I Believe the Bible
I believe in the God of the Bible (see the article, The God I Believe In ); I also believe He exists (see I Believe God is There). I further believe that the Bible is God’s Word to mankind.
I profess faith in the Bible as the Word of the Living God for compelling reasons..
The Bible and The God of Whom it Speaks
I have demonstrated that for anything in this world to make sense, the God described in the Bible – He who is unique among the gods of the nations – must exist. [If you have not read I Believe God is There, I recommend you click on the tab and read it before you continue.]
If the unique God described in the Biblical text exists, then the testimony of Scripture concerning Him is true.
It is true that there are many religious writings. Nearly every religion has some text that it reveres. But the Bible is unique among them, in that it first presented itself as the Word of the infinite/personal God. The scriptures of non-biblical religions represent themselves as the words of limited gods or the words of men in tune with an impersonal, infinite force.
It is also true that there are some books like the Q’uran and the Book of Mormon that claim to be words from God. These books and the belief systems that produced them, however, are spin-offs of the Bible and its teachings.
I therefore affirm unequivocally that the Bible bears unique testimony to the infinite/personal God, who is there.
Testimony to the Bible as God’s Word
Since we have established the fact of God, it seems ludicrous that some reject the Scripture that bears testimony to Him. Nevertheless, it would still be wise to take a closer look at the reasons for trusting the Bible as the Word of the Living God.
First, if the Bible’s testimony concerning God is true, then we must take seriously its testimony concerning itself.
In numerous places, Scripture repeats phrases such as, “Thus saith the LORD,” “God spoke,” etc. In this manner, this Book unabashedly claims to present the very words of God.
Also, the Bible teaches that its words are given by inspiration of God (literally, breathed out by God). Here is the passage that makes this claim:
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. (I Timothy 3:16)
This is not to say that human beings had nothing to do with the writing, transmission and preservation of Scripture, for the Bible also says,
[N]o prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (II Peter 1:20-21)
The Testimony of God, Himself
So far, we have seen that the Bible’s testimony to the existence of God is true, and that the Bible itself testifies that it is the Word of God.
The Bible’s testimony about itself is, of course, persuasive, but it is not compelling. It needs a corroborating (or confirming) testimony.
That testimony comes from none other than God Himself.
One Christian statement of faith puts it this way:
The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, and obeyed, depends not upon the testimony of any man, or Church; but wholly upon God (who is truth itself) the author thereof: and therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God. (Westminster Confession of Faith)
If you remember, in the article I Believe God is There, I said that God is the one, great inescapable fact of life. People may suppress that truth or run from it, but they can never wholly escape it.
In like manner, since Holy Scripture is His Word, it bears the weight of His authority. His seal of approval, so to speak, accompanies the words as they pass through our ears and into our hearts.
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What Jesus Taught About Testimony to Truth
At the Last Supper, Jesus told His disciples that in His absence, the Holy Spirit would come to bear testimony:
Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth (John 16:13).
God’s Spirit, then, bears witness to the truth of the Old and New Testaments as the Word of God.
Jesus also made an assertion to those who opposed His teaching. He said,
If any man will do His [i.e., God’s] will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of Myself. (John 7:17)
This is an incredibly bold statement. The logical conclusion is that anyone willing to submit to God will know the truth of Scripture when he hears it.
In this respect, believing Scripture is like believing in God: Unbelief is not a problem of information, but a problem of inclination.
Will You Receive the Testimony of God?
As long as you persist in a desire to live independently of the God who is there, you will not receive His testimony to the truth.
This may be a good time to repeat a truth of Scripture, followed by the practical application from the Children’s’ Catechism:
. . . the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance. (Romans 2:4)
Q. Can you repent and believe in Christ by your own power?A. No; I can do nothing good without the help of God's Holy Spirit.
Q. How can you get the help of the Holy Spirit?
A. God has told us that we must pray to him for the Holy Spirit.
A. God has told us that we must pray to him for the Holy Spirit.
Will You Receive Testimony to the Word?
Will you put Jesus’ teaching to the test? Will you read a portion of the Bible – say, the Gospel of John -- accompanied by prayer for the Holy Spirit to give you a heart willing to hear and obey God?
If any man will do His [i.e., God’s] will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of Myself. (John 7:17)
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the Spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the Word of our God shall stand for ever. (Isaiah 40:7-8)
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away. (The words of Jesus in Matthew 24:35)
