A.      What is the Bible?

                                                             1.      Is the Bible merely a random collection of ancient documents and letters written by men that contain fantastic myths and legends intended to teach a code of morals and ethics?

                                                             2.      Is the Bible the divinely inspired message from the Almighty God written to men as an explanation of the past and a guide for the present and future?

                                                             3.      These are two of the possible answers to explain what the Bible is.  How can we determine the true answer?

B.      The purpose of this study is to convincingly assert that the Bible is God’s word.

                                                             1.      This study will attempt to make this assertion as simply, briefly, and convincingly as possible.

                                                             2.      To begin, it is important to understand why such a study of the Bible is necessary.  This will be the purpose of this first lesson.

II.      BELIEVERS IN GOD NEED THIS STUDY

A.      This study will assume that the hearer or reader believes in God.

                                                             1.      No direct attempt will be made in this study to prove the existence of God, but rather an appeal will be made to those who believe in God to establish and fortify their belief in the Bible as God’s word.

                                                             2.      Any Christian who intends to teach another about God should first determine what the prospective student already believes.  If the student believes in God but is not convinced about the Bible, then this study is a good starting place.

B.      Believers in God need to know that God has communicated to them.

                                                             1.      If we believe in a powerful God who is good, who is wise, who has created and sustains us, who has plans and intentions for us, then we must also believe that God can and has communicated these things to us.

                                                             2.      This study intends to demonstrate that the Bible is indeed God’s communication to man by considering the Bible’s internal and external evidence.

C.      Even unbelievers can benefit from this study.

                                                             1.      There are different categories of unbelievers, but all of them can learn from this study.

a.       Atheists flatly deny the existence of God.

b.       Agnostics say that there is insufficient evidence to prove the existence of God.

c.        Some others simply do not take a position on the existence of God due to various reasons, such as intellectual laziness, unwillingness to make a commitment, desire to conform to both sides of the issue, political correctness, etc.

d.       This study will challenge any unbeliever to rethink his convictions (or lack thereof) in light of the undeniable truths of the Bible.

                                                             2.      Throughout history, many unbelievers have been convinced of the existence of God by studying certain characteristics of the Bible, such as its historical, geographic, and scientific accuracy, its unity, and its fulfilled prophecies.  This study seeks to emphasize such Bible characteristics that can only be explained as the results of divine authorship.

III.   WE NEED ANSWERS!

A.      The Bible claims to have answers to man’s questions and solutions to man’s problems.

                                                             1.      The human writers of the Bible claimed to have inspiration from God and divine insight so that when we hear and read their words, we are receiving direction from God Himself (1Cor. 2:6-13; Gal. 1:11-12; Eph. 3:2-5; Col. 1:25-27; 2Pet. 1:19-21).

                                                             2.      Perhaps the boldest and clearest claim about the Bible’s guidance for man is made in 2Timothy 3:16-17 – "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

                                                             3.      Because the Bible claims to be the word of God, everything it claims about the word of God it claims about itself.  Therefore, consider a few of the claims the Bible makes of itself.

a.       Psalm 119 is a 176-verse exposition upon the word of God and therefore upon the Bible.

i.         "How can a young man keep his way pure?  By keeping it according to Your word.” (v. 9)

ii.        "Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.” (v. 11)

iii.      "Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever mine.   I have more insight than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation.  I understand more than the aged, because I have observed Your precepts.” (vv. 98-100)

v.       "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (v. 105)

vi.      "The sum of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting.” (v. 160)

b.       The apostle Peter made the claim that God "has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness” through the knowledge of Jesus, which implicitly comes through the word of God, the Bible (2Pet. 1:3-4).

c.        The Bible also claims to be the insightful standard of judgment for good and evil: "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb. 4:12; see also John 12:48; Jas. 2:12).

B.      In light of these claims, we need to know that the Bible’s answers and solutions have come from God and are therefore trustworthy.

                                                             1.      Consider some valid questions that we will seek to answer in this study.

a.       What evidence is there that proves that the Bible is God’s word?

b.       How did the writers of the Bible receive God’s word?

c.        Why are the various books and letters of the Bible accepted as God’s word while others are not?

d.       Can we be confident that our modern translations of the Bible contain the word of God?

e.        Even if the Bible was God’s word to man when it was written, is it still God’s word to us today?

                                                             2.      Each of these questions can be answered through long, comprehensive studies, but we will seek to answer them in the simplest ways possible in this short series of lessons.

a.       By no means can we expect to satisfy every question that can be raised on these matters, but we can expect to build a solid foundation for belief in the Bible.

b.       Further investigation of these matters is encouraged provided that one has an honest heart and an open mind rather than a heart seeking for excuses and a mind closed to the truth.

C.      This study is necessary because Christians need to know why they trust the Bible first for themselves and then for others.

                                                             1.      In any area of belief, each person owes it to himself to know why he believes what he believes.

a.       If a person has any blind, baseless beliefs about anything, then he opens himself up to be deceived and misled, which is certain to end in disaster.

b.       Nowhere is the need for knowledge and understanding more important than in the things of God.  Nothing is more important than spiritual truth.

                                                             2.      Peter wrote that Christians must "sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence” (1Pet. 3:15).

a.       Belief in God and the Bible is constantly challenged by the world.  Christians must be prepared to face this challenge.

b.       The inability to defend belief in the Bible may cause a Christian to fall away from God.  The deceitful arguments of Bible opponents may overcome one who is unprepared to make a strong defense.

c.        It is not enough to say, "I have always been taught this,” "My preacher said so,” "I just know it in my heart,” etc.  A Christian’s defense must be stronger.

IV.    CONCLUSION

A.      In the coming lessons, we will consider evidence in favor of the Bible, the inspiration of the Bible, the books of the Bible, translations of the Bible, and modern relevance of the Bible.

B.      All of these topics are vitally important and necessary for Christians to establish, build, and fortify their belief in the Bible as God’s word.