What if the Bible is True
if so... Where do you Stand?
I am a Christian who believes in the Bible as being the inerrant Word of God. Some of my readers of course are not of the same opinion; many may, in some way acknowledge the existence of a god, but they do not necessarily see things as I do, concerning the Bible. Many view the Bible not as “God’s Word,” but rather as a collection of Prose and Poetry, or in some cases, they see it as a collection of ancient writings by ordinary people with some sort of “agenda,” with the ultimate goal of somehow controlling the masses. The problem with that opinion is the fact that the Bible, written over thousands of years by diverse people of different cultures, having never met in most cases. This nullifies the possibility of any such collusion. Not only that, those writers have long since turned back into the dust of the Earth, so if they had such a goal as to control the masses, there was no chance of them ever seeing it happen, especially in the time that they were alive! Regardless of your particular viewpoint, back to the question at hand, “What if the Bible is true and it actually is the Word of God?” Where do you personally stand in regard to what it proclaims? What I would like you consider, just for a moment, is that simple question. Putting aside all the excuses you may currently have for not believing in the Bible, simply consider the question, “What if it’s true.”
Having personally studied the Bible with ever-increasing vigor since around 1968; being a skeptic at that point in my life, I was not quite an Agnostic, but very suspicious of what people said about Church and the Bible. It was not until 1972 that I became convinced that the Bible is in fact the true and accurate, Word of God. That was also the same year I became a Christian, “A Christ Follower.” I was not “Brainwashed” as a child as some would assume these days; my mother was raised Catholic, and my father, Russian Orthodox. My mom attended “Mass” on a semi-regular basis, so I guess she would have been considered “Religious” to some degree. My dad, on the other hand, would only go to his church on Christmas or Easter… maybe! At the Catholic Church, I would sit there listening to the priest talking in Latin, and at the Russian Orthodox Church I listened to the priest speaking in Russian, neither of which I understood at all. I bring this up to illustrate that I was in no way forced into believing a certain way as a child. I had very little understanding of God, the Church, or the Bible. As an older teen and young adult, my parents were aware that I was searching for answers, but the fact that they had little if any understanding of God or the Bible themselves, neither of them could be considered a viable influence one-way, or the other.
When I announced to my parents in 1972 that I now considered myself a “Born-again Christian,” neither had any idea what I was talking about! Although I believe my mother also really did not understand what I had experienced at the time, she did not seem to have a problem with the fact that I now had a desire to follow God and the Bible. My father on the other hand, responded by saying, “I thought you were stronger than that,” although he too did not understand what had taken place in my life. My father went on to become one of my biggest challengers and tormentors concerning my “new found faith,” in spite of being among the least religious among all my relatives. He had even stopped talking to his own brother for many years as his brother was instrumental in “guiding me” towards my faith in Jesus, along with his wife. Other family members (Aunts and Uncles) were also antagonistic towards me upon my decision to follow Christ, especially the “hard Core Catholics” on my mother’s side. I say all this to say that I have been on both sides of the fence so to speak, I came to my faith after years of questions, years of debate, and years of inner emotional struggle. Now I faced the rejection and persecution from members of my own family, friends, and relatives. This resulted in a heartache that I had never experienced before, for now “God Himself,” through His Holy Spirit, influenced my love towards them. I desperately wanted all of them to have what I now had, a desire I retain to this day.
In the world we currently live in, people are becoming more “polarized” than ever, concerning everything from social and political issues to historical issues, especially issues involving the Bible. We cannot agree on historical facts, some having been accepted for centuries, and we cannot even seem to come to agreement on scientific facts, such as what determines our gender, or when human life actually begins! Throughout my own lifetime, (I am 73), it was not always this confusing, at least not to my recollection. Do you remember a concept called Logic, and another called Truth? Both of these concepts seem to have been lost somewhere along the way as well! Throughout many years of studying the Bible, I found that these two concepts are actually the foundation of the Bible! Many people today claim to be seekers of truth, but reject the Bible, without having ever studied it themselves; they may refer to what they have heard people say about the Bible, but they have never actually studied it to verify what they have heard. Others simply do not let the Bible get in the way of what they believe. This is not what I call being a “Truth Seeker!”
Additionally, people are constantly sucked into the myth that the Bible is full of errors or contradictions, but when pressed to reveal them, they present no evidence (as there is none). I concede that there have been many misinterpretations of the Bible, especially by different religious sects, but if honestly researched, and kept in context, the truth always surfaces without error or contradiction. In order to consider the question of “What if the Bible is true,” one has to take the time to find out for him, or herself, what the Bible actually says. This requires more than a superficial skimming through it. I was taught years ago to use the following formula when studying the Bible: As you read through it, ask yourself three questions… what does it say, what does it mean, and what does it mean to me (you)? If you read it using this formula, it will give you a better understanding of the message within. You must also consider when it was written, and to whom it was written.
One can find the answer to any question concerning life in the Bible. This includes questions concerning government, marriage, morality, finances, love, hate, sexuality, homosexuality, cross-dressing, even welfare and gluttony. You name it, and you can find the answer in the Bible! These issues are among the most prevalent in the news these days; so, why do you suppose people reject what the Bible says or never bother to look to see what the Bible says concerning these issues? Ironically, you can even find the answer to that question in the Bible! I challenge all reading this to ask anyone who has been around for more than 50 years whether they feel the world is getting better or worse. I dare say that the overwhelming majority would say the world is getting worse with each passing day, politically, morally, and socially. I also dare say that people feel the world as a whole is getting more evil, more violent, and more confusing every day. If you are wondering why, the answer to that can also be found in the Bible! You see, within the Bible there have been / and still are, many predictions as to things that have happened, things that are happening, and things that will happen in the future; does this not this spark the least bit of curiosity in you? Doesn’t it make you wonder what the Bible really says, so you can decide for yourself, whether it is true or not? If you read the Bible and come away rejecting it, at least you can say you looked for yourself before making your decision. However, if you come away realizing that it is indeed the true and accurate Word of God, then you must ask yourself the second part of the question… “Where do I stand with God according to His Word?” This is the most important question you will ever face, a question we will all soon have to answer for ourselves as we all have an expiration date. It is important that you base your answer on personal knowledge, not hear say, or someone else’s uninformed statements or opinions. Your Eternity is at stake here; and whether you accept or reject the Word of God and the work of Jesus on the cross, it is totally up to you! You must decide if the Bible is true.
If this has inspired you to explore what the Bible has to say, I encourage you to begin in the Gospel of John as it gives a broad yet detailed overview of the Gospel. Then proceed to The Book of Romans chapter 1. There you will find some of the reasons our world is in the mess it is in and why. God bless you!
2 Peter 3:9-10 (NKJV)
9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.