WHY I BELIEVE THE BIBLE
My personal belief in the Bible, like most of my beliefs, attitudes, and actions, is largely because of the people who have had the most influence and input into my life. For much of my life whatever my question was, my daddy’s answer came in the form of another question: “What does the Bible say?” My Uncle Dub, my daddy’s oldest brother led me to the Lord. He was one of my heroes and my chief mentor in my early ministry. He had a strong belief and love for the Bible that he passed on to me. One of my favorite places in the world was Uncle Dub’s study. It was hard for me to get time in his study because he spent so many hours day and night in there – studying the Bible. My grandparents provided another strong influence in my life and they had a strong blief in the Bible as the Word of God.
I was blessed to have many teachers in the country school I attended who never hid their belief in the Bible. I’ll never forget my 4th grade teacher. She was a member of the Book-of-the-Month Club. Every month she would bring the book she just finished to school for me to read. We read and discussed many books by many people from all walks of life, but she let it be known to me that the Bible had the ultimate and final authority. Anyone who disagreed with the Bible, no matter how popular their book, was just wrong. My 7th and 8th grade science teacher, my Texas history teacher, several coaches, my senior English teacher and others all modeled a strong belief in the Bible.
When I graduated from high school I went to work for a concrete contractor. He and his wife were youth leaders in our church. They spent a lot of time with me (so much time that “Mike” was one of the first words their youngest daughter learned to say) modeling Christ-like behavior at work and in their home. They passed on to me a strong belief in the Bible. As I look back at my college career I had many professors that disliked the Bible and tried to teach us to dislike the Bible. However, the college professors that influenced me the most were those who believed the Bible. As matter of fact, as I look back over my life, the finest people I have known and the wisest people I have known have been people who had a strong belief in the Bible.
It is not just people that I have known personally, but most of my favorite people in history were Bible believers. George Washington, the Father of our Country, not only believed and read the Bible, he promoted it and urged others to read and believe the Bible. When he became commander of the Continental Army, he insisted that his officers and soldiers, not actively on duty, attend church services on Sunday. When a chaplain was not present to lead, he personally read Scripture and prayed with his troops. Not only did Washington publicly promote the Bible it was a most important part of his private life. He had the habit of retreating to his library from 9 to 10 pm even when he had guests. His clerk, Captain Lewis, wondered how he spent that hour in the library. He had the opportunity to peer through the keyhole and saw Washington on his knees with his large Bible opened in front of him. Washington died with his Bible open beside him on his death bed.
For a number of years, I made a hobby of studying the life of Abraham Lincoln who, as a young man, was sometimes known as “the village atheist.” That all changed. In later life he always had a copy of the Scriptures when he traveled. He frequently quoted the Bible in his speeches. In late 1864 he was given a copy of the Bible as a gift. He wrote: “In regard to this Great Book, I have but to say, it is the best gift God has given to man. All the good the Saviour gave to the world was communicated through this book. But for it, we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man’s welfare, here and hereafter, are to be found portrayed in it.”
Soldiers of World War II received a pocket size volume of the New Testament and Psalms. It contained a letter from President Franklin D. Roosevelt:
To the Members of the Army:
As Commander-in-Chief I take pleasure in commending the reading of the Bible to all who serve in the armed forces of the United States. Throughout the centuries men of many faiths and diverse origins have found in the Sacred Book words of wisdom, counsel and inspiration. It is a fountain of strength and now, as always, an aid in attaining the highest aspirations of the human soul.
Very sincerely yours,
Franklin D. Roosevelt
The Bible has withstood the tests and attacks of time. In 303 A.D. the Roman emperor, Diocletian saw Christianity as the great threat to the Roman Empire. He issued edicts that year that called for the destruction of churches, manuscripts, and for the killing of Christians.1 It didn’t work! Christianity survived as did thousands of manuscripts. Today there are nearly 5,700 existing Greek manuscripts (hand written copies). In addition to those there are more than 9,000 translations (manuscripts translated into other languages). Some of the existing manuscripts date to within about 25 years of the original writing. The early church fathers quoted the New Testament so much that all but about 18 verses could be compiled from their writings.2 The New Testament is by far the most attested and reliable document of ancient history.
Skeptics have tried to refute the Bible for about 2,000 years. They have not succeeded. The French philosopher, Voltaire hated the Bible. He wrote a critical two volume commentary on the Bible to “make the whole building of Christianity crumble.”3 58 years after the death of Voltaire the president of the Evangelical Bible Society of Geneva lived in Voltaire’s old house and stored Bibles and tracts there. Voltaire died but Christianity and the Bible lived on.4
Many archeologists have tried to refute the Bible over the years. They have failed miserably. Nelson Glueck, former president of Hebrew Union College and renowned archaeologist, wrote: “It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a biblical reference.”5 Sir William Mitchell Ramsay, perhaps one of the most famous archaeologists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, went to the Middle East with the intention of disproving the Book of Acts. His archaeological discoveries led him to a complete change of mind. He became a proponent for the reliability and trustworthiness of the Book of Acts and Luke, its author. No book has ever been attacked more viciously than the Bible. No book has ever overthrown its attacks more valiantly.
Bringing it home: Luke began his Gospel with these words: Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught. – Luke 1:1-4 NASB
Luke wanted to report the “exact truth” so he “investigated everything carefully.” Next time I will tell you the MAIN reasons I believe the Bible. In the meantime, I would ask you to “investigate carefully” for yourself. I am convinced that you will find the Bible trustworthy. The evidence is overwhelming.
Dig a little deeper: If you are interested in digging deeper into the evidence, may I suggest you take a look at I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist by Dr. Norman Geisler and Frank Turek. (Frank Turek’s website is crossexamined.org and he has a radio program by that name. You can get the podcasts at that website.) I would also recommend The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel. He is an excellent storyteller and he chronicles his investigation that led him from atheist to believer.
Until next time,
Mike
NOTES
1 Geisler, Norman L.,; Turek, Frank, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, Crossway Books, 2004, p. 227.
2 Ibid, p.228.
3 Voltaire, La Bible Enfin Explique’e, Alondres, 1776. Quoted by Merritt, Daniel, Voltaire’s Prediction, Home, and the Bible Society: Myth? Further Evidence of Verification, Crossexamined.org, August 18, 2019.
4 Ibid.
5 Glueck, Nelson, Rivers in the Desert, A History of the Negev, Norton, 1968, p. 31, quoted by McDowell, Josh, Evidence that Demands a Verdict, Campus Crusade for Christ, 1972, p. 68
