In this final part of our study we will discuss the reliability of the Old and New Testaments. Can we be sure that the copies we have now are exact replicas of the original manuscripts that we no longer have? You can reference part 1 & part 2 here.

First we will talk about historicity (historical authenticity).

• All of the New Testament was written by eye witnesses or by those who interviewed eye witnesses.
• No original texts exist today, only copies or manuscripts.

Reliability of the Old Testament Texts:

• Different sets of scribes throughout the years copied them by hand.
• The next few quotes, from the book Beyond Belief by Josh McDowell, show the painstaking processes taken to preserve the Word of God and their overwhelming results. Read more →

God has revealed Himself. That is the statement of the doctrine of revelation. If God doesn’t reveal Himself, all we have are finite speculations and philosophies of an infinite God (1 Cor. 2:11-12). Just as a quick side note; If the creator of the universe has made Himself known and knowable, shouldn’t knowing Him be at the top of our priority list?

There are 2 types of revelation, general and special.

1. General revelation.

• God reveals Himself through his creation. – Ps 19:1; Is 6:3; Ps 8:3-4; Rom 1:19-20
• General revelation also includes common grace for all, ie. water, food, sun, rain, etc. – Ex 31:2-11, 35:30-35
• No matter how bad we are, God, in His love and mercy, shows everyone this bit of common grace. – Mt 5:45
• God reveals Himself through the conscience He gave all mankind. – Rom 1:18-32, 2:5-6, 8-9; John 3:19 Read more →