IV- The Doctrine of the Bible
1. Q. What sets the Bible apart from all other books?
ANSWER: The Bible in its entirely was written by men who were inspired by God (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21). And because it is inspired (lit. “breathed out”) by God, the original documents are without error of any kind (Jn. 17:17). It is authoritative in all matters of faith and conduct (2 Tim. 3:16-17). While the natural world reveals God’s power, majesty, and wisdom, the Bible reveals his plan of personal, eternal salvation.
2. Q. How do we know that the Bible we hold in our hands accurately represents the original documents that go back more than 3,500 years?
ANSWER: The amazing similarity of thousands of well preserved manuscript copies gives strong evidence that they accurately reflect the originals. We can be confident that if God inspired a book to reveal Himself, He would oversee the preservation of the book.
3. Q. what evidence can we give to support the claims that the Bible is the inspired word of God?
ANSWER: Christ repeatedly expressed confidence in the reliability of the Jewish Scriptures (Mt. 5:17-18; Lk. 24:27,44). In the fourth century, the church fathers declared these 39 books plus the 27 books of the New testament to be divinely inspired, authoritative, and complete. While the doctrine that the Scriptures are the inspired and inerrant word of God, to believe is a matter of faith, but it is a reasonable faith. The unity of the message of these books written over a period of about 1,600 years is astounding. Yet, the best reason to believe in the Bible is that Jesus Christ, the perfect God-man, believed in it (Mt. 12:39-42; 19:4-5; Lk. 17:26-29).
4. Q. How can we understand the Bible?
ANSWER: By asking the help of its Divine Author, by seeking to determine what its human authors meant, by interpreting it literally and in context as we would any other book, and by submitting humbly to its message.
5. Q. What should we do when we encounter a Bible passage we can’t understand or verses that seem to contradict one another?
ANSWER: If after serious study and prayer we cannot find the answer or solution, we should proceed to other passages with the assurance that the problem is with us, and that someday, either on earth or in heaven, our difficulty will be estimated through God's grace.
ANSWER: The Bible in its entirely was written by men who were inspired by God (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21). And because it is inspired (lit. “breathed out”) by God, the original documents are without error of any kind (Jn. 17:17). It is authoritative in all matters of faith and conduct (2 Tim. 3:16-17). While the natural world reveals God’s power, majesty, and wisdom, the Bible reveals his plan of personal, eternal salvation.
2. Q. How do we know that the Bible we hold in our hands accurately represents the original documents that go back more than 3,500 years?
ANSWER: The amazing similarity of thousands of well preserved manuscript copies gives strong evidence that they accurately reflect the originals. We can be confident that if God inspired a book to reveal Himself, He would oversee the preservation of the book.
3. Q. what evidence can we give to support the claims that the Bible is the inspired word of God?
ANSWER: Christ repeatedly expressed confidence in the reliability of the Jewish Scriptures (Mt. 5:17-18; Lk. 24:27,44). In the fourth century, the church fathers declared these 39 books plus the 27 books of the New testament to be divinely inspired, authoritative, and complete. While the doctrine that the Scriptures are the inspired and inerrant word of God, to believe is a matter of faith, but it is a reasonable faith. The unity of the message of these books written over a period of about 1,600 years is astounding. Yet, the best reason to believe in the Bible is that Jesus Christ, the perfect God-man, believed in it (Mt. 12:39-42; 19:4-5; Lk. 17:26-29).
4. Q. How can we understand the Bible?
ANSWER: By asking the help of its Divine Author, by seeking to determine what its human authors meant, by interpreting it literally and in context as we would any other book, and by submitting humbly to its message.
5. Q. What should we do when we encounter a Bible passage we can’t understand or verses that seem to contradict one another?
ANSWER: If after serious study and prayer we cannot find the answer or solution, we should proceed to other passages with the assurance that the problem is with us, and that someday, either on earth or in heaven, our difficulty will be estimated through God's grace.