The Bible
11 Tim 3v16, 17
All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
The three most basic Christian truths
1.God actually exists.
2.He has revealed Himself in a way that is understandable to people.
3.His revelation has been preserved for us in the Bible
The authority of the Bible
One of the reasons the Church is making so little impact is that the authority of the Bible is been undermined.
In some cases this is been done by making something else as valid as the Bible, like Church tradition. Jesus himself spoke of this..
Matt 15:6,9 Thus you nullify the Word of God for the sake of your tradition.
They worship me in vain, their teachings are but rules taught by men.
Experiences and emotions replace sound doctrine
Some think they are so spiritual that instinctive ideas, inner feelings, intense emotional experiences and involuntary reactions are taken as “Revelations from God”
They then seek to interpret the Bible in the light of their emotions rather than use the Bible to Judge them.
Jeremiah 23:16-18 serves as a warning to them
Jeremiah 23:16-18
This is what the Lord Almighty says: do not listen to what the Prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord.
They keep saying to those who despise me, the Lord says you will have peace and to those who follow the stubbornness of their own hearts they say, ‘no harm will come to you’
But which of them has stood in the council of the Lord to see or to hear his word? Who has listened and heard his word?
Liberal academics
Then there are so-called academics who take delight in trying to tear the Word of God apart.
The Apostles warned of those who would turn from the truth. Acts 20:29,30
I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise who will distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.
Attacks and alternatives
Because of these attacks and supposed alternatives and additions like The book of Mormon, it is essential that Christians reaffirm the validity and authority of the Bible and get to know it.
CONTRASTING THE BIBLE AND THE KORAN
BIBLE
66 Books
40 Writers
Written in 3 languages
Written on 3 continents
Written over 1500 years
Many prophecies
Many miracles
An empty tomb in Jerusalem
Full atonement for sin
Love for enemies commanded
Produces liberty
KORAN
1 Book
1 Author
1 Language
1 Country
Over 23 years
No prophecies
No miracles
A grave in Medina
No atonement
Hatred for enemies
Slavery
The indestructibility of the Bible
2 Kings 22:8-10
The Book of the Law was hidden during Manasseh's wicked reign, only to be re-discovered under God-fearing King Josiah
Jer 36:1-3 & 22-23
Jehoiakim another King of Judah burnt the scroll Jeremiah had written on the instructions of God
The earlier OT books survived the captivity of Israel
2 Kings 15:29, 17:6
Beginning in 740 BC
2 Kings 24:14, 25:11
The later captivity of Judah
2 Kings 25:9-10
The destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC
Antiochus Epiphanes
Antiochus Epiphanes
During the period between the Old Testament and New Testament, Antiochus Epiphanes, the wicked Syrian tyrant, took Jerusalem by treachery in 165 BC, desecrated the temple by sacrificing a pig on the altar, destroyed all the copies of the Scriptures (the whole of the Old Testament) he found and murdered all who had them.
Jerusalem was captured by the Roman general Pompey in 63 BC. Shortly after, the temple was plundered by Crassus, again placing the Old Testament books in jeopardy.
Jerusalem was captured by the Roman general Pompey in 63 BC. Shortly after, the temple was plundered by Crassus, again placing the Old Testament books in jeopardy.
In AD 70 the Roman general Titus destroyed Jerusalem and massacred it’s inhabitants. It’s fall could have resulted in the destruction of the Old Testament books as well as the earlier New Testament books
Crassus and Titus
Roman Emperor Diocletian
In AD 303 Diocletian realised the Bible was the source of the Christians’ courage, so he ordered the burning of the Scriptures.
Only 10 years later Constantine the Great, a professing Christian, ordered the writing of many copies of the Bible and encouraged everyone in the Roman Empire to read it.
John Wycliffe (1328-1384)
Following the fall of the Roman Empire, very few had access to the Bible but the stirrings that preceded the Reformation sparked renewed interest in it. However, those who tried to increase its availability were persecuted.
John Wycliffe made the first translation of the Bible into English. After his death, his bones were exhumed, burned and the ashes scattered in a river.
John Huss (1380-1414)
John Huss was burned alive in Bohemia because he proclaimed that the Bible was the final authority, and his ashes were thrown into the Rhine
William Tyndale (1494-1536)
William Tyndale translate the New Testament into English in 1526. It was banned, he was convicted of heresy and burned at the stake in Antwerp, Holland.
Queen Mary Tudor (1516-1558)
The English Queen Mary Tudor ordered that anyone possessing a Bible should be burned. Thousands were martyred during her reign.
Five years after she launched the persecution, she was succeeded by Queen Elizabeth who ordered 130 editions of the Bible to be published.
Recent times
We know how Communist and more recently Islam ruled countries have tried to get rid of the Bible and have heaped persecution on Christians.
“FOR 2600 YEARS ALL THE POWERS OF THIS WORLD HAVE COMBINED TO DESTROY THIS BOOK AND YET IT STILL REMAINS” says Kennedy & Newcombe. “THE INDESTRUCTIBILITY OF SCRIPTURE IS ANOTHER PROOF THAT IT IS DIVINELY INSPIRED”
The Bible Society
According to 2008 statistics, the Bible, or parts of it, is currently available in 2454 of the approximately 6000 languages of the world. Only 438 languages, however, have a complete Bible.
REGION/ CONTINENT
|
PORTION
|
TESTAMENTS
|
BIBLES
|
TOTAL
|
AFRICA
|
218
|
322
|
163
|
703
|
ASIA-PACIFIC
|
363
|
495
|
171
|
1029
|
EUROPE-MIDDLE EAST
|
112
|
39
|
61
|
212
|
AMERICAS
|
153
|
312
|
42
|
507
|
CONSTRUCTED LANGUAGES
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
TOTAL
|
848
|
1168
|
438
|
2454
|
Man’s disregard for God’s Word
The winds & waves obey Him
Mark 4:39,41
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm………
They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and waves obey him!”
The evil spirits obey Him
Mark 1:25-27
“Be quiet! Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!”
The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.
The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching - and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey Him”
Man disobeys Him
Mark 1:41-45
Filled with compassion Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing.” he said. “Be clean”
Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.
Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: “See that you don’t tell this to anyone…”
Instead he went out and began to talk freely… as a result Jesus could no longer enter a town openly……