Reading: Lesson 1 - The Bible (Video Slides)

Introduction

Most people in the world believe there is a Higher Power of some kind who is far greater than any person on earth. People have different ideas, however, as to who or what this Higher Power is. Some people do not believe in a personal God at all. Others believe that there are hundreds or even millions of gods. The Bible, however, teaches that there is only one true God and that He alone is worthy of our worship and our praise.

But you may ask, “Why should I trust what the Bible says?” That’s a fair question! It may not be possible to prove to you that the Bible is truly the Word of God, but there are some very good reasons why millions of people do believe that it is. Among those reasons are the following.

Reasons to Believe that the Bible is the Word of God

1. No other book in the entire world is as old, ­as trustworthy and as comprehensive as the Bible is in teaching us about God, ourselves, and the future. The Bible begins with the story of the creation of the world and ends with the promise of a new world where there will be no sin, no sickness, no suffering and no death. And in between the accounts of the world’s wonderful beginning and its glorious future, the Bible gives us the history of man’s life on earth, including his fall into sin and his salvation from sin. It also tells us many of the marvelous works of God through the course of human history.

2. The writers of the Bible taught and believed that their writings were inspired by God. Jesus Christ, who is honored and trusted by more people than anyone who has ever lived on this earth, also believed and taught that the Bible is truly the Word of God.

3. The Bible provides answers to many of our sincere questions about God, our world and ourselves which we cannot find anywhere else. Neither nature nor history nor philosophy nor any other book provides the answers which our minds and hearts are looking for.

4. The Bible not only teaches us what is right and what is wrong in the sight of God, it also teaches us how we can gain the power to do what is right and overcome what is wrong.

5. The Bible has many prophecies concerning individuals, nations, and specific events. Many of these prophecies have already been fulfilled exactly as they were foretold. Since many of the Bible’s prophecies have already been fulfilled in the past, we can also trust what it teaches about the future.

6. The Bible contains sixty-six different books or documents which were written over a period of 1500 years by forty different men who lived on three different continents. However, each part of the Bible, when properly understood, agrees with all the other parts.

7. Scholars have carefully studied archeological findings and other historical materials which confirm the accuracy of the Bible’s teachings about geography and history. Though the Bible is very old, it is clearly a very trustworthy book in everything it records.

8. We have more ancient copies of the Bible (or parts of the Bible) than any other book that has ever been written. We can have complete confidence that the Bible we have today is essentially unchanged from the time it was first written. There is no other ancient book like it.

9. The Bible has been the most influential book in the history of the world. It was the first book ever printed. It has been translated into more languages than any other book. It has been distributed more widely than any other book. And God has preserved it from every attempt of people to destroy it.

10. Millions of people have been dramatically changed for good through reading, studying, and believing what the Bible teaches. The Bible does not simply give us information about things that happened in the past. It gives us guidelines for living in the present and provides us with encouragement and hope regarding the future. It teaches us how we can find forgiveness, happiness and peace in our present life and shows us the way to an eternal life of glory, delight and joy in the presence of the one true God who created us and loves us.

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QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BIBLE 

1. Where did the Bible come from?

Every book of the Bible has a human author, but God himself was the ultimate author. According to 2 Timothy 3:16, the Bible is “God-breathed.” This means that God supernaturally “breathed out” his message through the human writers in such a way that the words they wrote were truly the words of God himself. Sometimes God spoke to the writers directly. Sometimes he dictated things to them. At other times he helped them to search out the truth so that they could share it with others. At all times he guided them in such a way that they wrote down in their own personal styles the things he wanted them to write. He also kept them from making errors in all that they wrote.

2. What can we gain by studying the Bible?

a. The Bible teaches us many important truths that we cannot learn anywhere else.

b. The Bible introduces us to the real, living God.

c. The Bible teaches us how to live in a way that honors and pleases God.

d.  The Bible promises us many wonderful blessings if we follow its teachings.

e. The Bible shows us how we may have an everlasting life full of joy and peace.

3. Can we trust what the Bible says?

Yes! God's Word is true in every way and all its promises will be fulfilled. We should recognize, however, that some parts of the Bible were written in a poetic style or with figures of speech that should not be interpreted literally.

4. What did Jesus teach about the Bible?

When Jesus lived on earth, the New Testament had not yet been written. However, he quoted from the Old Testament, recognized it as the true Word of God, taught that it was completely trustworthy, said that all its prophecies would surely be fulfilled, and declared that the Scriptures were pointing to himself.

5. Since the Bible was written many years ago, can it still be of help to us today?

Absolutely! The Bible is a living book which speaks to the hearts of people in every age, in every place and in every situation. Its truths continue to be a guide, an inspiration, a comfort, and a challenge to people around the world.

6. How can the Bible be a guide for us?

The Bible teaches us what is right and what is wrong in the sight of God. It also gives us important moral guidelines for every area of life—marriage, family, work, education, recreation, leisure, business, politics, and personal relationships. Though the Bible does not deal with every possible situation that may arise, it does give us general principles which can be helpful throughout our entire lives no matter where we live or what we are doing.

 
7. What are some of the other ways the Bible can help us in our everyday life?

The Bible provides us with comfort in times of sorrow, encouragement in times of special need, hope in times of distress, inspiration in times of personal challenge, peace in times of turmoil, and assurance of God’s loving presence at all times.

8. What is the greatest benefit we can receive from reading and studying the Bible?

The greatest benefit we can receive through reading, studying and believing the Bible is knowing God and finding the way to eternal life through faith in Jesus. All other blessings we receive in this life may be temporary, but the life we receive through faith in Jesus is eternal and glorious.