Why do you believe the Bible?

I believe it because I cannot do otherwise.

BTW I love Sauerkraut.

 

That's the question; not the answer.</font>[/QUOTE]Nope. That is the answer. Without faith, I would never believe in such a thing. That faith came from God and his grace. If you are looking for some scientific evidence that the whole Bible is true, then you will waste a good portion of your life looking and have missed the blessings of grace and faith that only God can give freely. But, good luck to you trying in vain.

Joseph Botwinick

 

Nope, that's the question. "Why do you believe the Bible?" is simply restated as "Why do you have faith the Bible is the Word of God?"-- just not in interrogative form. You're not answering why you believe it, you're just answering the means by which you believe it. If we were using the classical languages here, we would call it the ablative case of 'faith.'

But regarding your next statement, that is my means of believing it, too. But the fact remains that does not answer the question of why we believe it. So how about doing that? It's probably the same for you as for anyone being honest here-- it's because you were told and taught that is true, and a deep enough an impressin was made that it stuck.

 

I believe it is because of the grace of God to give me parents who taught me the truth.

Joseph Botwinick

 

Not really. I was told and taught many things which turned out to not be true. My local culture taught and told me that black people were inferior. I was taught and told by my church (while growing up) that any man with hair that reached his ears was a God-rejecting rebel. I soon came to realize that these things weren't true. The things that I have been taught and told by others are an external influence to be sure. However, it is not until these things are internalized that you could say that this is something I believe. If the things I have been taught and told do not hold up then they are rejected. The Bible holds up quite nicely. Not because I was taught and told that it is true (which it was) but because the Holy Spirit has convinced me that it is so.

 

Here's the only reason any of us Believe the Bible.

Luk 24:45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.

 

Isn't that what TomMan and I said ?

 

Which came first? Reading the passage to know your mind has been opened? or having your mind opened to understand the passage that says so?

 

Too bad He doesn't give such grace to everybody, ain't it?

 

Which came first? Reading the passage to know your mind has been opened? or having your mind opened to understand the passage that says so? </font>[/QUOTE]Pretty simple answer - He opened their minds.....doesn't say anything about them reading the scriptures.

 

What Helen said.

 

Just who was the Q in the OP aimed at? The readers of this forum or the apostles in the 1st century? If it is the former, as you clearly indicated by citing this passage in the first place, then the passage is irrelevant to the answer. If it's the latter (us), the question I asked still stands; so how do you answer it?

 

For me, it was an experience with God. I was raised a Christian, I was also raised to know science, and I accepted Christ at an early age, having been taken to church from infancy, you know. When I was a student at college, I gave serious thought to the question of whether or not God was real; whether or not all the things of religion I was heavily involved in might not be mere manifestation of some kind of bonding instinct that allowed the elaborate theology to exist; and knowing I would lack personal wisdom to decide such a weighty matter, I took this question to the Lord in prayer. It was not a matter of an hour of prayer; it was a matter of diligent perserverence in prayer over an extended time. Finally the Lord was gracious enough to send me an answer. He gave me a vision. This vision was of a frame - like a picture frame, or a TV screen - and on this frame were beams of light fanning upwards, and He showed me how each beam of light was a bit of His truth working its way through history. There was the bit of truth held on to by the liberal polititicians, who really know how important it is to help the weak and helpless. There was the bit of truth held on to by the conservative politicians, who value honest accounting and going for what can really be done instead of pipe dreams. There was the bit of truth held on to by scientists, who out of awe and respect for God's creation keep trying to learn more and more. There was the bit of truth in the arena of civil rights, where minorities are made more able to enjoy rights and participate with us all in more and more ways. There were many such beams, including churches of various denominations.

Then It was further revealed to me that these beams of light were all coming from a single historical source, the man Jesus. The point was made clear to me then that in my life I was to follow Jesus.

Scripture, of course, is where I learn about Jesus and how to follow Him. There is no other source.

 

Just who was the Q in the OP aimed at? The readers of this forum or the apostles in the 1st century? If it is the former, as you clearly indicated by citing this passage in the first place, then the passage is irrelevant to the answer. If it's the latter (us), the question I asked still stands; so how do you answer it? </font>[/QUOTE]If God didn't open our minds to understand the Scriptures then none of us would believe. So it does apply to both.

 

Too bad He doesn't give such grace to everybody, ain't it? </font>[/QUOTE]It is not for me to judge God's sovereign choice. God is right all the time, whether it makes you feel good or not.

Joseph Botwinick

 

I haven't disclosed anything about how I feel about this, Bot.

It does not answer the question of WHY you believe it. "If God...." is condition which we do not control. "If I could read koine Greek, then I could read the oldest NT manuscripts" may be likewise a true statement with a condition, but it would not explain why I would read them.

There may be an infinite number of ways to say it "was made clear to me," "He opend my mind," "because I have faith it's true," "because I was given to believe," ................................... Almost anything except the real why-- because it was forced into our minds with a very deep impression by people around us.

 

That's not true with all of us here. Not everyone here was raised in church or a bible teaching home, or forcing the Bible was Truth into us by 'people'.

 

So Alcott are you saying that you believe the Bible because "It was forced into your mind with a very deep impression by the people around you?"

If so, then how is that different from a Muslim raised in a family and a community that forced the Koran into his mind?

 

It's not.

 

Alcott, you seem to take it on faith that my experience was not from God. I take it on faith that it was. To me, a religion is different from a philosophy. A religion is based on not just a set of ideas, and doctrines, but based on the real true relationship with God as well. Without both, it just isn't what it claims to be.