Overview of Bible Evidence

According to recent surveys, Bible readership is on a steady decline. It is a disturbing trend, especially among younger respondents. As people distance themselves from the Bible we see the devastating effects in our culture. Wickedness is running rampant: traditional marriage is under assault, people are experiencing gender identity crisis, violence is escalating at an alarming rate, abortion is being celebrated as a virtue, and on and on…

There is a direct relationship between how our culture views the Bible and the societal decay that we’re experiencing. If people really believed that the Bible was God’s direct message to them… if they really believed that the Bible was God’s way of revealing Himself, exposing our sinful human nature, and what God’s requirements of humans are… then there would be massive revival in our land. This is the heart of the issue: for whatever the reasons may be, many people (self-proclaimed Christians included) simply do not believe the Bible is God’s way of communicating to us. They have a hard time with the fact of the Bible being God’s book. Our sincere hope is that they might be convinced, however, if presented with the facts.

The evidence for the Bible being the very Word of God is both overwhelming and undeniable. The purpose of this course is to present a convincing body of evidence so that Christians will know why they believe what they believe concerning the Bible. After all, Christians are called upon to give a reasonable explanation for the hope that lies within them (1 Peter 3:15). For the skeptics, this course will hopefully provide enough truth to break through any doubt they may have.

Disclaimers

Some of the content of this course has been the result of study and data collection over a number of years from different places and the sources may not have been cited at the time. However, throughout the course, attempts were made to cite sources where possible.

The basic outline of the class and some of the information is based off of sections in Josh McDowell’s book: “The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict”.

Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB),
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973,
1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission. http://www.Lockman.org

Goals and Expectations

1). To honor the divine Author of scripture by having a higher and loftier view of His Word, trembling with holy reverence each time we open the Bible.
2). To obtain an increased confidence that the Bible really is what God said it is in 1 Thessalonians 2:13, ‘the Word of God’ which is sufficent for all matters of faith and conduct. We want to have an increased trust in the veracity and accuracy of the Scriptures.
3). To be better equipped to give, to those ask us, a reason for the hope that lies within us (1 Peter 3:15).
4). To meditate upon, memorize and believe what the Apostle Paul told his son in the faith, Timothy, regarding the Word of God:

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. – 2 Timothy 3:16-17