Yesterday my son Zach was given a set of Bible tabs. You attach the tabs on the first page of each book of the Bible so that you can find them easily. As he methodically put on the tabs—all 66 of them—I was silently praying for him. Praying that the Bible would be more than just another book on his shelf. 

“Lord, your Word is living and active. Over the years ahead, let the Bible be your guide for Zach. Show him that this Word is good and a rock he can always lean on. I pray that You would reveal yourself to Zach through the Bible now and always…”

With the Bible being so central to Christian faith, it’s not surprising that one of the biggest challenges for some people are doubts about the Bible’s reliability. What if it was all made up? How can such an old book be so important? Why trust it? 

If you or someone you know has questions about the Bible, I encourage you to explore the evidence. There are many good reasons to value it as trustworthy. 

Many Copies. We have nearly 6,000 ancient manuscripts (copies) of the Bible. They are almost 99% the same. There are no other works from the ancient world that come close to the New Testament in terms of manuscript support. For example, we have only 1,800 copies of the Iliad by Homer. No one doubts its reliability. We have copies of the Bible from only decades after they were written, which is incredibly early. 

Embarrassing Details. Another reason is that the Biblical writers include embarrassing details. For example, they tell us that the disciple Peter denied Jesus right before he was crucified. If they wanted to “make up” a new religion as they wrote the Bible, they most likely would have not included things that made their first leaders look…uh, bad. 

Prophecies. The Bible is actually a library of 66 books composed by 40 authors. These authors were shepherds, farmers, fisherman, tax collectors, scholars, and more. Yet even though they wrote in many different times and places, they all show us the one, true God. They also gave us more than 300 prophecies about the life of Christ that came true. Stunning!  

It works. The greatest reason we can trust the Bible I believe is that, well, it works. Christian writer Max Lucado once wrote, “Apply the Bible, and see if you don’t agree—the Bible works.” As I read the Bible and allow its wisdom to guide me, it does. Everything from relationships to finances to decision making. 

In order to apply the Bible, we need to know the Bible. And at Christ Lutheran, our goal is to help people of all ages gain a deeper understanding. Would you join us this fall for a Bible Study or class? Check here this fall for the list, https://www.christelca.org/online 

Peace,

Pastor Drew