The Bible claims to be more than just a book. At Cuyahoga Valley Church, we believe it is Living Truth. The centerpiece of each worship service is a message based on a text from the Bible. We listen to the Bible carefully. We build our lives on its truths. We submit our wills to its demands. We believe that following the principles and precepts of the Bible is tantamount to following Christ.
But many people today think that our attitude toward the Bible is foolish and archaic. “Most would say that they know there are many great stories and sayings in the Bible, but today ‘you can’t take it literally.’ What they mean is that the Bible is not entirely trustworthy because some parts – maybe many or most parts – a scientifically impossible, historically unreliable, and culturally regressive” (The Reason for God, by Tim Keller, pp. 99-100).
So, why should we believe the Bible? Here are 5 reasons…
The witness of internal consistency
The Bible was written over a period of about 1,500 years. It was written by 40 people from many different walks of life: Peter, a fisherman. Solomon, a king. Luke, a doctor. The Bible was written on 3 different continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe. The Bible was written in 3 languages: Hebrew. Greek, Aramaic.
The Bible was written under many different circumstances. David wrote during a time of war. Solomon wrote in a time of peace. Mark wrote while Israel was under Roman domination.
The writers of the Bible had different reasons for writing. Isaiah wrote to warn about God’s judgment. Matthew wrote to prove to the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah. Paul wrote addressing problems in different churches.
Put it all together. The Bible was written over a period of 1,500 years by 40 different authors on 3 continents in 3 languages under different circumstances for different reasons. But with all that diversity, there is unity: The glory of God as He reconciles a fallen creation to Himself. The internal consistency of the Bible despite all its variety is incredible.
Ask 40 people today to write down their views on a controversial topic. How about, “Who should be the Cleveland Browns head coach and/or quarterback?” Do you think you could get 40 Clevelanders to agree about that?
Yet when it comes to the Bible, all 40 authors, over 1,500 years, wrote on many controversial subjects, and they do not contradict one another. How did it happen? Someone guided these writers through the whole process: the Holy Spirit. “No prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (II Peter 1:21).
