The best way to understand Christianity is to have the fundamental truths of the faith explained to you clearly and concisely. Therefore, I’ll take a stab at that below.
The Bible – God’s written Word
The Bible is the history and guidebook for our faith. It explains the story of creation, mankind, salvation, and eternity. It is the inspired Word of God, given to the Prophets by God to share with His people. The words are “living” in that when a person becomes a Christian, the Holy Spirit speaks to them through the words in the Bible, giving them answers to their questions about problems or concerns. The Word comes alive for them.
God – Not Affected by Time
Since the content of the Old Testament originated before Jesus‘ birth, many people believe it is outdated and no longer relevant in today’s world. However, the stories are character-driven, telling of how people interact with one another and describing life principles; they are not time-restricted. Human nature has not changed. The way people acted during the time of Sodom and Gomorrah remains the same now as it was then. Therefore, the directives God spoke to the people at that time remain applicable now, just as they were then. In heaven, time does not exist; it just is. God knows now, yesterday, and tomorrow’s happenings simultaneously. As such, God did not make decisions based on when something occurred in time; he made decisions based on how he wanted things to be.
The Bible – Accurately Written
Another argument about the reliability of the Bible concerns its accuracy. Some scholars express concern about trusting the content of the Bible because the account of events varies across the chapters. In truth, the fact that the accounts are not identical is one of the proofs that the information is accurate. For example, if there is a crime scene with five witnesses present, each witness reports a different account. If all five accounts are identical, the police know the witnesses collaborated, and the evidence is unreliable. It’s common sense that at any scene, each person present stands at a different spot. Therefore, the vantage point from which one sees an event will provide a different perspective from that of others present.
Scribes – Meticulous
Another point related to accuracy concerns the meticulousness of scribes in completing their job duties. Scribes felt their job was a sacred duty. They could not make a mistake. ANY mistake meant starting from the beginning and re-writing every Word on the entire long, hand-written parchment scroll. Therefore, the scribes were meticulous in ensuring that they did not make a mistake in copying any of the letters. However, the most significant reason we can count on the accuracy of the letters is their fear (respect) of their God. In early Jewish history, disrespect for Yahweh (one of the names for God) could mean death. They did not make mistakes.
Bible – Maintained Through Time
The chapters of the Old Testament were stories written by members of the Jewish faith who wished to preserve their oral history. The New Testament consists primarily of letters written by the apostles, including those of Paul, a prominent convert to Christianity. They could read and write. Either they or those traveling with them wrote the letters and shared them with other churches while also concealing them for safety from the elements and enemies. Copies found of both groups match modern-day copies almost identically, therefore authenticating them as legitimately from the early church. A group in England gathered letters and stories, studying them to determine which to include in a “Bible.” Their divine-inspired decision regarding which documents to include is how the Bible came into being.
Bible – The Inspired Word of God
Therefore, for true Christian believers, the Bible represents God’s inspired Word. The Bible is 100% accurate, and its teachings remain the same today as they were when written. We humans do not have the right to change it to meet our preferences. Its purpose is to teach us about the nature of God, the Father; Jesus, His Son, who is Himself God, and the Holy Spirit, the Counselor who lives within followers of Christ.
