Is the Bible Holy or Holey?
Bible Reading: John 19:35
This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account; it is presented so that you also can believe. John 19:35
Jessica didn’t know what to say. She sat in her front row desk in science class and listened as Mr. Miller blasted the Bible. He said that after centuries of scribes translating and copying the original text, there was no way to prove that the Bible we have today says what the authors first wrote. On top of that, he claimed that the Bible was filled with historical and scientific errors and couldn’t be trusted.
Mr. Miller’s words cut through Jessica. She had always believed the Bible was the Word of God, reliable in every way. But how could she disagree with her teacher?
Talk about it: Do you know people who don’t believe that the Bible is true—and they think it’s their duty to make you question it as well? How do you handle that?
Maybe your faith has been rattled by a teacher or friend who insists that the Bible is full of holes. But let’s look at some of the facts about the Bible that Mr. Miller forgot to mention:
• The Bible was written over a period of sixteen hundred years by about forty different authors, yet the message is consistent throughout.
• Jewish scholars who copied the text of the Old Testament followed strict guidelines to ensure they copied everything exactly as it was.
• The events recorded in the New Testament—including Jesus’ resurrection from the dead—have been confirmed by historical writings from the same time period.
• The Old and New Testaments are the most accurately preserved and widely proven documents of the ancient world.
It’s true that the Bible contains some pretty unbelievable stories—miraculous things that can’t be explained by science, such as Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead or feeding five thousand people from five loaves of bread and two fish. But as the book of Acts points out, the events recorded in the Bible “were not done in a corner” (Acts 26:26). In other words, many people saw them happen and testified that they were true.
The next time someone tries to convince you that the Bible is full of holes, tell him solid evidence confirms it is the true, accurate, and holy Word of God.
TALK: What facts about the Bible help you believe it is true?
PRAY: God, show the truth of your Word to people who don’t believe it. Thanks that we can rely on your accurate Word.
ACT: Do you have a friend who needs to hear these truths? Spend time asking God For wisdom in how you should pass along these facts—then make a plan to share!