Trusting The Bible

By: Inspirited Network Staff



There is such an abundance of information in the world today. The internet alone is an endless resource for any topic you wish to research. But with such access to sharing and gathering knowledge, the problem of trustworthy sources arises. What makes the internet so great, is also what makes it so overwhelming. You'll read, for example, in one place that heirloom tomato plants need plenty of sunlight to grow and develop tasty tomatoes, but in the next article you read, you'll discover that someone else believes they do much better tucked into the shade, to absorb the heat of the day, but avoid direct exposure to the sun. Both writers claim to be avid gardeners with excellent results from their methods, but how do you know which one to trust? The anonymity afforded by the internet prevents you from reading of their credentials, and so you leave your research feeling more confused than you were to begin with.

Just this past week, Inspirited had a class discussing how faith builds evidence. We sat down to our study, attempting to find out if the Bible was a relevant book, that we could turn to in our daily lives, to find answers to some of life's biggest questions. We left the study feeling very pleased to know that the Word of God has provided plenty of evidence to show us that its claims about itself are true. In 2 Timothy 3:16 we learned that "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."

For years, skeptics claimed that the Bible could not possibly be historically accurate, as there was no scientific evidence of the nation of the Hittites (mentioned many times in the Bible). But a discovery of some strange hieroglyphic writing in 1810 led to many years of research, and in 1884, William Wright published a book entitled "The Empire of the Hittites." This book presented such a mass of evidence that it became undisputable that the Hittites not only existed, but were the great nation that the Bible claimed them to be.

Another evidence that can help to bolster our faith in the Bible is its relevant, accurate counsels on our health. Though many of the instructions given in the Bible for our health were written in the time of Moses, thousands of years ago, we can find that things like the guidelines for a healthy diet, the counsels to avoid alcohol, and the instructions in personal hygiene, such as burying human waste, and washing our hands in running water, are all valuable and essential policies that we know we should adopt into our own personal lives, as modern science has confirmed the validity of these so-called "ancient" words.

But as we were doing our study last week, one of the most important evidences that we found for ourselves, was the Bible's ability to reach out and touch each of us as individuals. One book, and one book alone, is so timeless and all-encompassing in its ability to lead those who read it to the healing power of Christ, whether they are suffering from grief, depression, abuse in any of its many ugly forms, addictions, anger or pain. "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Hebrews 4:12.

The Bible may not tell us how much sunlight a heirloom tomato plant needs to mature, but it holds within its pages a wealth of information, all of which can be trusted. There is no question as to whether or not it is a reliable book, as it has proven itself to be unfailing in its counsels throughout all of history. And so we can turn to this great book to seek the answers to our most life-altering questions (Is there a God out there? Does He love and care about me? Where did I come from? Is there a purpose to my life? Can I be truly happy? What happens when I die? Why do bad things happen in this world?). We know that the Bible is inspired by God, and that it was given to us by God to discern the thoughts and intents of our hearts, and to lead us to the saving power of Christ, that we might be healed from all of our life's afflictions, and find rest in His mercy and grace!