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Two questions
- Thread starter CantThinkofaUserName
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You don't need the Bible but it is an invaluable tool. The Church pre-existed the Bible. Complete revelation was handed down to men through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit who then through the Church brought the Bible to the people. The printing press wasn't even invented until the 16th century.
We depend on the Bible because it is inerrant truth but it is not the only source of truth. The apostolic and oral traditions are also said source as well as the natural law instilled in us all. You have an internal sense of right and wrong called natural conscience. It is however possible to disorder this sense just as it is to calous once hands so it needs to be nurtured and built up through all the sources of truth available to us. Once truths are grasped and understood they lead to a hunger for more because its how we are designed.
Peace.
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Let me get you familiar with the Bible - which isn't an "outside source". God is His Living Word (the Bible). To get to know the Living God - is by praying, reading His Word, and hearing His Word preached. His Living Word - is spiritual food and works along with the Holy Spirit that is in one after they are born again of the Spirit (the christian).
Why is the Bible true compared to other religious books? It has several attributes that conclude that it could only be written by God. One of these attributes is that it has hundreds of detailed prophesies in it that has come true and more to be fulfilled. Here are just a few below:
Internal Evidences-Prophesies that are confirmed with Bible;
mentioning only a few but there are hundreds.
Life of Christ
The Tribe of Judah, Gen. 49:10, Luke 3:23-28
(Genesis was written 4004 BC to 1689 BC)
(Lukes time period is 60-70 AD)
Royal Line of David, Jer 23:5, Matt 1:1
(Jeremiah 760 to 698 BC)/(Matthew 60-70 AD)
Born of a Virgin, Isaiah 7:14/Matt 1:18-23
(Isaiah 760 to 698 BC)/(60-70 AD)
Rise of Empires
In the book of Daniel, Chapter 2 four kingdoms are described in the interpretation
of the dream of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greek Daniel 8:21, 10:20/ and a fourth great kingdom to follow which was part iron and clay which is the
Roman Empire during this empire, Christ came and the church was established Daniel 2:44.
Historical Accuracy
The Bible is loaded with historical statements concerning events of hundreds of years ago, yet
none of them has been proven to be incorrect.
(Bible compared to other ancient documents)
New Testament starts at 25 years between the original and surviving copies
Homer- starts at 500 years/Demosthenes at 1400 years/Plato at 1200 years/
Caesar at 1000 years
Number of Manuscript Copies
New Testament 5,686/Homer 643/Demosthenes 200/Plato 7/Caesar 10
Consistency Written by 40 men over a period of time exceeding 1400 years, and has no
Internal inconsistencies.
Claim of Inspiration- It claims to be spoken by God, 2 Tim 3:16-17). No other religious book makes such claims.
External Evidences
(Prophesies Outside the Bible)
These cities were prophesied to be destroyed and never to be built again- and they havent.
Niveveh Nahum 1:10, 3:7, 15, Zephaniah 2:13-14
Babylon Isaiah 13:1-22
Tyre -Ezekiel 26:1-28
Bible before Science
He hangs the earth on nothing Job 26:7
(Job was written at least 1000 years ago some scholars think it could have been even 3000
years ago)
Note: Man only knew the above for 350 years.
Earth is a sphere Isaiah 40:22/Air has weight Job 28:25/
Gravity Job 26:7, Job 38: 31-33/Winds blow in cyclones, Eccl 1:6
Documents that Prove Bible is True
Gilgamesh Epic, The Sumerian King List, Mari Tablets, Babylonian Chronicles
Archealogical Evidence (Still adding to this list today- it hasnt stopped)
Excavations of Ur, Location of Zoar, Ziggurats and the foundation of Tower of Babel
****No book period let alone a religious book comes close to these attributes.
Why is the Bible true compared to other religious books? It has several attributes that conclude that it could only be written by God. One of these attributes is that it has hundreds of detailed prophesies in it that has come true and more to be fulfilled. Here are just a few below:
Internal Evidences-Prophesies that are confirmed with Bible;
mentioning only a few but there are hundreds.
Life of Christ
The Tribe of Judah, Gen. 49:10, Luke 3:23-28
(Genesis was written 4004 BC to 1689 BC)
(Lukes time period is 60-70 AD)
Royal Line of David, Jer 23:5, Matt 1:1
(Jeremiah 760 to 698 BC)/(Matthew 60-70 AD)
Born of a Virgin, Isaiah 7:14/Matt 1:18-23
(Isaiah 760 to 698 BC)/(60-70 AD)
Rise of Empires
In the book of Daniel, Chapter 2 four kingdoms are described in the interpretation
of the dream of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greek Daniel 8:21, 10:20/ and a fourth great kingdom to follow which was part iron and clay which is the
Roman Empire during this empire, Christ came and the church was established Daniel 2:44.
Historical Accuracy
The Bible is loaded with historical statements concerning events of hundreds of years ago, yet
none of them has been proven to be incorrect.
(Bible compared to other ancient documents)
New Testament starts at 25 years between the original and surviving copies
Homer- starts at 500 years/Demosthenes at 1400 years/Plato at 1200 years/
Caesar at 1000 years
Number of Manuscript Copies
New Testament 5,686/Homer 643/Demosthenes 200/Plato 7/Caesar 10
Consistency Written by 40 men over a period of time exceeding 1400 years, and has no
Internal inconsistencies.
Claim of Inspiration- It claims to be spoken by God, 2 Tim 3:16-17). No other religious book makes such claims.
External Evidences
(Prophesies Outside the Bible)
These cities were prophesied to be destroyed and never to be built again- and they havent.
Niveveh Nahum 1:10, 3:7, 15, Zephaniah 2:13-14
Babylon Isaiah 13:1-22
Tyre -Ezekiel 26:1-28
Bible before Science
He hangs the earth on nothing Job 26:7
(Job was written at least 1000 years ago some scholars think it could have been even 3000
years ago)
Note: Man only knew the above for 350 years.
Earth is a sphere Isaiah 40:22/Air has weight Job 28:25/
Gravity Job 26:7, Job 38: 31-33/Winds blow in cyclones, Eccl 1:6
Documents that Prove Bible is True
Gilgamesh Epic, The Sumerian King List, Mari Tablets, Babylonian Chronicles
Archealogical Evidence (Still adding to this list today- it hasnt stopped)
Excavations of Ur, Location of Zoar, Ziggurats and the foundation of Tower of Babel
****No book period let alone a religious book comes close to these attributes.
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For more information you may want to read Evidence That Demands A Verdict by Josh McDowell (it would stand up in court)/Examine the Evidence by Muncaster (a former athiest)/The Real Jesus by Lee Strobel(a former athiest). This isn't the book section but more material to read.
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childofGod31
Regular Member
You can find God only through Jesus.
JOH 14:5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
No one can find Jesus unless the Father enables him. Faith is a gift from God and God gives it as He sees fit.
JOH 6:44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him,
The Holy Spirit only comes upon believers in Christ.
EPH 1:13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
Rom 8:9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
1JO 2:3 We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 4 The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1JO 2:23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
JOH 14:5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
No one can find Jesus unless the Father enables him. Faith is a gift from God and God gives it as He sees fit.
JOH 6:44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him,
The Holy Spirit only comes upon believers in Christ.
EPH 1:13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
Rom 8:9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
1JO 2:3 We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 4 The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1JO 2:23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
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You will not find the truth (Jesus Christ being the Savior) by searching within yourself. Your heart is wicked. It is evil. It is hostile toward God. (This goes for all people.) What is born of flesh is..flesh. A person needs to be born again (= come to faith in Christ) in order to "have God in them". When you came to faith in Christ the Holy Spirit opened your heart for the truth. That is when God started dwelling in your heart.
God uses his Word to open your heart for the truth. His Word is written in the Bible. But the Bible is not just a book with text in it, it is a living word. This means, that the word of God is not "just the book The Bible". The Word of God is when we read, hear, talk about, memorize, write down the truths that the Bible teaches us.
God uses his Word to open your heart for the truth. His Word is written in the Bible. But the Bible is not just a book with text in it, it is a living word. This means, that the word of God is not "just the book The Bible". The Word of God is when we read, hear, talk about, memorize, write down the truths that the Bible teaches us.
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Act 2:38 And Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized, each of you on the name of Jesus Christ to remission of sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Act 9:18 And instantly it was as if scales fell away from his eyes. And rising up at the thing happening, he was baptized.
Joh 14:17 the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him nor know Him. But you know Him, for He abides with you and shall be in you.
Peace.
Act 9:18 And instantly it was as if scales fell away from his eyes. And rising up at the thing happening, he was baptized.
Joh 14:17 the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him nor know Him. But you know Him, for He abides with you and shall be in you.
Peace.
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