BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. (See HOLY SPIRIT).
BELIEVE. (See FAITH).
BIBLE
The word “Bible” is not found in the Bible itself, but the words “new testament” and “old testament” are (2 Corinthians 3:6, 14). The word “Bible” came from the Greek language and means “book,” and the word “testament” means “covenant.” The New Testament was written in Greek, and the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, although about half of Daniel (Daniel 2:4b–7:28) and Ezra (Ezra 4:8–6:18, 7:12–26) were written in Aramaic. There are 66 books in our English Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. Both the Old and the New Testament are the inspired Word of God, with the Old Testament being completed about 450 years before Christ, and the New Testament written after the death of Christ but completed in the first-century AD. The first part of the Bible was written 3,500 years ago, and though other religions or civilizations have a few fragments or tablets that predate the Bible, the Bible is for all practical purposes the oldest book in the world. There are about 40 human authors (almost all Jewish), and it was written over a 1,600-year period.
The Bible is our sole rule of faith and practice; not what a man believes, or a committee, or by vote, or opinions, but God’s Word has the final say. Acts 17:11: “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is the head of the church; the only effective way for this to be so is if a church reads and obeys His words—otherwise Christ is the head of that church only in name but not in reality. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
All the Bible was given by inspiration of God, not inspiration of man. “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” (2 Peter 1:21; see also 2 Timothy 3:16). There would be no point in God giving His inspired Word if He did not also preserve it (Matthew 5:18 and Luke 21:33; see INSPIRATION; see PRESERVATION). Christ read and trusted the Bible, using it to answer questions and to counter temptation (Matthew 4:4–10), often saying “It is written…” or “Have ye not read…” There are literally thousands of manuscripts that have come out of antiquity for both the Old and New Testament. No other ancient book or quotations of a philosopher comes even close to having such a large witness to its authenticity. The Dead Sea Scrolls (dating from about 300 BC to the time of Christ) contain many fragments and complete books of the Old Testament, and instead of disagreeing with what we have today, they confirm the Bible. We are not to change the Bible. I have heard people say that because we now have “modern” scholarship we need to reevaluate what parts of the Bible should be added to or taken out, including entire books of the Bible. Such people should be honest enough to admit that modern scholars do not agree among themselves. So which modern scholars would then be chosen for this job? Would it be those who do not believe in the miracles of the Bible, such as the bodily resurrection of Christ, or have a light view of the inspiration of the Bible? But God has gotten along without their “help” since the formation of the New Testament—not one word has been added or taken away. “What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it” (Deuteronomy 12:32). “Every word of God is pure…Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar” (Proverbs 30:5–6). “If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life” (Revelation 22:18–19).
Scholars and archaeologists, over 70 percent of them do not even believe Moses was ever alive. They say the Exodus was a “fabricated history” by Jewish priests to provide their people with a past. But the Exodus and the miracles of the Bible all happened as stated (1 Corinthians 10:1–11), and though one may make an allegory from them, the events are historical.
Thankfully, there are scholars who believe the Bible, but most do not, especially when it disagrees with their theories. Would you expect scholars who do not believe the Bible to find any evidence for the Exodus? How hard would they look for it? How much time and money would you spend looking for something you did not believe existed? They do not like their source of information coming from the Bible, which teaches about God, creation, and miracles. Yet they will readily cherish any papyrus they find in the sand of Egypt, whose author would have believed in Egyptian mythology and worshiped a multitude of Egyptian gods, half of which were animals. Some even inform us that we should not interpret the miracles of the Bible literally. But Christ and His apostles interpreted the miracles of the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) literally (Noah and the flood, Lot and the fire and brimstone that rained down from heaven, etc. See Luke 17:26–29). They like to tell you that Moses could not have written the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible), as the last page records his death. It is, however, understood that the scribes of that day would have finished this part of Deuteronomy (under Joshua’s supervision) and may have written down other portions during the life of Moses, though under his supervision. However, these same textual scholars will divide the Pentateuch into different parts, Jahwist text, Elohist text, Deuteronomist, Priestly text—hence J, E, D, and P texts, which they believe were written by different authors at different times and later combined, and all of them hundreds of years after the time of Moses and the Exodus. But these are imaginary works, and no ancient text has ever been found that backs this up. On the other hand, there are thousands of ancient Hebrew texts in scrolls or fragments, including from the Dead Sea Scrolls, all in the form of our present-day Bible. Christ attributes all the Pentateuch to the authorship of Moses (Mark 1:44; Mark 7:10; Mark 10:2–3; Luke 16:31; Luke 24:27 and 44; John 5:46; and many other verses).
The Bible should be read daily, and at four chapters a day (roughly four pages), one could read the entire Bible, both Old and New Testament, in one year. The Bible encourages us with promises of blessings if we memorize and meditate on what is written in God’s Word (Joshua 1:7–9 and Psalm 1:2). The Word of God can cut where no sword can: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). It is the Bible, or the teaching and preaching of it, that show us our need of a Savior and how to receive Him. “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Peter 1:23; James 1:21). Christians are to obey it (James 1:22), and it will show us which areas of our soul need to be cleaned up (James 1:23–25). Reading or hearing it preached will give faith or increase it. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). We can know truth from the Bible: “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31–32; see also John 17:17). The Bible “makes us free” from superstition, false teaching, and lies. The Bible gives “comfort” and “hope” (Romans 15:4), and it is “a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105; see PRESERVATION; see INSPIRATION; see ILLUMINATION; see INTERPRETATION).
I said in the beginning of this book that I use the King James Bible, and there are good men who would not agree, but it is not the scope of this book to give the details necessary to convince those who hold to other versions. There are many websites, pro and con, for those who are interested in this subject. And those with extreme positions can be found on both sides of this argument.
I recommend the book, A MORE SURE WORD, WHICH BIBLE CAN YOU TRUST? By R. B. Ouellette.
1) https://www.amazon.com/More-Sure-Word-Which-Bible/dp/1598940473
2) http://www.wayoflife.org/database/textsversionsheader.html
3) http://www.holybibleinstitute.com/files/Faith_vs._Modern_Bible_Versions.pdf
4) http://febc.edu.sg/assets/pdfs/VPP/TheKingJamesVersionDefended.pdf
On the practical side of the argument, there are two points that I rarely see mentioned that I would like to touch on. Bible believers used to read selected passages together in church, both young and old, each holding the same version of the Bible, but today with all the different versions it would be a tower of Babel (1 Corinthians 14:33). And for years I have read how each new version would be “better,” “improved,” “superior,” “from better manuscripts,” etc., but such statements are really opinions and those scholars who say such things do not agree among themselves (see PRESERVATION, INSPIRATION, BIBLE).
BELIEVE. (See FAITH).
BIBLE
The word “Bible” is not found in the Bible itself, but the words “new testament” and “old testament” are (2 Corinthians 3:6, 14). The word “Bible” came from the Greek language and means “book,” and the word “testament” means “covenant.” The New Testament was written in Greek, and the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, although about half of Daniel (Daniel 2:4b–7:28) and Ezra (Ezra 4:8–6:18, 7:12–26) were written in Aramaic. There are 66 books in our English Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. Both the Old and the New Testament are the inspired Word of God, with the Old Testament being completed about 450 years before Christ, and the New Testament written after the death of Christ but completed in the first-century AD. The first part of the Bible was written 3,500 years ago, and though other religions or civilizations have a few fragments or tablets that predate the Bible, the Bible is for all practical purposes the oldest book in the world. There are about 40 human authors (almost all Jewish), and it was written over a 1,600-year period.
The Bible is our sole rule of faith and practice; not what a man believes, or a committee, or by vote, or opinions, but God’s Word has the final say. Acts 17:11: “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is the head of the church; the only effective way for this to be so is if a church reads and obeys His words—otherwise Christ is the head of that church only in name but not in reality. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
All the Bible was given by inspiration of God, not inspiration of man. “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” (2 Peter 1:21; see also 2 Timothy 3:16). There would be no point in God giving His inspired Word if He did not also preserve it (Matthew 5:18 and Luke 21:33; see INSPIRATION; see PRESERVATION). Christ read and trusted the Bible, using it to answer questions and to counter temptation (Matthew 4:4–10), often saying “It is written…” or “Have ye not read…” There are literally thousands of manuscripts that have come out of antiquity for both the Old and New Testament. No other ancient book or quotations of a philosopher comes even close to having such a large witness to its authenticity. The Dead Sea Scrolls (dating from about 300 BC to the time of Christ) contain many fragments and complete books of the Old Testament, and instead of disagreeing with what we have today, they confirm the Bible. We are not to change the Bible. I have heard people say that because we now have “modern” scholarship we need to reevaluate what parts of the Bible should be added to or taken out, including entire books of the Bible. Such people should be honest enough to admit that modern scholars do not agree among themselves. So which modern scholars would then be chosen for this job? Would it be those who do not believe in the miracles of the Bible, such as the bodily resurrection of Christ, or have a light view of the inspiration of the Bible? But God has gotten along without their “help” since the formation of the New Testament—not one word has been added or taken away. “What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it” (Deuteronomy 12:32). “Every word of God is pure…Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar” (Proverbs 30:5–6). “If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life” (Revelation 22:18–19).
Scholars and archaeologists, over 70 percent of them do not even believe Moses was ever alive. They say the Exodus was a “fabricated history” by Jewish priests to provide their people with a past. But the Exodus and the miracles of the Bible all happened as stated (1 Corinthians 10:1–11), and though one may make an allegory from them, the events are historical.
Thankfully, there are scholars who believe the Bible, but most do not, especially when it disagrees with their theories. Would you expect scholars who do not believe the Bible to find any evidence for the Exodus? How hard would they look for it? How much time and money would you spend looking for something you did not believe existed? They do not like their source of information coming from the Bible, which teaches about God, creation, and miracles. Yet they will readily cherish any papyrus they find in the sand of Egypt, whose author would have believed in Egyptian mythology and worshiped a multitude of Egyptian gods, half of which were animals. Some even inform us that we should not interpret the miracles of the Bible literally. But Christ and His apostles interpreted the miracles of the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) literally (Noah and the flood, Lot and the fire and brimstone that rained down from heaven, etc. See Luke 17:26–29). They like to tell you that Moses could not have written the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible), as the last page records his death. It is, however, understood that the scribes of that day would have finished this part of Deuteronomy (under Joshua’s supervision) and may have written down other portions during the life of Moses, though under his supervision. However, these same textual scholars will divide the Pentateuch into different parts, Jahwist text, Elohist text, Deuteronomist, Priestly text—hence J, E, D, and P texts, which they believe were written by different authors at different times and later combined, and all of them hundreds of years after the time of Moses and the Exodus. But these are imaginary works, and no ancient text has ever been found that backs this up. On the other hand, there are thousands of ancient Hebrew texts in scrolls or fragments, including from the Dead Sea Scrolls, all in the form of our present-day Bible. Christ attributes all the Pentateuch to the authorship of Moses (Mark 1:44; Mark 7:10; Mark 10:2–3; Luke 16:31; Luke 24:27 and 44; John 5:46; and many other verses).
The Bible should be read daily, and at four chapters a day (roughly four pages), one could read the entire Bible, both Old and New Testament, in one year. The Bible encourages us with promises of blessings if we memorize and meditate on what is written in God’s Word (Joshua 1:7–9 and Psalm 1:2). The Word of God can cut where no sword can: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). It is the Bible, or the teaching and preaching of it, that show us our need of a Savior and how to receive Him. “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Peter 1:23; James 1:21). Christians are to obey it (James 1:22), and it will show us which areas of our soul need to be cleaned up (James 1:23–25). Reading or hearing it preached will give faith or increase it. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). We can know truth from the Bible: “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31–32; see also John 17:17). The Bible “makes us free” from superstition, false teaching, and lies. The Bible gives “comfort” and “hope” (Romans 15:4), and it is “a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105; see PRESERVATION; see INSPIRATION; see ILLUMINATION; see INTERPRETATION).
I said in the beginning of this book that I use the King James Bible, and there are good men who would not agree, but it is not the scope of this book to give the details necessary to convince those who hold to other versions. There are many websites, pro and con, for those who are interested in this subject. And those with extreme positions can be found on both sides of this argument.
I recommend the book, A MORE SURE WORD, WHICH BIBLE CAN YOU TRUST? By R. B. Ouellette.
1) https://www.amazon.com/More-Sure-Word-Which-Bible/dp/1598940473
2) http://www.wayoflife.org/database/textsversionsheader.html
3) http://www.holybibleinstitute.com/files/Faith_vs._Modern_Bible_Versions.pdf
4) http://febc.edu.sg/assets/pdfs/VPP/TheKingJamesVersionDefended.pdf
On the practical side of the argument, there are two points that I rarely see mentioned that I would like to touch on. Bible believers used to read selected passages together in church, both young and old, each holding the same version of the Bible, but today with all the different versions it would be a tower of Babel (1 Corinthians 14:33). And for years I have read how each new version would be “better,” “improved,” “superior,” “from better manuscripts,” etc., but such statements are really opinions and those scholars who say such things do not agree among themselves (see PRESERVATION, INSPIRATION, BIBLE).
