Articles

These links are excellent study resources; however, as always, you should use the Bible as your sole guide in all religious matters. We do not necessarily agree with everything written on these sites.

How Do We Know the Bible is God’s Word?

How do we know the Bible is God’s Word? The Bible is “self-authenticating.” That is, the Bible possesses certain attributes, qualities and characteristics that prove it to be the inspired authoritative word of God:

First, we should note that the Bible claims to be the word of God: (1) “All scripture is given by inspiration of God…” II Timothy 3:16-17 (2) “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost (Spirit).” 1 Peter 1:21

Both Old and New Testaments are filled with claims like these affirming the inspiration of the writers of the Bible. Secondly, consider some specific qualities and characteristics which take the Bible outside of the natural realm and prove it to be the inspired word of God.

Proof Number 1: Predictive prophecy. The hundreds of prophecies recorded in the Bible in minute detail and their clear, unquestioned fulfillment stand as an unanswerable argument for proof of the divine origin of the Bible. Just the prophecies concerning Christ number in the hundreds. There are also prophecies and verified, detailed fulfillment concerning the Jews and other nations in the Old Testament.

Proof Number 2: Scientific truths. The Bible contradicts no known fact of science. The Bible taught the spherical shape of the earth and the fact that it is suspended in space in a day and time when this information was unknown (Proverbs 8:27; Isaiah 40:22; Job 26:7). This is just one of many examples of the scientific accuracy of the Bible.

Proof Number 3: Supernatural unity. About 40 different men from all parts of the civilized world and from various and contrasting backgrounds wrote 66 books which have a humanly impossible unity of purpose, structure and teaching. This was done over a period of some 1600 years. This characteristic alone demonstrates the fact that the Bible is beyond mere human explanation.

This article only touches the hem of the garment concerning the conclusive evidences of the inspiration of the Bible.

RK

LET THE BIBLE SPEAK

Does grace include obedience to the command to be baptized for the remission of sins? The Bible answer is yes—the Bible proof is as follows:

Case #1—Recipients of I Peter

1. Peter wrote to Christians (I Peter 1:1-2)

2. Peter wrote concerning the “true grace of God” (I Peter 5:12).

3. Peter indicated that obedience is included in the “true grace of God” (I Peter 1:2, 13, 22).

4. Peter specifically stated that “baptism doth also now save us” (I Peter 3:21).

5. The idea that baptism is essential to salvation is in total harmony with the true grace of God.

Case #2—The Galatians

1. Paul wrote to the “churches of Galatia” (Galatians 1:2).

2. These brethren had been “called...into the grace of Christ” (Galatians 1:6).

3. Paul specifically stated that as a part of becoming “children of God” that they had been “baptized into Christ” and by doing thus they had “put on Christ” (Galatians 3:26-27).

4. It is clear that being baptized into Christ is part of being called into the grace of Christ.

Case #3—The Ephesians

1. The Ephesians were saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8-10).

2. If we read Acts 19:1-7 and specifically Acts 19:5 we will learn that being saved by grace includes being “baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Acts 19:1-7 is the historical account of how the Ephesians were saved.

3. Luke, the writer of Acts, has already indicated earlier that baptism in the Lord’s name (or by His authority) was “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38).

4. Again it is clear that being saved by grace includes baptism for the remission of sins.

Case #4—The Romans

1. Paul addressed the Christians at Rome (Romans 1:1-7).

2. These, as well as all Christians, had been saved by the amazing grace of God (Romans 3:23-26).

3. In Romans 6:1-4 Paul states that he, as well as these Roman Christians, had been “buried” in the waters of baptism from which they had been “raised” to walk a new life in Christ. Notice here that baptism stands between every lost person and a new life in Christ.

4. Once again God’s grace and the essential nature of baptism are in complete harmony.

A person is engaged in a nefarious business indeed who tries to array the commands of God against the grace of God and thereby perverts the gospel (Galatians 1:6-9).

RK

LET THE BIBLE SPEAK

Interesting Facts About the Bible:

1. About 40 men over a period of about 1,600 years were involved in writing the Bible.

2. The Bible affirms its own inspiration. (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1-21; I Thessalonians 2:13: I Corinthians 14:37)

3. The Bible contains 3,566,480 letters, 773,746 words, 31,102 verses, 1,189 chapters and 66 books.

4. The average word in the Bible is less than five letters.

5. The middle chapter and also the shortest is Psalm 117 (two verses).

6. The middle verse in the Bible is Psalm 118:8.

7. The shortest verse in the New Testament is John 11:35 (in the Greek I Thessalonians 5:16).

8. The longest verse in the Bible is Esther 8:9 (90 words).

9. The longest word in the Bible is in Isaiah 8:1.

10. The longest chapter is Psalm 119.

Although these facts are of interest to all, they are merely facts about the Bible.

The Bible is the only book that gives adequate answers to questions concerning the origin, purpose and destiny of mankind. In order to please God we need to know what the Bible teaches and then apply it to our lives. This fact is stressed in the following scriptures:

“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22

“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” Luke 6:46

“Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you.” John 15:14

“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have a right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:14

RK

Is Heaven Your Eternal Destination?

Luke 13:24 “Strive to enter in at the strait gate..”

Have you obeyed the gospel of Christ?

“Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you” Romans 16:17; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38.

Are you putting first things first?

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” Colossians 3:1-2; Matthew 6:33.

Are you faithful in your attendance to the worship services?

“And they continued stedfastly…” Acts 2:42 “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” Hebrews 10:25.

Are you interested in the work of the church?

“And let us not be weary in well doing” Galatians 6:9 “To be ready to every good work” Titus 3:1.

Are you living daily as you should?

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world…” Titus 2:11-12.

RK

Let the Bible Speak

In this article we want to ask and give a Bible answer to some important questions concerning the Sabbath Day.

Question #1—What is the Sabbath?

The word Sabbath means the “ceasing from work or activity.” In the Old Testament Law the word is used in connection with (1) The Day of Atonement: Leviticus 16:29-31; (2) The Seventh Year: Leviticus 25:2-4); (3) The Fiftieth Year: Leviticus 25:8-11; (4) The Seventy Years of Judah’s bondage: II Chronicles 36:21 and (5) The Seventh Day of the week. This study will focus on the Sabbath as the seventh day of the week.

Question #2—To whom was the Sabbath given?

The Sabbath law was given only to the Jews (Deuteronomy 5:1-3, 6-21). The command to keep the Sabbath holy was never given to any other people.

Question #3—When was the Sabbath law given to the Jews?

Some might point to Genesis 2:1-3 to prove that the Sabbath law was given at creation. However, Genesis 2 is a statement of fact, not a command. The Sabbath was not made known or given until the giving of the Old Law to the Jews at Mt. Sinai (Nehemiah 9:13-14; Ezekiel 20:10-12).

Question #4—Why was the Sabbath given to the Jews?

It was given as a day of rest and a day of remembrance of the Jews’ deliverance from Egypt (Exodus 31:15-17; Deuteronomy 5:15). Also, it was given as “a sign” between God and Israel (Exodus 31:13-17). This within itself indicates that it was exclusively a law for the Old Testament Jewish nation.

Question #5—When did the Sabbath end as a law to be observed by God’s people?

The Old Testament anticipated the end of the Old Law and the Sabbath (Jeremiah 31:31-34); Hosea 2:11). The New Testament says that when Jesus died on the cross, the Old Law (of which the Sabbath was part) was “nailed” to the cross and ended, giving way to the New Testament of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 8:5-13; Colossians 2:14-16; Hebrews 10:9-10; Hebrews 9:15-17; Ephesians 2:14-16; Galatians 3:19-28). We now live and serve under the New Testament of Christ. As Christians we assemble on the first day of the week (Sunday) to eat the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7), give of our means (I Corinthians 16:1-2), and worship God in Spirit and Truth (John 4:23-24).

Sometimes we hear someone talking about the “Christian sabbath.” This is an unscriptural term. There is nothing Christian about the sabbath. It was a part of Old Testament Judaism, not New Testament Christianity.

No one today can take a Bible and condemn anyone for not “observing the sabbath” (Colossians 2:16). Let us always “rightly divide the word of Truth” (II Timothy 2:15). RK