Full Transcript for How Do We Know the Bible Is True?

this is the same story again. 00:04:42.879 --> 00:04:43.439 What's the point? 00:04:43.600 --> 00:04:47.759 But it's like, no, this is all about Jesus, and we really want you to get this. 00:04:48.240 --> 00:04:53.120 Um, so it's an exhilarating thing to read God's word for the first time. 00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:54.639 It's an intimidating thing. 00:04:54.959 --> 00:05:03.439 If if you're listening to this and the Bible feels big and complex to you, you're not crazy, you're not alone. 00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:08.399 That's why God has given the church teachers and disciplers to lead you in that. 00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:12.079 Um so I'm so thankful that you had your mom read the word. 00:05:12.319 --> 00:05:14.240 It it reminds me of Timothy. 00:05:14.399 --> 00:05:16.399 He had uh what is it? 00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:17.600 Lois and Eunice. 00:05:18.240 --> 00:05:18.879 Mother and grandmother. 00:05:19.279 --> 00:05:38.480 Mother and grandmother who you know it's said of him that from early childhood he was acquainted with the scriptures, and Lord willing, let that be true of the hundreds of kids that are at River Oak, what a blessing would it be if from childhood they were acquainted from scriptures, maybe even just uh from their mom and grandma. 00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:43.360 It would shape, it would transform the church, it would transform the world, I think. 00:05:43.600 --> 00:05:48.480 Um did seminary did seminary increase your love for the word? 00:05:50.319 --> 00:05:52.160 Um I think for me. 00:05:52.399 --> 00:05:54.000 I'm not sure if it had too much of an effect. 00:05:54.240 --> 00:06:03.279 I think for me that was if I have these big moments where love for the word uh grew, it would be in that 10th, that 11th, 12th grade year. 00:06:04.000 --> 00:06:24.959 Um it would also be probably after I came out of that false church early in college, got caught up for like three months in a false church in college, very naive, sincere Christian, but naive and ignorant of much of just foundational teaching. 00:06:25.199 --> 00:06:30.319 And after that, though, there was an earnestness to have truth. 00:06:30.560 --> 00:06:38.639 But then I think seminary, when I went to seminary, that was huge for me too, because when I went to seminary, I realized how much I don't know. 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:51.600 But as I began to see and was taught more thoroughly how the Bible was put together, um, how um the books of the Bible fit, how they fit together like a glove. 00:06:51.680 --> 00:06:56.000 You have 66 books, and yet um it fits perfectly. 00:06:56.160 --> 00:07:07.680 And so when I started to see how the connection between Genesis and Romans and all these different overlappings, you begin to see how much you don't know. 00:07:07.920 --> 00:07:12.639 And it's like an endless well of learning and feeding on truth. 00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:19.040 It's not just learning knowledge, obviously, head knowledge, but it's learning about God, about God Himself. 00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:25.120 Um so seminary was a huge was huge for me, I think, in stirring up affection for the word. 00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:30.240 Yeah, for me, I don't think seminary really affected my affection for the word. 00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:32.959 I think it taught me to handle the word rightly, yeah, better. 00:07:33.279 --> 00:07:33.680 Yeah, true. 00:07:33.759 --> 00:07:38.079 Uh and it taught me probably the literary genres, which is super important to understand. 00:07:38.480 --> 00:07:44.720 Um but doubt really increased my need for the word and affection for the word. 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:52.399 I really clung to the word through seasons of doubt, and temptation really helped me with my affection for the word. 00:07:52.800 --> 00:08:02.879 And if you've never um if you've never memorized a verse or a chapter or a book of the Bible, dude, that is a transformational experience. 00:08:03.680 --> 00:08:07.519 Um it changes, I don't even know how to describe it. 00:08:08.319 --> 00:08:09.839 What did you first memorize? 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:13.360 Um, well, I began with some Proverbs. 00:08:13.839 --> 00:08:18.160 Um and then my summer in India, I memorized James, the whole book. 00:08:18.319 --> 00:08:18.879 Yeah. 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:21.680 Um and that changed my life. 00:08:21.920 --> 00:08:24.160 I mean, honestly, and I still remember huge chunks of that. 00:08:24.240 --> 00:08:25.600 And you know what's awesome, man? 00:08:25.759 --> 00:08:29.120 Is I'm um all right, I'm 31 years old. 00:08:29.199 --> 00:08:39.519 I gotta think how old I'm all right, I'm 31, and I still I'll go out on a walk and I will still to this day quote scriptures, for this is the day that the Lord has made. 00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:41.279 Let us rejoice and be glad in it. 00:08:41.519 --> 00:08:46.960 That I learned when I was a kid, when my mom, my mom and dad taught me scripture in the home. 00:08:47.200 --> 00:08:53.279 So scripture memory has been huge for me as well, of just storing up the word in your heart. 00:08:53.519 --> 00:08:58.639 Um, and of course, you may go in and out of forgetting certain ones, but it's still there. 00:08:58.799 --> 00:09:03.039 Um, and the Lord uses it, the Holy Spirit will use it and press it into your heart. 00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:04.720 Such a blessing to me. 00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:09.759 Yeah, and like think about Christ Himself uh when he was tempted by Satan. 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:11.200 What was his response? 00:09:11.440 --> 00:09:12.159 It is written. 00:09:12.399 --> 00:09:15.279 It is written, it is written, it is written. 00:09:15.519 --> 00:09:27.279 And I would ask anyone to consider do you have verses in your back pocket with the temptations that easily entangle you, where you can immediately respond, it is written, it is written, it is written. 00:09:27.440 --> 00:09:28.720 You you need those. 00:09:28.879 --> 00:09:35.759 It's almost like having a sword in a sheaf ready to go whenever you are

attacked spiritually. 00:09:35.840 --> 00:09:36.879 I find that to be really important. 00:09:37.039 --> 00:09:46.240 And even with I man, amazingly, with his um with the men who pushed against him the most, he would say, Have you not read? 00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:47.519 Have you not read? 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:48.879 Have you not read? 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:52.159 As if the solution was like, the Bible. 00:09:52.399 --> 00:09:54.879 Yeah, y'all haven't grasped like what you've read. 00:09:55.039 --> 00:09:55.519 Uh-huh. 00:09:55.840 --> 00:09:56.240 Yeah. 00:09:56.480 --> 00:10:04.080 Um, what are some what are some things that convince you of the truth that Scripture indeed is breathed out by God? 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:09.279 I know it's it's easy for us to say, this is the Bible. 00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:12.480 This is this is the word of the Lord, you know, let's say the Lord. 00:10:12.639 --> 00:10:17.440 Um but there may be listeners who genuinely are like, well, how do we know? 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:20.720 How do we know that this is the word of the Lord? 00:10:20.879 --> 00:10:38.480 Well, one of the things that gives me a lot of things give me confidence with it, but one of the things that give that should give Christians a ton of confidence with the word and its reliability, that it's really from God and not just man, is prophecies fulfilled. 00:10:38.720 --> 00:10:46.639 You know, Deuteronomy talks about, I think it's in Deuteronomy 18, it talks about um how you should test a prophet. 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:49.440 How do you know if there's a true prophet or a false prophet? 00:10:49.679 --> 00:10:51.679 Well, super profound. 00:10:51.919 --> 00:10:53.919 Does what they say come to pass? 00:10:54.480 --> 00:11:01.840 So, in theory, if you were to put God on the test, right, which the world is doing that, the world is is putting God to the test. 00:11:02.240 --> 00:11:13.600 Well, God in the Old Testament has given numerous 300, you know, people debate how many exactly, 300 plus prophecies about this coming Messiah. 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:17.440 And how how all of them were fulfilled in Christ. 00:11:17.679 --> 00:11:19.039 Now, what are the odds of that? 00:11:19.120 --> 00:11:21.039 How what do we make of that, you know? 00:11:21.360 --> 00:11:27.360 So fulfilled prophecy, God speaks, and it actually comes to pass. 00:11:27.679 --> 00:11:30.960 Um, really, if you could summarize the Old Testament, promise is made. 00:11:31.279 --> 00:11:34.240 And if you could summarize the New Testament, promise is kept. 00:11:35.279 --> 00:11:37.039 And really, that's it. 00:11:37.279 --> 00:11:40.159 That is a huge uh way to have confidence. 00:11:40.559 --> 00:11:41.519 Prophecies fulfilled. 00:11:41.759 --> 00:11:41.919 Yeah. 00:11:42.159 --> 00:11:43.440 What else comes to mind? 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:48.879 Oh man. 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:51.919 Eyewitnesses account about the resurrection. 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:58.159 I think we have to remember as Christians um that the Bible that we have, there it's a historical. 00:11:59.120 --> 00:12:01.039 It's historical documents, right? 00:12:01.279 --> 00:12:08.000 And so I'll let you go into all the details of how many manuscripts and things like that we have of the original, because that's another huge one. 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:21.120 But even thinking about the resurrection itself, um, there's a couple things that the gospel accounts, historical accounts give us about the resurrection of Christ that give us assurance that it is not made up. 00:12:21.360 --> 00:12:34.000 Uh, number one, you have eyewitnesses to the resurrection who died, who gave their life for the Jesus that they claimed rose from the dead. 00:12:34.240 --> 00:12:45.519 Now, some people will say, okay, well, yeah, sure, but with other faiths as well, people will die for their faith, but not firsthand witnesses. 00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:48.159 Not firsthand witnesses. 00:12:48.559 --> 00:12:49.679 That is not true. 00:12:50.159 --> 00:13:04.960 Um, maybe secondhand, but not firsthand witnesses in the gospel accounts, and even as you go into the book of Acts, you see firsthand witnesses to the resurrection, and you see people persevere unto death in that. 00:13:05.440 --> 00:13:10.159 That gives us a lot of confidence that Christ really rose from the dead. 00:13:10.399 --> 00:13:13.759 Um, again, pointing to prophecies fulfilled. 00:13:13.919 --> 00:13:18.000 Um Yeah, and some of those first eyewitnesses uh were women. 00:13:18.159 --> 00:13:24.879 Yeah, and and that's significant because at the time uh women were not even allowed to um give report in court. 00:13:25.360 --> 00:13:28.480 Um they they weren't valued as they should have been. 00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:37.279 Um but the Bible unapologetically explains just what factually happened, that the women were the first eyewitnesses to Jesus' resurrection, which is so beautiful. 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:50.000 And and also like um if I was telling like a fictional religion that I had ill motives just to start, I would not write it in the way that the Bible is written. 00:13:50.240 --> 00:13:53.279 Because really, this only depicts one hero, Jesus. 00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:57.840 Yeah, uh all of the others, it shows their flaws, it shows their faults. 00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:04.080 I mean, even the authors of the New Testament themselves, it shows them failing in in a lot of ways. 00:14:04.399 --> 00:14:08.799 Um and it shows the humanity of of of everyone. 00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:12.240 Um so that that offers some credibility as well. 00:14:12.559 --> 00:14:26.159 I think another thing too is how the by I've seen it, obviously we've seen it in our own hearts and lives, how God's word transformed our life and how it's transformed other people's lives. 00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:30.240 So many people's lives have been completely transformed by the word of God. 00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:37.279 We've seen um people who have been

enslaved to sin. 00:14:38.080 --> 00:14:46.960 And through the word of God and the power of God's grace and through his spirit, those chains completely break, broken. 00:14:47.519 --> 00:14:48.960 How do you explain that, right? 00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:51.600 That's not self-self-help can't do that. 00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:59.600 Um so the Bible has demonstrated itself to be, I've seen this experientially in my life, and I've seen it in other people's lives. 00:14:59.759 --> 00:15:15.840 Um there's a man actually who um I met with uh to talk about baptism, and he explained how, you know, he came to church one day this summer, and the pastor told the congregation to go home and read, read through the Gospel of John. 00:15:16.480 --> 00:15:28.559 And he went home and he said, for the next two days, and this was an unbeliever, this was a man who would testify like I wasn't f I did not follow Jesus, and he had a lot of turmoil in his life, to be honest. 00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:37.919 And he is he said, after spending two days just reading through uh the gospel, he was completely changed. 00:15:38.159 --> 00:15:48.720 Driving home on a Tuesday afternoon, just broken, weeping, conviction set in, eyes opened to Christ, went home that day. 00:15:48.879 --> 00:15:58.399 Uh an unbeliever just before this went home that day going to his neighbor across the street that day, asking this neighbor, Do you know Jesus? 00:15:59.200 --> 00:16:02.320 How like how do you explain that? 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:04.960 We don't see that type of change. 00:16:05.039 --> 00:16:07.840 This the word claims to be alive and active. 00:16:08.000 --> 00:16:08.240 Yeah. 00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:10.639 And there are clear examples such as that one. 00:16:10.799 --> 00:16:11.120 Yes. 00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:15.039 And so many more, where it proves to be alive and active. 00:16:15.919 --> 00:16:17.279 It's not just an old dead book. 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:18.879 Yeah, agreed. 00:16:19.279 --> 00:16:33.840 Um, another kind of like internal evidence, I would say, um, of like what the Bible says about itself, and we'll we'll get to some external uh evidence as well, but um, is Jesus' claims about the Bible, Jesus' view of the Bible. 00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:42.879 So to me, a huge key factor is like if the if the resurrection didn't happen, then all this is a sham, and we should totally be doing something different with our lives right now. 00:16:43.279 --> 00:16:49.679 But because the resurrection did happen, and we have evidence and credibility to believe that, and we do, and we also have faith. 00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:54.559 It's we're not just basing this off of just fact books and and archaeology. 00:16:54.639 --> 00:16:56.879 I mean, we we do exercise faith. 00:16:57.039 --> 00:17:01.600 Um, but because he rose from the dead, he is truly the Son of God. 00:17:01.679 --> 00:17:04.960 So whatever he had to say about the word is incredibly relevant. 00:17:05.440 --> 00:17:08.480 And Jesus said, Sanctify them in the in the truth. 00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:10.960 Your word is truth. 00:17:11.119 --> 00:17:16.559 Uh Jesus said, Do not think that I came to abolish the law, which was what was a reference to the Old Testament. 00:17:16.720 --> 00:17:18.319 I came to fulfill the law. 00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:24.480 Uh when you even read Jesus' view of the Old Testament, he's never rejecting it. 00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:30.079 He's never saying, Y'all were misguided, uh, these were false authors, this is inaccurate. 00:17:30.319 --> 00:17:36.799 He always affirmed the authenticity of the Old Testament, and then he himself is the New Testament, so to speak. 00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:45.119 Uh it depicts his life and then the results of his life by the men that he appointed to be the authors of the New Testament. 00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:51.039 And there's a passage that says, A no one is guided, and this is going to be a paraphrase, but no one's guided by their own will. 00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:53.519 But the spirit uh Peter wrote this. 00:17:53.839 --> 00:17:54.640 Yeah, how do you say it? 00:17:54.799 --> 00:17:59.680 The the spirit No prophecy came from one's own interpretation. 00:18:00.160 --> 00:18:04.880 Um but each one was led, I'm summarizing now too, led by the Holy Spirit. 00:18:05.039 --> 00:18:07.759 They wrote as they were led by the Holy Spirit. 00:18:08.079 --> 00:18:09.200 By the Holy Spirit, yes. 00:18:09.599 --> 00:18:16.720 While maintaining their own personality and their own experience, uh which kind of gets into the different literary genres. 00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:20.240 It's why you see even in the different writers, uh huh. 00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:25.519 Which goodness, that's another thing, written over a span of fifteen hundred years by how many different authors? 00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:29.119 Likely over fifteen hundred years, uh 40 plus authors. 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:31.680 And it fits together like a bl like a glove. 00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:38.880 Yeah, so we um we we have a picture of the cross-references of the Bible. 00:18:39.039 --> 00:18:41.839 So this is when the Bible references the Bible. 00:18:42.160 --> 00:18:45.599 And uh it's essentially like a rainbow effect. 00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:56.960 The amount of cross-references, you can look this up um online as well, but there's a vast uh continuity of the Bible, and it's all from start to finish pointing to Jesus Christ. 00:18:57.119 --> 00:19:01.039 Um now I want to speak to the to the genres uh of the Bible for a moment. 00:19:01.200 --> 00:19:03.440 I think this is a really important concept to understand. 00:19:03.680 --> 00:19:11.680 So um if you go into your Spotify account or wherever you listen to music, there's going to be different genres, and they kind of have different purposes. 00:19:11.839 --> 00:19:18.640 Uh you know, you don't listen to heavy metal rock in a silent library reading room. 00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:20.240 Uh maybe you'll go with classical.

00:19:20.880 --> 00:19:22.559 When do you listen to heavy metal rock? 00:19:22.799 --> 00:19:24.400 I do not listen to heavy metal rock. 00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:27.119 Nothing wrong with that, but I do not listen to that at all. 00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:28.160 I knew you didn't. 00:19:28.240 --> 00:19:28.880 I just wanted to ask. 00:19:29.200 --> 00:19:33.200 So we all know what it's like for music to have different flavors, different genres. 00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:37.599 And in a similar way, the different genres of the Bible have different purposes. 00:19:37.839 --> 00:19:45.359 So some of the genres, and and fill me in on this too, but uh would be wisdom literature, very practical, very applicable to our lives. 00:19:45.440 --> 00:19:50.400 This would include Proverbs, James, uh, Ecclesiastes as well. 00:19:50.559 --> 00:19:52.559 Uh there's historical narratives. 00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:58.480 Um, historical narratives is just gospel accounts, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, um, lots of Genesis. 00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:01.839 The intent is literally writing history. 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:02.079 Yeah. 00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:06.319 And that's not to be interpreted as poetry or fables. 00:20:06.480 --> 00:20:09.680 They were trying to depict what concretely happened in the world. 00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:19.279 But you do have uh poetry books, uh like the Psalms, that are to be um still interpreted as true, but interpreted in in different ways. 00:20:19.440 --> 00:20:21.839 Um I think it's important to understand that. 00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:35.759 And though we believe the Bible to be 100% inerrant, infallible, uh, every word of the original manuscripts is true, um not everything is to be taken literally. 00:20:35.839 --> 00:20:38.000 And let me let me explain that. 00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:46.480 So Jesus himself uh said things like, I am the bread, I am the door. 00:20:47.200 --> 00:20:51.759 And when he says, I am a door, he's not saying he's a literal door. 00:20:51.839 --> 00:20:55.599 He's not saying that he's made of wood and has a little doorknob that we can turn. 00:20:56.079 --> 00:21:05.119 Um, but he is saying that he is a real door, that only through faith in him can you enter into a relationship with God. 00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:16.319 And there's there's many, many, many other examples of that, but that's an important It's important to note that God he gave us his own word in language, like our language. 00:21:16.559 --> 00:21:20.559 So um, I think about even with with kids and youth. 00:21:20.880 --> 00:21:27.680 How from a spiritual biblical worldview, how important is learning language? 00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:28.880 Metaphors. 00:21:29.039 --> 00:21:30.319 What is a metaphor? 00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:31.680 Uh why is that important? 00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:32.880 Why is that a big deal? 00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:35.920 Because Jesus said, I am the door, to your point. 00:21:36.079 --> 00:21:58.559 And so he's using metaphor, and so I think even just knowing how language works, God gave us his word in language, and knowing language and how language works goes a long way for us to I think what you're getting at is to rightly understand uh a psalm versus a letter like 2 Timothy and how to understand and interpret it. 00:21:58.799 --> 00:21:59.599 Yeah, agreed. 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:02.400 So we hope that that's helpful to you. 00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:06.799 So the Bible says of itself that it is the Word of God. 00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:09.920 Admittedly, that's kind of an internal argument. 00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:19.200 There's also an external argument or credibility for why we know that the Bible is indeed accurate and true. 00:22:19.839 --> 00:22:22.480 One is archaeological evidence. 00:22:23.599 --> 00:22:29.920 The names of places that the Bible depicts you can literally go to, or they have been dug up. 00:22:30.640 --> 00:22:33.599 If you've never been to Israel, I encourage you to go to Israel. 00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:34.319 Have you been to Israel? 00:22:34.480 --> 00:22:35.519 No, man, I want to. 00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:37.359 It is remarkable. 00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:42.640 Literally, the the places where it says that the Bible a biblical event happened thousands of years ago. 00:22:42.880 --> 00:22:44.640 I do want to go to the Bible Museum. 00:22:44.880 --> 00:22:45.359 Oh, dude. 00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:50.319 I try to tried to go and government was shut down and couldn't get in somehow or whatever, but. 00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:53.519 Well, you know, some cool things about that. 00:22:53.599 --> 00:23:02.880 Um, like the most recent time that I went to the Bible Museum, there was a little uh kind of cylinder-looking um artifact that had been dug up. 00:23:03.359 --> 00:23:13.039 And one of the things that's depicted in the writing that's around this kind of cylinder artifact is the name King David. 00:23:13.599 --> 00:23:19.599 And one of the reasons why that's significant is look, the Bible has had critics since its origin, I guess. 00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:25.279 And there are some that's that would say a ridiculous claim that, well, how do we know that King David actually existed? 00:23:25.440 --> 00:23:29.440 And um, you know, we can't have certainty that that he was real. 00:23:30.000 --> 00:23:40.880 Um, but then it's like you go to a place like the Bible Museum, and it's like, here's like, I don't know, a three-pound stone that literally is saying, yeah, this man legitimately existed in history. 00:23:41.039 --> 00:23:43.440 So archaeology uh is helpful. 00:23:43.759 --> 00:23:50.319 Also, understanding um how ancient manuscripts work, uh, I have a little chart in front of me. 00:23:50.400 --> 00:23:55.359 So, Aristotle, you'll learn about Aristotle in your public history class, or I know that I did. 00:23:55.519 --> 00:23:59.839 How do we know that he was legit, that his uh authorship was authentic? 00:24:00.079 --> 00:24:05.359 Um the earliest copy uh of his authorship was

A.D. 00:24:06.319 --> 00:24:08.160 1100. 00:24:08.400 --> 00:24:18.240 And the approximate time span between between that original copy and and copies of that copy of the original um is 1,400 years. 00:24:18.319 --> 00:24:20.799 There are 49 copies, okay? 00:24:20.960 --> 00:24:30.160 And I could give you examples uh for Caesar's So you're to clarify, you're saying that the copies we have of Aristotle are a thousand years after he actually lived. 00:24:30.400 --> 00:24:30.559 Correct. 00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:31.680 Which is a long time after. 00:24:32.079 --> 00:24:32.640 Long time, yeah. 00:24:32.880 --> 00:24:34.160 Which tends to be less reliable. 00:24:34.319 --> 00:24:34.720 Less reliable. 00:24:34.880 --> 00:24:35.519 Which is what you're getting at. 00:24:35.759 --> 00:24:36.720 100%, yeah. 00:24:36.960 --> 00:24:39.039 The same could be said uh for Caesar. 00:24:39.279 --> 00:24:40.960 You know, how do we know that Caesar legitimate? 00:24:41.200 --> 00:24:44.799 No one would doubt like that Caesar was a real man that he existed. 00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:52.079 Uh Homer's Iliad, uh, this is one of this is the one with more copies than than a lot of these on the list. 00:24:52.319 --> 00:24:54.240 Earliest copy, 400 BC. 00:24:54.400 --> 00:24:57.920 500 years later, we have over 600 copies. 00:24:58.000 --> 00:24:58.640 That's pretty good. 00:24:58.720 --> 00:24:58.799 Yeah. 00:24:59.119 --> 00:25:01.599 643 copies of Homer's Iliad. 00:25:01.839 --> 00:25:14.559 Okay, in comparison, the New Testament, earliest copy, um, second century AD, AD 130 approximately, AD, uh 50 to 100 potentially. 00:25:14.799 --> 00:25:20.000 And uh the approximate time span between the original and the copy is less than 100 years. 00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:21.440 Less than 100 years. 00:25:21.599 --> 00:25:24.240 But here's the kicker uh for me at least. 00:25:24.880 --> 00:25:30.640 The number of copies is five over 5,600 copies. 00:25:31.279 --> 00:25:40.160 And this is really encouraging because one critique that people would give about the authenticity of the Bible is well, isn't this like a telephone game? 00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:50.480 You know, if I had 20 people in the room and I whisper banana pancakes, and then we get to the end and it's like Toyota Camry. 00:25:51.680 --> 00:25:52.160 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:53.680 It's like it's like totally different. 00:25:53.839 --> 00:26:03.599 Well, if that happens in just like a 20-person telephone game, how can we know that this book that has been passed down for thousands of years, 40 different authors, that it's authentic? 00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:11.200 And uh for one thing, it it wasn't a telephone game in that a telephone game is one person at a time. 00:26:11.519 --> 00:26:19.200 It would it would be as if I just had one copy and then you were to copy that and you were to copy that. 00:26:19.359 --> 00:26:23.200 Um but what this is saying, like literal with thousands of copies. 00:26:23.519 --> 00:26:27.920 Literal with with artifacts that you can go to a museum in Washington, D.C. 00:26:28.160 --> 00:26:37.119 just a few hours from us, and see artifacts from thousands of years ago where scribes, this was like, this was their full-time job. 00:26:37.279 --> 00:26:41.359 They were experts, they were not going to fail at these copies. 00:26:41.599 --> 00:26:49.039 Uh it'd be like, instead of me just telling you banana pancakes, it'd be like a thousand of us got pen banana pancakes. 00:26:49.440 --> 00:26:52.960 And when it's ten people down the line, they could all compare. 00:26:53.039 --> 00:26:53.200 Yeah. 00:26:53.440 --> 00:26:58.880 So, as a very concrete example of this, um the Dead Sea Scrolls. 00:26:59.839 --> 00:27:00.640 That's what I was thinking. 00:27:01.039 --> 00:27:06.640 So, people again, the critics, people are saying, oh, this is a telephone game. 00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:12.000 How can we know that um the Old Testament is legit, that the Bible is reliable? 00:27:12.240 --> 00:27:22.079 Well, if I'm not mistaken, uh I think either a farmer or kids were throwing stones into a cave and they heard a crash. 00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:33.359 They go into these caves and they find scrolls uh kept in jars, very arid climate, so they were able to be maintained and protected. 00:27:33.519 --> 00:27:42.559 And they have whole sc full scrolls of entire Old Testament books so that you can literally compare, okay, this was thousands of years later. 00:27:42.960 --> 00:27:43.599 So earlier. 00:27:49.440 --> 00:27:53.440 You being way down the line and going again to the original. 00:27:53.839 --> 00:27:54.480 Yes, yes. 00:27:54.799 --> 00:27:58.240 Um people need to know that and they found it to be the same. 00:27:58.960 --> 00:28:03.599 So much confident confidence in our English translations that we have. 00:28:03.920 --> 00:28:04.079 Yes. 00:28:04.319 --> 00:28:13.119 I think ultimately that should give that should give uh Christians so much confidence that our English translations are reliable, that they're trustworthy. 00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:20.480 We have that's why, especially even as teachers, we really value the you know the Greek and Hebrew while we can consult it. 00:28:20.640 --> 00:28:24.960 Um not to say you must be a s a Greek or Hebrew scholar at all. 00:28:25.119 --> 00:28:33.599 I'm not, but we have the originals that we can we can consult, um, and it gives us that assurance. 00:28:34.160 --> 00:28:36.720 So let's talk about the translations for a moment. 00:28:37.200 --> 00:28:41.599 Because we do believe that the original copies, you know, are inerrid and infallible. 00:28:41.839 --> 00:28:43.519 Uh interpretations are not. 00:28:44.480 --> 00:28:45.359 You mean translations? 00:28:45.680 --> 00:28:48.640 Oh, sorry, so yeah, well, yeah, translations and interpretations. 00:28:48.960 --> 00:28:55.119 But um but translations, like which ones do you think are reliable? 00:28:55.759 --> 00:28:58.640 How can we discern the

differences between the translations? 00:28:58.799 --> 00:28:59.440 Because there's a lot. 00:28:59.519 --> 00:29:05.440 Like I go into a Barnes and Noble series locally uh for the main reason that it's like a time capsule of like 2008. 00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:08.240 They still have advertisements for like Blu-ray discs on the wall. 00:29:08.559 --> 00:29:09.759 So it's very nostalgic. 00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:11.680 It even smells like early. 00:29:12.400 --> 00:29:13.200 Early 2000s. 00:29:13.519 --> 00:29:23.680 Yeah, I encourage you to go there if you haven't in a while, but you can go to Barnes Noble, and uh there's like probably 50 different possible Bible translations. 00:29:23.759 --> 00:29:23.920 Yeah. 00:29:24.240 --> 00:29:32.480 So how can someone have assurance that one is closer to original copies than like someone's rogue thought? 00:29:32.880 --> 00:29:45.839 So translations are they're on a spectrum, and you have a spectrum from ranging from, let's say, word for word to thought for thought or idea for idea. 00:29:46.079 --> 00:30:04.559 So your word-for-word translations such as NASB, ESV, even the New King James, you know, these word for more word-for-word translations, um, they are going to be closest, at least their aim is to be closest to the original wording of the Greek. 00:30:04.720 --> 00:30:26.720 And so as a result of that, though, for our ears today, there may come moments reading an NASB where that sentence sounds maybe a little clunky compared to a thought-for-thought translation translation, uh, NIV, CSB, maybe a little more in the middle. 00:30:26.960 --> 00:30:31.759 Um we're taking digs at Caleb, which is why we say that. 00:30:31.839 --> 00:30:32.960 I'm I'm messing with him. 00:30:33.119 --> 00:30:37.119 Uh but for real, a real thought for thought is the NLT. 00:30:37.839 --> 00:30:40.079 So New Living Translation, which is fine. 00:30:40.160 --> 00:30:43.519 Like we have I have New Living Translation, a copy of that at my house. 00:30:43.680 --> 00:30:44.000 Yeah. 00:30:44.240 --> 00:30:53.680 Now that's gonna be extremely it's trying to give you the scripture in the most easily readable way possible. 00:30:54.400 --> 00:31:00.160 And so occasionally, though, there's gonna come times where they're gonna do a little bit of interpretation work for you. 00:31:00.400 --> 00:31:01.920 So just keep that in mind. 00:31:02.079 --> 00:31:03.519 But that's the that's the range. 00:31:03.599 --> 00:31:05.759 You have word for word, thought for thought. 00:31:06.160 --> 00:31:12.640 What would be so you kind of gave us the pro of like, all right, thought for thought is very readable, you know, easy to read. 00:31:12.960 --> 00:31:14.960 And there's I guess there's a place for that at times. 00:31:15.599 --> 00:31:22.079 What would is there any con to uh a very literal um interpretation a kind of a word-for-word interpretation? 00:31:22.319 --> 00:31:26.000 Any con to like reading uh NASB or ESV? 00:31:26.480 --> 00:31:28.799

Um No, not at all. 00:31:29.200 --> 00:31:29.440 Okay. 00:31:29.680 --> 00:31:31.440 No, I I'm kidding in that halfway. 00:31:31.519 --> 00:31:35.119 I mean I don't know if con is maybe the right word. 00:31:35.279 --> 00:31:40.559 I just think that maybe for a child, for example, here could be a con. 00:31:41.119 --> 00:31:51.039 Is you know, my five-year-old, uh six-year-old, like if I want to encourage her to start reading on her own, I probably won't drop an ESV or NASB in her lap. 00:31:51.200 --> 00:31:52.559 Um what would you drop? 00:31:52.880 --> 00:31:55.440 Uh uh N I V, N L T, you know? 00:31:55.599 --> 00:31:55.759 Okay. 00:31:55.920 --> 00:31:56.559 Something readable. 00:31:56.720 --> 00:31:56.880 Yeah. 00:31:57.119 --> 00:31:58.640 N R S is the N R S V. 00:31:59.039 --> 00:31:59.920 Oh, I don't know about that one. 00:32:00.160 --> 00:32:01.200 Yeah, okay, I don't either. 00:32:01.359 --> 00:32:05.680 I've seen that, they have a kid's Bible of that, but maybe something maybe a little more readable. 00:32:05.839 --> 00:32:06.000 Okay. 00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:10.480 I s my I first started reading the NIV when I was in high school. 00:32:10.640 --> 00:32:12.720 Still have that one in my office. 00:32:13.119 --> 00:32:13.920 Um yeah. 00:32:14.160 --> 00:32:14.720 Oh, that's cool. 00:32:14.880 --> 00:32:15.440 Yeah. 00:32:15.839 --> 00:32:16.480 Yeah. 00:32:16.799 --> 00:32:28.160 To illustrate this, um So the ESV, one of my favorite verses will say, um, he is the propitiation for our sins. 00:32:28.799 --> 00:32:31.519 He is the propitiation for our sins. 00:32:32.079 --> 00:32:39.440 That is not readable in the sense it's a biblical word, but it's not readable in the sense of, I'm not walking around saying, man, that was a great propitiation. 00:32:39.599 --> 00:32:40.079 You know what I mean? 00:32:40.160 --> 00:32:42.559 It's just like a very precise word. 00:32:42.799 --> 00:32:45.200 And there's a place for that, and that could be taught. 00:32:45.440 --> 00:32:54.960 Um but if my neighbor was an unbeliever and I'm just passing them an ESV, there would need to be someone somewhere to explain what in the world does propitiation mean. 00:32:55.599 --> 00:33:03.519 Where the CSB, the Christian Standard Bible, will say he was the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 00:33:03.759 --> 00:33:04.240 Yeah. 00:33:04.480 --> 00:33:09.200 So it in my opinion, a little bit less precise of a word. 00:33:09.359 --> 00:33:09.440 Yeah. 00:33:09.680 --> 00:33:14.160 But it it smooths it out and it kind of for you. 00:33:14.559 --> 00:33:17.519 It does some explaining work for you to make it more readable. 00:33:17.920 --> 00:33:20.720 But it's not a different meaning. 00:33:20.960 --> 00:33:23.599 Like it the CSB didn't just go like left field. 00:33:23.920 --> 00:33:24.160 Correct. 00:33:24.400 --> 00:33:28.000 Um that's what makes it continue to be like a safe possibility. 00:33:28.559 --> 00:33:31.200 But not all okay, not all translations are safe. 00:33:31.920 --> 00:33:34.559 What would you say are ones that are not safe to read? 00:33:35.680 --> 00:33:36.400 The passion? 00:33:36.720 --> 00:33:36.880 Yeah. 00:33:37.359 --> 00:33:38.240 Not safe to read. 00:33:38.640 --> 00:33:42.160 Yeah, and by passion, we don't mean like um passion conferences. 00:33:42.559 --> 00:33:42.720 Correct. 00:33:42.960 --> 00:33:48.319 Um but there's a there's it claims to be a translation. 00:33:48.640 --> 00:33:48.720 Yeah. 00:33:48.960 --> 00:33:49.039 Yeah. 00:33:49.119 --> 00:33:49.920 The passion translation. 00:33:50.319 --> 00:33:53.680 And if I'm not mistaken, that was only written by one man. 00:33:53.839 --> 00:33:54.000 Uh-huh. 00:33:54.160 --> 00:33:55.440 And that's kind of a red flag in itself. 00:33:55.599 --> 00:34:00.079 Like the ESV was like a whole collection of scholars plethora of people who have to be able to do that. 00:34:00.319 --> 00:34:02.319 Again, you have those checks and balances. 00:34:02.559 --> 00:34:04.559 And that's true for a lot of other translations. 00:34:04.640 --> 00:34:04.799 Trevor Burrus, Jr. 00:34:04.960 --> 00:34:10.559 I mean, obviously the message, but um the message doesn't claim to be Bible. 00:34:11.119 --> 00:34:11.920 No, I don't think so. 00:34:12.159 --> 00:34:12.239 No. 00:34:12.559 --> 00:34:14.559 So Eugene Peterson K. 00:34:14.960 --> 00:34:18.960 Eugene Peterson, the author, uh-huh, he knew that he was writing a paraphrase. 00:34:19.039 --> 00:34:19.199 Trevor Burrus, Jr. 00:34:19.360 --> 00:34:19.840 Correct, yeah. 00:34:20.079 --> 00:34:26.880 So I think as long as people understand, if you have a message, don't call it I'm reading the maybe the word of God. 00:34:27.519 --> 00:34:27.679 Yeah. 00:34:28.639 --> 00:34:30.000 Like we wouldn't preach from the message. 00:34:30.400 --> 00:34:35.920 No, we would never preach from the message because we wouldn't say it's the word of God. 00:34:36.159 --> 00:34:36.480 Yeah. 00:34:36.800 --> 00:34:38.400 The message is a paraphrase. 00:34:38.639 --> 00:34:39.119 Yeah. 00:34:39.440 --> 00:34:46.400 Um so I'd be more concerned, I'd I'd have more of like a a really pointed criticism of it if it claimed to be Bible. 00:34:46.639 --> 00:34:47.519 But I don't think it does. 00:34:47.840 --> 00:34:48.079 No. 00:34:48.400 --> 00:34:51.119 I don't think he No, I don't think he ever claimed that. 00:34:51.519 --> 00:34:53.679 And then I don't know, it's it's kind of preference. 00:34:53.760 --> 00:35:04.960 Like my my preference when it comes to those who are teaching the word is that is to use more middle or word-for-word idea. 00:35:05.199 --> 00:35:11.360 So erring on word for word, maybe looking a little bit more middle ground, and maybe avoiding thought for thought. 00:35:11.599 --> 00:35:11.679 Yeah. 00:35:12.079 --> 00:35:13.199 That that's my preference. 00:35:13.920 --> 00:35:15.360 It's more of the preference, right? 00:35:15.760 --> 00:35:18.000 Um I don't want to like I don't know. 00:35:18.079 -->

00:35:25.199 I won't bash a brother who's faithfully preaching the word out of uh I don't know, NLT out there. 00:35:25.599 --> 00:35:25.760 Okay. 00:35:26.239 --> 00:35:30.880 I'm sure there's is there I'm sure there's conservative Bible-believing folks who do that. 00:35:31.199 --> 00:35:31.920 Maybe not, though. 00:35:32.239 --> 00:35:32.559 Maybe. 00:35:32.719 --> 00:35:33.119 I don't know. 00:35:33.360 --> 00:35:33.679 I don't know. 00:35:34.000 --> 00:35:35.119 I'd have a reluctance to do it. 00:35:35.360 --> 00:35:35.599 Yeah? 00:35:35.679 --> 00:35:35.840 Yeah. 00:35:36.079 --> 00:35:37.360 I wouldn't do it myself. 00:35:37.599 --> 00:35:38.000 Uh-huh. 00:35:38.400 --> 00:35:39.760 I love the ESV. 00:35:39.920 --> 00:35:40.960 That's my preference. 00:35:41.360 --> 00:35:43.760 I'm going to be the uh Lord. 00:35:43.840 --> 00:35:51.199 If the Lord doesn't return, if he doesn't take me, I'll be the 80-year-old who's like, what are y'all doing in this new translation? 00:35:51.679 --> 00:35:55.519 Um I'm going to be ESV probably until the Lord takes me. 00:35:55.760 --> 00:35:57.920 This is one funny moment from last week. 00:35:58.079 --> 00:36:03.760 I was praying at the Chesapeake School Board, and I felt prompted days before I went there. 00:36:03.920 --> 00:36:07.360 I was like, I'm going to pray, and then I think I'm going to lead them in the Lord's Prayer. 00:36:07.519 --> 00:36:09.519 Because, you know, a lot of people know the Lord's Prayer. 00:36:09.679 --> 00:36:10.559 It's very uniting. 00:36:10.960 --> 00:36:11.599 Did you finish it? 00:36:11.760 --> 00:36:12.400 Is that what you're getting? 00:36:12.639 --> 00:36:13.519 Did I finish the Lord's Prayer? 00:36:13.840 --> 00:36:14.000 No. 00:36:14.239 --> 00:36:14.559 Go ahead. 00:36:14.960 --> 00:36:19.280 Okay, so dude, I had a little awkward moment. 00:36:19.519 --> 00:36:24.800 I'm praying the Lord's Prayer, and our Father art in heaven, Hollow be your name. 00:36:25.119 --> 00:36:26.800 And I but that's like ESV. 00:36:26.880 --> 00:36:28.880 You know, ESV is not going thy. 00:36:29.360 --> 00:36:34.719 But then but the crowd's praying out loud with me, and they're all saying thy. 00:36:35.199 --> 00:36:37.039 So like midway through, I switch it to thy. 00:36:37.199 --> 00:36:38.719 I think I prayed that in like this three. 00:36:39.039 --> 00:36:39.599 This young punk. 00:36:39.840 --> 00:36:40.079 I know. 00:36:40.559 --> 00:36:43.199 I I think I prayed that in like three different translations. 00:36:43.360 --> 00:36:45.039 Um I don't know if you've got to be. 00:36:45.199 --> 00:36:49.119 I asked if you finished because of for thine is the kingdom and the power of the forever. 00:36:49.360 --> 00:36:49.599 Oh, yeah. 00:36:49.920 --> 00:36:50.320 Yeah, okay. 00:36:50.719 --> 00:36:50.960 Yeah. 00:36:51.119 --> 00:36:51.280 Yeah. 00:36:51.519 --> 00:36:54.079 In Jesus' name is how I finished. 00:36:54.400 --> 00:36:56.480 Um here's some common pushbacks. 00:36:56.719 --> 00:36:56.800 Okay. 00:36:56.960 --> 00:36:58.559 And we'll just this will be rapid fire. 00:36:58.639 --> 00:36:58.719 Okay. 00:36:58.960 --> 00:37:01.199 Common pushbacks to God's word. 00:37:01.599 --> 00:37:03.920 Um contradictions. 00:37:04.159 --> 00:37:08.800 So there's your proverb that says, do not answer a fool according to his folly. 00:37:08.960 --> 00:37:12.719 And then there's one that says, answer a fool according to his folly. 00:37:13.039 --> 00:37:17.519 Yeah, so you know a proverb is a wise saying. 00:37:17.679 --> 00:37:20.480 So, first of all, it's a wise saying. 00:37:20.639 --> 00:37:24.480 Um There is a time to answer a fool according to his folly. 00:37:24.800 --> 00:37:28.559 There is a time not to answer a fool according to his folly. 00:37:28.800 --> 00:37:30.559 Um so that's how I understand that. 00:37:30.719 --> 00:37:38.000 But regarding contradictions itself, I don't believe there are contradictons anywhere in the scripture. 00:37:38.079 --> 00:37:40.800 Uh because of the author. 00:37:41.679 --> 00:37:43.840 The author ultimately is God. 00:37:44.159 --> 00:37:45.039 The Holy Spirit, yes. 00:37:45.280 --> 00:37:45.519 Yes. 00:37:45.679 --> 00:37:49.760 And so that there are no contradictions is a foundational core belief. 00:37:49.920 --> 00:37:56.800 Because if the Bible errs, well, goodness gracious, uh it's like the domino effect. 00:37:56.880 --> 00:38:00.559 If if the Bible errs, then it all it all falls. 00:38:00.719 --> 00:38:05.199 And so we are, we we trust concretely that there are no contradictions. 00:38:05.360 --> 00:38:11.599 Um and those who would like to try to throw at Christians, well, what about this contradiction or that? 00:38:11.840 --> 00:38:22.239 Um I mean, if you simply study the word in its context, uh these are explainable or even even precision, like let me give you another example. 00:38:22.320 --> 00:38:25.840 I will it may be uh what time is it right now? 00:38:26.079 --> 00:38:27.280 357. 00:38:27.679 --> 00:38:30.559 Um if you said Blake what time it is, what time is it? 00:38:30.800 --> 00:38:32.800 I'd say, uh, four o'clock. 00:38:33.760 --> 00:38:35.039 Is that error? 00:38:35.280 --> 00:38:35.679 Mm-hmm. 00:38:36.159 --> 00:38:36.480 No? 00:38:36.719 --> 00:38:36.960 Yeah. 00:38:37.119 --> 00:38:38.079 That's not error. 00:38:38.239 --> 00:38:44.320 Um, and so just like in everyday language, we use language today, that doesn't mean not trustworthy. 00:38:44.639 --> 00:38:50.400 Um and so I think that is that's also a factor, but the Bible doesn't contradict. 00:38:50.559 --> 00:38:51.199 Yeah. 00:38:51.760 --> 00:38:58.239 Um what would you say to someone that's like, look, some of these stories are ridiculous. 00:38:58.400 --> 00:38:59.519 Like a global flood. 00:39:00.239 --> 00:39:01.360 Miracles don't happen. 00:39:01.840 --> 00:39:05.840 Um, or or man, it's it's not his you know, it's historically inaccurate. 00:39:06.000 --> 00:39:08.400 You know, snakes don't talk,

donkeys don't talk. 00:39:08.960 --> 00:39:10.639 What would you say to that pushback? 00:39:10.880 --> 00:39:11.920 Prove that didn't happen. 00:39:12.239 --> 00:39:14.480 Prove the flood prove to me the flood didn't happen. 00:39:15.360 --> 00:39:15.920 Prove it. 00:39:16.079 --> 00:39:18.400 Let's go let's go the evidence route, prove it. 00:39:18.880 --> 00:39:23.840 Um and let them try to prove it it couldn't happen or didn't happen. 00:39:24.000 --> 00:39:27.840 I think um ultimately you said this earlier to give you credit for this. 00:39:28.320 --> 00:39:34.400 Um if God is the creator, I think that's a good starting place. 00:39:34.800 --> 00:39:45.599 If God is the creator, Genesis 1.1, if that's true, we believe that to be wholeheartedly true, then there's nothing God there's nothing God can't do in that sense in his power, in his strength. 00:39:45.760 --> 00:39:48.239 Um, what is it for God to send a flood? 00:39:48.480 --> 00:39:55.599 And who are we as as creatures to put God on the test and say, no, that couldn't he couldn't do that? 00:39:55.760 --> 00:39:57.039 What that doesn't make sense. 00:39:57.360 --> 00:39:58.400 It really is a key. 00:39:58.559 --> 00:40:08.639 Like if you believe the first book, the the first verse of the Bible, it unlocks the possibility of the remainder of the Bible being legitimate. 00:40:08.960 --> 00:40:10.079 In the beginning, God. 00:40:10.320 --> 00:40:10.960 Even just that. 00:40:11.119 --> 00:40:12.000 Even in the beginning, God. 00:40:12.079 --> 00:40:13.039 What do I get from that? 00:40:13.360 --> 00:40:23.119 A supernatural power, an invisible power, an unseen realm, um the possibility of any miracle occurring, uh, because there is a God. 00:40:23.199 --> 00:40:23.280 Yeah. 00:40:23.440 --> 00:40:28.719 And He is um the chief being in authority and power. 00:40:28.880 --> 00:40:29.039 Yeah. 00:40:29.280 --> 00:40:32.719 What about um what about moral objections? 00:40:32.960 --> 00:40:47.679 Uh so man, the Bible seems to support, you know, its founding faith figures being having multiple wives and um, you know, genocide and and so the Bible, remember, it's it's historical. 00:40:48.239 --> 00:40:51.679 Um it's God, it's the author is ultimately God. 00:40:52.000 --> 00:41:05.199 But especially when we look at the life of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and so on throughout the judges and the kings, we are observing what took place, who lived, what did they do. 00:41:05.760 --> 00:41:10.000 Simply by observing certain things doesn't make that a prescription. 00:41:10.159 --> 00:41:16.480 We use uh we use the two um distinctions of what does the Bible describe? 00:41:17.599 --> 00:41:18.559 What does it show us? 00:41:18.719 --> 00:41:19.519 What's just there? 00:41:20.079 --> 00:41:23.360 Um some people had multiple wives back in the day. 00:41:23.599 --> 00:41:26.559 And then what does the Bible prescribe? 00:41:27.119 --> 00:41:31.440 Well, the Bible prescribes uh one man, one woman. 00:41:31.599

--> 00:41:33.039 Genesis 2, right? 00:41:33.119 --> 00:41:34.000 In the very beginning. 00:41:34.159 --> 00:41:35.360 That's the prescription. 00:41:35.519 --> 00:41:43.840 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two, not the five, six, seven, the two shall become one flesh. 00:41:44.079 --> 00:41:49.760 So what do we do as Christians when we see in the Old Testament how some of God's people had multiple wives? 00:41:50.000 --> 00:41:57.760 Well, that doesn't inherently mean God was stamping his approval on that just because we see it recorded. 00:41:58.000 --> 00:42:03.840 Um so I think that's important distinction, what is described versus what is prescribed. 00:42:04.000 --> 00:42:04.159 Yeah. 00:42:04.639 --> 00:42:06.800 That's been super helpful for me to understand. 00:42:07.679 --> 00:42:12.800 Well, um, Jesus, he once said, the sheep will know my voice. 00:42:13.519 --> 00:42:21.280 And if you have been changed by the Holy Spirit, you've heard the word of God, faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the word of God. 00:42:21.440 --> 00:42:22.559 Someone is there to preach. 00:42:22.719 --> 00:42:32.559 If you have heard the word of God, even maybe from childhood, um, and you have a you have an affection for his voice, you know, you can have assurance that you know the shepherd. 00:42:32.719 --> 00:42:36.000 And you know, I think a story that illustrates this really beautifully. 00:42:36.239 --> 00:42:46.559 Because like we like we have all this, and what's cool is like even some of this is recent um findings, like even some of these archaeological findings are within the last hundred years. 00:42:46.719 --> 00:42:52.239 People before the time had to take it um by faith as well. 00:42:52.639 --> 00:42:59.039 Uh, but at the end of the day, like faith is a huge component uh in believing and having the assurance that this is God's word. 00:42:59.360 --> 00:43:04.159 And there was a story in Billy Graham's life that was a pivotal moment. 00:43:04.239 --> 00:43:17.760 Uh, he had some ministry friends that were really ditching and drifting from this being the authentic word of God, even on important pieces on like the historical reliability that Jesus did, in fact, rise from the dead. 00:43:17.920 --> 00:43:20.239 Like, we again that's historical narrative. 00:43:20.400 --> 00:43:30.960 We're not saying what a beautiful uh hypothetical uh uh fable about loving your enemies and overcoming hardship. 00:43:31.280 --> 00:43:34.719 It's like, no, like we actually believe he physically rose from the dead. 00:43:34.880 --> 00:43:42.320 Okay, well, back in the 60s or 70s, whenever this was, he had some friends that were really drifting uh on their trust in the Bible. 00:43:42.480 --> 00:43:54.159 And it was causing Billy Graham himself, as a young minister, before his breakthrough crusades, he was having internal questions of can I preach this as actually God's word? 00:43:54.480 --> 00:43:56.400 Can I preach this as reliable? 00:43:56.639 --> 00:44:10.800 And uh, if I'm not mistaken, one night, alone, outdoors, under the moonlight, Billy Graham knelt down and said before God, by faith, by faith, not by all these charts. 00:44:11.039 --> 00:44:16.719 Billy Graham didn't have all these charts and an ancient manuscript comparison chart, nor was he worried about that. 00:44:17.039 --> 00:44:23.440 By faith, as God's child, he said, I believe that this is your word, and I'm gonna preach it as your word. 00:44:23.840 --> 00:44:37.360 If I'm not mistaken, shortly after that was the Los Angeles revivals that sparked one of the greatest um evangelical movements in recent maybe in the world, in the modern era. 00:44:37.519 --> 00:44:38.480 I I don't know. 00:44:38.719 --> 00:44:50.079 And uh man, it's so beautiful if if you see old clips of him preaching in places um that were dangerous, you know, in in Europe um several decades ago. 00:44:50.320 --> 00:44:57.840 He would get out of vehicles and he'd be surrounded by swelling crowds, and he would just hold up the Bible. 00:44:58.159 --> 00:45:06.639 He wouldn't just before even preaching, he would just walk through these crowds holding up the Bible as if to say, this is the authority. 00:45:08.239 --> 00:45:09.840 And uh look to this, not me. 00:45:10.079 --> 00:45:11.119 Look to this, yeah. 00:45:11.280 --> 00:45:11.599 Yeah. 00:45:11.760 --> 00:45:13.599 And I think you modeled that as well. 00:45:13.760 --> 00:45:23.599 So um we want y'all to walk out of we didn't answer every uh every question, nor did we provide every evidence that this is indeed God's word. 00:45:24.000 --> 00:45:27.599 Um, but you can rest assured that his word is reliable. 00:45:27.840 --> 00:45:37.760 If all the prophecies that were made in the Old Testament were fulfilled in the life of Christ, you can have assurance that God's promise is good for you today, tomorrow, and forever. 00:45:37.920 --> 00:45:39.519 So this week, live for more.