Tuesday, January 12, 2010

15 Reasons Why I Believe the Bible is the Word of God: Introduction


Today marks the beginning of a series of blogs that I hope will help many grasp more fully the reasons for believing in the God of the Bible.

The longer I live the more I'm aware that faith that is not supported by reason and reasons, is not likely to endure the fires of trial and testing. Faith that is more a "blind leap into the dark" than it is a reverent, humble and careful commitment based on God-given evidence, confirmed by God in the soul, is not likely to be impassioned or fervent or devout.

For one to lay life down for what one believes (which is exactly that to which the Bible calls us), one has to be quite strongly convinced that what one believes is actually true! Only a fool would sacrifice anything, never mind everything, for something he or she only vaguely feels to be true.

The early Christians lived the lives they did--many leading to martyrdom--because they had seen, heard, and experienced compelling evidence that the claims of Christ and the Bible were true. Are you so convinced of the truth claims of the Bible as to lay your life down?

Over my next 15-16 blogging days, I hope to present numerous reasons why I believe the Bible is the Word of God. If these reasons hold up under scrutiny, then there is every reason for everyone of us to give up everything to follow the God of the Bible with all love, commitment, passion, and sacrifice.

Don't let this be an intellectual exercise alone. Let it be profoundly purposeful and practical. My goal reflects Elijah's in his famous world-view show-down with the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel in 1 Kings 18:20-39. In 1 Kings 18:21 Elijah states what's at stake when considering the evidence for the God of the Bible. If He is God He is to be followed with all faith, love, and obedience. If He is not God, then pick whatever god you'd like or choose none at all. Whatever you do, don't go limping along between two opinions.

I believe this is the basic logic C.S. Lewis had in mind when he said said: "Christianity, if false, is not important. If Christianity is true, however, it is of infinite importance. What it cannot be is moderately important."

If the Bible really is the Word of God, moderation of faith and commitment becomes ludicrous. Nothing but impassioned zeal for the God and claims of the Bible is reasonable if in fact the God and claims of the Bible are true. So beware. If there are reasons to believe, there can be only one conclusion: there are reasons to lay your life down for the sake of the Biblical God and His truth.

Are you willing to run that risk?

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3 Comments:

Blogger Petros said...

Thank you Tim.

Your introduction raises the issue of "practical unbelief." We all say that we believe the Bible to be God's Word. Are we lying outright, or do we simply have a weakened understanding of what it means to believe?

Can a person genuinely believe, and then not live and act in the way that would seem to accord with that belief? In that case, perhaps "acknowledge" is a better word to describe what many of us feel with regard to God's Word and truth?

Personally, I can't explain or defend, or even understand why I don't live the radical life true belief seems to demand.

I look forward to your blogs this month.

January 12, 2010 at 9:07 PM  
Anonymous EJK said...

Thanks for the challenge to exercise my mind, not in a purely academic way, but in a way in which reason with my mind and faith in the heart of flesh that God has given me can be exercised.
Thank you for the serious challenge to be committed to and convinced of the truth claims of the bible.
Thank you for the final sobering challenge which ended with, "If there are reasons to believe, there can be only one conclusion: there are reasons to lay your life down for the sake of the Biblical God and His truth. Are you willing to run that risk?"
Lord help me, help your people be able to say with strong conviction, YES!

January 12, 2010 at 10:07 PM  
Anonymous EJK said...

The challenges given in the post reminded of one of my favorite hymns:

Am I a Soldier of the Cross.

1.Am I a soldier of the cross,a follower of the Lamb, and shall I fear to own his cause, or blush to speak his name?

2.Must I be carried to the skies
on flowery beds of ease, while others fought to win the prize,
and sailed through bloody seas?

3.Are there no foes for me to face? Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace, to help me on to God?

4.Sure I must fight, if I would reign; increase my courage, Lord.
I'll bear the toil, endure the pain,
supported by thy word.

5.Thy saints in all this glorious war shall conquer though they die; they see the triumph from afar, by faith they bring it nigh.

6.When that illustrious day shall rise, and all thy armies shine
in robes of victory through the skies, the glory shall be thine.

January 12, 2010 at 10:14 PM  

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