This is an important question, and a crucial starting point for our considerations. Is the Bible really God's Word as many claim? That is to say, is the Bible really God speaking to mankind, or is it just a collection of the writings of men?

If the Bible is not the Word of God there is little reason to continue the discussion that follows. Why turn to the Bible to find answers to our questions? We can instead use our morals, reason and imagination to determine what God must be like, what is right and what is wrong, and what lies ahead for us after this life has ended. Or if the Bible is not a message from God to us, perhaps we can just never know about these things.

It is true that we can learn some things about God from sources other than the Bible. God's physical creation can be explored and examined. In this world we see beauty indicative of a very creative God. We see order and precision that points to a very intelligent God. We see within our conscience the fingerprint of a moral God. But from these sources we can only learn so much about the God who created this universe.

But what if God wants us to know more about Him? What if He wants us to know the things He approves of, or the things He does not approve of? What if He wants to tell us things about the future? What if He wants to give us assurances about what will happen after we die?

If God wanted to accomplish these things, He could only do so by revealing things about Himself. Could the Bible be this revelation? Could it be a communication from God Himself to humanity, to tell us things He wants us to know? Could it be intended to give us direction and counsel in this uncertain age?

My purpose in this work is not to examine all of the evidence that the Bible is the Word of God. This would be an entire book in itself. I recommend "The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict" by Josh McDowell, an excellent source of information along these lines.

But since the reader must be assured of the inspiration of the Bible in order to appreciate the discussions which follow, let us take a few minutes to list the basic evidence that the Bible is, in fact, from God.

1. There is great continuity found in the Bible, despite the fact that it was written over a period of some 1500 years through some 40 different authors. A divine unity seems to prevail, perhaps because it was the single holy spirit of God which was actually at work.

2. In the book "God's Eonian Purpose" by Adlai Loudy we read that the Bible displays "a divine order and progress in the unfolding of truth." (page 22) This order points to a divine creator, much as the world and universe in which we live point to an intelligent and divine creator.

3. There are billions of copies of the Bible in circulation; more than any other book in history. Furthermore, the Bible has been translated into some 2200 different languages. Could it be that humanity recognizes the divine nature of the Bible, thereby leading to such widespread proliferation?

4. There is more manuscript evidence to support the Bible than any ten pieces of classical literature combined.

5. The Bible has survived through the ages despite many attempts to eradicate it from the face of the earth.

6. Historical events noted in the Bible have been repeatedly supported by other historical accounts and archeological finds.

7. Many of the prophecies contained within the Bible have been fulfilled to the minutest detail. These fulfillments are supported by historical accounts and archeological finds. This lends credence to the other prophecies found in the Bible that continue to await fulfillment.

8. There is no "whitewashing" found in the Bible which is typical in most other histories written by men. King David, for example, is presented as a man after God's own heart, yet his sins and imperfections are revealed alongside his greatness.

9. Historical accounts show us that the scribes who copied the holy scriptures, preserving it through the ages, took great pains to ensure complete accuracy. They were motivated by the firm belief that these writings were truly from the hand of God.

10. In the Bible we find God revealing Himself to mankind, not mankind speculating or reasoning about God as we find in other

Some may question why some writings were included in the Bible while others were rejected. They may argue that this human element was imperfect, and therefore the writings selected for inclusion in the Bible may have been chosen incorrectly. History shows us, though, that the Believers in the years immediately following the demise of the apostles took great pains to determine which writings were truly inspired by God, and which were not. One might say that men did not choose the writings to be included in the Bible, but they simply discovered or discerned which writings were inspired by God.

The early Believers examined the manuscripts and asked:

1. Was this written by a true prophet of God?

2. Were the contents confirmed by the acts of God?

3. Were the writings accepted by the people of God?

The bottom line ... are these writings divinely inspired?

Again, the reader is strongly encouraged to consult "The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict" by Josh McDowell. We should know the evidence for our beliefs, both to strengthen our own faith and to enable us to energetically share that faith with others.

The Bible IS the Word of God. This is not just a statement made from a blind faith. It is not just choosing sides as one would choose a favorite football team. It is not basing a decision on emotion, or because one was raised within a certain framework of belief. This is a most important question ... Is the Bible the Word of God? Examine the evidence, and know why you believe.

Now let us move on to the next point ... If the Bible is really God's revelation to mankind, would He allow it to become distorted so as to confuse His message? If this is man's writing, it may be fallible because it is derived from the fallible reasoning and perspective of man. If this is God's writing, it is coming from the perfect reasoning and perspective of God.

Since God used man as His instrument, and since man is imperfect, one may argue that while God may have revealed Himself to us in this manner, the resultant message from God is imperfect. But again, if the Bible is God's intent to communicate His will to mankind, why would He allow corruption and imperfection to cloud the message and cause confusion?

On page 147 of "The Greek Elements," published by Concordant Publishing Concern, we find the following comment on the issue at hand.

"being carried on by holy spirit, holy men of God speak." (CLNT)

God's holy spirit thus spoke through men ... it was not left to the men to speak for themselves, trying to relay what God had told them. The very words of these men were, then, inspired by God Himself.

In "God's Eonian Purpose" by Adlai Loudy we read:

If God, then, wished to reveal His thoughts to mankind, how could He have done so if the corrupted and imperfect thoughts of men were permitted to creep into the revelation? How could we ever make a determination as to exactly what God meant, and what was simply a distortion attributed to the imperfection of men?

If God wanted His revealed thoughts and His will to be transmitted to mankind in perfection, He would simply cause each word to be inspired. He would give the men He had chosen the very words He wanted them to use, thus preserving the exact thoughts He was wishing to relay. These men would not, then, write as they desired or as they determined, but instead they would be instruments used by God to record the very words God had chosen.

Not only are these logical assumptions to make as we consider how God would preserve His thoughts for mankind, but the perfection of God's Word is also supported by the very precision we find when studying it. As we will see in later chapters, this precision and perfection has been clouded by the carelessness and tradition-bias found in our English translations, but if we can get back to the original languages we will come to appreciate the perfection of every word.

Some will argue against the perfection of the Bible, citing inconsistencies or difficulties. Unfortunately there are many who misapply or misinterpret the Bible, making it appear that there are inconsistencies, or that the truth God presents may be beyond any human understanding. But the failures of those who incorrectly apply or interpret the Bible do not mean that the Bible itself is imperfect. This is another matter altogether. There are really two issues:

a. The perfection of every word found within the Bible, and

b. Accurately interpreting and applying the Word of God.

In this section we are considering the first point ... the perfection of the writings themselves. Later in this work we will look at the second point ... how are we to interpret and apply that which we find within the Bible?

We have come to understand, then, that the Bible is God's Word, and in the original languages it is perfect, word for word. Some may go further and claim that certain English translations are perfect (e.g. King James Version), but errors are clearly present in the translations of man. This becomes very clear when studying the Bible using several different translations. There are many differences, and some of these differences are significant.

Many translation errors can be attributed to the theological biases of the translators. Some passages may be difficult to translate, or the passages may seem to be inconsistent with the

I am not wanting to destroy the reader's confidence in the Bible they are using. While errors are present, the central fact of salvation as offered by God to humanity is intact. However, further details concerning such things as Heaven, Hell, Judgment, The Church, The Kingdom, and many other topics get clouded by the inconsistent translations of men. Later in this work we will explore how we can overcome these difficulties.

Those who are a part of the Islamic faith would say that the Koran is the sacred work inspired by God. Mormons point to the Book of Mormon. Christian Scientists point to the works of Mary Baker Eddy. Likewise those of other faiths would point to their own

We have presented a few of the evidences in support of the Bible, and we have directed the reader to the McDowell work for a more extensive study. These same evidences do not exist in support of any other supposedly divine work. The Bible is unique.

Furthermore, we note that in the Bible we see God speaking to mankind and revealing Himself to mankind. He uses men as His instruments, but it is God speaking directly to us. This is not so in other works where we see mankind speculating and speaking about "god."

Is the Bible really the perfect Word of God?

If it is not, you can read it if you want to, or you can spend your time reading other books, taking on hobbies, watching television, or doing whatever you like as you live your life. It doesn't matter what you do with the Bible if it is just a collection of the writings of men.

But if the Bible is the Word of God, we must read it, study it, understand it, properly apply it, and appreciate it for what it is ... God revealing Himself to us. If the Bible is the Word of God, it is the most cherished key to life.

Do you believe the Bible is God's Word simply because your pastor said it was so? Do you believe because your parents have told you it is so? Do you believe because everyone takes sides, and you have chosen to side with those claiming the Bible is the Word of God? These may be good reasons for choosing your favorite football team or musical artist, but we are talking about something much more important, with far-reaching implications.

Is the Bible the Word of God? I have directed you to at least some of the evidence. Search for yourself. Think for yourself! Know why you believe!