Is the Bible the Word of God

[kevin1313]

I am sure of it. 2 Tim 3.16

2 Questions

1. If you died tonight where would you spend your eternity?

2. If you showed up at Heavens Gate and God asks "Why should I let you in?" how would you answer?

[bootlen]

1. In the presence of the Almighty God...the Father, Jesus the Son, and Holy Spirit and all the saints.

2. Because Jesus paid the debt for my sins. He alone, without help from me or anyone else in all creation, offers me access to the Father.

[air of honesty]

1. Wherever I'm supposed to. It's not something human minds can adequately comprehend. Thus all the allegories.

2. For the first time in my life, I'm certain I would be speechless.

[RoBoTeq]

The bible is what it is. It is a collection of books. These books at face value contain many moral lessons for many occasions and can be used by anyone to better themselves in life.

Is the bible the Word of God? To those of us who believe, yes. To those who do not believe you will never convince them, so why bother trying. You would only be throwing your pearls to swine.

[bigtime]

Please explain why you beleive the bible is the word of God. There is no need to quote scriture. Just how has God made it clear to you that the bible is his word.

This is not an attempt to question anyones faith. Just a question from a struggling beleiver.

[kevin1313]

Bigtime,
I believe that the bible is the Word of God for several reasons. Here are a few.

1. The bible was penned by over 40 different authors over a period of atleast 2000 years. There are 66 books that comprise the Bible. They all agree with each other.

Let me use the following illustration. Imagine if you were to cover the entire state of Texas with silver dollars 2 feet deep. Mark a X on a single coin. Then give a person the chance to pick that coin.

Any idea on the odds of getting the right coin?? Its 1 in 1,000,000,000,000,000,000. Pretty poor odds right??

The same odds apply if a person were to attempt to predict 8 things about the future of another person before they were even born.

In total there were at least 333 prophecies of Christ in the old testament, all of them fulfilled in the new.

What are the odds??

2. Faith. I can't explain it.

[hack hater]

I used to be thouroughly convinced it was,but am starting to waver.I was a born again christian,attended bible studies,read the bible over and over-but as of late I am struggling with Christianity.I have got it in my head God has it in for me and my family.I keep getting knocked down,kicked around.It used to never bother me as bad stuff happened to me but I would see flagrant evil people go through life unscathed.Now it bothers me.Things like :why would God allw my brother to burn to death in a car accident?Why allow me to be dang near blind and cannot work from a car accident?A wife who is a medical timebomb,while puked like Howard Stern and the like skate by?

[kevin1313]

HH,
I hate the pat awnsers that christians so often use. I would also wonder what God is doing in my life if I were in your shoes. Have you ever considered that God may be proving your faith and that of your familys to saten. Much as in the story of Job. I would long to have Gods say about me "Have you considered my servant Kevin, there is none like him in all the earth, upright and just." Of course Job never heard the compliment of all time. Maybe God is giving you a compliment.

Keep your eyes on the cross, Brother.

[maintmankc]

excellent reply kevin1313
take it to heart hack hater, and keep the faith, times are hard for reasons we may never know.

[wolfdog]

Originally posted by hack hater
.....while puked like Howard Stern and the like skate by?

Their apparent success does not mean they are not being held responsible for their actions.

[hack hater]

Kevin-I used to be on your end of these questions,so forgive me.But-why would God,just to prove how good and just I was,kill my innocent brother,and not just kill him,die a horrible death-just to prove how just I am?thats isnt fair to my brother.This is what got me thinking.As of late,I am growing to hate God for a lot of the stuff that happens-I know it isnt right,but I do.

[wolfdog]

God is not responsible for what happened to your brother.

1 John 5:19 puts the blame where it belongs.
"the whole world is under the control of the evil one."

[kevin1313]

HH,
I dont have any idea what you are going through right now. I know that I have never been in your shoes. This is what I know and I dont know how it all works.

God has a plan for you--He wants the very best heaven has to offer for you and your family. Sometimes getting there is tough.

I know that he is shaping you in a more perfect likeness of his son--He is the master potter, we are simply the clay

Above all else--He loves YOU so much that he died, in one of the most painful ways ever devised by man, for you and he did it willingly.

God hasnt left you........

Allow me to give you 2 questions to think about.

1. Hows your prayer life?? Do you take you problems and feelings to the Almighty daily??

2. Hows your bible study life?? Have you been allowing God to speak to you and give you the peace you desire??

I'm praying for you and your family.

If I have rambled please forgive me, I've been up all night.

[bootlen]

That's darn good Scripture-backed rambling. Ramble on, brother.

[coolprod]

Originally posted by hack hater
Kevin-I used to be on your end of these questions,so forgive me.But-why would God,just to prove how good and just I was,kill my innocent brother,and not just kill him,die a horrible death-just to prove how just I am?thats isnt fair to my brother.This is what got me thinking.As of late,I am growing to hate God for a lot of the stuff that happens-I know it isnt right,but I do.

I believe:
It's not god that is testing your faith!! I was told once that you are a light in a dark room, as you work to learn/know the word of god the light becomes brighter for god to see. But also in the room is satan and he is attacking you to turn you against god for the reasons you stated above!! So It's not god making you hurt!! It's satan!! There is a constant battle between God and satan for you!! Would you put your child in such pain?? God wouldn't either!!
Keep the Faith!! It's NOT GOD!!

[kim]

Show me where Gilgamesh says you should not work everyday. Show me where Hamarobie places an equal value on every life. Pick any of the ancient texts and creed some say the bible is based on and show me the humanity in it. Show me the indications of compassion and love. You can't. They are only found in the bible.

The government of Isreal had nothing to gain by giving everybody a day off work. In fact they lost 1/7 of their production and gross national product. People back then were as greedy as they are now. None of the priest/king would dream of proposing a devine revalation that costs them money or man power.

If God is up there desiding everything that each one of us 5 billion people do every second, that whould be an incredible feat. God gave us free will to abuse everybody we see, if that is what we want to do. Some people are living to get everything they can lay their greedy little hands on. The bad things in life are their fault. And sometimes **** just happens. Sometimes it could be a test from God. Sometimes that is just the way it is.

[hack hater]

Originally posted by kevin1313
HH,
I dont have any idea what you are going through right now. I know that I have never been in your shoes. This is what I know and I dont know how it all works.

God has a plan for you--He wants the very best heaven has to offer for you and your family. Sometimes getting there is tough.

I know that he is shaping you in a more perfect likeness of his son--He is the master potter, we are simply the clay

Above all else--He loves YOU so much that he died, in one of the most painful ways ever devised by man, for you and he did it willingly.

God hasnt left you........

Allow me to give you 2 questions to think about.

1. Hows your prayer life?? Do you take you problems and feelings to the Almighty daily??

2. Hows your bible study life?? Have you been allowing God to speak to you and give you the peace you desire??

I'm praying for you and your family.

If I have rambled please forgive me, I've been up all night. Actually-non-existant for both questions.Yes it does sadden me-I used to have excellent relationship with God,and that is gone.I know I am wrong in my thinking,but I in my own dumb way think God has it in for me,and wouldnt take me back into his fold.I guess because I have been hurt deeply by fellow christians doesnt help much either.Thanks for the prayers and stuff-I need em!

[kevin1313]

HH,
My Brother you are not out of the “fold”. Just out wandering around in the forest. I am reminded of what the apostle Paul penned in Romans about what could separate us from the love of God.

Rom 8:35-38 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord

HH it appears to me that the apostle Paul was certain that once in the “fold” nothing could remove us from that position of being a Child of the King. The only thing I don’t see listed there is choice. You could CHOOSE to walk out of the “fold”. Somehow I doubt that you have done that.

Remember David, who God describe as being a man after his own heart? In Psa 51:12 David is asking God to restore the joy of his salvation to sustain him, to give him the nourishment of life to keep on keeping on.

Psa 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

2 Chron 7:14 says that if we as the people of God will pray and seek him that he will heal our lands, in many of our cases our land is fine, its our hearts that need healing.

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

I would encourage you to do a few things

Begin a time of prayer daily and allow God to speak to your heart from his word daily. If you don’t already, find a church home where you can fellowship with others regularly.

Your not alone
In Christ, Kevin

[air of honesty]

"Show me where Gilgamesh says you should not work everyday. Show me where Hamarobie places an equal value on every life. Pick any of the ancient texts and creed some say the bible is based on and show me the humanity in it. Show me the indications of compassion and love. You can't. They are only found in the bible."

No arguments from me, and I've studied the above in depth. Now, take the part about 'love thy enemy', add it to equal value of every life, and tell me why we should be screaming for the deaths of innocents who happen to live in the same block as some lunatics in a neighborhood most of us have never seen?

Bothers me how many people who proclaim the Prince of Peace are the first to say we should run out and kill 'them' first.

Christianity isn't as easy as some make it out to be. It requires sacrifice. It forgoes vengance. It leaves judgment to the Almighty in His own time.

Not the easiest religion to practice but, like Islam, easy to scream about in public and get others to shout 'Amen'.

[mtushmoo]

Originally posted by RoBoTeq
The bible is what it is. It is a collection of books. These books at face value contain many moral lessons for many occasions and can be used by anyone to better themselves in life.

Is the bible the Word of God? To those of us who believe, yes. To those who do not believe you will never convince them, so why bother trying. You would only be throwing your pearls to swine.

Because that was our great commision....

Eric K

[mtushmoo]

Originally posted by hack hater
I used to be thouroughly convinced it was,but am starting to waver.I was a born again christian,attended bible studies,read the bible over and over-but as of late I am struggling with Christianity.I have got it in my head God has it in for me and my family.I keep getting knocked down,kicked around.It used to never bother me as bad stuff happened to me but I would see flagrant evil people go through life unscathed.Now it bothers me.Things like :why would God allw my brother to burn to death in a car accident?Why allow me to be dang near blind and cannot work from a car accident?A wife who is a medical timebomb,while puked like Howard Stern and the like skate by?

My wife died last summer.

I asked some of these same questions, though possibly not in the same way.

The thoughts in your head that God might have it in for you are from Satan - that's how he tempts you to walk away from the fold.

Think of your Christian life from the perspective of a servant for a moment. I believe that is our calling - to be servants of the Word.

My wife had walked away from the fold. When she was diagnosed with the brain tumor, she was understandably mad as hell at God.

She was a good person, worked her tail off, was one of the most giving people I've met, and lived to pretty high standards - because it was the right thing to do - not neccesarily out of duty to God.

Her Mom was very angry that she was not going to Church, and that God was not in her life - she was raised a Christian.

Anne (my wife) decided that she would surprise her mom by showing up at Mom's church one sunday. Mom was, of course, tickled to death, as were all the people that had been praying for her for the past year or so.

That night, Anne, still pissed at God, remarked that it was too bad there wasn't a church around here (Mom's church was an hour away) that made her feel that welcome.

I told her, "If you'll go, I'll take you."

From then until her death, a year and a half or so later, we almost never missed a Sunday. When the tumor came back, she became paralyzed from the waist down. She missed 2 or three weeks while she was in the hospital, but then got wheelchair training. The hospital let her leave on Sundays for a 2 hour drive to church. She didn't miss the last two sundays before the septic shock took over that ultimately killed her.

Someone in my young widows suport group made the observation that perhaps the other people in our life were not put in our lives to be taken away and cause us pain, but rather that WE may have been put into their lives for their benefit. That seems arrogant to me, but if God has a purpose for us, it makes some sense.

Anne had made her peace with God. My only contribution was six simple words and some drive time - but I was God's tool to make it happen.

She obviously improved me too - wives almost always do improve their husbands.

I'm engaged now. I prayed for God to put some order back in my life, and to give me a new partner. That's happened, but in the back of my mind there's still a bit of Satan saying, "He (or maybe it's "I") can put you through that again."

I had to "Let go and Let God." When she was going through the radiation treatments and things, people asked me how I could be "so strong and confident." I could only tell them that it wasnt up to me to decide whether Anne would live or die. My only purpose was to let God's will be done, make sure the bills got paid, and manage the logistics of appointments, meds, insurance and people.

Perhaps a way of looking at it might be - if you are stronger in faith, you might have to do more of the heavy lifting in Gods plan. Maybe the people who are just sliding through life - like the Howie sterns of the world - aren't doing ANY of the lifting because there isn't anything that they are capable of doing - or Satan has convinced them not to do any lifting.

That rambles a bit, but I hope it makes some sense....

Eric K

[hack hater]

Eric-so sorry to hear that,had to be a hard thing to go through.You make some great points that I havent thought of.Man I wish it was easy to know Gods plan for your life,sometimes just feel like am so alone,noonce cares.

[mtushmoo]

I asked my pastor why these things didn't appear on the timing plan.

He pointed out that nobody would execute the plan if we could read it.

Eric K