by John Devera

Created on: February 11, 2008

The bible is trustworthy. But the Bible is not a science book. If God wrote a science book, I would certainly enjoy reading it, but that's not the Bible's purpose. The Bible is not a self help book. Quite frankly, we are unable to help ourselves. The Bible is not a history book. If it were, it would have been constructed in chronological order. So, if it isn't any of these things, what is it, and why is it reliable?

The Bible tells us its own purpose. Saint Paul tells us, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." (Rom. 15.4) That means the purpose of the Bible is to learn that God has given us hope, and that He is looking out for us. Saint Paul also tells us that, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." (II Tim. 3.16) That means that the Bible informs us how to live our lives, fix our mistakes, and how to worship correctly.

In those terms, the Bible is extremely reliable. Saint John says, "Sanctify them through Thy Truth: Thy word is truth." (John 17.17) The Bible offers itself as evidence of its truth because it has the power to sanctify us, to make us gradually more an more in the image of Jesus. Now, let me be clear. When Jesus sacrificed himself for us, His perfect act of sacrifice sanctified us in the eyes of God. But, as diligent Christians, we must gradually sanctify our lives by repentance and commitment to the works of God.

Now, you may be asking, how do I know I can trust the Bible so completely that I can use it as a guide in my own life to lead me in God's path. Well, simply put, you must test it. Like any scientist, you have a hypothesis, now falsify it. Try your best to prove it false in every legitimate experiment you can devise, and see if it doesn't come out being reliable. Consider the following method.

1. In the short term. Read the scriptures. Join a bible study with Godly and experienced Christians who know what they're doing. Using the scriptures as a guide, pray diligently for clarity in your life and insight into spiritual things. If the Bible is reliable, then the results will be immediately evident. Not only will God begin communicating with you, speaking through His Word, you will also begin to experience the comforting power of scripture. You will witness the difference between you and those people who have completely put their

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