The Bible
What is the Bible to you? Who/What is God? What about Miracles? Noah and The Flood? Jonah? How can we interprete the Bible? Is the Bible in-errant? Does it matter? What historical evidence is there for (or against) the Bible? What about Bible prophecies?
Discussion 3/16: The Bible
What is the Bible to you?
How do you see the Bible? What do you see the Bible as?
A book of good teachings?
The inerrant Word of God?
A good representation of God?
Who/What is God?
Can we understand God?
God can do no evil, knows all, cannot make a mistake, and has infinite power.
Is what you know about God only from your own experience?
If God is infinite and we are finite, how we can we even fathom that should be able to understand any of God, much less all of God that is revealed in the Bible?
Miracles
If God can create the world, then every other miracle is also possible. If creation from nothing is possible, then all other miracles would be "easier."
Noah and The Flood
Has Anyone Discovered Noah's Ark? No
http://www.christiananswers.net/q-abr/abr-a001.html
Jonah
I can't believe that Jonah was in a fish for 3 days; his skin would have been disintegrated; he wouldn't have oxygen; digestion would have pushed him too far for him to be spit back out.
Luke 11:29
29As the crowds increased, Jesus said, "This is a wicked generation. It asks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. 30For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation."
If Jesus lied when talking about Jonah, then he either isn't God or isn't a God worthy of worship. If Jesus was mistaken about Jonah then Jesus wasn't God (because God cannot be mistaken) or Jesus wasn't God in the flesh.
The Bible
Contains 66 books, 1189 chapters
Written 40 men over a period of 1500 years
Interpretation
Why are there so many denominations?
Because we don't want to believe particular ideas, we want to fit God into our lifestyle, we feel like we should be able to logically and emotionally understand God's law/Word.
Who are we to judge what is important and not important to God?
How can you claim God is God but cannot recognize his power. If God is bigger than man, then why do you limit the possibilities for God. This is all about your view of God.
Bible Errancy
If the Bible is wrong, what does that mean?
Journal of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism: "If there be any mistakes in the Bible, there may as well be a thousand. If there be one falsehood in that book it did not come from the God of truth."
Anything that isn't what I want to hear are parts that don't apply/aren't true. I will interpret it to fit into my current lifestyle.
2 Timothy 3:16
16 All Scripture is Godbreathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness
Luke 16:17
17 It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.
Matthew 5:18
18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
Historical Evidence
The renowned Jewish archaeologist, Nelson Glueck, wrote: "It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a biblical reference." cited by McDowell, Josh. The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict.
Prophecies?
Probability of fulfillment: 1 in 10x10^100
Additional Information:
The Bible Delivered to us Today
http://www.letusreason.org/Apolo21.htm
This Directory list articles on Bible Doctrines
http://www.letusreason.org/Bibdoct.htm
Why follow ONLY the Scripture?
http://www.letusreason.org/Doct41.htm
The Resurrection: a fact not easily Ignored
http://www.letusreason.org/Doct24.htm
