Six Proofs of Inspiration of the Holy Bible
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| Open Bible | By Freeimages.com |
The following are some proofs showing that the Bible is an inspired word of God:
1. Inner Witness
The first is the Bible’s own internal or inner witness to its inspiration. For example, both 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and 2 Peter 1:20-21 emphasis the fact that the Scripture is inspired. Again, phrases such as, “And God spoke all these words” (Ex. 20:1; Jer. 30:1; 2 Pet. 1:21) also attest to the fact that the writers wrote what God by His Spirit gave them. There are about 2,700 of such phrases in the Bible. That is, the Bible attests to itself in many of its passages that it is an inspired word of God. This proof places the Bible at the highest authority above all other proofs of its inspiration. It is the Bible and it alone that can sufficiently testify to its claims in absolute terms.
2 The Witness of the New Testament to the Old Testament
There are a number of texts in the New Testament that give credence to the fact that the Old Testament is an inspired book from God. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Paul indicates that, “All Scripture is God-breathed” or “inspired”. The mention of “Scripture” here, refers to the Old Testament since in most cases that is what it means in its usage in the New Testament with the exception of few cases (1 Tim. 5:18; 2 Pet. 3:16) where its usage includes the New Testament writings. Similarly, in 2 Peter 1:20-21, Peter’s reference to “prophecy of scripture” relates to the Old Testament “prophets” he mentions in 1:19. Thus, for him to say that the words of prophecy were not from the prophets themselves, but they spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, indicates that the Old Testament is inspired of God.
There are a lot more in the New Testament that approves the Old Testament as inspired by God. For example, in Matthew 1:22 and Isaiah.7:14, Isaiah’s words are quoted as “what the Lord had said through the prophet,” making Isaiah’s words inspired of God (see also, Matt. 4:4 and Deut. 8:3; Acts 28:25-26 and Isa. 6:9-10). The New Testament thus demonstrates that the whole of the Old Testament is inspired word of God.
3 The Witness of the New Testament to Itself.
The New Testament does not only endorse the Old Testament as inspired but also to itself that its messages are inspired. In 1 Timothy 5:17-18, Paul quotes Jesus’ words in Luke10:7, “The worker deserves his wages”, and credits them as Scripture. In like manner, Peter in 2 Peter. 3:16, does not only demonstrate an awareness of Paul’s writings, but recognises them as Scripture as follows: “He [Paul] writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures , to their own destruction.” (Emphasis mine) By Peter aligning Paul’s writings with “the other Scriptures”, makes Paul’s letters inspired.
Again, in 1 Corinthians 14:37, Paul raises His own writings as equivalent to the standard of the Old Testament writings when he says, “If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.” (Emphasis mine) Being “the Lord’s command”, means it is inspired by the Lord. Similar indications are found in John 14:24-26; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:15; 2 Peter 3:2; Revelation 22:18-19. Thus, the New Testament has enough evidence to demonstrate that it is inspired of God.
4 Prophecy and Fulfilment
The study of prophecies and their fulfilment also provides some of the greatest proofs of the inspiration of Scripture. These were messages about future events that God gave people to speak years before their fulfilment. There are many prophecies in the Bible which have been fulfilled and others are yet to be fulfilled. The ones which have come to pass give confidence that the others would be fulfilled. For example, there are many prophecies about Jesus which have come to pass like His birth (Isa. 7:14 and Matt. 1:22-23; Mic. 5:2 and Matt. 2:1-6; John 7:42), death (Ps. 22:16-18 and John 19:24 see also, Matt. 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34; Isa. 53:9 and Heb. 4:15; 1 Pet. 2:22; Matt. 27:57-60) and resurrection (Ps. 16:8-11 and Acts 2:25; 13:35-37; Ps. 22:22 and Heb. 2:12). Prophecies about His second coming (Acts 1:10-11) would also come to pass. These events that are predicted before they are fulfilled are indication that the human writers were inspired by God and hence a proof of inspiration of the Bible.
5 The Unity of the Bible
Another evidence of inspiration is the fact that along its great diversity, it possesses an amazing unity. Its diversity is seen in the fact that it contains sixty-six different books, written over a period of about 1,600 years22 by approximately 40 different authors of different cultures, countries and backgrounds and in three different original languages (Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek); yet it has maintained itself as a unified book. Each writer contributed certain needed portions that harmonise but never contradict the whole. There is no way that this could happen if there was not a divine hand and the working of the Holy Spirit at work in all the human authors. Hence the unity of the Bible signifies its inspiration.
6 The Miraculous Preservation of the Bible
The miraculous preservation of the Bible also attests to its inspiration. God through various means and people have kept it alive for humanity to know Him and be saved by its words. Kevin J. Conner, a Pentecostal theologian, recognised as one of the leaders of the Latter Rain Movement, says it very well, The Bible has had a truly remarkable history. Over the last 3500 years it has not only been the most loved but also the most hated book in existence. No book has ever suffered the persistent opposition that the Bible has; Roman emperors issued edicts ordering its annihilation. Untold thousands of Bibles have been burned and countless Christians have been executed for possessing a copy of it. It has been rejected, corrupted and challenged. Its infallibility and authority have been attacked from every angle. However, through the centuries the Bible has survived all these storms and triumphed over them to remain the most significant book in human history. God’s miraculous preservation of His Word is another proof of its inspiration.
Thus, though throughout history the Bible has been the most single book that has pass through sever odds from time to time, God has kept it and its words intact for us. The fact that the Bible refuses to extinct despite all the atrocities it has suffered shows that there is a supreme eye that is watching it and there is a supreme hand that is protecting it; this is God Himself.
Again, God has made promises and commands in it to ensure its full preservations. He promises to preserve its words (Ps. 12:6-7), He commands that no words should be added or taken away from it (Deut. 4:1-2) and He has demonstrated that He cares about every one of His words in it (Prov. 30:5-6). He pledges that His words would never pass away (Mark 13:31) and those who temper with His words would suffer the consequences thereof (Rev. 22:18-19). These words from our powerful and miraculous God in the Bible have sustained it and also contributed to its miraculous preservation; accordingly, affirming its inspiration as God’s word.
6 The Influence of the Bible
The Bible’s influence on society and humanity demonstrate that it is an inspired work of God. Arthur Walkington Pink, an English Bible teacher, said the following about the Bible’s marvellous influence: The influence of the Bible is world-wide. Its mighty power has affected every department of human activity. The contents of the Scriptures have supplied themes for the greatest poets, artists and musicians which the world has yet produced, and have been the mightiest factor of all in shaping the moral progress of the [human] race.
That is to say, the Bible has played a key role in shaping many things about humanity and their existence on earth and continuous to do so. Aside being the best selling literature of all time, three major religious groups in the world, Christianity, Islam and Judaism, rely on it in one way or the other for the practice of their faith. This alone speaks of over half of the world’s population whose daily living and actions are influenced by the Bible.26 The Bible has been a source upon which many national constitutions and national anthems have been carved. Its moral standards have also been fundamental to many laws and rules of conduct in the world.
Above all, it has helped in shaping the morals of humanity and by its influence has brought many sinners into faith in Jesus Christ, reconciling them to God. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reads, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Thus, as people are drawn to Christ through the gospel, the teachings from the Bible and meditations on its words are able to bring change into a sinner’s life. It has therefore brought positive transformation into the lives of many including murderess, thieves, adulteress, idolaters, prostitutes, and armed robbers and many others (Heb. 4:12; Rom. 12:1-2). As a result of the salvation it brings and the transforming power the Bible carries, Paul was not ashamed to proclaimed its good new to his hearers (Rom. 1:16-17).
These can be summarised in the words of Conner as, The worldwide influence of the Bible is unmatched by any other book. It has touched every nation on earth and influenced countless cultures. It has been translated into more languages and reproduced in large quantities than any other book. The Bible has produced the highest results in all walks of life including music, art, law and science. Millions of lives have changed by its truth and only eternity will reveal its full impact on mankind.
These great influences of the Bible on society and humanity indicates that it is an inspired word of God and not just mere words of men.
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