PROVING THE BIBLE IS TRUE.

It's not a matter of outside evidence, rather, it's a matter of letting the Bible speak for itself!

I have a friend....we have get together's quite regularly and on one of these, we had been in conversation for quite some time, discussing just about everything!
I suppose you could call me stubborn, but I had managed to press a "Biblical point of view" on every subject that had come up and it had become too much for my friend.

Well," she said, "You are determined to bring everything back to the Bible, but, can you prove to me that the Bible is true...?"

"Well, no, I don't think so..." I replied, "but that is mainly, because you and I have different ideas as to..."what" is proof, and "what" is evidence..I mean, what kind of "proof" would convince you?
Do you want "historical" proof....or "moral" proof?

or maybe you want "consistency" as proof"?

You can get all that...you know!

It is remarkable, when you consider all the different people who wrote the books of the Bible, at different times, over 100's of years.

Or, maybe you want scientific proof? If so, which scientific system do you want to follow? Maybe Maths?...or chemistry?...or Physics....or biology? logic?

Would logic evidence do? If so...which system of logic should we follow?

Aristotle? Hegelian? or some other?"

I will admit I did not wait long for her to give me an answer, although I did hear her mutter every now and then...so....I went on......

" I suppose you probably want evidence from all these areas, and probably also some from those I have not mentioned, but....even then......would you really be convinced?
So.....before I start,.....tell me what kind of "evidence" you are willing to accept, then, to avoid confusion, ( and to make sure we are talking the same language) tell me what
"philosophical system" you are using to "evaluate" the evidence I give you?"

I was really going good now!
She was drawing a deeeep breath, getting ready to answer, but, before she could......
I interrupted her with, " Before you answer....if I can convince you on the Bible's historical truths, will you.."on that" accept it's scientific truths as well?"

"Certainly not..." she managed to say. "You can't "assume" that, because a book is reliable on one kind of information, it is reliable on another kind as well!"

"Of course..." I agreed, "So, may I then assume that...if, on the basis of the scientific knowledge you already have, I can convince you of the Bible's accuracy, you would still not accept it's moral authority over your life?"

"That's correct..." she agreed, "it would be quite illogical to do so..."

"Be patient with me just a little longer..." I said, "If on the basis of your knowledge of
morals I am able to convince you of the Bible's 'ethical' reliability, would you then accept it's "religious" authority?"

She looked at me.......shaking her head...."NO....for the same reason..." she said.

"So....." I said, " If I am to convince you about the Bible's Historic, Scientific and Moral accuracies, I have to do it on the basis of your knowledge and you will "not" trust it's "Moral" commandments even if I prove it's scientific and historic accuracy?"

"yes..." she said, "That's about how I see it..."

"Well then," I said, "All I can say about any of the Bible's qualities, will not in any way convince you to accept what it says about God.
You will only believe, what it says about God, if it agrees with what you know about God.
So.....tell me......where did you get your knowledge about GOD?

Have you seen God?

Did you get it from other books?

Did you learn it as a child?

How do you know that what you know about God is enough to make a judgment on the Bible with?"
I paused.......she stayed silent......
"So, you see..." I went on, " You are making it quite complicated. You assume you are
wise enough to evaluate the reasons I give you to prove the Bible.

Now, the thing is, if you say, NO, I am not wise enough, how then do I prove it to you, when you admit you are not wise enough?
Then again, if you say YES, I am wise enough, you are telling me you already know everything, so you can test for yourself if the Bible is true or not!
So, maybe we should ask first "are you perfect in the eyes of God or are you a sinner who needs forgiveness"
If you leave God out of it.....do you have a moral problem?

If you say NO... that clearly means you do have one and if you can't see that for yourself, that is serious....you are not honest... in that case how could you make an honest inquiry about the Bible?
Let us go and have a look at what the Bible says about you and your moral problem, before we begin to ask about the Bible and it's trustworthiness.

I say....Let the Bible judge us before we judge the Bible"

Blessings

Yaddy