1. Defend Your Faith Lesson 3 Is the Bible the Word of God?

2. The Bible Is the Word of God Ready to give an answer (1 Pet. 3:15) The importance of this question (Rev. 20:12) Where are God’s words found today (Heb. 1:1-2)? What attitudes toward the Bible exist today? Apologetics and the Bible Can we trust the Bible to be the word of God?

3. Presenting Your Case For the Bible Presenting Your Case For the Bible ( A Divine Book From Beginning to End ) PERSON The PERSON of the Bible is divine (Psa. 19:9; Jn. 17:17) PROCESS The PROCESS of the Bible is divine (1 Cor. 2:12-13; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21) PRODUCT The PRODUCT of the Bible is divine (Rom. 3:2; 1 Pet. 4:11)

4. Presenting Your Case For the Bible Presenting Your Case For the Bible ( Evidences That the Bible Is the Word of God ) Perfect unity and harmony (Psa. 119:160) Fulfilled prophecy (Jer. 28:9) Accuracy in all areas (Lk. 1:1-4) Reliability of both testaments

5. The Bible Is the Word of God The Bible Is the Word of God “All scripture inspired of God…” (2 Timothy 3:16) Divine Person God Knows All No Lie Not A Man Word Is True Divine Process Authors Revelation Inspiration Divine Product Bible Unity Prophecy Accuracy Reliability

6. Answering Objections to the Bible Objection #1: You cannot turn to the Bible to prove the Bible is the word of God. This is circular reasoning. For example, the Bible claims to be the word of God just like the Book of Mormon claims to be the word of God. However, where is the best place to start looking for proof? Internally, like drilling for oil. Let’s start with the Bible facts first. There is also external evidence for the Bible’s reliability (archaeology, uninspired writers).

7. Answering Objections to the Bible Objection #2: The Bible contains contradictions and mistakes. All the contradictions that are alleged against the Bible can be adequately answered. Sometimes a passage contains extra information (Mt. 27:59-60; Jn. 19:38-40). Sometimes a passage contains figures of speech (Jn. 2:19-21; Mt. 26:61). Sometimes a passage contains language of everyday speech (Psa. 50:1; 1 Cor. 15:6). What constitutes a contradiction?

8. Answering Objections to the Bible Objection #3: The Bible has been corrupted through time and translation. We have already examined the biographical evidence for the reliability of both testaments. Accurate translations from the original languages exist today (Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek). Jesus used the Greek Septuagint translation of the Hebrew Old Testament when he spoke in Matthew 22:32 (Exodus 3:6).

9. Answering Objections to the Bible Objection #4: The Bible is a myth fabricated by the followers of Jesus. There was little time for a “myth” to spread. No evidence for a “myth” exists. The style of the NT text is not that of a myth, but one of 1 st Century eyewitness testimony. The Bible text can be cross-checked. The NT text was written by men with no motive to write a “myth”. The NT text was written by men who did not follow “cunningly devised fables” (2 Pet. 1:16). They were intelligent, competent, knowledgeable authors.

10. Defend Your Faith The Bible is either the word of men or the word of God. If from men (men who would be both liars and foolish), the evidence presented is difficult to explain. If from God, the evidence presented is easily explained. How we accept and view the Bible will determine our eternal destiny! Do you have the will to believe today (Jn. 7:17)?