Tag: Bible

How can we treat believers better who differ with us about Christian liberty?

“4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. 5Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus.” Romans 15:4-5

In Romans 14, the apostle Paul admonished the Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome to accept and love one another despite their differences concerning their Christian liberty. Beginning in chapter 15, he tells the stronger Christian whose faith permits him to eat all foods and observe every day the same, to “bear with the scruples” or weaknesses of believers whose faith did not permit him to exercise his Christian liberty to the same extent (15:1). Instead of pleasing himself, he was to put the welfare of others before himself like Jesus did (15:2-3a). Paul then quotes King David whose commitment to building up the physical house of God is to be displayed by Christians in their commitment to building up God’s spiritual house (15:3b; cf. Psalm 69:9). 

Notice that when Paul seeks to motivate his readers to treat one another better, he does not refer to some seminar or some promo on Facebook. He refers to the Bible in verse 3 when he quotes King David (cf. Psalm 69:9). By referring to the Old Testament, Paul was showing that Christians can receive from the Bible the instruction (“learning”), perseverance (“patience”),“comfort,” and “hope” they need to bear with one another despite their differences regarding their Christian liberty (15:4). But he does not stop there. 

The reason the Bible can give us everything we need to bear with one another in the family of God is because of the Person behind the Bible: “Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus” (15:5). Knowing the Bible is not enough to treat one another better. We must know the Author of the Bible if we are going to treat one another better (cf. 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21). The more we know God who is love, the more loving we will become toward one another (cf. I John 4:7-8). 

Do you have teenage girls? They must be very careful with internet chat rooms. Teenage girls can fall in love with evil men on the internet because the words they read have a person behind them. As she hangs out with this man on the internet for days and weeks, he eventually says,“Can we meet at the park this Saturday at five o’clock?” She has been trained all these years not to hang out with strangers, yet now she goes to meet this stranger. Why? Because she has fallen in love with someone she has never seen. The reason she has fallen in love with someone she has never seen is because of the power of the written word. Why? Because behind that written word is a real person. If an evil man can take the words of a computer and transform a teenage girl so that she will go meet him in private at a park somewhere and risk her life because she has been overwhelmed with the word, then how much more can the God of the Bible overwhelm us with His written Word so that we change from what we might normally do because we have been overwhelmed with a love relationship with Someone we have never seen.

Do not underestimate what the God of the Bible can do in our lives when we sit down to hear His voice as we read and apply the Bible to our lives. Spending time with Him in His Word can transform us so that we treat other believers better who may differ with us concerning Christian liberty. 

Are there any errors in the Bible?

By Norman L. Geisler

The Bible cannot err, since it is God’s Word, and God cannot err. This does not mean there are no difficulties in the Bible. But the difficulties are not due to God’s perfect revelation, but to our imperfect understanding of it. The history of Bible criticism reveals that the Bible has no errors, but the critics do. Most problems fall into one of the following categories.

ASSUMING THE UNEXPLAINED IS UNEXPLAINABLE

When a scientist comes upon an anomaly in nature, he does not give up further scientific exploration. Rather, the unexplained motivates further study. Scientists once could not explain meteors, eclipses, tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes. Until recently, scientists did not know how the bumblebee could fly. All of these mysteries have yielded their secrets to relentless patience. Scientists do not now know how life can grow on thermo-vents in the depths of the sea. But no scientist throws in the towel and cries “contradiction!” Likewise, the true biblical scholar approaches the Bible with the same presumption that there are answers to the unexplained. Critics once proposed that Moses could not have written the first five books of the Bible because Moses’ culture was preliterate. Now we know that writing had existed thousands of years before Moses. Also, critics once believed that Bible references to the Hittite people were totally fictional. Such a people by that name had never existed. Now the Hittites’ national library has been found in Turkey. Thus, we have reason to believe that other unexplained phenomena in Scripture will be explained later.

ASSUMING THE BIBLE IS GUILTY OF ERROR UNLESS PROVEN INNOCENT

Many critics assume the Bible is wrong until something proves it right. However, like an American citizen charged with an offense, the Bible should be read with at least the same presumption of accuracy given to other literature that claims to be nonfiction. This is the way we approach all human communications. If we did not, life would not be possible. If we assumed that road signs and traffic signals were not telling the truth, we would probably be dead before we could prove otherwise. If we assumed food packages are mislabeled, we would have to open up all cans and packages before buying. Likewise, the Bible, like any other book, should be presumed to be telling us what the authors said, experienced, and heard. But, negative critics begin with just the opposite presumption. Little wonder they conclude the Bible is riddled with error.

CONFUSING OUR FALLIBLE INTERPRETATIONS WITH GOD’S INFALLIBLE REVELATION

Jesus affirmed that the “Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35, NASB). As an infallible book, the Bible is also irrevocable. Jesus declared, “Truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished” (Matt. 5:18; Luke 16:17, NASB). The Scriptures also have final authority, being the last word on all it discusses. Jesus employed the Bible to resist the tempter (see Matt. 4:4, 7, 10), to settle doctrinal disputes (see Matt. 21:42), and to vindicate his authority (see Mark 11:17). Sometimes a biblical teaching rests on a small historical detail (see Heb. 7:4-10), a word or phrase (see Acts 15:13-17), or the difference between the singular and the plural (see Gal. 3:16). But, while the Bible is infallible, human interpretations are not. Even though God’s Word is perfect (see Ps. 19:7), as long as imperfect human beings exist, there will be misinterpretations of God’s Word and false views about his world. In view of this, one should not be hasty in assuming that a currently dominant assumption in science is the final word. Some of yesterday’s irrefutable laws are considered errors by today’s scientists. So, contradictions between popular opinions in science and widely accepted interpretations of the Bible can be expected. But this falls short of proving there is a real contradiction.

FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT

The most common mistake of all Bible interpreters, including some critical scholars, is to read a text outside its proper context. As the adage goes, “A text out of context is a pretext.” One can prove anything from the Bible by this mistaken procedure. The Bible says, “There is no God” (Ps. 14:1, NASB). Of course, the context is: “The fool has said in his heart ‘There is no God.’ ” One may claim that Jesus admonished us not to resist evil (see Matt. 5:39), but the antiretaliatory context in which he cast this statement must not be ignored. Many read Jesus’ statement to “Give to him who asks you,” as though one had an obligation to give a gun to a small child. Failure to note that meaning is determined by context is a chief sin of those who find fault with the Bible.

INTERPRETING THE DIFFICULT BY THE CLEAR

Some passages are hard to understand or appear to contradict some other part of Scripture. James appears to be saying that salvation is by works (see James 2:14-26), whereas Paul teaches that it is by grace. Paul says Christians are “saved through faith; and that not of yourselves. It is a gift of God: Not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 4:5, KJV). But the contexts reveal that Paul is speaking about justification before God (by faith alone), whereas James is referring to justification before others (who only see what we do). And James and Paul both speak of the fruitfulness that always comes in the life of one who loves God.

FORGETTING THE BIBLE’S HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS

With the exception of small sections such as the Ten Commandments, which were “written by the finger of God” (Ex. 31:18, NASB), the Bible was not verbally dictated. The writers were not secretaries of the Holy Spirit. They were human composers employing their own literary styles and idiosyncrasies. These human authors sometimes used human sources for their material (see Josh. 10:13; Acts 17:28; 1 Cor. 15:33; Titus 1:12). In fact, every book of the Bible is the composition of a human writer-about forty of them in all. The Bible also manifests different human literary styles. Writers speak from an observer’s standpoint when they write of the sun rising or setting (see Josh. 1:15). They also reveal human thought patterns, including memory lapses (see 1 Cor. 1:14-16), as well as human emotions (see Gal. 4:14). The Bible discloses specific human interests. Hosea has a rural interest, Luke a medical concern, and James a love of nature. Like Christ, the Bible is completely human, yet without error. Forgetting the humanity of Scripture can lead to falsely impugning its integrity by expecting a level of expression higher than that which is customary to a human document. This will become more obvious as we discuss the next mistakes of the critics.

ASSUMING A PARTIAL REPORT IS A FALSE REPORT

Critics often jump to the conclusion that a partial report is false. However, this is not so. If it were, most of what has ever been said would be false, since seldom does time or space permit an absolutely complete report.  For example, Peter’s famous confession in the Gospels:

Matthew: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (16:16, NASB).

Mark: “You are the Christ” (8:29, NASB).

Luke: “The Christ of God” (9:20, NASB).

Even the Ten Commandments, which were “written by the finger of God” (Deut. 9:10), are stated with variations the second time they are recorded (see Ex. 20:8-11 with Deut. 5:12-15). There are many differences between the books of Kings and Chronicles in their description of identical events, yet they harbor no contradiction in the events they narrate.

ASSUMING NEW TESTAMENT CITATIONS OF THE OLD TESTAMENTS MUST BE VERBATIM

Critics often point to variations in the New Testament use of Old Testament Scriptures as a proof of error. They forget that every citation need not be an exact quotation. Sometimes we use indirect and sometimes direct quotations. It was then (and is today) perfectly acceptable literary style to give the essence of a statement without using precisely the same words. The same meaning can be conveyed without using the same verbal expressions.

Variations in the New Testament citations of the Old Testament fall into different categories. Sometimes they are because there is a change of speaker. For example, Zechariah records the Lord as saying, “they will look on me whom they have pierced” (12:10, NASB). When this is cited in the New Testament, John, not God, is speaking. So it is changed to “They shall look on him whom they pierced” (John 19:37, NASB).

At other times, writers cite only part of the Old Testament text. Jesus did this at His home synagogue in Nazareth (see Luke 4:18-19 citing Isa. 61:1-2). In fact, He stopped in the middle of a sentence. Had He gone any farther, He could not have made His central point from the text, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (vs. 21). The very next phrase, “And the day of vengeance of our God,” (see Isa. 61:1-2) refers to His second coming.

Sometimes the New Testament paraphrases or summarizes the Old Testament text (see Matt. 2:6). Others blend two texts into one (see Matt. 27:9-10). Occasionally a general truth is mentioned, without citing a specific text. For example, Matthew said Jesus moved to Nazareth “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene” (Matt. 2:23, KJV). Notice, Matthew quotes no given prophet, but rather “prophet” in general. Several texts speak of the Messiah’s lowliness. To be from Nazareth, a Nazarene, was a byword for low status in the Israel of Jesus’ day.

ASSUMING DIVERGENT ACCOUNTS ARE FALSE

Because two or more accounts of the same event differ, does not mean they are mutually exclusive. Matthew 28:5 says there was one angel at the tomb after the resurrection; whereas John informs us there were two (see 20:12). But these are not contradictory reports. An infallible mathematical rule easily explains this problem: Where there are two, there is always one. Matthew did not say there was only one angel. There may also have been one angel at the tomb at one point on this confusing morning and two at another. One has to add the word “only” to Matthew’s account to make it contradict John’s. But if the critic comes to the texts to show they err, then the error is not in the Bible, but in the critic.

Likewise, Matthew (see 27:5) informs us that Judas hanged himself. But Luke says that “he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out” (Acts 1:18, NASB). Once more, these accounts are not mutually exclusive. If Judas hanged himself from a tree over the edge of a cliff or gully in this rocky area, and his body fell on sharp rocks below, then his entrails would gush out just as Luke vividly describes.

PRESUMING THAT THE BIBLE APPROVES OF ALL IT RECORDS

It is a mistake to assume that everything contained in the Bible is commended by the Bible. The whole Bible is true (see John 17:17), but it records some lies, for example, Satan’s (see Gen. 3:4; John 8:44) and Rahab’s (see Josh. 2:4). Inspiration encompasses the Bible fully in the sense that it records accurately and truthfully even the lies and errors of sinful beings. The truth of Scripture is found in what the Bible reveals, not in everything it records. Unless this distinction is held, it may be incorrectly concluded that the Bible teaches immorality because it narrates David’s sin (see 2 Sam. 11:4), that it promotes polygamy because it records Solomon’s (see 1 Kings 11:3), or that it affirms atheism because it quotes the fool as saying “there is no God” (Ps. 14:1, NASB).

FORGETTING THAT THE BIBLE IS NONTECHNICAL

To be true, something does not have to use scholarly, technical, or so-called “scientific” language. The Bible is written for the common person of every generation, and it therefore uses common, everyday language. The use of observational, nonscientific language is not unscientific, it is merely prescientific. The Scriptures were written in ancient times by ancient standards, and it would be anachronistic to superimpose modern scientific standards upon them. However, it is no more unscientific to speak of the sun standing still (see Josh. 10:12) than to refer to the sun “rising” (see Josh. 1:16). Meteorologists still refer to the times of “sunrise” and “sunset.”

ASSUMING ROUND NUMBERS ARE FALSE

Like ordinary speech, the Bible uses round numbers (see Josh. 3:4; 4:13). It refers to the diameter as being about one-third of the circumference of something (see 1 Chron. 19:18; 21:5). While this technically is only an approximation (see Lindsell, 165-66); it may be imprecise from the standpoint of a technological society to speak of 3.14159265 as “3,” but it is not incorrect. It is sufficient for a “cast metal sea” (see 2 Chron. 4:2) in an ancient Hebrew temple, even though it would not suffice for a computer in a modern rocket. One should not expect to see actors referring to a wristwatch in a Shakespearean play, nor people in a prescientific age to use precise numbers.

NEGLECTING TO NOTE LITERARY DEVICES

Human language is not limited to one mode of expression. So, there is no reason to suppose that only one literary genre was used in a divinely inspired Book. The Bible reveals a number of literary devices. Whole books are written as poetry (e.g., Job, Psalms, Proverbs). The Synoptic Gospels feature parables. In Galatians 4, Paul utilizes an allegory. The New Testament abounds with metaphors (see 2 Cor. 3:2-3; James 3:6), similes (see Matt. 20:1; James 1:6), hyperbole (see John 21:25; 2 Cor. 3:2; Col. 1:23), and even poetic figures (see Job 41:1). Jesus employed satire (see Matt. 19:24; 23:24). Figures of speech are common throughout the Bible.

It is not a mistake for a biblical writer to use a figure of speech, but it is a mistake for a reader to take a figure of speech literally. Obviously when the Bible speaks of the believer resting under the shadow of God’s “wings” (see Ps. 36:7) it does not mean that God is a feathered bird. When the Bible says God “awakes” (see Ps. 44:23), as though he were sleeping, it means God is roused to action.

FORGETTING THAT ONLY THE ORIGINAL TEXT IS INERRANT

Genuine mistakes have been found-in copies of Bible text made hundreds of years after the autographs. God only uttered the original text of Scripture, not the copies. Therefore, only the original text is without error. Inspiration does not guarantee that every copy is without error, especially in copies made from copies made from copies made from copies. For example, the King James Version (KJV) of 2 Kings 8:26 gives the age of King Ahaziah as 22, whereas 2 Chronicles 22:2 says 42. The later number cannot be correct, or he would have been older than his father. This is obviously a copyist error, but it does not alter the inerrancy of the original.

First, these are errors in the copies, not the originals. Second, they are minor errors (often in names or numbers) which do not affect any teaching. Third, these copyist errors are relatively few in number. Fourth, usually by the context, or by another Scripture, we know which is in error. For example, Ahaziah must have been 22. Finally, though there is a copyist error, the entire message comes through. For example, if you received a letter with the following statement, would you assume you could collect some money?

“#OU HAVE WON $20 MILLION.”

Even though there is a mistake in the first word, the entire message comes through-you are 20 million dollars richer! And if you received another letter the next day that read like this, you would be even more sure:

“Y#U HAVE WON $20 MILLION.”

The more mistakes of this kind there are (each in a different place), the more sure you are of the original message. This is why scribal mistakes in the biblical manuscripts do not affect the basic message of the Bible.

CONFUSING GENERAL WITH UNIVERSAL STATEMENTS

Like other literature, the Bible often uses generalizations. The book of Proverbs has many of these. Proverbial sayings, by their very nature, offer general guidance, not universal assurance. They are rules for life, but rules that admit of exceptions. Proverbs 16:7, HCSB affirms that “when a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” This obviously was not intended to be a universal truth. Paul was pleasing to the Lord and his enemies stoned him (Acts 14:19). Jesus was pleasing the Lord, and his enemies crucified him. Nonetheless, it is a general truth that one who acts in a way pleasing to God can minimize his enemies’ antagonism.

Proverbs are wisdom (general guides), not law (universally binding imperatives). When the Bible declares “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:45, NASB), then there are no exceptions. Holiness, goodness, love, truth, and justice are rooted in the very nature of an unchanging God. But wisdom literature applies God’s universal truths to life’s changing circumstances. The results will not always be the same. Nonetheless, they are helpful guides.

FORGETTING THAT LATER REVELATION SUPERSEDES EARLIER ONES

Sometimes critics do not recognize progressive revelation. God does not reveal everything at once, nor does he lay down the same conditions for every period of history. Some of his later revelations will supersede his earlier statements. Bible critics sometimes confuse a change in revelation with a mistake. That a parent allows a very small child to eat with his fingers but demands that an older child use a fork and spoon, is not a contradiction. This is progressive revelation, with each command suited to the circumstance.

There was a time when God tested the human race by forbidding them to eat of a specific tree in the Garden of Eden (see Gen. 2:16-17). This command is no longer in effect, but the later revelation does not contradict this former revelation. Also, there was a period (under the Mosaic law) when God commanded that animals be sacrificed for people’s sin. However, since Christ offered the perfect sacrifice for sin (see Heb. 10:11-14), this Old Testament command is no longer in effect. There is no contradiction between the later and the former commands.

Of course, God cannot change commands that have to do with his unchangeable nature (see Mal. 3:6; Heb. 6:18). For example, since God is love (see 1 John 4:16), he cannot command that we hate him. Nor can he command what is logically impossible, for example, to both offer and not offer a sacrifice for sin at the same time and in the same sense. But these moral and logical limits notwithstanding, God can and has given noncontradictory, progressive revelations which, if taken out of its proper context and juxtaposed, can look contradictory. This is as much a mistake as to assume a parent is self-contradictory for allowing a 16-year-old to stay up later at night than a 6-year-old.

In summation, the Bible cannot err, but critics can and have. There is no error in God’s revelation, but there are errors in our understanding of it. Hence, when approaching Bible difficulties, the wisdom of St. Augustine is best: “If we are perplexed by any apparent contradiction in Scripture, it is not allowable to say, The author of this book is mistaken; but either [1] the manuscript is faulty, or [2] the translation is wrong, or [3] you have not understood.” (Augustine, City of God 11.5)

Sources:

G. L. Archer, Jr., An Encyclopedia of Biblical Difficulties

W. Arndt, Bible Difficulties

—, Does the Bible Contradict Itself?

Augustine, City of God.

Augustine, Reply to Faustus the Manichaean, in P. Schaff, ed., A Select Library of the Nicene and Ante-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church

N. L. Geisler, “The Concept of Truth in the Inerrancy Debate,” ., October-December 1980

—and T. Howe, When Critics Ask

—and W. E. Nix, General Introduction to the Bible

J. W. Haley, Alleged Discrepancies of the Bible

H. Lindsell, The Battle for the Bible

J. Orr, The Problems of the Old Testament Considered with Reference to Recent Criticism

J. R. Rice, Our God-Breathed Book-The Bible

E. Thiele, The Mysterious Numbers of the Kings of Israel

R. Tuck, ed., A Handbook of Biblical Difficulties

R. D. Wilson, A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament

Is Calvinism Biblical?

In this article we are going to compare the five points of Calvinism with what the Bible teaches to see if it is biblical. We will conclude each section with a question. 

Point #1 – Total depravity: Calvinism teaches that all people are totally depraved and “dead” (unable to believe in Christ) in their sins (Ephes. 2:1; cf. John 6:44, 65; Romans 3:9-12; 5:12-14; 8:7-8; I Cor. 1:18, 21; 2:14) and therefore, must be regenerated by God first before they respond in faith to the gospel. The Bible agrees with Calvinism that all people descend from Adam and are guilty of sin (Rom. 5:12-21; 3:23), which argues for man’s lost condition and the universal need for eternal life. Hence, the gospel message is intended for the whole world of mankind. Contrary to Calvinism, which teaches that faith is a gift which logically follows the regeneration of the elect, the Bible teaches that faith is a human response which is the only condition for regeneration (Gospel of John, Acts 16:31; Rom. 4:5; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8-9; et. al.).

Man still retains the image of God in his being which carries with it the ability to believe the gospel for salvation otherwise why would God condemn people for not believing if they have no capacity to believe (John 3:18)? God’s justice would be called into question if a man is held responsible for something he has no capability of doing. Believing in Christ is a person’s responsibility (John 3:18; I John 3:23), so he or she must have the ability to receive eternal life on that basis; otherwise the gospel offer to any and all who believe would be a hoax (Mark 16:15; John 3:15-16; 4:10, 14, 6:35-40, 47; Rom. 10:13-15; I Tim. 2:3-6). The Holy Spirit regenerates people as they believe in Christ (Eph. 1:13-14; Titus 3:5). Saving faith is not meritorious nor a gift from God, but is the conviction that Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead, and then believing or trusting in Christ alone for everlasting life (John 11:25-27; I Cor. 15:3-4; Eph. 2:8-9; Heb. 11:1). Question: If all people possess the image of God (Gen. 1:26 – which includes the ability to think logically, appreciate beauty, have self-awareness, speak in language, and even believe something), why can’t they believe the gospel?

Point #2 – Unconditional election: Calvinism teaches that God unconditionally chose some to be saved in eternity past. This select group will ultimately be saved for all of eternity and will persevere in faith and holiness until the end of their lives (Matt. 24:13). But Calvinism fails to realize that the Bible teaches that election relates to service, suffering, and holiness for the Lord, not to salvation. For example: 

1. The Old and New Testaments both make it clear that the Jews are God’s chosen people and the elect  (Deut. 7:6; 14:2; 1 Kgs. 3:8; Ps. 33:12; 106:5; Isa. 43:10; 45:4; 65:9, 22; Matt. 24:22, 31; Mark 13:20; Luke 18:7; Rom. 9:11; 11:28; 2 Tim. 2:10; 1 Pet. 2:4). They were chosen to be the line through which Messiah came. Israel was chosen to serve God in its practices and in its worship. Indeed, God has not given up on Israel. By the end of the Tribulation, Israel will cry out to the Lord Jesus and will be delivered. During the Millennium, and then on the new earth, Israel will serve God forever in its practices and praise. Due to the bias toward the Calvinist understanding of who the elect are, many of the references to Israel as the elect in the New Testament are misunderstood. If the New Testament follows and is built upon the Old Testament, then it should not be surprising that both testaments refer to Israel as God’s chosen, His elect. 

2. Jesus, God’s Chosen Messiah (Isa. 42:1-4; 49:7; Matt. 12:18; Luke 9:35; 23:35; John 1:34). He was chosen by God the Father to be the Messiah and to die on the cross for our sins (Matt. 12:18; 1 Pet. 2:4). 

3. Twelve Men Chosen As Christ’s Apostles. Jesus chose twelve men to be His disciples and apostles (Luke 6:13; John 6:70; 13:18; 15:16, 19; Acts 1:2). The fact that Judas was chosen by Christ demonstrates that this election was to service (John 15:16), not salvation, since Judas never believed in Jesus (cf. John 6:64, 70-71; 13:10-11; 17:12). When Judas, betrayed Jesus, his place was taken by another man chosen by God, Matthias (Acts 1:24-26). One Greek word used for choosing was used of the election of the twelve: eklegomai (Luke 6:13; 15:16,19). 

4. Saul Chosen As Apostle to the Gentiles. Saul of Tarsus was later chosen by God to be an apostle as well, specifically the apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15 [ekloge]; 13:2 [prokaleo]; 22:14-15 [procheirizo]). 

5. Peter Chosen to take the Gospel to Cornelius. Peter was chosen by God to be the one to take the gospel to Cornelius and his household, the first group of Gentile converts (Acts 15:7 [eklegomai]).

6. God’s Chosen deliverer, Moses. God chose Moses to lead His people out of Egypt and to the Promised Land (Num. 16:5-6).

7. God’s Chosen priestly line, Levi. God chose  Aaron and the tribe of Levi to be the priestly line (Num. 17:5; 1 Sam. 2:28; 2 Chron. 29:11). God chose that priests from the tribe of Levi would minister before Him in the temple and would be paid by the tithes of the people (Deut. 18:58; 21:5; 1 Chron. 15:2).

8. Men Chosen to Be in Messiah’s line. Specifically God chose Abraham (Neh. 9:7), Isaac, Jacob (Ps. 135:4; Isa. 41:8; Ezek. 20:5), and Judah (1 Chron. 28:4; Ps. 78:67) to be in the line of Messiah.

9. David Chosen to replace Saul as king. God chose David to replace King Saul and to be in the line of Messiah (2 Sam. 6:21; 1 Kings 8:16; 1 Chron. 28:4; 2 Chron. 6:6; Ps. 89:3). 

10. God Chose Solomon to succeed David as king. God chose Solomon over David’s other sons to be king (1 Chron. 29:1). 

11. God Chose Mary and Joseph. God’s choosing went right down to Mary, the mother of Jesus (Luke 1:30, 42-45, 48), and Joseph, the husband of Mary (Matt. 1:20).

12. God’s Chosen City, Jerusalem. Over and over again God reminds His people that Jerusalem was and will forever be God’s chosen city (e.g., Deut. 15:20; 16:2, 15; 1 Kings 8:44; 11:13; 14:21; 2 Kings 21:7; 23:27; 2 Chron. 6:6, 34; 12:13; 33:7; Neh. 1:9; Ps. 132:13; Zech. 3:2). 

13. Chosen Sojourners. In his first epistle Peter wrote to Jewish believers scattered around the Roman Empire. He called them elect (or chosen) sojourners. Though many versions translate 1 Pet 1:2 as “elect according to foreknowledge,” the word elect (eklektos) actually occurs in verse 1 immediately before sojourners.

God also chooses believers to suffer (I Thess. 1:4; cf. the context 1:5-10) and to holiness (Ephes. 1:4). In 2 Thessalonians 2:13 the Bible says, “God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth…” The word “salvation” (soteria) occurs three times in First and Second Thessalonians. In its two other uses it clearly refers to deliverance from the Tribulation via the Rapture (cf. 1 Thess. 5:8, 9 as compared with 5:3, “and they shall not escape”). They were elected to salvation from the Tribulation.

Some Calvinists will point to Acts 13:48 to show that election is connected to salvation. The verse reads, “And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.” But the word “appointed” (tasso) means “to arrange/position.” In other words, “as many as had been arranged/positioned [prepared] to eternal life believed.” Luke is saying that the Holy Spirit prepared these Gentiles for eternal life by opening their hearts to believe in Christ. Contrast these Gentiles with the Jews in verse 46 whose hearts were not open and who did not believe in Christ for eternal life.

Calvinism discourages evangelism. Since it teaches that God elected and predestined only and all to be saved in eternity past, there is no need to go and preach the Gospel because God will save only those He elected. However, Scriptures command us to “Go…make disciples of all the nations” (Matt. 28:19) and to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). All people are free to believe in Christ for eternal life. This is why the call to local and world evangelism is so urgent. Question: Does God only love the elect, and not the whole world (John 3:16; I Tim. 2:1-6; 2 Pet. 3:9)? If God chose some in eternity past and one must be saved first and then believe, as Calvinism teaches, why did Jesus need to die on the cross (cf. Rom. 1:16; Gal. 1:3-4)?

Point #3 – Limited atonement: Calvinism instructs that Christ died only for those whom God elected in eternity past, thus opening no way for a legitimate call for all people to believe which is contrary to the New Testament teaching – “all” (Matthew 11:28); “every creature” (Mark 16:15); “whoever” (John 3:15-16; 4:14; 11:26; I John 5:1; Revelation 22:17); “anyone” (John 6:51; 7:37; 10:9). Contrary to Calvinism, the Bible teaches that Christ’s death was sufficient payment for the sins of the world (John 1:29; 3:16; 4:42; 17:6; I Tim. 2:1-6; 2 Pet. 2:1; I John 2:1-2), but the benefits of His death (forgiveness, eternal life, etc.) are only applied by the Holy Spirit as people believe in Christ (John 3:16; Acts 10:43). Question: When preaching Calvinism to a non-Christian, how do you preach about the cross? An honest Calvinist would have to say, “Christ may have died for you or He may not have died for you, it all depends on whether you are elect. By the way, you cannot even believe in Jesus unless you are among the elected few. If you are, the Holy Spirit will regenerate you so you can believe in Jesus.”

Point #4 – Irresistible grace: Calvinism teaches that no one whom God elects can resist the gospel, just as no one who is not elect can receive it (cf. John 6:37, 44, 65; Rom. 9:19; I Cor. 2:13-14). Since God’s elect unto salvation cannot be lost, the Holy Spirit must regenerate them whether they choose to believe in Christ or not. However, this extinguishes the idea of our personal responsibility to not only recognize our personal sin and guilt, but also to believe or trust in the Savior. Affirming man’s capacity to believe does not exclude man’s need for God’s illumination. No conversion occurs until God breaks through the blindness induced by Satan and enlightens the heart with His truth (John 6:44; 2 Cor. 4:3-6). Unbelievers are convinced the Gospel is not true. Until God opens their eyes, they won’t believe that Jesus freely gives eternal life to people and that the sole condition is believing or trusting in Him alone for it (I Cor. 2:14; Acts 16:14). God does not drag people to Christ as Calvinism teaches, He draws them (John 6:44: 12:32) so that they can choose to believe in Christ during that time of drawing (John 3:15-18). For example, Judas was drawn by God for three and a half years but chose not to believe in Christ (John 6:64, 70-71; 13:10-11; 17:12). The Holy Spirit will not force those to believe who are unwilling (John 5:40).

God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility is seen in the account of Lydia in Acts 16:11-16. On the one hand, God was drawing Lydia to Himself. He sent someone to bring the Gospel to her. And He opened her eyes so that she could believe the Gospel and be saved. If any of those things had not occurred, Lydia would not have been born again. On the other hand, Lydia was a God-fearing Gentile. She was at the place of prayer by the riverside outside of Philippi. She was seeking the truth and God rewarded her search (just as He rewards all who seek Him – Acts 17:27; Heb. 11:6) by opening her eyes to the truth so she could believe the Gospel. Question: Does the Holy Spirit regenerate (cause to receive eternal life) the elect person regardless of his opposition to God or does the Holy Spirit regenerate only those who believe the free offer of eternal life (John 7:37-39; Gal. 3:5-6; Ephes. 1:13-14)?

Point #5 – Perseverance of the saints: Calvinism teaches that all true Christians will persevere in faith, holiness, and good works to the end of their lives (Matt. 24:13). A true believer will never fall away from the Lord. According to Calvinism, failure to persevere is proof that a person was never truly saved. Since works are an inevitable outcome of salvation, one can only know he or she is saved by the presence of good works. Since no one is perfect, any assurance of salvation is imperfect as well according to this view. A Calvinist cannot be 100% certain he or she is going to heaven until death because of the possibility of failing to persevere in good works before they die. However, the Bible teaches that assurance of salvation is based upon the promises of God to give eternal life to those who believe in Christ apart from any good works (John 5:24; Rom. 8:38-39; Eph. 2:8-9; I John 5:11-13). For example, Jesus never said, “he who believes in Me and perseveres in good works has everlasting life” (John 6:47).

True Christians are preserved eternally by the Triune God (John 10:29; 14:16-17; Rom. 8:31, 35-39; Ephes. 1:13-14; 4:30; Heb. 7:25; 9:12; 10:10, 12, 14; I John 2:1-2). Contrary to Calvinism, good works are not an inevitable outcome of salvation, otherwise why would the New Testament writers exhort believers to good works (Eph. 4:1; Colossians 3:1; I Timothy 6:11-18; Titus 2:7, 14; 3:8, 14) or warn believers of the consequences of failing to persevere in good works (I Cor.  3:11-17; 9:26-27; 10:1-12; 2 Cor. 12:20-21; Hebrews 3:12-15; 4:11; Rev. 3:11) if good works are an inevitable outcome of salvation? While God desires that all true believers become holy, not all believers will nor will they persevere to the end of life (I Cor. 3:1-10:13; 11:27-30; Gal. 5:16-21; I Tim. 1:19-20; 2 Tim. 4:10; James 1:1-5:6; cf. King Saul and King Solomon), resulting in God’s discipline now and the loss of eternal rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ (Matt. 16:24-27; 25:26-28; I Cor. 3:11-15; 2 Cor. 5:10; 2 Tim. 2:12; Heb. 12:5-11; Rev. 2:26-27). Question: If all true Christians persevere to the end of life, why does God exhort believers to do good works and warn them of the consequences if they don’t (Matt. 5:16; 16:24-27; Matt. 24:45-51; 25:26-28; I Cor. 3:11-15; 9:24-27; 2 Tim. 2:17-26; Titus 3:8; Heb. 3:1–15; 6:1-12; 10:23-39; I John 2:28; 4:17-19)?

In summary, we see that each of the five points of Calvinism are contrary to what the Bible teaches. Rather than seek to align our beliefs with the doctrines of people, let us seek to align our beliefs with the doctrines of God. This will result in a greater commitment and passion to take the gospel to “all” of the world (Mark 16:15) to make disciples of Christ among “all the nations” (Matthew 28:19-20) until all hear His glorious gospel message!

How do I know the Bible is True? Part 8

8. The evidence of CHANGED lives supports that the Bible is true.

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

No book has impacted the lives of people and the course of world events more than the Bible. The Bible has been translated into more languages, has influenced more thought, inspired more art, and motivated more discoveries than any other book. The Bible has always been at the top of the all-time best-seller list. Its power is surpassed by none:

The Bible is able to transform the sinner into a saint; the guilty into the forgiven; the hateful into the helpful; the promiscuous into the pure; the greedy into the generous. God’s Word changes lives. However, we must be careful not to defend the Bible from personal experience. For example, a Muslim could argue that the Qur’an has changed his life or a Mormon could argue that the Book of Mormon changed his life. People have false experiences all the time – drugs can cause hallucinations, dreams can seem real, and mental illness can alter a person’s perception. Experiences can be deceiving. All experiences, no matter how real they may seem, must be measured by some other criteria. Hence, we must understand that personal experience does not validate the Bible; the Bible validates personal experience. This is why Christians should question their own experiences if they do not line up with God’s Word. 

In conclusion,when quoting what Moses wrote in the Old Testament, Jesus referred to it as what “God said”in Matthew 15:4. Peter refers to the apostle Paul’s writings and then to“the other Scriptures,”indicating that Paul’s writings were authoritative Scripture (2 Peter 3:16). The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy that “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God”(2 Timothy 3:16).  The word “inspiration” means “God-breathed.” The writers of the New Testament claimed that the Bible is the very Word of God. If we insist that the Bible is not true, then we are saying that we know more than Moses, David, Peter, Paul and the Lord Jesus Christ did. 

Since the Bible is true, we must take time to read and apply it to our lives if we are to grow spiritually. The Bible says, “31Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free’ ” (John 8:31-32). In order to be Jesus’ disciple, those of us who believe in Him must “abide” or make our home in His Word. Christ promises that as we do that, we “shall know the truth” which “shall make” us free from the lies that enslave us to sin (8:32). Daily abide in Christ’s Word, the Bible, and you will grow spiritually and become more like Christ Who is “the truth” (John 14:6).

How do I know the Bible is True? Part 7

7. The evidence of SCIENCE supports that the Bible is true. 

A literal understanding of Genesis 1-11 is supported by science. For example:

a. ANTHROPOLOGY. The Bible teaches that God made the first man from dust, and that all people are descendants of one man—thus there is only one human race (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7-25). The Bible tells us that the population that descended from Noah had one language and disobeyed God’s command to “fill the earth” (Gen. 9:1; 11:4). As a result, God confused their language, causing the population  to break up into smaller groups, which scattered over the earth (Gen. 11:8-9). Modern genetics show how, following such a break-up of a population, variations in physical appearance, such as skin color, can develop in only a few generations. Linguistic and biological evidence support the genetic closeness of all human ethnic groups, consistent with a recent origin from a small population source like that described in Genesis 1-11.  Evidence that all peoples on earth have come from Noah are found in the flood stories from many cultures around the world (see The Revised & Expanded Answers Book, 1990, pp. 28, 219-236). All of these findings are consistent with biblical creation.

b. ASTRONOMY. According to a literal understanding of Genesis 1 and the genealogies of the Bible (assuming there are no gaps), the week of creation took place over 6,000 years ago. Therefore, the earth, sun, moon and stars are just a few thousand years old. The media and evolutionists contest this age by pointing to the billions of years derived from rocks by radioisotope dating which is based upon questionable assumptions. What they do not tell the general public is that there are many other dating methods which indicate that the earth is much too young for evolution to occur (e.g. earth’s magnetic field, lack of helium in atmosphere, lack of salt or sediment in the ocean, lack of erosion of the continents; too much carbon 14 in deep geologic strata; high oil deposit pressure; tree rings; galaxies wind themselves up too fast;  the small number of super nova remnants; magnetic fields on “cold” planets; young short-period comets; the sun is too big; the moon is too close; recent civilizations; and population statistics all point to a young earth and universe (see Dr. Russell Humphrey’s “The Earth’s Magnetic Field Is Young”, 1994; John Morris’ The Young Earth, 1994, pp. 93-117 & The Revised & Expanded Answers Book, 1990, pp. 27, 86-88).  

c. BIOLOGY. The Bible teaches that God created distinct kinds of animals and plants to reproduce after their own kind (Gen. 1).  There are two laws of biology that support this. They state: like can only come from like, and life always gives rise to life (biogenesis). The first is obviously true – fruit flies always give rise to fruit flies and dogs always give birth to dogs and humans always have babies that are human. The Bible tells us that life always comes from pre-existing life …God is alive and from Him life was created. Each living thing reproduces after its kind, so we see that biology supports what the Bible teaches. (see The Revised & Expanded Answers Book, 1990, pp. 20, 25-26; see Dr. Jason Lisle’s “Don’t Creationists Deny the Laws of Nature?”, Aug. 2007 ).

d. GEOLOGY. The Bible informs us that death entered the world after sin (Gen. 3; Rom. 5:12). This has a bearing on geology and paleontology, as the Earth is covered with rocks full of fossils—dead things. Thus, the fossil-containing rocks could not have formed before sin. The Bible records the event of a global Flood (Gen. 6-8) —this has a great bearing on correctly interpreting the surface of the Earth and the massive quantity of sedimentary rocks, as well as explaining the formation of most fossils. Evidence for rapid deposition of geological strata as in the biblical global flood includes the lack of erosion between rock layers “supposedly” separated in layers by many millions of years; lack of disturbance of rock strata by biological activity (worms, roots, fish, plants, etc.); lack of soil layers; preservation of surface features (i.e. ripple marks, rain drop impressions, animal tracks); polystrate fossils (which traverse several rock layers vertically – these could not have stood vertically for thousands of years while they slowly got buried); soft sediment deformation whereby thick layers of “rock” are bent and folded into hairpin shapes without fracturing, indicating that the rock was all soft when bent. Evidence from Mount St. Helens tells us that canyons can be formed in a short period of time by catastrophic events (see John Morris’ The Young Earth, 1994, pp. 93-117). 

e. PALEONTOLOGY. The order and distribution of fossils in the geological record is best explained by the global flood of Noah’s day (Gen. 7-8; see The Revised & Expanded Answers Book, 1990, pg. 196; John Morris’ The Young Earth, 1994, Transparency Master). 

How do I know the Bible is True? Part 6

6. The evidence of SELF-TESTIMONY supports that the Bible is true. 

Self-testimony is valid evidence in a court of law. The Old Testament authors often made claims like, “And the Lord spoke to me, saying…”or “The word of the Lord came to me, saying…” Henry Morris in his book Many Infallible Proofs(San Diego: Creation Life, 1974, pp. 156-7) claims there are 2,600 such claims of divine inspiration in the Old Testament. The New Testament also claims to be inspired word-for-word by God. Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled” (Matthew 5:17-18). According to Matthew 5:17-18, Jesus says the Bible is accurate down to each letter of a word and each stroke of a pen. 

How do I know the Bible is True? Part 5

5. The evidence of INDESTRUCTIBILITY supports that the Bible is true.

“The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. You shall keep them, O Lord, You shall preserve them from this generation forever.”Psalm 12:6-7 

Jesus said,“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” Matthew 24:35 

Skeptics have tried for centuries to destroy the authority of the Bible. For example, in the 18thcentury, the noted French infidel Voltaire forecast that within a century there would be no Bibles left on earth. Ironically, 50 years after he died, the Geneva Bible Society used his old printing press and his house to produce stacks of Bibles (The Revised & Expanded Answers Book, 1990, pg. 17). The Bible has been banned, burned, and outlawed, yet it has outlasted all of its opponents. It remains the all-time best-seller in history. The Bible continues to be scrutinized today by archaeology, science, psychology, political movements, Hollywood, and computers, etc. Yet the Bible remains undaunted. It proves Itself to be true over and over again despite these many attacks. 

How do I know the Bible is True? Part 4

4. The evidence of MANUSCRIPT comparisons supports that the Bible is true.

The historical reliability of an ancient document is determined by the number of manuscripts and the time interval between the original and earliest copy. The more manuscripts and the shorter the time gap between the original and earliest copy, the greater the historical reliability of the document. When comparing the New Testament with other famous writings, the New Testament has far more manuscript authority than any other ancient literature (see above chart), showing that it is historically reliable.

How do I know the Bible is True? Part 3

3. The evidence of Bible PROPHECY supports that the Bible is true. 

The Old Testament predicted what would happen to certain nations, cities, and people, all of which happened or are happening just the way the Bible said. The book of Genesis records God’s promise to Abraham that his descendants would never be wiped out (Gen. 17:7-8, 19-21; 21:12-13, 17-18; 22:15-18); today the Jews and Arabs, descendants of Abraham’s first two children, Isaac and Ishmael, are still with us as distinct peoples. Yet there are no more Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites or Babylonians, Medes or Persians. Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome all rose and fell just the way the book of Daniel said they would (Daniel 2:19-45; 7:1-8:27). There are many predictions about the coming of the Messiah that were perfectly fulfilled in Jesus Christ. For example, Psalm 22 describes the crucifixion of Jesus in vivid detail. The amazing deal…Psalm 22 was written hundreds of years before Roman crucifixion was even established. A glimpse at a few of these prophecies (see above chart) shows that they were given and fulfilled in great detail. 

How do I Know the Bible is True? Part 2

2. The Evidence of ARCHAEOLOGY supports that the Bible is true.

Over and over again archaeology demonstrates that the people and places in the Bible actually existed when and where the Bible says they did. For example, a Time magazine article reported that two Italian scientists at Ebla in Northern Syria discovered documents that demonstrate that people like Abraham’s ancestors and places like Jerusalem actually existed around 2400 B.C. The article states, “Their discovery does more than provide documentary evidence of a little-known kingdom that existed between 2400 and 2250 B.C.; it also provides the best evidence to date that some of the people described in the Old Testament actually existed” (Hedley Donovan, ed., “A New ‘Third World,’ ” Time, 18 October 1976, p. 63). 

A more recent archaeological find took place in 2017 by archaeologists from Tel Aviv University that substantiates a Timna Copper Mine was dated to the time of Kings David and Solomon around 1,000 B.C. They announced that tests of donkey dung discovered at Timna, a site of ancient copper mines along the Rift Valley in southern Israel, showed the animal waste was 3,000 years old. The tests also showed that the donkeys’ diet indicated that their feed came from near Jerusalem—another example of a centralized power at the time of David and Solomon (https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2017/december/biblical-archaeology-top-10-discoveries-2017-israel.html). 

Again and again the Bible has shown itself to be rooted in history. We count our history by it. Every time you write down a date, you write down the date from Jesus’ First Coming to earth. So it is a book that’s rooted in history.