors. The "tender and delicate woman" who would not so much as set her foot upon the ground would secretly kill and eat the flesh of her own child. Great numbers would perish in the siege. This was all fulfilled when the Romans, under Titus, destroyed Jerusalem in A.D.70, 1500 years after it was spoken. The exactness of this fulfillment was recorded by Josephus, a Jewish historian who lived during the time of the siege and the fall of the city.

Jerusalem was conquered, the walls torn down, and over a million Jews were slain. So hungry were the people that many ate the flesh of their own sons and daughters. Moses also predicted that the Jews would be removed and scattered throughout all the kingdoms of the earth, and that they should become a proverb and a by-word among the nations. And yet, notwithstanding all this, they would never be destroyed. In what country are they not found today? And in what land are they not a by-word? In what land have they not been persecuted? Yet the Jews remain. Moses must hav given all of these prophecies guided by the Holy Spirit. Frederick the Great of Prussia once demanded proof in one word that the Bible was inspired. The answer given was "Jew".

My friends, a Man cannot name the President of the United States 150 years from today and reveal what he will do in office, yet one of the Bible writers called the name of a Persian ruler and foretold what he would do. Isaiah, the prophet of God, called Cyrus by name 150 years before he was born and said he would give the proclamation for the Jews to return from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 44:26-28; 45: 1-4). The kingdom of Judah was not even in bondage at this time, yet Isaiah's prophecy was fulfilled.

The prophecy concering Babylon, given by Isaiah (13: 19-22; cf. Jeremiah 50), is also most interesting. At the height of Babylon's glory the prophet of God predicted that the city would be entirely overthrown and never be inhabited nor dwelt in from generation to generation; that the Arab would not pitch his tent there, nor shepherds make their fold there; but that wild beasts of the desert should lie there and owls and doleful creatures should infest it.

Babylon, founded about 2234 B.C., was then one of the worlds most beauitful cities. Its walls were fifteen miles square, three hundred fifty feet high, and eighty-seven feet thick. It had hundreds of gates and towers, beauitful hanging gardens, and splendid palaces. There in the fertile valley of the river Euphrates she was the capital of the great Babylonian Empire.

There we no sign of decay. But after two hundred years, from the time of the prophecy was given, in 536 B.C. at the drunken feast of Belshazzar (Daniel 5), proud Babylon bowed her head, to rise no more! The Medes and the Persians took over and to this day Babylon has never been rebuilt. It is a heap of ruins. For ages it has been uninhabited. Not one word of the prophecy has failed.

Likewise, In The Book of Ezekiel prophesied against Tyre, located on the Mediterranean Sea, at a time when there we no signs of her destruction (Ezekiel 26: 1-14). But the city was taken and destoryed by the Chaldeans. Later, Tyre was rebuilt on an island in the sea, to again be taken and destroyed. Alexander the Great was the second destoyer, making a causeway in the sea by scaping the dust from the mainland, just as the prophet predicted. For centuries Tyre has been a bare rock, a place where fishermen spread their nets, never to be rebuilt.

These prophecies, my friends, are only a few examples among many given in the Bible. Centuries lie between the predictions and their fulfillment and, in every case, the agreement is perfect. These cannot be ignored. No human guessing or prognostication of the signs of the time can account for this remarkable train of prophecy. The only sufficient reason why these predictions were so accurately fulfilled is that "men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21). In an age of attacks upon the inspiration of the Bible and the credibility of the Christian faith, we dare not let go of one of the strongest evidences which we can employ in its defense, namely, the fulfillment of its prophecy.

IS THE BIBLE FROM GOD OR MEN? PART(II)
I Will Be Discussing:
Scientific Accuracy:
Miracles:
Exalted Moral and Ethical Teaching:

IS THE BIBLE FROM GOD OR MEN? (Conclusion)
External Evidences: (Influence)
Indestructibility:
My Closing "Food For Thought"

*****Stay Tuned My Friends****


Jim