The Bible is God's Word

 The Bible says its every word is pure (Proverbs 30:5) and that it shall stand forever (Isaiah 40:8). What this means, then, is that the Bible IS the Word of God. The quickest way a man can make himself seem rather intelligent, is to take a complicated issue and make it more complicated. Many scholars do that with Bible translations.  But let’s simplify the matter. My Bible is the Word of God. It’s doesn’t “contain” the Word of God, but it is. It’s not my view that causes people to doubt their Bibles. I want you to have confidence in your Bible. What does the Bible demand of us, God’s people, who have a vested interest in reading the Word of God? The Lord God has commanded us to read and study  (John 5:29; 2 Timothy 2:15). God has commanded His people to teach and preach the word, throughout all the world (Matthew 28:18-20). But the Bible never tells us we must learn Hebrew or Greek to hear God or to obey these commands. In fact, the New Testament quotes Greek translations of Hebrew, therefore affirming that a translation doesn’t contain the Word but is the Word of God. The Lord in His good will and providential dealings with man ordained His word to be translated into the language of the people because it does no good to have a word in another language that the people can’t understand (1 Corinthians 14:6-28). And since the Lord ordained God’s word to be preached throughout the world, and it is His will for His churches to know, possess, and keep His Word (Colossians 3:16) preach the Word (2 Timothy 4:2) and learn and live by the Word that transforms the heart and mind (Romans 12:2) which is also that same incorruptible seed the used of the Holy Spirit in our regeneration (1 Peter 1:22-25) which is also that same Word the Spirit uses in our sanctification and belief of the truth, you can know that we have God’s Word in English. If we don’t have the Word of God in our own language, then we cannot know God, know His will, or obey his command for us. God in His providence has persevered His Word for us, just as God in His providence preserved His church.

 When you read the Bible, it’s God’s Word. When the penmen wrote, it was the the Lord speaking through the prophet. Matthew 1:22-23, “Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us,” The internal witness of the Bible says it is God’s Word. Moses may have said it, but he was “moved by the Holy Ghost,” (2 Peter 2:21). Isn’t that a logical fallacy? The Bible is God’s Word because it said it is? I am of the opinion that all statements of ultimate truth are circular. You have to start somewhere for authority and then return to that authority. For example, the humanist, says reason is man’s way of understanding and through the process of science, logic, reason, man can understand the world. But how do I know that’s true? Through logic, reason, and understanding? So, when talking about ultimate, foundational truths, a circular argument isn’t a fallacy. Everyone MUST do that, because you have to have a place to start. I believe God’s Word is that starting point, not the fallible mind and structure of men. Besides, I don’t need or have to “prove” the Bible is true. But even if we did, the Bible is a historical document and isn’t determined to be true by “the scientific method” but by evidence. Simon Greenleaf, professor at Harvard  from 1833-48, who was instrumental in founding Harvard Law, wrote a book, “The Testimony of the Evangelist.” He treated Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John as witnesses and whether or not what they wrote would be admissible in a court as reliable witnesses. Using the same guidelines he would use in a court of law, he found their testimony to be trustworthy and would absolutely be considered reliable witnesses.