Is the Bible from God? You say, “Yes!” Yet, how do you know? To answer the question by pointing to Scriptures that say that God wrote it is round-robin reasoning – circular reasoning – assuming what is to be proved. Your faith has to rest on more solid ground than circular reasoning. However, is there more solid ground? Oh, yes! Let’s look at some of it.
Two points of faith stand on their own that can then help us know whether to trust the Bible as God’s Word. The first is God’s existence. Whether the Bible is God’s Word or not, He exists. The order of the universe, the existence of the intangible (like love, mind, intelligence, emotion, etc.), the moral compass of man and the very concept of God itself demand the reality of God’s existence. There is no other reasonable answer.
The second is the Old Testament. Once God’s existence is demonstrated, then the Old Testament is appropriate to study to see if it points toward God’s existence. A major concern here is prophecy. Since many New Testament persons, places and events have been verified independently, then these historically established data can be used to check the veracity of Old Testament prophecy. If prophecy shows itself fulfilled, then it can only be the work of God.
Using Old Testament prophecy, we can investigate Old as well as New Testament fulfillment. The invasion of Canaan and the establishment of Israel, the failure of Assyria to capture Jerusalem, the Babylonian invasion, the restoration of Israel from Babylon, the crucifixion of Christ, His empty tomb, the establishment of the church, the great apostasy, and so much more clearly show that the Bible did not originate with men, nor would men have come up with it if they could. It is too contrary to how men choose to live.
So, is the Bible from God? Oh, yes, indeed! In fact, there is no other reasonable explanation for it.
