Hi. I'm 27 years old. A wife and mom of 3. I'm new to this site. I joined because I'm going through a different phase in my life and I'm desiring to understand life better. I was raised in the Church and I'm at a time of testing and questioning everything that I've ever known. I would love to hear from others...your testimonies, how do you know Jesus is the only way to heaven (why not Mohammed or Joseph Smith?), why do you believe the Bible - how do you know it's true? (what about the Koran and other 'religious' books?) I've just gatta say that I'm DONE with Religion, if Jesus is real I want to follow Him and everything He says as much as I possibly can. But that doesn't mean I have to act pious, talk 'religious' talk, etc. I just want to be a real person. I was sheltered and raised in a home where different people were looked down upon and judged. I'm DONE with that! I'm not done with Jesus though. I want to understand why I've believed what I've believed. I've believed it for so long without understanding why or understanding other people's religions objectively without judging them and looking down on them. I definately have experienced God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit in my life...but that doesn't necessarily mean it's truth...what if it's just my perceptions because of how I was raised and what has been poured into me. So, now I'm going on a search. I'm researching all different kinds of religions and beliefs and lack of beliefs (atheists). Please, I would love responses to this...but please don't preach to me. I've heard it all and I'm kind of sick of religious mumbo jumbo right now. I've heard it all my life. I just want to know how I can know this is true? Experience isn't an answer for me either. I know I'm being picky. But these are true honest questions from my doubting heart. What ever the response, make sure it's from your heart. thanks!
Jesus Confussion
- Thread starter rsp
- Start date
ImmanuelWithUs
Member
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2008
- Messages
- 159
First off, I've got to tell you that you've been led to this site by Jesus Christ Himself. He's the one that's put this urge to know Him in your heart and on your soul. You're His and He's calling you back to Him, my friend. What a journey you've got ahead of you.
Second, you've come to the right place. This mb is filled with very knowlegeable Christians who know the Holy Bible inside and out and can help you. Many of the moderators and people around here will be able to help you out as well, I just wanted to tell you my story (since you asked us to share our testimonies).
My story (my name is Nicole, btw, nice to meet you)....
Peace and quiet, that's all she wanted. To be filled. To feel whole, complete. She longed for it, yet could never find it.
Before August 19th, 2007.
Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined that something like this would have happened to her. She'd found the love of her life, the reason she was put on earth. She'd found the answer to every question she'd ever asked. She'd found the reason for her life, her very existence.
There had been a hole in her heart throughout her entire life. A hole so deep, black, and endless, that she felt nothing would ever fill it. Nothing was big enough to fix the hole. Oh, she'd tried; she'd searched for a fill, for a cure, but she'd always come up empty handed, not to mention worse off than she was before.
Desperately, like a madwoman on a mission, she tried to fill the hole.
Beauty. Anorexia. Thinness. Clothing. Fashion. Vogue.
That didn't work.
Men. Cuteness. Kisses. Sex. Romance.
That caused endless saddness, guilt, and shame.
Food. Pizza. Tacos. Pepsi. Chocolate. Beer. Booze.
These pleasures lasted only for a moment, then the loneliness and longing was back again.
Cars. Money. Things. Stuff. Gadgets. Computers. Gossip. Lies. Celebrities. Tv. Internet. Video games.
Those were nothing but temporary and meaningless things that filled her time but not her heart.
The more she had, the more she wanted.
The more she had, the more hopeless and alone she felt.
Because if you have everything your heart desires, yet you're still not complete, you're still not happy, and you're still not fulfilled, there's a problem.
And there was a problem.
A huge, life or death, eternal problem.
A problem that no Chanel outfit, Louis Vuitton handbag, IPod, or brand new BMW could fix.
She had a deep, needful, heartfelt, longing for her soul to be healed, to be fixed. But how does a girl heal her soul? How do you go about filling this burning ache in your heart, mind, and body, especially when you don't know what you're aching for?
She'd pondered this question for a long time. Hours on end she'd thought and questioned herself and her needs, always coming up empty handed.
Empty soul.
Empty heart.
Empty life.
Then it happened; her life was changed. Her soul cried out for something...for HIM! And the most amazing, beautiful, and wonderful thing happened: He answered her. He came to Her. Immediately and just as He said He would, just as He had promised, He came to her and healed her completely.
The girl had heard the footsteps of the Messiah getting closer, and she'd stopped running. Finally, after years of running from Him, she turned around and started running towards Him..
All she could see, all she cared about, was Him.
All she can see, all she cares about, is Him.
Had He given her the common sense to stop running from Him? Yes.
Had He put the longing for Him in her heart? Yes.
And, for once in her life, she stopped, she turned towards Him and let Him have her. After all, she was His. He paid a HUGE, unimagineable price for her. She couldn't believe she was worth His death on a Roman tree.
She was complete in Him, complete in His love.
After years of running from Him, after years of trying to fill this hole inside her heart with things you can buy or eat or wear, she realized she couldn't fix her self. She couldn't fill the hole in her heart with nothing on earth.
Only He could fill it. His love, His perfection, His mercy, His grace, His Holiness, and His faithfulness.
God has so miraculously saved me and changed my life that I cannot help but to acknowledge and praise His existence.
Jesus saved my life.
Philippians 3:8
All things are worth nothing compared with the greatness
of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord. Because of Him, I have
lost all those things and now know they are worthless trash.
Psalm 18:6
"In my distress I called upon the Lord; I cried
unto my God for help. From his temple, he
heard my voice."
Psalm 34:4
"I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered
me from all my fears."
Last thing: D.L. Moody (one of the greatest turn of the century Christian writers that's ever lived) once said, "I'd rather be five minutes at the foot of Christ than listen a lifetime to all the wise men in the world."
That D.L. Moody was one smart dude.
This is why we call Him our Savoir.
Hope my testimony isin't too long. I've got it up my myspace page and copied it from there.
As you can see, I've only been saved a little over eight months and can I just tell you that the number one reason that I know God exists, the Bible is real, and Jesus Christ is the only reason to God and Heaven is because I've met Him. I know Him. I love Him. He's shown Himself to me. I am a changed person in a zillion different ways. When you meet Him, you will never be the same. And it's not some cult like you're a zombie - it's an indescribeable joy you cannot fathom or fake.
God bless you, sweetheart, for coming to this site and posting on here. You will have many replies to read over when you come back.
Jesus is closer the the air you breath.
He's waiting for you with outstretched hands for you to run back into His arms so He can heal all your pain.
As soon as I read your post, this scripture came to mind...
'Come back to Me because I saved you.' {Isaiah 44:22}
He wants you - He's pursuing you - to come back to Him because you are His. That might sound strange right now, but it won't once you get to know Him.
Second, you've come to the right place. This mb is filled with very knowlegeable Christians who know the Holy Bible inside and out and can help you. Many of the moderators and people around here will be able to help you out as well, I just wanted to tell you my story (since you asked us to share our testimonies).
My story (my name is Nicole, btw, nice to meet you)....
Peace and quiet, that's all she wanted. To be filled. To feel whole, complete. She longed for it, yet could never find it.
Before August 19th, 2007.
Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined that something like this would have happened to her. She'd found the love of her life, the reason she was put on earth. She'd found the answer to every question she'd ever asked. She'd found the reason for her life, her very existence.
There had been a hole in her heart throughout her entire life. A hole so deep, black, and endless, that she felt nothing would ever fill it. Nothing was big enough to fix the hole. Oh, she'd tried; she'd searched for a fill, for a cure, but she'd always come up empty handed, not to mention worse off than she was before.
Desperately, like a madwoman on a mission, she tried to fill the hole.
Beauty. Anorexia. Thinness. Clothing. Fashion. Vogue.
That didn't work.
Men. Cuteness. Kisses. Sex. Romance.
That caused endless saddness, guilt, and shame.
Food. Pizza. Tacos. Pepsi. Chocolate. Beer. Booze.
These pleasures lasted only for a moment, then the loneliness and longing was back again.
Cars. Money. Things. Stuff. Gadgets. Computers. Gossip. Lies. Celebrities. Tv. Internet. Video games.
Those were nothing but temporary and meaningless things that filled her time but not her heart.
The more she had, the more she wanted.
The more she had, the more hopeless and alone she felt.
Because if you have everything your heart desires, yet you're still not complete, you're still not happy, and you're still not fulfilled, there's a problem.
And there was a problem.
A huge, life or death, eternal problem.
A problem that no Chanel outfit, Louis Vuitton handbag, IPod, or brand new BMW could fix.
She had a deep, needful, heartfelt, longing for her soul to be healed, to be fixed. But how does a girl heal her soul? How do you go about filling this burning ache in your heart, mind, and body, especially when you don't know what you're aching for?
She'd pondered this question for a long time. Hours on end she'd thought and questioned herself and her needs, always coming up empty handed.
Empty soul.
Empty heart.
Empty life.
Then it happened; her life was changed. Her soul cried out for something...for HIM! And the most amazing, beautiful, and wonderful thing happened: He answered her. He came to Her. Immediately and just as He said He would, just as He had promised, He came to her and healed her completely.
The girl had heard the footsteps of the Messiah getting closer, and she'd stopped running. Finally, after years of running from Him, she turned around and started running towards Him..
All she could see, all she cared about, was Him.
All she can see, all she cares about, is Him.
Had He given her the common sense to stop running from Him? Yes.
Had He put the longing for Him in her heart? Yes.
And, for once in her life, she stopped, she turned towards Him and let Him have her. After all, she was His. He paid a HUGE, unimagineable price for her. She couldn't believe she was worth His death on a Roman tree.
She was complete in Him, complete in His love.
After years of running from Him, after years of trying to fill this hole inside her heart with things you can buy or eat or wear, she realized she couldn't fix her self. She couldn't fill the hole in her heart with nothing on earth.
Only He could fill it. His love, His perfection, His mercy, His grace, His Holiness, and His faithfulness.
God has so miraculously saved me and changed my life that I cannot help but to acknowledge and praise His existence.
Jesus saved my life.
Philippians 3:8
All things are worth nothing compared with the greatness
of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord. Because of Him, I have
lost all those things and now know they are worthless trash.
Psalm 18:6
"In my distress I called upon the Lord; I cried
unto my God for help. From his temple, he
heard my voice."
Psalm 34:4
"I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered
me from all my fears."
Last thing: D.L. Moody (one of the greatest turn of the century Christian writers that's ever lived) once said, "I'd rather be five minutes at the foot of Christ than listen a lifetime to all the wise men in the world."
That D.L. Moody was one smart dude.
This is why we call Him our Savoir.
Hope my testimony isin't too long. I've got it up my myspace page and copied it from there.
As you can see, I've only been saved a little over eight months and can I just tell you that the number one reason that I know God exists, the Bible is real, and Jesus Christ is the only reason to God and Heaven is because I've met Him. I know Him. I love Him. He's shown Himself to me. I am a changed person in a zillion different ways. When you meet Him, you will never be the same. And it's not some cult like you're a zombie - it's an indescribeable joy you cannot fathom or fake.
God bless you, sweetheart, for coming to this site and posting on here. You will have many replies to read over when you come back.
Jesus is closer the the air you breath.
He's waiting for you with outstretched hands for you to run back into His arms so He can heal all your pain.
As soon as I read your post, this scripture came to mind...
'Come back to Me because I saved you.' {Isaiah 44:22}
He wants you - He's pursuing you - to come back to Him because you are His. That might sound strange right now, but it won't once you get to know Him.
ImmanuelWithUs
Member
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2008
- Messages
- 159
Is the Bible reliable?
Got this from carm.
One of the most important questions asked by non-Christians
as they look into Christianity is whether or not the Bible is
trustworthy. Can the Bible be trusted. If it has been corrupted,
then we cannot trust what is attributed to Jesus' words and
deeds. So, is the Bible reliable or not?
Yes, the Bible was reliable. The original writings of the Bible
have been lost. But before they were lost, they were copied.
These copies were incredibly accurate, very meticulous, and very
precise. The people who copied them were extremely dedicated
to God and their copying tasks. They took great care when copying
the original manuscripts. This copying method is so exact, and so
precise, that the New Testament alone is considered to be 98.5%
textually pure.
This means that of the 6000 Greek copies (the New
Testament was written in Greek), and the additional 21,000 copies
in other languages, there is only one half of 1% variation.
Of this very slight number, the great majority of the variants are easily
corrected by comparing them to other copies that don't have the
"typos" or by simply reading the context.
You should know that copying mistakes occur in such ways as word
repetition, spelling, or a single word omission due to the copyist missing
something when moving his eyes from one line to another. The variants
are very minor. Nothing affects doctrinal Truth and the words and
deeds of Christ are superbly reliably transmitted to us.
The science of studying ancient literature and its accuracy of
transmission to is called historicity. The Bible is so exceedingly
accurate in its transmission from the originals to the present copies,
that if you compare it to any other ancient Writing, the Bible is light
years ahead in terms of number of manuscripts and accuracy.
If the Bible were to be discredited as being unreliable, then it
would be necessary to discard the writings of Homer, Plato, and
Aristotle as also unreliable since they are far far less well preserved
than the Bible.
The Bible was written by those who were inspired to God. When
we look at the New Testament we realize that it was written by
those who either knew Jesus personally, or were under the direction
of those who did. They wrote what they saw. They wrote about the
Resurrection of Christ. They recorded His miracles and His sayings.
It comes down to whether or not you believe what it says about
Christ. Do you?
The reason is God wants to be a part of your entire life, not just an
hour here and there. He wants to be able to be so intimately familiar
with you that He can show up anytime and anywhere unannounced
and you aren’t going to freak out or put up a fuss or throw some
pharisaical rules at Him. He wants to know the you that others don't
see. Like a best friend, God wants to count on you to take Him inside
when He comes by, to hear Him out, to offer Him a chair and
something nice to drink as He explains what He wants to tell you.
Got this from carm.
One of the most important questions asked by non-Christians
as they look into Christianity is whether or not the Bible is
trustworthy. Can the Bible be trusted. If it has been corrupted,
then we cannot trust what is attributed to Jesus' words and
deeds. So, is the Bible reliable or not?
Yes, the Bible was reliable. The original writings of the Bible
have been lost. But before they were lost, they were copied.
These copies were incredibly accurate, very meticulous, and very
precise. The people who copied them were extremely dedicated
to God and their copying tasks. They took great care when copying
the original manuscripts. This copying method is so exact, and so
precise, that the New Testament alone is considered to be 98.5%
textually pure.
This means that of the 6000 Greek copies (the New
Testament was written in Greek), and the additional 21,000 copies
in other languages, there is only one half of 1% variation.
Of this very slight number, the great majority of the variants are easily
corrected by comparing them to other copies that don't have the
"typos" or by simply reading the context.
You should know that copying mistakes occur in such ways as word
repetition, spelling, or a single word omission due to the copyist missing
something when moving his eyes from one line to another. The variants
are very minor. Nothing affects doctrinal Truth and the words and
deeds of Christ are superbly reliably transmitted to us.
The science of studying ancient literature and its accuracy of
transmission to is called historicity. The Bible is so exceedingly
accurate in its transmission from the originals to the present copies,
that if you compare it to any other ancient Writing, the Bible is light
years ahead in terms of number of manuscripts and accuracy.
If the Bible were to be discredited as being unreliable, then it
would be necessary to discard the writings of Homer, Plato, and
Aristotle as also unreliable since they are far far less well preserved
than the Bible.
The Bible was written by those who were inspired to God. When
we look at the New Testament we realize that it was written by
those who either knew Jesus personally, or were under the direction
of those who did. They wrote what they saw. They wrote about the
Resurrection of Christ. They recorded His miracles and His sayings.
It comes down to whether or not you believe what it says about
Christ. Do you?
The reason is God wants to be a part of your entire life, not just an
hour here and there. He wants to be able to be so intimately familiar
with you that He can show up anytime and anywhere unannounced
and you aren’t going to freak out or put up a fuss or throw some
pharisaical rules at Him. He wants to know the you that others don't
see. Like a best friend, God wants to count on you to take Him inside
when He comes by, to hear Him out, to offer Him a chair and
something nice to drink as He explains what He wants to tell you.
ImmanuelWithUs
Member
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2008
- Messages
- 159
More on the Bibles authenticity.
Question: "Is the Bible truly God's Word?"
Answer: Our answer to this question will not only determine how we view the Bible and its importance to our lives, but also it will ultimately will have an eternal impact on us. If the Bible is truly God’s Word, then we should cherish it, study it, obey it, and ultimately trust it. If the Bible is the Word of God then to dismiss it is to dismiss God Himself.
The fact that God gave us the Bible is an evidence and illustration of His love for us. The term "revelation" simply means that God communicated to mankind what He is like and how we can have a right relationship with Him. These are things that we could not have known had not God divinely revealed them to us in the Bible.
Although God’s revelation of Himself in the Bible was given progressively over approximately 1500 years, it has always contained everything that man needed to know about God in order to have a right relationship with Him. If the Bible is truly the Word of God, then it is the final authority for all matters of faith, religious practice, and morals.
The question we must ask ourselves is how can we know that the Bible is the Word of God and not just a good book? What is unique about the Bible that sets it apart from all other religious books ever written? Is there any evidence that the Bible is truly God’s Word? These are the type of questions that must be looked at if we are to seriously examine the biblical claim that the Bible is the very Word of God, divinely inspired, and totally sufficient for all matters of faith and practice.
There can be no doubt about the fact that the Bible does claim to be the very Word of God. This is clearly seen in verses like 2 Timothy 3:15-17, which say, “. . .from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
In order to answer these questions we must look at both the internal and external evidences that the Bible is truly God’s Word. The internal evidences are those things internal to the Bible itself that testify of its divine origin. One of the first internal evidences that the Bible is truly God’s Word is seen in its unity. Even though it is really sixty-six individual books, written on three continents, in three different languages, over a period of approximately 1500 years, by more that 40 authors (who came from many walks of life), the Bible remains one unified book from beginning to end without contradiction. This unity is unique from all other books and is evidence of the divine origin of the words as God moved men in such a way that they recorded His very words.
Another of the internal evidences that indicate the Bible is truly God’s Word is seen in the detailed prophecies contained within its pages. The Bible contains hundreds of detailed prophecies relating to the future of individual nations including Israel, to the future of certain cities, to the future of mankind, and to the coming of one who would be the Messiah, the Savior of not only Israel, but all who would believe in Him. Unlike the prophecies found in other religious books or those done by Nostradamus, the biblical prophecies are extremely detailed and have never failed to come true.
There are over three hundred prophecies concerning Jesus Christ in the Old Testament alone. Not only was it foretold where He would be born and what family He would come from, but also how He would die and that He would rise again on the third day. There simply is no logical way to explain the fulfilled prophecies in the Bible other than by divine origin. There is no other religious book with the extent or type of predictive prophecy that the Bible has.
A third internal evidence of the divine origin of the Bible is seen in its unique authority and power. While this evidence is more subjective than the first two internal evidences, it is no less a very powerful testimony of the divine origin of the Bible. The Bible has a unique authority that is unlike any other book ever written.
This authority and power are best seen in the way countless lives have been transformed by reading the Bible. Drug addicts have been cured by it, homosexuals have been set free by it, derelicts and deadbeats have been transformed by it, hardened criminals reformed by it, sinners are rebuked by it, and hate has been turned to love by reading it. The Bible does possess a dynamic and transforming power that is only possible because it is truly God’s Word.
Besides the internal evidence that the Bible is truly God’s Word there are also external evidences that indicate the Bible is truly the Word of God. One of those evidences is the historicity of the Bible. Because the Bible details historical events its truthfulness and accuracy is subject to verification like any other historical documentation. Through both archaeological evidences and other written documents, the historical accounts of the Bible have been proven time and time again to be accurate and true.
In fact all the archaeological and manuscript evidence supporting the Bible makes it the best documented book from the ancient world.
The fact that the Bible accurately and truthfully records historically verifiable events is a great indication of its truthfulness when dealing with religious subjects and doctrines and helps substantiate its claim that it is the very Word of God.
Another external evidence that the Bible is truly God’s Word is the integrity of the human authors. As mentioned earlier, God used men from many walks of life to record His Words to us. In studying the lives of these men, there is no good reason to believe that they were not honest and sincere men. Examining their lives and the fact that they were willing to die (often excruciating deaths) for what they believed in, it quickly becomes clear that these ordinary yet honest men truly believed that God had spoken to them.
The men who wrote the New Testament and many hundreds of other believers (1 Corinthians 15:6) knew the truth of their message because they had seen and spent time with Jesus Christ after He had risen from the dead. The transformation of seeing the Risen Christ had a tremendous impact on these men. They went from hiding in fear, to being willing to die for the message God had revealed to them. Their lives and deaths testify to the fact that the Bible truly is God’s Word.
A final external evidence that the Bible is truly God’s Word is the indestructibility of the Bible. Because of its importance and its claim to be the very word of God, the Bible has suffered more vicious attacks and attempts to destroy it than any other book in history. From early Roman Emperors like Diocletian, through communist dictators and on to modern day atheists and agnostics, the Bible has withstood and outlasted all of its attackers and is still the most widely published book in the world today.
Throughout time, skeptics have regarded the Bible as mythological, but archeology has established it as historical. Opponents have attacked its teaching as primitive and outdated, but its moral and legal concepts and teachings have had a positive influence on societies and cultures throughout the world. It continues to be attacked by science, psychology, and political movements and yet remains just as true and relevant today as it was when it was first written. It is a book that has transformed countless lives and cultures throughout the last 2000 years.
No matter how its opponents try to attack, destroy, or discredit it, the Bible remains just as strong, just a true, and just as relevant after the attacks as it was before. The accuracy which has been preserved despite every attempt to corrupt, attack, or destroy it, is clear testimony to the fact that the Bible is truly God’s Word. It should not surprise us that no matter how the Bible is attacked, it always comes out unchanged and unscathed.
After all, Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Mark 13:31). After looking at the evidence one can say without a doubt that “Yes the Bible is truly God’s Word.”
Question: "Is the Bible truly God's Word?"
Answer: Our answer to this question will not only determine how we view the Bible and its importance to our lives, but also it will ultimately will have an eternal impact on us. If the Bible is truly God’s Word, then we should cherish it, study it, obey it, and ultimately trust it. If the Bible is the Word of God then to dismiss it is to dismiss God Himself.
The fact that God gave us the Bible is an evidence and illustration of His love for us. The term "revelation" simply means that God communicated to mankind what He is like and how we can have a right relationship with Him. These are things that we could not have known had not God divinely revealed them to us in the Bible.
Although God’s revelation of Himself in the Bible was given progressively over approximately 1500 years, it has always contained everything that man needed to know about God in order to have a right relationship with Him. If the Bible is truly the Word of God, then it is the final authority for all matters of faith, religious practice, and morals.
The question we must ask ourselves is how can we know that the Bible is the Word of God and not just a good book? What is unique about the Bible that sets it apart from all other religious books ever written? Is there any evidence that the Bible is truly God’s Word? These are the type of questions that must be looked at if we are to seriously examine the biblical claim that the Bible is the very Word of God, divinely inspired, and totally sufficient for all matters of faith and practice.
There can be no doubt about the fact that the Bible does claim to be the very Word of God. This is clearly seen in verses like 2 Timothy 3:15-17, which say, “. . .from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
In order to answer these questions we must look at both the internal and external evidences that the Bible is truly God’s Word. The internal evidences are those things internal to the Bible itself that testify of its divine origin. One of the first internal evidences that the Bible is truly God’s Word is seen in its unity. Even though it is really sixty-six individual books, written on three continents, in three different languages, over a period of approximately 1500 years, by more that 40 authors (who came from many walks of life), the Bible remains one unified book from beginning to end without contradiction. This unity is unique from all other books and is evidence of the divine origin of the words as God moved men in such a way that they recorded His very words.
Another of the internal evidences that indicate the Bible is truly God’s Word is seen in the detailed prophecies contained within its pages. The Bible contains hundreds of detailed prophecies relating to the future of individual nations including Israel, to the future of certain cities, to the future of mankind, and to the coming of one who would be the Messiah, the Savior of not only Israel, but all who would believe in Him. Unlike the prophecies found in other religious books or those done by Nostradamus, the biblical prophecies are extremely detailed and have never failed to come true.
There are over three hundred prophecies concerning Jesus Christ in the Old Testament alone. Not only was it foretold where He would be born and what family He would come from, but also how He would die and that He would rise again on the third day. There simply is no logical way to explain the fulfilled prophecies in the Bible other than by divine origin. There is no other religious book with the extent or type of predictive prophecy that the Bible has.
A third internal evidence of the divine origin of the Bible is seen in its unique authority and power. While this evidence is more subjective than the first two internal evidences, it is no less a very powerful testimony of the divine origin of the Bible. The Bible has a unique authority that is unlike any other book ever written.
This authority and power are best seen in the way countless lives have been transformed by reading the Bible. Drug addicts have been cured by it, homosexuals have been set free by it, derelicts and deadbeats have been transformed by it, hardened criminals reformed by it, sinners are rebuked by it, and hate has been turned to love by reading it. The Bible does possess a dynamic and transforming power that is only possible because it is truly God’s Word.
Besides the internal evidence that the Bible is truly God’s Word there are also external evidences that indicate the Bible is truly the Word of God. One of those evidences is the historicity of the Bible. Because the Bible details historical events its truthfulness and accuracy is subject to verification like any other historical documentation. Through both archaeological evidences and other written documents, the historical accounts of the Bible have been proven time and time again to be accurate and true.
In fact all the archaeological and manuscript evidence supporting the Bible makes it the best documented book from the ancient world.
The fact that the Bible accurately and truthfully records historically verifiable events is a great indication of its truthfulness when dealing with religious subjects and doctrines and helps substantiate its claim that it is the very Word of God.
Another external evidence that the Bible is truly God’s Word is the integrity of the human authors. As mentioned earlier, God used men from many walks of life to record His Words to us. In studying the lives of these men, there is no good reason to believe that they were not honest and sincere men. Examining their lives and the fact that they were willing to die (often excruciating deaths) for what they believed in, it quickly becomes clear that these ordinary yet honest men truly believed that God had spoken to them.
The men who wrote the New Testament and many hundreds of other believers (1 Corinthians 15:6) knew the truth of their message because they had seen and spent time with Jesus Christ after He had risen from the dead. The transformation of seeing the Risen Christ had a tremendous impact on these men. They went from hiding in fear, to being willing to die for the message God had revealed to them. Their lives and deaths testify to the fact that the Bible truly is God’s Word.
A final external evidence that the Bible is truly God’s Word is the indestructibility of the Bible. Because of its importance and its claim to be the very word of God, the Bible has suffered more vicious attacks and attempts to destroy it than any other book in history. From early Roman Emperors like Diocletian, through communist dictators and on to modern day atheists and agnostics, the Bible has withstood and outlasted all of its attackers and is still the most widely published book in the world today.
Throughout time, skeptics have regarded the Bible as mythological, but archeology has established it as historical. Opponents have attacked its teaching as primitive and outdated, but its moral and legal concepts and teachings have had a positive influence on societies and cultures throughout the world. It continues to be attacked by science, psychology, and political movements and yet remains just as true and relevant today as it was when it was first written. It is a book that has transformed countless lives and cultures throughout the last 2000 years.
No matter how its opponents try to attack, destroy, or discredit it, the Bible remains just as strong, just a true, and just as relevant after the attacks as it was before. The accuracy which has been preserved despite every attempt to corrupt, attack, or destroy it, is clear testimony to the fact that the Bible is truly God’s Word. It should not surprise us that no matter how the Bible is attacked, it always comes out unchanged and unscathed.
After all, Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Mark 13:31). After looking at the evidence one can say without a doubt that “Yes the Bible is truly God’s Word.”
ImmanuelWithUs
Member
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2008
- Messages
- 159
One more post from me, and I'm done I'd suggest reading "The Case For Christ" by Lee Strobel. There's also a dvd of it, too.
Since we know that the Bible is absolutely authentic and 1000% true (and we know this because of all the evidence stated above, plus millions of other resources), then we must believe everything in the Bible. If we must believe the Bible, Jesus Christ must be the only way to Heaven and the only way to God because the Bible says He is. Jesus said that no one comes to the Father except by Him.
You need not try to "work" your way to Heaven. You need only believe that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, that He did die for your sins, and that if you confess your sins to Him and repent of them, Jesus Christ will come into your heart and soul (the Holy Spirit) and He will transform your life and you will be saved.
Since we know that the Bible is absolutely authentic and 1000% true (and we know this because of all the evidence stated above, plus millions of other resources), then we must believe everything in the Bible. If we must believe the Bible, Jesus Christ must be the only way to Heaven and the only way to God because the Bible says He is. Jesus said that no one comes to the Father except by Him.
You need not try to "work" your way to Heaven. You need only believe that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, that He did die for your sins, and that if you confess your sins to Him and repent of them, Jesus Christ will come into your heart and soul (the Holy Spirit) and He will transform your life and you will be saved.
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2004
- Messages
- 17,081
Welcome to the forums. I'd like to point out something here. You say "don't preach to me...". Well, what we tell you is basically preaching. However, perhaps you got the wrong or misunderstood idea of preaching? Bad preaching in the past? The ONLY way you will get the truth if you open your heart and just listen. You cannot write the demands your way. Its GOD's way, your job is to keep your heart open and ears open.
There is enormous amount of proof of the divinity and validity of the Holy Bible, therefore also proving GOD is real and everything else is false (mohammed, budha, etc).
Click here: Evidence, Prophecy, Facts - Talk Jesus
Look at the sticky threads. If you truly care to learn about Christianity and really be proven to that the Bible is the real deal, you'll need to read these things in that link. The sticky threads are a good start. The list of prophecies fulfilled is real. Artifacts found, all real. Over a thousand too. What about miracles believers have encountered? Real.
Here is my testimony if your interested. Miracles included.
http://www.talkjesus.com/testimonies/17059-chad-s-testimony.html
Also, in agreement with ImmanuelWithUs. GOD is the one who led you here for sure, so keep your heart open and apply even the littlest of faith, your on the right track. Also, that book she mentioned "Case for Christ" is #1 option for any book you'd pick up. Its a fantastic book, amazing author and definitely one popular among *true* believers. Lee Stobel is genuine.
There is enormous amount of proof of the divinity and validity of the Holy Bible, therefore also proving GOD is real and everything else is false (mohammed, budha, etc).
Click here: Evidence, Prophecy, Facts - Talk Jesus
Look at the sticky threads. If you truly care to learn about Christianity and really be proven to that the Bible is the real deal, you'll need to read these things in that link. The sticky threads are a good start. The list of prophecies fulfilled is real. Artifacts found, all real. Over a thousand too. What about miracles believers have encountered? Real.
Here is my testimony if your interested. Miracles included.
http://www.talkjesus.com/testimonies/17059-chad-s-testimony.html
Also, in agreement with ImmanuelWithUs. GOD is the one who led you here for sure, so keep your heart open and apply even the littlest of faith, your on the right track. Also, that book she mentioned "Case for Christ" is #1 option for any book you'd pick up. Its a fantastic book, amazing author and definitely one popular among *true* believers. Lee Stobel is genuine.
Ncdataman
Member
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2007
- Messages
- 1,831
I would agree with all the posts above, another book you can look up is "I don't have enough faith to be an athiest" by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek.Very informing and engaging read. It also follows to same logic as The Case for Christ. I hope you find the information you are looking for. You will find wonderful people and great fellowship here, Enjoy the forums and welcome to TJ.
In Christ,
NC
In Christ,
NC
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