Can I Trust My Bible?
Confidently trust God's Word!
1. God's Word comes from God
God used men, but they spoke and wrote His Word. (2 Peter 1:21)
Inspiration – God “breathed” every word of Scripture for our benefit.
(2 Timothy 3:16–17)
Textual criticism – study of the Bible that aims to discern the original text
Autographs – the very original, first copies of each “book” of Scripture
Transmission – the means by which copies were made and passed along
Manuscripts – the different copies of Scripture (partial or full)
Textual variants – differences between manuscripts
Internal evidence – examines and compares text against author’s style, vocabulary, and grammar
External evidence – compares manuscripts by amount, age, and geographical distribution
Majority text – preference given based on number of manuscripts
Eclectic text – looks at diversity of manuscripts
2. God's Word is truth
Inerrancy – God’s Word is without error (Proverbs 30:5, Psalm 19:7)
Note its echoes of truth from Scripture:
- Authority over the Law (Matthew 5-7)
- Contempt for hypocrisy (Romans 2:3)
- Present unmerited mercy (Romans 2:4)
- Coming righteous judgment (Romans 2:5)
Preservation – we won’t lose God’s Word; its truth stands eternal! (Matthew 5:18, Isaiah 40:8)
3. God's Word works powerfully
The Holy Spirit works in us with His sword, God’s Word (Ephesians 6:17)
Infallibility – God’s Word will accomplish its purpose (Isaiah 55:10–11)
Our lives ought to be dynamically energized by the Word of God!
Nothing else has that power!
Are you experiencing its power for yourself, each moment of each day?