Question: What convinces you that the Bible is from God?

[Waiting on him]

What is your evidence?

Well, everyone knows that a verbal covenant is not worth the paper it’s not written on.

 

[MatthewG]

@Waiting on him I may be wrong here. It would seem to be an even more weightier matter, of the heart. Good to see you, am off to bed here. Good night to all.

 

[Webers_Home]

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No doubt most critical thinkers, if asked, would readily concede that the
Bible contains a certain amount of verifiable elements. However, I think it's
naive to expect critical thinkers to concede that even a single one of the
Bible's many supernatural elements are verifiable.
_

 

[VictoryinJesus]

What is your evidence?

It is a good question. When the word of God convicts you in an area you had never considered before…is that evidence?

 

[Robert Gwin]

Hearing from God!

God speaks to those who listen.

Thanks for you input maam. May I ask how God speaks to those who listen?

 

[Robert Gwin]

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Heb 11:1

At first I disagreed Amad, but after I thought about it, I understood and fully agree. So what "evidence" convinces you the Bible is truly from God.

 

[Robert Gwin]

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The Bible can't hold up to critical examination. Some of ts history is
verifiable but to my knowledge, none of its supernatural elements are.

For example; the Bible says that there are demons but I've never seen one
for myself.

The Bible says there's a Hell; but nobody I know has come back from there
with a story to tell.

The Bible says there was a Jesus, but there is so little historical evidence to
prove his existence that he cannot be verified; and even if he were to be
verified, there's no way to prove that the words he's alleged to have spoken
were really spoken at all, let alone by him.

Where is the iron-clad geological evidence for a global deluge?

The Bible claims that a certain holy spirit (a ghost) resides inside every
Christian's physical body. Can that be proven true by experimentation
and/or scientific testing?

etc, etc, etc.
_

Thank you sir for your input. Some of what you say comes from a lack of understanding of Biblical words. For instance, hell is easy to prove if you know what hell is. I would bet you have personally seen people put in there at your age.

The Bible does not claim that a holy spirit is inside every Christians body, however ruach is used as the "breath" of life. Were you aware that ruach is translated into 7 different English words?

Your very calendar is based upon the existence of Jesus.

 

[Robert Gwin]

Galatians 5:22-25 speaks of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. And God has spoken to me on a few occasions and filled me with massive amounts of Peace, Love and Joy. So I know Galatians 5:22-25 is inspired from God. And then the rest falls into place.

Thanks for your comment Devin. I agree that those are God's qualities, but how about those that they were contrasted with?

 

[Wrangler]

What is your evidence?

Hebrews 4:12, the word of God is alive. I’ve experienced that.

 

[Robert Gwin]

I would begin with ignoring the most of the Scriptures and focusing on the history and proofs that it gives concerning (a) the authorship of the Gospels, (b) the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and (c) the gift of the Holy Spirit to the Saints.

(a) When one looks at all the earliest records it is shown and proven that the authorship claims of the NT are correctly Apostolic, therefore we have eyewitness accounts of it. (b) All other explanations of the Resurrection are insufficient (hallucination theory, stolen body theory, etc), and many arguments have been given which prove this. (c) Moreover one can look at the history of the Church from St. Luke or Eusebius to verify whether or not the Lord gave the Holy Spirit as He said He would. St. Paul says that the Holy Spirit is the "pledge of our inheritance," meaning the giving of this is meant to prove that we do have the coming inheritance. So see the fruits of the Spirit in all of the works of His Saints to see whether or not it has been given.

At this point whether one believes it or not is up to the Lord giving the gift of faith. The Lord Jesus especially stressed the last proof saying "if you don't believe My words then at least believe the works."

Having the nous enlightened at this point by God I would look for the reception by the Holy Spirit in the Church of the books inspired by the Holy Spirit to the Church and this convinces me that the Bible is from God, so now having begun by disregarding the books one comes full circle to accepting the books.

This is a rough sketch of one common way the acceptance of Scriptures is justified, of course such a process doesn't need to happen always. Some people are so blessed that they hear the Word of God preached and on this occasion God enlightens them with the ray of faith so that they immediately assent and believe. Blessed are they.

Great response sir, good analogy, it would be extremely rare however for one to immediately "assent and believe". Christianity is a growth process, true we have an example of where that might appear true Acts 8:30-36, but it was not an impulsive act. He was a Jewish proselyte, and already had a knowledge of the Scriptures, including the Messianic prophecies. Now that he had information about Jesus’ role in God’s purpose, he could get baptized without delay.

 

[Robert Gwin]

Well, everyone knows that a verbal covenant is not worth the paper it’s not written on.

Unless of course a True Christian agrees to it. But even among us Christians, we encourage legal agreements to be put in writing.

 

[Waiting on him]

I’m guessing the only evidence would be the manifestation of the Spirit of God seen through our lives. If Christ is manifest at all then there would have to be a source of this product.

 

[Robert Gwin]

It is a good question. When the word of God convicts you in an area you had never considered before…is that evidence?

If it is to you Vicky, then it is. I find however that would be a likelihood if one was going to a counselor wouldn't you think?

 

[Webers_Home]

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When the word of God convicts you in an area you had never considered
before…is that evidence?

Evidence of that nature would be subjective rather than objective. In other
words; it might be adequate enough to convince yourself that the Bible is
from God, but I seriously doubt that your psychological experiences would
hold up in a court of law consisting of a sensible judge and a sensible jury.
They'd likely require something from you that's a bit more substantial, i.e.
capable of being verified by observation or experiment.
_

 

[VictoryinJesus]

If it is to you Vicky, then it is. I find however that would be a likelihood if one was going to a counselor wouldn't you think?

I only can speak from what I’ve experienced. Can one go to a counselor and see it? Truly I don’t see counselors as working magic …like they speak and someone’s eyes are instantly opened to ‘wow, I’m so glad you pointed that out, I had never noticed that before you said it.’ Like magic, my life has been fixed, here is the money for your session thanks. I use to see a woman counselor and I do believe she helped plant, an example ‘perfect love cast out fear’. but (Imo) God is the one who took those things she had said; years after I stopped seeing her, where for the first time some of what she said back then made sense. At the time, I was staring at her in every session knowing I needed help, not knowing where to go for help, and secretly thinking she was full of it. Like the pills for panic attacks. Like the depression medicine. The psycho analysis. All of it useless. I had lost all faith in any of it being a magic pill. Maybe temporary help, but not help to the core of a thing, which core was me. I had lost faith anyone could get at the core. Again (just an opinion) but what is the evidence for me: is the profound way God can go right to the heart and reveal who we are. We don’t like it. But the evidence (again to me) is how no other but Him pin-points the heart of the matter better…even in the Word of God where He tells why we do some of the things like rebel, fight, accuse out of fear, wrestle and resist. Hating change …while everyday preaching and teaching and professing ‘they will be changed’. yet despising, hating and fearful of any change at all, fighting it to the bitter end. Like rebellious children seeing change as something to be avoided and immediately spit on. (Just an opinion). The evidence being He took part of the same, saying He is able to take that which is marred and create something useful? which is Why ‘and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.’ Isaiah 9:6

 

[VictoryinJesus]

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Evidence of that nature would be subjective rather than objective. In other
words; it might be adequate enough to convince yourself that the Bible is
from God, but I seriously doubt that your psychological experiences would
hold up in a court of law consisting of a sensible judge and a sensible jury.
They'd likely require something from you that's a bit more substantial, i.e.
capable of being verified by observation or experiment.
_

that makes no sense to me. There is only one Judge. Thing about this Judge is we don’t have to scramble to present our evidence, to state our case, keeping an account for the record to justify ourselves …do we?

 

[amadeus]

At first I disagreed Amad, but after I thought about it, I understood and fully agree. So what "evidence" convinces you the Bible is truly from God.

All of us believe in something. We have something we put faith in... whether it pertains to God and His Way or not. Most people believe in computers and what one can do with them. Most people believe in gasoline powered vehicles [automobiles for example] and what one can do with them. Neither of my examples were always believed by most people, were they?

I am convinced that what is written in my heart by the Spirit is from God. The Bible is the bare bones of Jesus, but who can see and understand it all? Who can see and understand of all of Jesus? Unbelievers read the Bible and get nothing good because they really are not looking for it.

 

[Helen]

Thanks for you input maam. May I ask how God speaks to those who listen?

when we get quiet enough and shut out the babble of the world , we hear Gods voice …sometimes a whisper within our spirit. Sometimes through a verse He brings to mind that speaks to us …only once , back in 1975 did I hear the loud booming voice of God…it shook the house ( to me) …my husband slept on, he didn’t hear it.
These are only a few ways of God speaking….. God does not limit Himself.

It’s impossible to become a child of God if we never HEAR Him call us! And each one of us has a different experience.

Just my two cents.

 

[amadeus]

when we get quiet enough and shut out the babble of the world , we hear Gods voice …sometimes a whisper within our spirit. Sometimes through a verse He brings to mind that speaks to us …only once , back in 1975 did I hear the loud booming voice of God…it shook the house ( to me) …my husband slept on, he didn’t hear it.
These are only a few ways of God speaking….. God does not limit Himself.

It’s impossible to become a child of God if we never HEAR Him call us! And each one of us has a different experience.

Just my two cents.

His sheep certainly hear His voice!

 

[Webers_Home]

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There is only one Judge.

Please do not claim there is only one judge unless you can substantiate your
claim with evidence apart from a holy book.

Thank You
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