IS IT CREDIBLE TO TRUST THE BIBLE?
Credible #1
Pastor Dennis Clanton
Woodland Church
Sunday, September 15, 2024
(2 Timothy 3:16–17, NLT) “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”
(Psalm 119:86, NLT) “All your commands are trustworthy.”
1. HISTORICALLY THE BIBLE IS ACCURATE.
(Hebrews 6:18, NLT) “It is impossible for God to lie.”
(Psalm 33:4, NLT) “For the word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything he does.”
2. SCIENTIFICALLY THE BIBLE IS ACCURATE.
(Psalm 148:5–6, NLT) “Let every created thing give praise to the Lord, for he issued his command, and they came into being. He set them in place forever and ever. His decree will never be revoked.”
(Isaiah 40:22, NLT) “God sits above the circle of the earth. The people below seem like grasshoppers to him! He spreads out the heavens like a curtain and makes his tent from them.”
(Job 26:7, NLT) “God stretches the northern sky over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing.”
(Jeremiah 33:22, NLT) “The stars of the sky cannot be counted…”
(Leviticus 17:11, NLT) “The life of the body is in its blood.”
(Leviticus 13:4, NLT) “Quarantine the person for seven days.”
(Proverbs 30:5, NLT) “Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.”
(Psalm 12:6, NLT) “The Lord’s promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over.”
3. PROPHETICALLY THE BIBLE IS ACCURATE.
(2 Peter 1:21, GW) “No prophecy ever originated from humans. Instead, it was given by the Holy Spirit as humans spoke under God’s direction.”
(Matthew 26:56, NLT) “But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures.”
4. THE BIBLE HAS A MIRACULOUSLY UNIFIED NARRATIVE THAT LEADS TO JESUS.
(Luke 24:27, NLT) “Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”
(John 5:39, NLT) “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!”
5. CULTURALLY THE BIBLE IS TRUSTWORTHY.
(Luke 24:25–27, NLT) “Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”
6. THE BIBLE WILL TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE.
(John 8:31–32, NLT) “Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.””
GROWTHWORK
PERSONALLY TRUST THE BIBLE
(Luke 24:32, CEV) “When he talked with us along the road and explained the Scriptures to us, didn’t it warm our hearts?”
(Romans 12:2, NLT) “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
(Colossians 3:16, NLT) “Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives.”