MANY PHYSICAL PROOFS FOR THE RELIABILITY OF THE BIBLE
Manuscript Evidence. There are far more copies of the biblical manuscripts, with remarkable consistency between them, than there are for any other book. There is no other ancient literature in the world which enjoys such a wealth of good textual attestation as the Bible. == ONLY UNEDITED BOOK, VALUE FOR PRIMARY FIRST COPY REVELATION TO THE WRITER, NO VALUE IN EDITED COPIES, BUT OTHER RELIG BOOKS EDITED FOR PERFECTION.
Archaeological Evidence. Again and again archaeological discoveries have verified the accuracy of the historical and cultural references in the Bible. The more they dig, the more it confirms the Bible. Near Eastern archaeology has demonstrated the historical and geographical reliability of the Bible.
BIBLE GIVES THE GEOGRAPHICAL BIOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL ADDRESS OF THE GOD INCARNATED JESUS.
- Eyewitness Accounts. The Bible was written by people who witnessed the events it describes; many were persecuted or martyred but never changed their story.
- Corroborating Accounts. There are plenty of references in non-biblical sources to the events described in the Bible.
- Expert Scrutiny. The early church had extremely high standards for what books were judged to be authentic and therefore included in the Bible.
- NO CONTRADICTIONS IN SPITE OF ALL DIFFERENCES OF SITUATIONS First, the Bible was written by about 40 different human writers who lived over a period of about 1500 years (50 generations). Many of these writers had no opportunity to collaborate with each other and yet, there are no contradictions in their writings! Like no other book, the writers all agreed on such themes as morality (which certainly has changed drastically in a few generations in our society), child rearing (likewise a changing philosophy), husband and wife relationships (which have been altered in a single generation), the character of God, the way of salvation and the birth, life, death and resurrection of the Savior of mankind, in minute details.
- Leader Acceptance. A majority of the greatest leaders and thinkers in history have affirmed the truth and impact of the Bible.
- Basis of ethics and morality. BIBLE IS THE BASIC STANDARD FOR THE HIGHEST ETHICS AND HENCE THE BASIS OF GLOBAL JURISPRUDENCE. Christianity is the only religion which commands to love enemies, pray for them and help them. This prevents the growth of violence. But for it we could not know right from wrong.” Its moral power - We must consider the life-transforming power of the Bible. No other book has wrought such far-reaching changes both in civilizations and in the individual soul of man. In whatever country the Bible has entered its influence has been tremendous. Protestant countries are far more advanced in every respect than Romanist countries. And generally the Christian societies became more advanced than the non-Christian societies.
- Global Influence. The Bible has had a greater influence on the laws, art, ethics, music and literature of world civilization than any other book in history. “Christianity”, as set forth in the Bible “is responsible for a disproportionately large number of the humanitarian advances in the history of civilization—in education, medicine, law, the fine arts, working for human rights and even in the natural sciences….” THROUGH ABRAHAM = JEWS AND CHRISTIANS ALL NATIONS BLESSED. = SEE science and social reforms around the world. Sati, not cover breast. … but still Christians are hated … they hated me without a cause… carry shame of Christ.
- Changed Lives. To countless everyday men, women and children, the words of the Bible have transformed lives unmistakably and forever. “As unnamed masses of Christians down through the ages have shown us, the Bible is the most reliable place to turn for finding the key to a life of love and good works.”
- SCIENTIFIC. Scripture is the starting point for a truly God-honouring scientific endeavor. Following the Reformation, many scientists (Newton, Linneaus, Copernicus, Brahe, Kepler, Boyle, Kelvin, Pasteur, Faraday, were all believers in God). The believed that God is the author of intelligent design, not of caprice and confusion; thus they were encouraged in the scientific pursuits. Among the more common disciplines, we find investigative scholarship in the following fields: The tremendous number of stars, (cf. Genesis 15:5; 13:16). Today astronomers have statistically estimated that there are about 10 million billion billion stars in the known universe, virtually numberless as the Scripture declares with ease and absolute accuracy. In God's address to his servant Job, many "laws of nature" are mentioned, only they are all referred to as "the laws of God," the God who created is the same God who sustains and preserves his universe. (38:35). There is more to it than it first appears, as science is discovering continuously. An amazing declaration is given in Job 26:7 to the effect that the earth is spherical, a ball that hangs in empty space. It seems that up to the end of the Middle Ages, no one seriously considered this fact: virtually all people believed that the earth was flat. How could the biblical authors have known the truth except that God revealed it to them?
- SURVIVAL AGAINST ALL ODDS EVEN NOW. Preserved intact throughout the ages ….against the ragings of Satan and Antichrist against it, how it was burned and destroyed both by imperial and papal Rome,
- ANTIQUE BUT FRESH. Its antiquity Scripture is the oldest written document extant. For God's people the Bible continues to be fresh, challenging and Time does not deface God's will, and God's will is recorded black on white. "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away" (Mark 13:31).
- The miracles recorded in the Bible confirm both its authenticity and its origin. Miracles are the works of God, special, supernatural works that draw our attention to his message. Thus we find prophets, apostles and our Lord himself performing signs and wonders and mighty works, "that ye may know that I am in the Father and the Father in me." A Christian is a Christian because he believes in miracles, among which are the incarnation and the resurrection of Christ. He has to believe in miracles.
- FROM GOD. For many hundreds of times, the Old Testament repeats the phrase, "Thus saith the Lord..." or "The Word of Jehovah came unto me, saying..." If it came immediately from God then its contents, nothing more and nothing less, are above us, and we are to be governed by them. BIBLE IS THE ONLY BOOK WHICH NON-GOD FACTORS CANNOT PRODUCE.
- COMMANDS RESPECT AND OBEDIENCE FROM ALL. Christ himself never contradicted Scripture, and never disobeyed it! Priests, Levites, governors, and prophets had no right to act against it (Deuteronomy 17:18; 31:9-13; cf. 2 Chronicles 17:8-10; Nehemiah 8:9; Ezekiel 44:23). All religious authorities were duty-bound to teach according to Scripture (Leviticus 10:11; Deuteronomy 33:10). How Christ regarded Scripture The Lord Jesus Christ teaches us the proper approach to the Scripture. He, being the Son of God, submitted himself to Scripture and all its precepts. Evidently Christ valued the ancient Scriptures as authoritative, with no other authority in competition to it.
- WITNESS OF JEWISH PEOPLE. THEY ARE THE MOST PERSECUTED PEOPLE WHO STILL SURVIVE VICTORIOUSLY IS THE PROOF OF GOD’S JUSTICE AND FAITHFULNESS.
- MOST BELIEVABLE AND TRUSTWORTHY HISTORICAL DOCUMENT IN HISTORY. Bible gives most systematic and specific, real and personal historical narration of the nature and revelation of God. BEST HISTORICAL PERSON AND MOST LOVING GOD IS PRESENTED BY THE BIBLE.
- THE BIBLE COVERS A LONG SPAN OF HISTORY IN IT UNLIKE ANY OTHER BOOK. THE BIBLE GIVES MOST COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF HISTORY FROM ETERNITY PAST TO ETERNITY FUTURE.
- TIME LINE BASED SYSTEMATIC EVENTS NETWORK WITH A MESSAGE THAT GIVES A UNIFIED DOCTRINE OF THE TRUTH WHICH IS COHESIVE, COMPREHENSIVE, CONSISTENT. IT HAS NO PARALLEL IN ALL THE WORLD. THERE IS NO OTHER EQUALLY AUTHENTIC LOGICAL AND HISRICALLY CREATED BOOK like the Bible.
- Bible is the only religious document with historical, legal, and scientific validity. No Court and judicial method can deny it.
- The Bible is the only document in history which can survive without aggressive defense.
CONCLUSION
The conclusion that one draws from this material is that the Bible is a reliable historical document. Its accuracy has been proved numerous times. Its historical inaccuracy has never been demonstrated. So that when we approach the Bible, we do so with a good amount of confidence that what it records actually happened. If this is true, then we need to come to terms about what the Bible claims. We cannot dismiss it out of hand because we were not there, regardless of the difficulty of what is said.
As the Bible is true, then Jesus birth, Crucifixion, and Resurrection are true. Those who reject the truth do so not from a careful evaluation of the available data, but from an enormous predisposition against the truth.