Why Believe the Bible?

It is not the purpose of this page to try to prove that the Bible is true. Really, the Bible itself needs to win your confidence as you study its pages asking for wisdom from the Source of all true wisdom. The purpose rather is to challenge the prevalent misconception that Christians must blindly accept the Bible as the Word of God on nothing more than submission to the authority of the church. Another purpose is to challenge those who already accept the Bible to reassess their reasons for believing the Bible. Lamentably, it is true that many Christians don't really know why they believe the Bible other than that they were taught to by the church. Solid faith needs to be built on something much more substantial than that.

Below are possible reasons for believing that the Bible is the infallible word of God. Whether or not you believe the Bible is true, and whether you believe that the reasons below are accurate statements or not, assume for the purpose of this exercise that they are true. In other words, ask yourself, "If this statement were true, would it be a good reason for believing the Bible?" Although I don't consider that there are necessarily right or wrong answers, I invite you afterwards to click to the next page where I give my personal reaction to each statement.

(Rate each statement on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being a very poor reason for believing the Bible and 10 being an excellent reason for believing the Bible.)
1. Because my parents taught me to believe in the Bible.
2. Because my teachers taught me to believe the Bible.
3. Because my pastor / priest / church taught me to believe the Bible.
4. Because many of the prophecies in the Bible were fullfilled with remarkable precision centuries and even millenia after they were written.
5. I don't know, I just believe it!
6. I have a strong sense that it is true.
7. The Bible gives me a sense of meaning and purpose that I have not found anywhere else.
8. The teachings of the Bible have transformed my life.
9. I have applied the teachings of the Bible to my life, and they work!
10. Archeology has repeatedly attested to the accuracy of the Bible, often to the embarrassment of the skeptics.
11. I have witnessed miraculous events similar to those described in the Bible.
12. I personally know someone who has witnessed miraculous events similar to those described in the Bible.
13. I have heard or read of miraculous events similar to those described in the Bible.
14. The biblical record is consistent with scientific observation.
15. The Bible itself says that it's true.

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Page last modified: 2020.07.05