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How Can I Know the Bible is the Word of God?

How Can I Know the Bible is the Word of God?

It is certainly the case that the Bible claims to be the very word of God to man.  For example, in the Old Testament it is asserted that God would enable Moses to speak and he would teach Moses what to say (Exodus 4: 11-12).  In fact, the claim is clearly made that what Moses wrote down was as God directed him (Exodus 17:14; 24:4; 34:27; Numbers 33:2: Deuteronomy 3 1:9).  In the books of Genesis through Deuteronomy ("the five books of Moses') it is claimed more than 400 times that the express words of God were therein being revealed. Such claims are made throughout the Old Testament.  It is interesting that Christ made reference to the scriptures and cited "the book of Moses" and referred to it as that which was spoken by God which they could read (Matthew 22:29-32; Mark 12:26).  In Mark 7:10, 13, Christ said that what Moses said and wrote was the word of God and thus was authoritative for how they worshiped and lived.  The apostle Paul's statement in 2 Timothy 3:16, makes a clear claim that scripture, whether Old Testament or New Testament, is from God.  He wrote: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God." (See also Jeremiah 1:9; Mark 13:11; 1 Corinthians 14:37; 2 Peter 1:21 and many, many more.)  The process of inspiration and revelation was so controlled by God that the ultimate conclusion was that what was written was of God, from God, and thus, the word of God.

The claim of inspiration is very important.  One must consider the fact that if he says the Bible is not inspired he is, in effect, calling the Bible a liar.  And if the Bible has lied about its own inspiration how can we believe and be sure of anything it says?  Is what it says about God's grace and mercy a lie?  What about its teachings that we must love one another and practice the golden rule and help those in need?  Are those lies too?  It is nonsense to deny the Bible's teaching about its supernatural origin while at the same time piously embracing its moral, ethical, and benevolent teachings.

 Of course, the claim alone does not prove the Bible is the word of God.  Is there good, solid, evidence that the Bible is indeed what it claims to be?  There is!       

If it is true that the Bible:  

1)Contains predictive prophecies which were clearly made in advance of their unnquestioned fulfillment; 

2) Is characterized by a unity of teaching and structure impossible by humans  alone;

3)  Treats matters of science in a way which transcends human capability in the days when its various parts were written.

4)Possesses a view of things (God, Man, Origins, Evil, Good, etc.) otherwise unknown in human thought;

5)  Has been confirmed by all the accepted means of historical research (e.g. archaeology, textual criticism, etc.); and
6)  Is free from demonstrable error, misstatements, and mistakes, then the Bible is, as it claims, not merely the word of men, but the very word of God. 
In fact, points 1 through 6 can be shown to be true thus proving the Bible to be the very word of God.  Can I know the Bible is the word of God?   Yes!
Stephen D. Rook