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Is the Bible Reliable?

I am not an apologist like my husband, John, so I can only answer that question from the perspective of a Bible student. That question is the same as asking if the Bible is inerrant. That is only possible if it is inspired by God and not originating from human minds. Humans cannot accurately predict events about people, places, and times thousands of years into the future. The Old Testament does that. There are many Old Testament prophecies about Jesus that are fulfilled in the gospels. Isaiah 53 is a good example of specific, accurate details about Jesus written thousands of years before he was born. In fact, every time the Bible mentions historical figures, places, and dates, it is always accurate. Historic and archaeological evidence support this.

The Old Testament contains many statements related to scientific knowledge that humans did not know at the time. In Isaiah 45:12, the writer speaks of God “stretching out the heavens.” The Hebrew word used suggests a pulling out, like a man starting a lawn mower. The expansion and acceleration of the cosmos have only been discovered in recent times. In Isaiah 51:6, we are told “the earth shall wax old like a garment,” and it also notes that everyone on it will age and die. John describes this as the second law of thermodynamics, which is about entropy and states that everything tends toward increasing disorder. Lord Kelvin, who lived from 1824 to 1907, is credited with discovering this law.

There are other examples of things that people did not know when the Bible was written. Whenever the Bible mentions facts, they have been confirmed as true. Many good books on this topic are written by authors like Lee Strobel, Josh McDowell, Doug Jacoby, William Craig, Hugh Ross, and others. This accuracy in prophecies and factual information is only possible if God inspired the Bible. The Bible states that all scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16), and the writers of the Bible affirm this repeatedly (Galatians 1:11, 12).

As a believer and a Bible student, I have based my life on its credibility. Applying the scriptures changes how I live. It influences how I treat others and impacts all my relationships. It helps me handle life's inevitable troubles and shifts my perspective on life and death. I do not fear death; I look forward to eternity with God.

— Cynthia Clayton

Picture credit:
photo: Julie Marcussen

Scripture links/references are from BibleGateway.com. Unhighlighted scriptures can be looked up at their website.