The Bible Is The Inspired Word Of God

Validating The Bible Is The Word Of God

Establishing whether we can completely trust the Bible comes down to a very simple question: is the Bible the product of God or man?  Of course we know the Bible was actually written down by 40 authors but were those authors presenting their own views or were they inspired by God to capture God’s own words?

The evidence presented here very clearly leads to the conclusion that the Bible represents the genuine word of God.  This evidence begins by hearing from God himself.

God Speaks To Us Directly In The Bible

There are hundreds of quotes in the Bible directly attributable to God. By some accounts, over 2000 such quotes appear in the Old Testament.  Consider these examples:

• For I am the LORD; I will speak the word that I will speak, and it will be performed. It will no longer be delayed, but in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and perform it, declares the Lord God.  (Ezekiel 12:25)
• And the Lord said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the people of Israel, ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have talked with you from heaven.'”  (Exodus 20:22)
• Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. (Exodus 33:11)

God mostly speaks to His people in the Old Testament because, in the New Testament, we have Jesus’ own words.  However, we do see a few cases when the Lord booms from heaven “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased.” (Matthew 3:17, Mark 1:11, and Luke 3:22) and “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” (Matthew 17:5, Mark 9:7, and Luke 9:35).  And we have these attestations:

• All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3: 16-17)
• Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. (Hebrews 1:1-3)
• And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” (Acts 18: 9-10)
• And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. (1 Thessalonians 2:13)

Supernatural Unity Points To The Word Of God

From the beginning to the end, the Bible presents a single unified story of redemption from sin that spans 40 authors, 3 languages, 3 continents and 1300 years (1500 if you count the Apocrypha years – discussed here if you haven’t already read about it).  This unified story line demonstrates incredible supernatural consistency.  It is clear that divine inspiration led each author to capture the word of God throughout the entire Bible.  Here are two videos that highlight these points quite clearly.  The first one is 5 minutes long from BibleTube and the second is also 5 minutes long from Dr. Brian Powell at the Holy City Church in Charleston, SC.

The Bible Demonstrates God’s Almighty, All-Knowing And Holy Inspiration

This next 10 1/2 minute video from Crosspaint does an excellent job validating that the Bible includes facts and evidence about God and the universe that no human could have known or devised.  The Bible demonstrates many examples of God’s all-powerful, all-knowing and holy inspiration; it could not have been written by humans

Fulfilled Prophesies Point To God As The Author Of The Bible

As noted above, there are literally hundreds of prophesies documented in the Bible, a majority of which have already come true.  Many of these are associated with the Old Testament predictions of a coming messiah and the fulfillment of those prophesies in Jesus Christ.  Those prophesies will be addressed in more depth when we talk about Jesus’ divinity.  This article is focused on other fulfilled prophesies that provide more evidence the Bible is the word of God. Here are two videos that highlight this point.  The first one is 8 minutes long from the World Video Bible School and presents just 5 such prophesies.  The second is 2 minutes long from the Center For Truth In Love and provides more insight into Isaiah’s prophesies for Israel.

The Bible Has Flourished Despite Centuries Of Persecution

The Bible and the word of God has prospered for 2000 – 3000 years with more than 5 billion copies printed and a provable line of accurate & reliable transcription and translation .  According to the Pew Institute, Christianity will grow 35% between 2010 and 2050 and will continue to be the world’s largest religion. However, in many countries, religious freedom is forcefully denied and persecution of Christians is encouraged.  Here’s a 3 1/2 minute video from the Biltmore Church describing nearly 2000 years of Christian suffering.  Despite state-sponsored persecution around the world, the Bible and God’s word continue to persevere and demonstrate further that it is His will that His word be used to make disciples of all nations.

God’s Word In The Bible Has Inspired Many Of Mankind’s Greatest Achievements

The final validation that the Bible is the inspired word of God is shown in the impacts it has had over the centuries.  We’ve all heard stories from friends, relatives or others who have been moved and had life-changing experiences from the words of God in the Bible.  But step back and consider the broader picture of humanity.  Sure, religion, not just Christianity, has been used as an excuse for human failure and atrocity throughout the ages but it is when we see God’s words in action that his glory is apparent.  In this 5 1/2 minute video from the Bible Journey, it is clear the Bible has fostered some of mankind’s greatest achievements in the areas of music, painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, drama, film, medicine, philanthropy, literacy, education, science, history, organization of time, other world religions, philosophy, law and ethics as well as human and civil rights.  Even love, worship, proper behavior and treatment of others are materially defined by the words of God in the Bible.  In fact, there is nothing else in existence that has had anywhere near the impact on humanity as the word of God in the Bible.

If the concept of the Bible as the inspired word of God is unclear or you’re still skeptical, consider these two brilliant analogies from Three Minute Theology.