My Basis for God
You Can’t Trust that the Bible was Recorded Correctly, Can You?
By George K. Clark
Yes you can. The Bible is 66 separate books, written over a period of 1500 years, and by 44 different authors. These authors came from different backgrounds ranging from kings, peasants, fishermen, tax collectors, and shepherds. They wrote in their own language (either Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek) and were from different geographical locations ranging throughout Asia, Africa, and Europe.[1] These books have one common theme: there is a God who loves you, has a plan for you, and wants you to know Him.
The information presented in biblical manuscripts is as reliable today as it was over 2000 years ago. One way to verify the textual reliability of a document is to compare it to other manuscripts. For example, if I wanted to make sure that a copy of Mark Twain’s book, Tom Sawyer, was an accurate copy, I could compare it to an older copy, possibly the oldest copy in existence. This has been done with many manuscripts throughout history. Consider the following:
o The Iliad, written by Homer, is dated around 800 B.C. The oldest manuscript (hand written copy) we have of the book can be dated back to 400 B.C. There is a 400 year gap between when the Iliad was written and the oldest existing copy. Today, we have knowledge of over 640 manuscript copies of the Iliad. By comparing those copies, we can certify that the manuscripts we have are texturally reliable and accurate representation of the original. Plato is another work that we can verify. Plato wrote his works approximately 400 B.C. Our oldest manuscript of the work can be dated back to around 900 A.D. Though there is a period of 1,300 years separating the original writings and existing copies, textural reliability can be verified by comparing the 7 existing manuscripts against one another.[2]
o The Bible’s New Testament was written between 50 A.D. through 100 A.D. The earliest manuscript fragment of the New Testament can be traced back to 114 A.D., approximately fifty years after the original was written. Other manuscripts can be dated back to 150 A.D through 350 A.D. As of today, we are aware of over 5,000 manuscripts, copied from original writings in different locations, languages, and people. These manuscripts can be dated, tested, and compared to one another to determine textural reliability. By doing so, we find that the manuscripts are accurate representations of the original. [3]
§ John Rylands’s manuscript, located in John Rylands Library of Manchester England, is the oldest fragment of the New Testament’s Gospel of John. It is dated around 130 A.D. [4]
§ Bodmer Papyrus II, located in the Bodmer Library of World Literature, is dated approximately 150 -200 A.D. This fragment contains most of the Gospel of John.[5]
§ Chester Beatty Papyri, located in C. Beatty Museum in Dublin, is dated approximately 200 A.D. This manuscript contains much of the New Testament. [6]
§ Codex Vaticanus, located in the Vatican Library, is dated to approximately 350 A.D. This manuscript contains most of the Bible.[7]
What we have of John Rylands’s manuscript can be compared to other manuscripts to test the accuracy of written copies. But we can also look to writings of early church leaders. Sir David Dalrymple researched if the New Testament could be reconstructed in the event all of our manuscripts of the Bible were lost. His research showed that the entire New Testament, except for eleven verses, could be reconstructed by using direct scriptural quotes from early church leaders before the third century.[8]
By comparing the vast amounts of manuscripts and other documentation, it leaves little question that the Bible manuscripts we have are accurate copies of the original texts.
Critics of the Bible are quick to point out that there are errors in some of the manuscripts. Their argument is that since there are some errors, then the Bible as a whole is unreliable and should be thrown out. The fact is that some manuscripts do have copy errors. Those errors, however, can be found and corrected by comparing the manuscripts we have. An example would be the Dead Sea Scrolls found in the 1940’s. These scrolls are the oldest manuscripts of Old Testament that exist, predating the oldest manuscripts we had at the time by almost 1,000 years. In comparing the newly found manuscripts of Isaiah with the manuscripts previously in possession, it was determined that 95% of the manuscript was identical. The remaining 5% were misspellings of words which in no way, shape, or form diminish the reliability of the text. [9] So to say that the entire Bible must be ignored makes as much sense as discarding the complete Encyclopedia Britannica because the “I” in Tiger Shark was not dotted correctly.
What about contradictions in the Bible? Most of the contradictions critics point to come from a lack of cultural understanding of the time, while others point to translational differences. Compare today’s culture from that of just a few years ago.
Western society took the term “bad” which originally meant “bad”, changed it to mean “that’s good”, and now its commonly known as being “bad” again. Other terms just aren’t used anymore. How many times do you hear someone say “groovy”? That word was a staple of the 60’s and 70’s.
Also, depending on where you’re from geographically, some terms don’t make any sense. How many times have you heard something like he won’t be home “until the cows come home”? That’s a farming/ranching phrase which would mean very little to someone who never stepped outside of a city. Or what about statements like
§ He’s going to “jimmy” the lock; or
§ He was “jacked” up.
These are cultural phrases that weren’t in use thirty years ago and will probably not be in use thirty years from now. So in the future, when these terms are no longer in use, should all movies, books, video’s, or television broadcasts be discarded because of a term is no longer used? No, they should not.
Or how about terms we don’t know the history of? Take for example the term Tar Heel. Those who are familiar with college sports would know that this refers to the University North Carolina. But how did the term come about? From the mid 1700’s through late 1800’s, North Carolina ship yards used tar to seal the hulls of wooden ships. Since this was a major trade for the state, tar was abundant. Shipyard workers would step in the tar and track it around, thus the name Tar Heel. The history of the term can easily be found with a little research for those willing to take the time. But should the University of North Carolina be banned because the origin of the term Tar Heel is not commonly known? No, of course not.
One common criticism is the term bowels. The Bible, like all writings of the time, considered the bowels the root location of emotion. Today, we would say a heart of compassion instead of bowels of compassion. In the same turn, cultural behaviors 2,000 years ago in another country are different from our behaviors here, today. I would never go up to my brother and kiss him on both cheeks, however there are some cultures today where, not only is it an acceptable greeting, it is an expected greeting. It would be no different than our shaking hands.
So many criticisms of the Bible come from simple misunderstanding of terms. These misunderstandings could be resolved with a little bit of time, energy, and research. If you’re going to criticize something, shouldn’t you at least have some working understanding of what you’re criticizing?
Regardless of what the text states in context and meaning, we do have clear and convincing evidence that the Bible manuscripts we have today are accurate representations of the original texts. We can compare the thousands of manuscripts copied in Europe, Asia, Africa, and some in Israel to determine that our existing manuscripts are verifiable copies of the original texts. What we have in writing now is what we had in writing over 2000 years ago.
The Bible Isn’t Historically Accurate, Isn’t It?
By George K. Clark
History is recorded by physical evidence we find and eye witness accounts. Before the advent of modern science, eye witnesses were essential to verify historical facts. Fingerprint evidence was not used to identify John Booth as the assassin of Abraham Lincoln. Eye witnesses saw Mr. Booth shoot President Lincoln, jump off the balcony of Ford Theater, and run out. Eye witnesses record battle tactics used in the Civil War, Revolutionary War, French-Indian War, and so forth. Even today, eye witnesses are used in courts of law as evidence of fact regarding events and crimes. The Bible is the recorded recollection of witnesses to events. Physical evidence can be used to substantiate the witness testimony contained in the Bible.
o So what physical evidence do we have for the Bible?
Many archaeologists have made finds that confirm facts recorded in the Bible. Below is a small list of discoveries that support biblical history.
§ The cities of Ur and Ai as discussed in Genesis were once thought to be mythology until their ruins were excavated and identified in the 20th century.[10]
§ The Hittite empire, once thought to be biblical legend, was verified in the early 20th century. In 1906, more than 10,000 clay tablets were found that documented the ancient Hittite empire.[11]
§ In 1968, a stone was discovered at Dibon, Jordan, which when translated, confirmed Moabite attacks on Israel (see 2 Kings 1 and 3)
§ The Lachish Letters, discovered between 1932 through 1938, were found 24 miles north of Beersheba. These letters described the attack of Nebuchadnezzar (Babylon) on Jerusalem in 586 B.C.[12]
§ A discovery in 1993 through 1994 in Tel Dan verified the existence of the House of David. An Aramaic inscription was discovered on a wall constructed in the 9th or 8th century B.C. Part of this inscription made by Ben Hadad, king of Damascus, who gained victory over Israel approximately 150 years after the time of King David, stated that Ben Hadad had defeated a “king of Israel of the House of David!” See 2 Kings 8:7-15; 9:6-10. [13]
§ Before 1961, historical scholars declared Pontius Pilate a myth or a fictional character. In 1961, in the ancient Roman city of Caesarea Maritima, a plaque was discovered with the following inscription: “Pontius Pilatus, Prefect of Judea, has dedicated to the people of Caesarea a temple in honor of Tiberius. Emperor Tiberius reigned from 14 to 37 A.D. and matches the biblical timeline for Pontius Pilate.[14] It should also be pointed out that Cornelius Tacitus, a Roman historian of the first century wrote in his book Annales, Historiae, on chapter 15, paragraphs 54 and 55 “Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus…”
§ Jack Cottrell states in the book, The Authority of the Bible (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1979, pp. 48-49 that through “the wealth of data uncovered by historical and archaeological research, we are able to measure the Bible’s historical accuracy. In every case where its claims can be thus tested, the Bible proves to be accurate and reliable.”
But what about our schools? If it were true, wouldn’t we be taught that it was? Generally speaking, Education within our public schools (k-12) is suspect. There are certain facts we were taught in school that later turned out not to be fact at all. Facts like:
o President George Washington cut down a cherry tree, confessed doing so, and stated that he could not tell a lie. This did not occur.
o President Abraham Lincoln fought the Civil War to abolish slavery. Unfortunately, emancipation of slaves was not Lincoln’s primary reason for fighting the war. His objective was to preserve the Union (the United States as a whole). It is a well documented fact that he opposed slavery, however, he would have kept slavery as an institution to preserve the Union. He would have then attempted to abolish slavery diplomatically.
o The United States had not been invaded since the war of 1812 (where Washington D.C. was burned.) Truth is that in 1939, German U-Boats were sinking merchant ships off the east coast and, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese forces invaded and captured U.S. islands off the coast of Alaska.
Though I cannot state these as fact for all schools, the majority of those I’ve spoken to, and from personal experience, state these truths were taught to them. What we were taught in school was not accurate.
The Thomas B. Fordham Institute reviewed six high school U.S. History textbooks and six world history textbooks commonly used. In 2003, the institute stated that “the books reviewed in this report range from serviceable to abysmal. None is distinguished or even very good. . . . No text book scored better than 78 percent overall. . . . Five of the twelve earned failing marks.” (Chester E. Finn, Jr., “Foreword”, A consumer’s Guide to High School History Textbooks, p.8)
An Article in the May 2003 copy of Physics Today reported a 1998 study of middle school physical science textbooks. In that report, the study found thousands of errors in the middle school textbooks. Researchers concluded that the most common 12 middle-school physical science texts were unacceptable. The American Association for the Advancement of Science released their 2000 Annual Report which evaluated leading science and mathematic textbooks. They concluded that “most of the texts have serious weaknesses” and “not one was rated highly.”
These are the books our children are learning from. Why is this important and what do schools have to do with the Bible? I merely want to raise the question of education. Many of us believe what we are taught in school. Why shouldn’t we? Isn’t school a place of learning? Yet if what we are learning is incomplete or inaccurate, how does that help us know the truth?
For example, there are countries where the Holocaust (Germany’s systematic killing of over 4 million Jews during World War II) is not taught in schools. What is mentioned is that the Holocaust never occurred. These countries ignore eye witness accounts of concentration camp survivors, military personnel who discovered the camps, actual physical evidence from the camps themselves, Nazi documents, and actual video footage of the camps and those who were found dead. The truth is that the Holocaust did occur and that millions were killed. But those students in those countries who have been taught that the Holocaust never occurred have never seen the evidence or listened to eye witness reports. Those students have been taught to believe a lie. If those countries are willing to lie about history for their own agenda, doesn’t it make sense that they would discredit other areas that do not conform to their agenda, like the Bible?
Yes But Science Disproves the Bible, Doesn’t It?
By George K. Clark
Science uses what is called the Scientific Method to determine facts of science. Merriam-Webster defines the Scientific Method as: “principles and procedures for the systematic pursuit of knowledge involving the recognition and formulation of a problem, the collection of data through observation and experiment, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses.” I want to focus on the last phrase, observation and experiment, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses.
For a scientific principal to become valid, it must be repeatable. What one scientist is able to do should be duplicated by other scientists. When someone claims to have observed and tested something that no other person can duplicate, then it is a clear sign that there is an error somewhere in design, methodology, observation, or anywhere else the hypotheses can be tested.
With an electron microscope, we can observe atoms and test them (i.e. nuclear fission). We can show through repetition that the hypotheses are sound. Through methods of testing, we can observe how different chemicals react to each other. Thus, we can test that water and oil don’t mix. Observable and testable.
But there is a push in modern science that certain things that are not observable and testable are touted as scientific fact. Schools and universities teach as fact that all life came from simple single cell organisms. Is this directly observable and testable? No. This has never been duplicated or observed.
What has happened is that good men have made hypotheses on limited observation that cannot be tested. We observe that all life grows from some form of seed or egg. Fruit trees have seeds in their fruit that, when carried by animals or by other acts, fall to the ground, grow, and become new trees. All life, that we observe, is born in some form or fashion.
We look at the earth and observe tectonic plates pushing together and making hills or mountains. We observe that wind and rain erode the lands to change the terrain. This change can be measured over time. So the simple thought is to go back to observe and measure as far as we can go, to the point of creation which science keeps widening by millions of years.
But the Bible tells us that we were created. Adam was a full grown man when he was created. The Bible tells us that the earth, heavens, and stars were created in full maturity. Observable and testable? No. Creation is no more observable and testable than evolution is.
Science uses different methods of dating artifacts by carbon dating. In short, Carbon dating is based on a thought that the amount of carbon in the air can be precisely measured and reverse plotted, giving an approximate time the item was exposed to the atmosphere. These date ranges have dramatic differences. Science can say that a rock tests from two to three million years ago. One million years is a wide gap to place as certainty.
History and scientific dating has its place, but I wonder if science considered what the world would look like if at one moment there was nothing then, in an instant, everything came into existence. Under creation, all things were created in full maturity. A tree would have bark rings like they do today, geographical layers would exist, and life would begin in its adulthood.
Science has not always been right. Different views of science come up daily, re-writing our understanding of science. But have science and the Bible clashed before? Yes. Here are some brief examples.
o Only within the 20th century did medical science discover that blood-clotting in a newborn reaches its peak eight days after the child is born. Compare that to the Bible where Jewish children were to be circumcised on the eight day as commanded by God.
o There was a time when science told us that the earth was flat. This was not proven wrong until those in the 1400’s tested what science told them and sailed around the world. In comparison, the Bible records in the book of Isaiah that the earth was round. This was written approximately 2,400 years before Christopher Columbus attempted his voyage around the earth.
o It was common, scientific, practice that, when a person was sick, doctors would “bleed” them to get the sickness out of the system. This was done by leaches, cuttings, and other painful measures to get the sick blood out of the body. As a result, many died from blood loss. We know today that bleeding a person is not the answer. In the book of Leviticus, written about 3,000 years ago, God declared that blood was the source of life.
o Science, at one time, said that all of the stars in heaven could be counted. Science now believes that there are infinite numbers of stars.
o Science, at one time, believed that the sun orbited the earth. Now it has been proven that the earth orbits the sun.
I’m not stating that all science is wrong or can ‘t be trusted. By no means. In fact, ancient Greek mathematicians calculated that the earth was round and closely calculated the earth’s circumference. One need only to look at the medical field to know that science has lead to major health improvements. And through science and technology, one of my favorite, if not the greatest, movie, Star Wars, was made. What I am stating is that science held certain beliefs that eventually were proven wrong by observation and testing.
Science, by its very definition, is based on what is observable and testable. If it cannot be observed or tested, then it is not a fact of science. In fact, science rests on theories that are constantly being observed, tested, and proved or reassessed. So what about the scientific theories that are not testable? If it isn’t a fact of science, then it is a matter of faith. And if it’s going to be a decision of faith, then where will you place your faith, in science that has a history of being proven wrong or adjusted by later developments by science or the Bible that has not been proven wrong by science?
Ok, So What? What Does the Bible Have to do with Jesus Anyway?
By George K. Clark
Let’s review by looking at the evidence at hand. With the number of manuscripts of the Bible, with those manuscripts in so many different locations, then we can conclude that the manuscripts we have are identical matches of the original text. What we find in archeology is that discoveries include rather than exclude the Bible as historical text. So the only logical conclusion is that the Old Testament books of the Bible were then as they are now and are supported by external archeological evidence of events, places, occurrences, and names.
Old Testament books, though having different authors from different backgrounds have the common theme of God’s love for us by sending the Messiah, Israel’s promised one, to redeem us. Here is a brief list of Old Testament statements that the Messiah would:
o Be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)
o Be hated without cause (Isaiah 49:7 and Psalms 69:4)
o Be undesired and rejected by His own people (Isaiah 53:2, 63:3, and Psalms 69:8)
o Be plotted against by Jews and Gentiles together (Psalms 2:1-2)
o Be betrayed by a friend (Psalms 41:9, 55:12-24)
o Be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:13)
o Be forsaken by His disciples (Zechariah 13:7)
o Be struck on the cheek (Micah 5:1)
o Be spat on (Isaiah 50:6)
o Be mocked (Psalms 22:7-8)
o Be beaten (Isaiah 50:6)
o Be thirsty during his execution (Psalms 22:15)
o Be given vinegar to quench that thirst (Psalms 69:21)
o Be considered a transgressor (Isaiah 53:9)
o Be buried with the rich when dead (Isaiah 53:9)
What should be remembered is that all of the Old Testament was written hundreds of years before Jesus was ever born. By giving this knowledge in advance, the identity of Jesus would be verified as the Messiah.
Here’s a modern example of predicting events. David Greenglass was a World War II traitor who gave atomic secrets to the Russians then fled to Mexico. In order to escape without getting caught, he was to identify himself to the Russian ambassador in Mexico City with six prearranged signs. 1) Once in Mexico City, he was to write a note to the secretary and sign his name as I. Jackson, 2) he was to go to the Plaza de Colon in Mexico City three days after writing the note, 3) when at the Plaza de Colon, he was to stand before the statute of Columbus, 4) with his middle finger placed in a guide book, and 5) when approached, he was to state that it was a magnificent statue and that he was from Oklahoma. At that point, 6) the secretary was to give him a passport. These prearranged signs worked because it was impossible for the secretary not to identify Greenglass. (Information obtained from John Ankerberg, John Weldon and Walter Kaiser, The Case of Jesus The Messiah, Melbourne: Pacific College Study Series, 1994, 17-18) These steps verified Greenglass’ identity for his escape.
Of the many Old Testament statements pertaining to the Messiah, Jesus, Professor Peter Stoner, Professor Emeritus of Science at Westmont College, calculated the chance of one man fulfilling just eight prophecies at one in ten to the seventeenth power. One in ten to the seventeenth power, as Stoner illustrates, would be equivalent of having a blind folded man pick up a specially marked silver dollar in a pile of silver dollars two feet deep that covered the face of the entire state of Texas. Now consider the odds for the 456 prophecies that would be fulfilled in one man named Jesus. (Peter Stoner, science Speaks, Chicago: Moody Press, 1969, 106-107)
The Old Testament predictions/prophecies are verified as fulfilled in the New Testament.
o Yes, but what proof is there?
§ We have eye witness testimony from two of Jesus’ disciples, Matthew and John.
§ We have the recorded recollection of the apostle Peter with the Gospel of Mark.
§ We have a historical recollection of Jesus obtained through interview with eye witnesses by Luke.
Eye witnesses were essential before the time of scientific evidence. No evidence or testimony, supported by two or more witnesses as required in ancient and current times, speaks against the miracles Jesus performed. Nor did any witnesses come forth to speak against the fulfillment of the Old Testament predictions/prophecies.
§ The Gospel of John Chapter 11 records that Lazarus of Bethany had died and had been dead for 4 days. Multiple Jews were present consoling Lazarus’ two sisters, Mary and Martha. With a crowd of witnesses, Jesus called for Lazarus to come out of the tomb, and he did. If a lie, it would have been easy to prove at the time. Jews who were present could have said, “No, Lazarus is still dead. See here, this is his tomb and those are his bones.” On the contrary, people saw Lazarus dead for four days and then saw Jesus call him out of the tomb, alive and well. Some may argue that Lazarus was not dead. Though history does record stories of those thought dead being buried alive, this was not the case because comments were made about a stench from decomposition.
§ The Gospel of Matthew Chapter 12 records Jesus healing a man with a withered hand in front of his disciples and a group of Pharisees (those who eventually brought charges against Jesus which led to his execution). If this did not occur, the Pharisees could have said, “no, that’s not true. We were there, saw the man, and his hand is withered to this day.” Instead, they were angry at Jesus because he preformed this healing on a holy day.
§ In fact, history records Jesus as an innocent man put to death by crucifixion.[15] [16]When a person was crucified at that time, the ruling authority would place a list of crimes on the cross so others would know the penalty of breaking that law. The listed crimes did not include lying, fraud, stealing, or murder. It only stated that He, being Jesus, was King of the Jews.
The writers of the New Testament wrote and spoke about amazing things that were done in the open. If it were a lie, surely the testimony of two or more people would have uncovered that. Consider this example. Let’s say that during a sold out football game, the home team’s quarterback threw for 300 yards, 4 touchdowns, ran for 75 yards, and did not throw an interception the entire game. If I were to try to say after the game that the quarterback threw for 90 yards, zero touchdowns, and threw three interceptions, someone would correct me. There would be no way for my lie to survive. In comparison, the acts that Jesus performed were in the open.
But what about the writers of the New Testament? They had other motives, didn’t they? The disciples said what they said for their own gain, right?
What did the early church and the disciples gain? Not one of the early church leaders became wealthy nor did they obtain promise and respect. They received utmost persecution. As told in the New Testament, Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, and told by other church historical sources; early church leaders were beaten, stoned, left for dead, ridiculed, and scoffed at. Let us look at the Apostles (the 12 Jesus chose to follow him) and other early church leaders.
§ Peter – Crucified in Rome during the reign of Nero.
§ Andrew – Crucified in southern Greece.
§ James, brother of John – Beheaded in Jerusalem
§ John, brother of James, author of the Gospel of John, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John – The only apostle recorded to die of old age. He was banished to the Isle of Patmose.
§ Phillip – Crucified in Ephesus
§ Bartholomew (also known as Nathaniel) – Crucified in India.
§ Thomas – Killed by a spear in India.
§ Matthew, author of the Gospel of Matthew – killed by a sword in Ethiopia.
§ James, son of Alphaeus – stoned and threw down from the temple wall. When it was discovered that he was still alive, he was clubbed to death.
§ Thaddeus – Crucified
§ Simon, the Zealot – Crucified
§ Judas Iscariot – hung himself after betraying Jesus.
§ John Mark, writer of the Gospel of Mark – dragged to death.
§ Luke, writer of the Gospel of Luke, Acts, and possibly Hebrews – Hanged on an olive tree.
§ Matthias, chosen by the remaining 11 to replace Judas after his death – stoned in Jerusalem.
§ Paul, author of most of the New Testament – beheaded by Emperor Nero of Rome.
Will a person die for what is known to be a lie? Let’s take a closer look at Paul. He was once a religious zealot, hunting, persecuting, and killing Christians in the early days of the church. His life at that time was good. He had money, position, fame, and was on the fast track of being one of the most important Pharisee (considered the religious elite). After he had an encounter with Jesus, he lost all his money, his position, his fame, thrust into being the least of society, beaten, persecuted, and eventually killed in Rome. So what did he gain if he was spreading a lie? Or what about the 11 other Apostles? For three years, these 11 men walked, talked, and spent the majority of their time with Jesus. Would all 11 of these men be willing to lay down their life for a lie?
So What? Look at what Horrid Things that have Been Done by so Called Christians
By George K. Clark
So what does that have to do with you? It is a sad truth that many horrid crimes have been committed in the name of Christianity. If your good friend went out and committed horrid crimes, but told the authorities he did it in your name, even though your friend acted outside of your will, should you be held responsible? No, you shouldn’t. So why should Christ be treated any differently?
The sum of our lives is determined by the choices that we make. If you are honest with yourself, every time you feel like you don’t have a choice can be traced back to a decision you made when you did have a choice.
For example, as outrageous as it is, a bank robber shoots a security guard because the security guard drew his gun. The robber could say “I wanted to live, I didn’t have a choice!” But that robber had the choice to walk into the bank to rob it. That robber had the choice in planning which bank to rob. That robber had a choice to rob that bank or not.
Here’s another example. You’re in court because you are past due on your child support obligation. You couldn’t pay the child support because you don’t make enough money to pay rent, utilities, food, gas, and other things you need to function on a daily basis. But you had a choice. That choice started when you decided to have sexual relations with that other person. It may have even been through a divorce, but you had a choice there too.
Everyone on this earth will have to deal with the consequences of his or her own choices. Those who committed horrid crimes in the name of Christianity will stand in judgment for what they have done. You and I will stand as well, but one of our choices we’ll have to answer to is what we’ve done with Jesus in our lives. Did we accept him as Lord or not.
Psalm 22:1-18. (NKJV)
Consider the following from Psalm 22, verse 1 through 18. This psalm was written over 1,000 years before the birth of Jesus and over 400 years before crucifixion was developed.
1 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning?
2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; and in the night season, and am not silent.
3 But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You delivered them.
5 They cried to You, and were delivered; they trusted in You, and were not ashamed.
6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people.
7 All those who see Me ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying
8 “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”
9 But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts.
10 I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb You have been My God.
11 Be not far from Me, for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
12 Many bulls have surrounded Me; strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me.
13 They gape at Me with their mouths, like a raging and roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; it has melted within Me.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death.
16 For dogs have surrounded Me; the congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet;
17 I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me.
18 They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.
The New Testament records that Jesus cried out the first sentence of verse 1 , “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” when He was on the cross. Verse 7 and 8 state that “All those who see Me ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him.” It is recorded in the New Testament the Pharisees and others stood before the crucified Jesus, hurled insults at Him, ridiculed Him and stated “He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him” Matthew 27 verse 43. Verse 16 states “For dogs have surrounded Me; the congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet;” Gentiles (non Jews) were often called dogs. Roman soldiers (non Jews) pierced Jesus’ hands and feet as part of the crucifixion. It is recorded that the Roman soldiers and Pharisees (the congregation) surrounded the crucified Jesus and hurled insults at Him. It is also recorded that the Roman soldiers divided Jesus’ clothing by casting lots.
There are some who argue that, yes these things took place but that it was all planned by Jesus. If true, it would have taken a grand conspiracy that would exceed those told about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Everything that was done to Jesus was done in the open before witnesses. Jesus would have had to have bribed the Pharisees to arrest him, beat him, and send him to the Romans to be crucified. Those same Pharisees would then stand around Jesus to yell insults at him. Jesus would have also had to bribe the Roman soldiers to drive nails in his hands and feet and crucify him in a way that he would not have died and let Him go free. None of which could be true because 1) the Roman soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, 2) that it was certain execution if a Roman soldier disobeyed orders or allowed a prisoner to escape, and 3) that all of this was a conspiracy to lie to you.
If this were a lie, then what would have Jesus and the Apostles gained? Money? Neither Jesus or the Apostles gained wealth from any of this. Fame? What is the point of fame if it gets you killed or you cannot profit from it. It is very clear from the Bible and history outside of the Bible that neither Jesus nor the Apostles received any earthly gain.
So What Does the Bible Have to do With Me?
By George K. Clark
Since we know that the biblical manuscripts we have today are accurate representations of the original texts as written and that archeological discoveries have validated historical facts presented in biblical manuscripts, then we are left with a choice to make, either the Bible is what is says it is or it is not.
If the Bible is not what it says that it is, then no one has anything to worry about. We can go about our business, doing what we want with no consequences. Morality means nothing. There are no more consequences for my actions today than there would be for Adolf Hitler, Ted Bundy, Timothy McVeigh, or Jack the Ripper.
But, if the Bible is what it says it is then there is a Heaven and Hell. If the Bible is what it says it is then there is a God who loves you and there is sin that keeps you from realizing His love.
The Old Testament tells us that God gave us laws to follow. Many of these laws were given to us for our own protection. This is nothing new to human society. There are laws against using lead paint in products because it can be damaging. It would seem only right that, knowing that lead paint is dangerous, people would not use it. People continue to use lead paint, however, and others are harmed others because of it. Laws were passed to protect us from the lawless acts of others.
All of the laws of the Old Testament can be summed up as one statement. “And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Mark 12:30-31
Have you lied, hated, murdered, stolen, or embraced impurity? God gave laws regarding these issues. Those are sins. God is pure where sin is everything not pure. Think of a white towel free from any blemish or stain. It is pure and perfect. Now spill coffee on it. It is no longer solid white but is impure, stained, and to be thrown away. We do this to ourselves when we sin. God, who is pure, cannot accept anything that is impure. As a result, he cannot accept us as we are. But what God has done is to provide a way for us to be seen as pure by covering and cleaning the stain of all sin. Accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior does this.
But I never heard of Jesus. No one told me. And how can a just God hold this standard against all of humanity?
There are no excuses.
Romans 1:20-21: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”
But I’m a good person. I haven’t murdered anyone; I’m generally a good person.
God’s standard is perfection. If you have lied, hated, stolen, mocked, lusted, boasted, or been prideful, then you are not perfect and have broken God’s law. It is called sin.
Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.”
But there wasn’t a need for anyone to die.
Wrong.
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 6: 23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Because God is pure, just, and righteous, then He cannot be in the presence of what is not pure, unjust, or unrighteous. It is common sense that wrongs should be punished. If I come up and punch you for no reason, then surely you would agree that I have wronged you. And wouldn’t that wrong require punishment? Should God be any different?
What punishment is there for sin?
God’s only punishment for sin as it deals with Him is simple, eternity away from Him. If you have lived with anyone for any period of time, then you know that there are rules in that house. Both you and God have at least one thing in common, you both want a relationship. No one really wants to live in total isolation. You don’t want to and God doesn’t want you to. It was His good pleasure to create us in the first place. Do you think He would create you just to cast you away for the fun of it? No.
We know that we live with consciousness of eternity. We wonder what is beyond our death or if there is an after life. The Bible tells us that we have eternity in our hearts. The Bible is clear that there is an eternity for us. Our choice is where we spend that eternity.
Eternity has two destinations, Heaven with God or Hell away from God. All who have lived on this earth knows what it is like to love and to lose that love. It can be a family member, a significant other, or even a pet. We know, as humans, love. Hell is many things, but it is ultimately a separation from love. The Hell of it is that the separation was our choice.
So what is Hell?
The American Tract Society Dictionary defines hell as the following:
It is called "outer darkness," "flame," "furnace of fire," "unquenchable fire," "fire and brimstone," etc., Matthew 8:12; 13:42; 22:13; 25:20,41; Mark 9:43-48; John 1:13; Revelation 20:14. The misery of hell will consist in the (deprivation) of the vision and love of God, exclusion from every source of happiness, perpetual sin, remorse of conscience in view of the past, malevolent passions, the sense of the just anger of God, and all other sufferings of body and soul which in the nature of things are the natural results of sin, or which the law of God requires as (punishment).
Songs have been written about Hell as being a perpetual party place, where it isn’t that bad, or that it may be Hell but you’ll be there with your friends. The Bible says nothing about that. It is a place of torment and isolation. Some would ask why a just God would send anyone to Hell? Others state, “Hey, I’m ok. I do my thing, God does his, we have an understanding.” But if you are unwilling to follow or serve God here on earth, what makes you think you’ll be willing to do so in heaven? You have just this life to get it right with God. It isn’t by perfection or following laws perfectly. It isn’t by what you do? Do you hate listening to people boast about what they did all day, as they pat themselves on the back saying “what a good person I am”, just on and on about what they’ve done in the past, or just how good they are, or that they deserve to be where they’re at because of all the good deeds they’ve done? I’m willing to bet that you don’t. And if you don’t like being around someone who constantly boasts in themselves, do you think God wants to listen to it for eternity as well? No, He doesn’t.
It’s not about what you have done. It’s about what God has done for you, through Jesus, and if you’ve accepted that. You have to ask yourself if you’re right with God.
How do we “get right” with God?
Romans 10:9-10 “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” If you confess it, say it, and believe in your heart that Jesus died for your sins, so you would not pay the price for your disobedience, and that he defeated death three days later by being raised from the dead, then you will be saved.
Romans 10:13 “For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” There isn’t any formula, pattern, or ritual you can follow. Salvation comes from God, not by what we can do, but by what He has completed. It is His completed work we rely on. We are saved on the name of Jesus. All of that judgment meant for you and I was placed onto Jesus while on the cross. He took the punishment for our transgression so now God doesn’t see any stains. The towel, as mentioned before, has been covered by the blood of Jesus Christ, blotting out our stains, and we are presented to God in Christ. All sin can be forgiven by the finished work of Jesus.
The choice is yours to make.
So who is Jesus?
· Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
· Exodus 3:13-14 “Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?” And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you.’”
· John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
· Luke 22:66-71 “As soon as it was day, the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, came together and led Him into their council, saying, “If You are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will by no means believe. And if I also ask you, you will by no means answer Me or let Me go. Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God.” Then they all said, “Are You the Son of God?” So He said to them, “You rightly say that I am.” And they said, “What further testimony do we need? For we have heard it ourselves from His own Mouth.”
· John 8:56-58 Jesus said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
· Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
· Revelation 1:18 “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen.”
· Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”
The Way to Heaven
In speaking of the way to heaven, Jesus said:
· Matthew 7:13 “enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.” You have heard others say that all roads lead to Heaven. That would be the wide gate and broad way. But if the Bible is what it says it is, and Jesus is what the Bible says He is, then there is only one way to Heaven.
· John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Jesus asks you a question.
In Matthew, chapter 16, verse 13 through 15, Jesus is recorded to have asked his disciples a question.
“When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”
“So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
“He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Jesus asks you that same question today. Who do you say that He is?
- - - Footnotes - - -
[1] Page 4 of McDowell, Josh. The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999
[2] Page 145 of Leach, Charles. Our Bible. How We Got It. Chicago: Moody Press, 1898
[3] Geisler, Norman L, and William E. Nix. A General Introduction to the Bible. Chicago: Moody Press, 1968
[4] Geisler, A General Introduction to the Bible, page 268
[5] Metzger, Bruce M. The Text of the New Testament. New York: Oxford University Press, 1968
[6] Bruce, F.F. The Books and the Parchments: How We Got Our English Bible. Old Tappan, J.J.: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1950. Reprints: 1963, 1984
[7] McDowell, Page 39.
[8] McDowell, Josh. The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999
[9] Burrows, Millar. What Mean These Stones? New York: Meridian Books, 1957
[10] Hershel Shanks, "Abraham's Ur: Is the Pope Going to the Wrong Place,"Biblical Archaeology Review, January-February 2000, pp. 16-19, 66-67.
[11] Jack Cottrell, The Authority of the Bible. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1979
[12] Haupert, R.S. “Lachish—Frontier Fortress of Judah,” Biblical Archaeologist 1, no. 4. December 1938
[13] Alfred J. Hoerth, Archaeology and the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1998.
[14] Harold McRay, Archaeology and the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI.: Baker Book House, 1991), 203-204)
[15] Josephus, Flavius. The Antiquities of the Jews. New York: Ward, Lock, Bowden & Co., 1900.
[16] “Josephus, Flavius (C37-C101 A.D.), was a Jewish historian, author, and member of the Pharisee sect. He studied in the various schools of Judaism, was made a Roman citizen, and devoted himself to studies and literary pursuits. He wrote the seven-volume History of the Jewish War and the twenty-volume Jewish Antiquities.” Page 736, McDowell, Josh. The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999