Why should I believe the Bible?
If you grew up in church, it is likely that one of the first songs you ever learnt as a child was, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” This song points to both a fundamental theological statement and a historical reality that God loves us and we have stood confidently upon the claims of the Bible.
But today that little statement of “the Bible tells me so,” is much more likely to be met with arguments or even insults than with confidence. Then it leads to questions: is the Bible true and reliable? Why should I believe the Bible?
What does the Bible say about itself?
Before we can answer those questions, we know that this is what the Bible claims regarding itself.
The Bible claims to be the Word of God (1 Thessalonians 2:13)
It is inspired by God, not invented by men (2 Timothy 3:16)
It is the truth of God, not the thought and ideas of man (John 17:17)
Those are pretty big claims because it makes the Bible very different from any other book.
And because of these types of claims, we go back to our original question: is the Bible true and why should I believe so? There are many reasons, but here are three main reasons why you should believe the Bible.
The Bible has proven itself to be unique, reliable and true
When we talk about the Bible, we are not just referring to only one book but 66 books that were written over a period of 1500 years by 40 different authors from different backgrounds in three different languages across three different continents. Yet, those 66 books have one common theme, storyline, and message; that is salvation for all people. It would be hard to come up with another set of 66 books from various authors with one common theme. The Bible is unique.
In addition, studies have proven that it is reliable and true concerning science, history, and prophecy. One example is the 48 prophecies declaring that the the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem of a virgin. Jesus fulfilled all those prophecies. And this is just one of many examples. We can conclude that the Bible has proven itself to be unique, reliable, and true.
The Bible has withstood the test of time
For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” 1 Peter 1:24
Over the centuries, many have tried to dispute and refute the authority of the Bible. And yet it’s consistently been the best selling book since it’s printed conception. Those like the Roman Emperor, Diocletian successfully killed Christians in an attempt to destroy the Bible and end the faith. To celebrate his success, he made a monument with an inscription in Latin, which translates to “the name of ‘Christian’ is extinct.” Yet ten years later, Emperor Constantine put his faith in Jesus and turned Rome into a Christian nation. The word of the Lord endures forever is indeed true.
The Bible is life-changing
“For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” 1 Peter 1:23
The seed of the Word of God is imperishable. There’s life in this Book because it’s the Word of God, not the word of man. It’ll change your life if you spend time in it. You will need an open heart to be able to have a life-change experience.
Our eternal destiny hinges on how we will respond to the common message of the Bible; that is salvation through Jesus Christ. Will we reject Him or accept Him?
May this article help you in finding the truth and defend your faith as a believer.
Dear God,
I thank you that your Word is true and I can completely put my trust in it. Lord Jesus, I have received you as the Word of God and I welcome you to take full control of my life. Help me through your Spirit to have life-changing experiences through Your Word.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen