Comment on Why the Bible? by Faith.
I fully agree with the above statements regarding the accuracy of the Bible and its prophecies. And that should be enough proof to believe in the Bible.
However, I will go one step further and declare that there are many promises in the Bible and I have seen some of them fulfilled in my life.
Without going into a lot of detail, I can remember when we needed drinking water (the water where I live is too vile to drink) and I had two 5-gallon jars that needed to be refilled. While that would have cost only $6, I didn’t have any money at all at that time. I prayed and claimed the promise that our bread and water would be sure, put the jars into the back of my car and started backing out of my driveway, when a friend pulled in beside me honking her horn. She jumped out of her car and rushed over to me. “This is for you,” she said, “I hope you can use it.” Inside the envelope was a gift certificate for the grocery store. I could now get the water we so badly needed. Coincidence? You will never convince me of it.
I have many more stories such as this of events in my life that are irrefutable evidence to me that not only is there a God, He knows me personally, He knows my needs, and He cares for me.
His Word is a special letter to His followers giving wise instruction, faithful promises, and never-failing prophecies. The Bible stands above all other literature on the face of the earth, followed closely with the SOP, which is an extension of the Bible as it is also messages from God. Nothing else comes close. To compare the Bible to the Quarr’an or the Book of Mormon is like comparing a Rolls Royce to a VW bug.
God has shown its importance to mankind in the way He has miraculously preserved it from error throughout the ages. If you compare the book of Isaiah found in the Dead Sea Scrolls written around the time of Christ, you will see it is virtually the same as the scripture we now have contained in the Bible. If you have ever played the parlour game Telephone, you will know how quickly things can change as they are passed on from one to the other. It can happen in a matter of a few minutes; yet the Bible has the same message for us today as when it was written.
For thousands of years God has protected His Word from being lost or distorted. That is a huge proof of the supernatural quality of the Bible.
As an amateur student of archaeology, I have seen the Bible vindicated over and over. For example, in the 19th Century, scholars claimed that the Hittites mentioned in the Bible never existed. Yet the archaeologist’s spade has unearthed proof after proof that these scholars were wrong, and the Bible was right. The Hittite language is now an open book to us.
Any way you want to slice or dice it, the Bible is what it claims to be: the Word of God, who is the Creator of our Universe. Anyone who rejects it is unwise, to say the least, and does so at the peril of his own soul.
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Faith Also Commented
Why the Bible?
Ken:
Doctrine is not founded on personal views. The Bible is our standard and it states:
“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” –Isaiah 8:20.
God Himself taught us what is truth in His word. He is God of the Universe and knows what truth is better than any mere sinful mortal man. We cannot change truth without letting in error. Salvation depends on the truth that God gave us; as SDAs we are firmly founded on this truth.
What is happening with these people who want to remain in the church and change it is a trick of Satan to try to destroy God’s church from within. That is why I am so adamant that these people be removed from any position of power. The lesson of the Trojan Horse should make the reason for that crystal clear even to someone who doesn’t understand our religion. No one can cradle a serpent to his bosom and expect it not to strike. It is vitally important to the church that this movement be quashed as soon as possible.
If that seems uncharitable, so be it.
“I don’t like the word “magic” to describe the supernatural acts of God.”
I agree with Mr. Sturges. That word, as well as the word “fairytales”, has been bothering me ever since I first read the above article. I have been trying to figure out how to express my thoughts without hurtiing Sean’s feelings, but I believe it is important to differentiate between the “magic” that Satan and his agents practice and the miracles that God works.
Forgive me, but magic and fairytales have nothing to do with the Bible. The Bible doesn’t contain fairytales it contains facts and accurate histories. I get the point of your article, Sean, but it needs to plainly separate God’s works from the run-of-the-mill fairytales that contain Satanic magic. To use these words to refer to the Bible and God seems sacrilegious to me. I do understand, however, it wasn’t meant that way.
Recent Comments by Faith
Changing the Wording of Adventist Fundamental Belief #6 on Creation
And you are correct, Sean, PK must consider where his influence is going–for God or against Him.
Southern Adventist University opens Origins Exhibit
Mr Taylor,
After reading your comment above, I must say PK isn’t the only one in that boat.I would make some comment as to how I really feel about you, but I know Sean will only delete it and you won’t benefit from my insight anyway–seeing as Sean is more concerned about other people’s feelings than you seem to be.
How you have the nerve to come to this website and call us all a bunch of morons (which is really what you are doing) is beyond me. You and your cronies are the ones drowning in error. Anyone who dares to accept man’s opinions over the Bible or SOP isn’t to be trusted to define truth for anyone.
Too straight-forward in my comment? Trust me, I have restrained myself admirably. If you only knew….
Southern Adventist University opens Origins Exhibit
Further to my comment on skeptism and our professors, I’ve got to tell you that I found Prof Kent to be extremely annoying in his comments on EGW. He seems to think that she is an embarrassment to the church when she speaks on Science.
Personally I find people who dis her to be the embarrassment to the church. I really don’t see how they dare to contradict and mock God’s prophet. By doing this they undermine a lot of our church’s beliefs to outsiders as well as church members. God will hold them accountable for that.
Furthermore, David’s unpublished manuscript plus other books I have read on archaeology have reported skeletons of the type that EGW mentions. Also found were artifacts such as huge iron bedsteads made for and buried with kings of huge stature.
Just because you haven’t done your research, PK, don’t jump to the conclusion the evidence isn’t there. It’s there, all right, and you make yourself look a little foolish for not knowing about it.
Southern Adventist University opens Origins Exhibit
David Read said:
“Ellen White’s statements about larger antediluvian life forms are well attested with regard to many different types of flora and fauna. They’re not even controversial…
Hi David,
As you know, I took advantage of your kind offer and I read your manuscript as well as I purchased 3 of your books, one for me, one for my sisters, and one for the church library. It took me a week to finish the book, and I and my sisters are very impressed with it. My one sister calls it “one incredible book”. It has answered a lot of the questions we had on the subject of evolution vs creation science, and, yes, I believe we (you and I and my sisters) are on the same page in our beliefs. We have immensely enjoyed discussing the various aspects of the subject as we read. It makes perfect sense to us.
I still have a couple of questions–new ones will probably always keep popping up–but I would say you have covered the subject admirably. Thanks so much for this book.
I agree with Elder Wilson, this is something every Adventist should read. In my opinion it should be used as required reading for science courses. It is exactly the way I would want science courses in the universities to treat the Creation/evolution debate in the classroom. And if the professors at LSU and the other SDA institutions would do this we wouldn’t be constantly losing our young people and, for that matter, our professors, to skeptisism.
Thank God someone has the courage to publish the truth and expose error.
God Bless you, David.
Southern Adventist University opens Origins Exhibit
Hi Sean and Bill,
I am wondering if the difference of opinion here is due to varying definitions of the word ‘science’. As we all know there is true science and there is worldly psuedo-science.
If Bill’s understanding of ‘science’ in this case is actually worldly psuedo-science, then he is correct in not wanting any truth to be compromised with it.
From Sean’s post, I believe he is referring to true science, which is definitely part of our beliefs on origins and is well supported by the Bible and SOP, as Sean admirably demonstrated.
Not having seen the exhibit myself, I cannot comment on whether or not they are mixing psuedo-science into it. (Perhaps a few of you posters out there can see the exhibit and report back to us.) Knowing the general philosophy of SAU, I would be surprised if they did.
Their goal is “to provide scientific evidence that substantiates the Bible’s account of creation.” Sounds good to me.
They also say: “Religion and science don’t need to be at odds.” And that is true when you are referring to true science, which I believe they are.
However, I do understand Bill’s reaction in that these days when people use the word ‘science’ without qualification it so often means evolutionary pseudoscience, that we tend to be suspicious.
I think, Bill, that in this case we don’t need to worry. I believe SAU’s heart is in the right place and I am so glad that at least one of our institutions is willing to stand up and be counted on the side of Creation, even though they will probably draw much criticism from the ‘scientific’ community as well as from the TEs in their own church.
God bless them for their fidelity to Him. And may God strengthen them to meet the onslaught that is most likely to follow, is my prayer for them.
