4 Reasons You Can Love And Trust The Bible Today

In 1945 Billy Graham was a rising star. But not the brightest star. Chuck Templeton was also in his mid-twenties. One seminary president said that Templeton was, “the most gifted young man in America today for preaching.”

(photo public domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Most observers would have put their money on Templeton to become the next great evangelist.

The National Association of Evangelicals published an article in 1946 about the men who were “best used of God.” They highlighted the ministry of Chuck Templeton, and never mentioned Billy Graham.

But Chuck Templeton began to study at Princeton Seminary under professors who challenged the reliability of Scripture. He in turn challenged Billy Graham’s convictions about the trustworthiness of the Bible.

For Graham, the issue came to a head at Forest Home Camp in California, where he wrestled with God over the issue. Billy finally dropped to his knees and cried out to God that he would accept the Bible as the reliable Word of God.

That was the summer of 1949 and just afterwards came Graham’s breakout crusade in LA. It resulted in many salvations and drew national and worldwide attention. Graham’s ministry skyrocketed.

On the other hand, Chuck Templeton left the ministry within five years to pursue a career in media. He decided he was no longer a believer in the Bible or the Christian faith. Today, most have never heard of him.

Like Billy Graham, I love the Bible.

Here are 4 Reasons I love and trust the Bible:

1. Its remarkable pedigree.

The Bible was written by 40 authors, on 3 continents, in 3 languages and over a period of 1,500 years. Yet it has complete harmony on many very complex issues and timelines.

Get 40 Bible scholars (or any other group) in a room and you will have 40 opinions on all kinds of issues.

But the Bible is miraculously harmonious.

2. Its confirmation through archaeology

I wrote a blog post on this topic HERE.

There is much more information available through books like Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell.

3. Its guidance for life.

I love the Bible because it provides such a significant Owner’s Manual for our lives.

The Bible starts with, “In the beginning…” (Genesis 1:1a). And Scripture ends with the book of Revelation and what life is like after this earth, for all eternity.

Those who live without Biblical belief lack answers to vital questions such as

• Who am I?

• Where did I come from?

• Where am I going?

• What is my purpose?

• What is the meaning of life?

The Bible provides a foundation for significance and meaning in life.

4. Its ability to transform lives of those who read it.

I love the fact that countless lives have been remarkably transformed by reading the Bible.

My friend Steve Goldberg is Jewish and grew up in a moderately Jewish home. On holidays Steve saw prisoner number tattoos on the arms of extended family members. The numbers came from the Nazi death camps of WWII.

Later in life he married Rhoda, a pastor’s daughter who had left her Christian faith, despite her upbringing and attending a Christian college. Steve and Rhoda explored different faiths and became New Age.

But at age 60, Steve’s business was failing. His business partner seemed to be dealing with the situation with more peace and Steve asked why. His partner gave him a Bible.

As Steve read the Bible, particularly the stories of Jesus Christ, he was impressed. He would share verses like John 3:16 with Rhoda, who knew them well from her abandoned upbringing.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16 KJV)

One day he exclaimed to Rhoda, “You know, this stuff is true, I believe the Bible and its revelation of Jesus.”

She responded, “Do you know what that makes you?” Steve didn’t know. She said, “That makes you a Christian.” “You know, I guess you’re right” Steve responded.

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17 ESV)

Today Steve is a full-time missionary with Dynamic Church Planting International, the ministry I have served with since 1998!

That’s the power of the Bible. I hope you read it, believe its message and allow its Author to transform your life.

How Digging In Dirt Proves The Bible Is Reliable

While digging up our back yard to plant a new lawn, we made a fun discovery. It was a toy plastic army soldier, left there for years after our boys played “Army” with it.

CC Image courtesy of Davidd on Flickr

Many wonderful discoveries have been found by digging in the ground. The discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 is perhaps the best known archaeological discovery of all time.

God has given us abundant evidence which we can unearth that prove the reliability of the Bible. Biblical archeology is the study of past civilizations in the Holy Land through excavation.

In Scripture we have voluminous details about past human life and activities (names, places, practices, events, dates, etc.). Archeologists unearth artifacts and then compare them with what is recorded in the Bible.

After many decades of study, it has been found that the Bible is reliable in detail and description of history, historical location, culture and dates.

When there have been contradictions and further discoveries are made, biblical critics have been found incorrect and the Bible has remained credible.

Here are three instances where seeming evidence has challenged the Bible but archaeology has confirmed that the Bible is reliable:

1) Moses Could Write – Critics Said He Could Not

a) THE ACCUSATION: Skeptics claimed that Moses could not have written any of the Bible, including the Ten Commandments; “Moses was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant – the Ten Commandments.” (Exodus 34:28) Critics were sure that writing didn’t exist in Moses day.

b) THE ANSWER FROM ARCHAELOGY: Our understanding of history was incomplete. New discoveries made in Ur and other places prove writing was well developed hundreds of years before even Abraham’s time and he lived decades prior to Moses.

2) Daniel Knew Who the King Was – Critics Said He Didn’t

a) THE ACCUSATION: Daniel wrote that the last king of Babylon was Belshazzar and was reigning when the writing on the wall occurred that decreed the end of his reign. Bible skeptics found other sources that stated that the last king of Babylon was Nabonidus.

b) THE ANSWER FROM ARCHAELOGY: Archeologists found four clay cylinders from Nabonidus’ reign. They indicated that both Nabonidus and Belshazzar had reigned jointly. Nabonidus had ruled in the countryside and Belshazzar had ruled in the capital city. The Bible was proven accurate again.

3) Luke Was A Remarkably Accurate Historian – Critics Claimed He Wasn’t

a) THE ACCUSATION: Sir William Ramsay, an archeologist from the upper class of Great Britain, held a PhD from Oxford, was an atheist and the son of atheists. He decided to disprove the accuracy of the Bible writer Luke who authored the Book of Acts.

b) THE ANSWER FROM ARCHAELOGY: After studying in the Holy Land and writing many books over a 25 year period, Ramsay found hundreds of archeological proofs that validated the Book of Acts. He declared Luke accurate down to the last detail.

Eventually the accuracy of the Scriptures Ramsay had tried to discredit convinced him of the truth of the Bible. He shocked the world when he stated that he himself had become a Christian.

The bottom line: You can trust the Bible as the historically accurate Word of God.

Why I Don’t Like Being A Christian

I have been a Christian since age 4 when I began following Christ through attending Sunday School. Since 1981 I have been a full-time Christian worker: a pastor and missionary.

Yep, that’s me (anticipating high water) in front of the little church where I became a Christian.

You might think that I love every aspect of who I am and what I am privileged to do, but such is not the case. In fact, I would like to share in this article reasons why I don’t like being a Christian. Perhaps you will relate.

I can share multitudes of reasons I love being a Christian, including:

• I know where I am going when I die.

• It makes sense of the world and life.

• I have the wonderful feeling of forgiveness.I have an intimate relationship with God.

• My Life has meaning.I have purpose in living.

There are overwhelming reasons to be a follower of Jesus Christ. But for today I would like to honestly share three reasons I don’t like being a Christian. I will also share my responses to my concerns:

1. I Don’t Like Not Being in Charge.

Being a believer means submitting to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, making Him the boss.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21 ESV)

Sometimes I would prefer to be in charge. Okay, usually. His ways seem difficult and uncomfortable. I would often rather have God obey me, rather than me obey Him.

RESPONSE: When I think that way, I remember that like a loving father, my heavenly “Father Knows Best.”

Everything He has for me is for my best. Every prohibition is for my protection. I might not always understand it, but I know this is true.

2. Sin Isn’t as Much Fun.

Sometimes it seems like it would be a lot more enjoyable to not be a Christian; to do what I want and sin without guilt.

Even the Bible admits there are the “pleasures of sin.” (Hebrews 11:25)

But as a believer, I am more aware of my sins. When I do something wrong, I have a sensitive spirit that reminds me I have messed up. I can’t get away with much!

Scripture says that when we are born again, the Holy Spirit enters our lives and among other things, convicts us of sin: “And when he [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.” (John 16:8 ESV)

RESPONSE: Actually, the verse in Hebrews talks about the pleasures of sin “for a season.” In other words, sin has hangovers. It is pleasurable in the moment (otherwise, why would I do it?).

But after the moments of sin, it is sickening.

So, I’d rather have long term joy and satisfaction over short term pleasure.

A revengeful act that landed me in hot water, or even in prison, would not be a good trade off.A tryst that ruined my marriage and life would not be a good trade off.Cheating on my taxes might give me a little tax break, but getting caught wouldn’t be worth it.

So while some times I think it would be fun to indulge, I remind myself that that is really not what I want at all.

3. I Get Embarrassed at the Behavior of “Christians.”

At least weekly I hear about a Christian who has defied Christ, done something dumb and brought shame and embarrassment to all who follow Jesus.

Each time, I just want to crawl into a hole. Each time, I think about those who will follow the terrible example of the backslider.

These people ignore Jesus’ severe warning: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” (Mark 9:42 ESV)

RESPONSE: My guess is that often those who call themselves Christians but who do terrible things are not real Christians.

Anyone can call himself or herself a Christian, but it is their walk and actions that prove them one. (See Matthew 7:21 above.)

Furthermore, people (even other Christians) love to point out the deficiencies of believers. That’s partly because good news gets very little attention and coverage. Disaster, death, scandal are what attracts and dominates people’s attention.

But when we look at the immense good done by Christ followers, it is mind boggling: hospitals, feeding the hungry, orphanages, skid row missions, and on and on.

Yes, true believers sometimes blow it. King David is a prime example of a believer who committed terrible sin. In those cases we can only say we are “not perfect, just forgiven.”