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What is the basis to claim the Bible is the only word of God?
1 John 1:1 - 10
ESV - 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life - 2 The life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us -
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Asked August 09 2020
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venkatesan Iyer
Supporter
Community answers are sorted based on votes. The higher the vote, the further up an answer is.
Tim Maas
Supporter
To me, the most persuasive evidence in that regard is that, although many religions contain commendable moral teachings or claim messages from a supreme being, the Bible (as far as I am aware) is the only such purported communication from God that testifies to its accuracy by the fulfillment (even up to the present day) of specific pre-existing prophecies that were made hundreds or even thousands of years earlier; over which the individuals involved in the fulfillment of those prophecies had no control; and who (in some cases) were even actively opposed to the people to whom those messages were given (that is, the nation of Israel). (And that is not even to mention the resurrection of Jesus from the dead (again, in fulfillment of prophecy), for the truth of which His followers were willing to die, and which gives Him (as well as His own references to the accuracy of Scripture, such as in John 5:31-47) a unique authority and weight.)
Grant Abbott
Supporter
I don't think the bible is the only word from God but it is the "primary and foundational" revelation from God. The bible is God's book, it is his revelation to human beings that tells us who God is, what he is like, and his plan and purpose for human beings. The Holy Spirit inspired all the authors to write exactly what he wanted to say in their own words. The theme of the bible is Spiritual Life. It tells us how we got it, how we lost it and how we can get it back again. It tells us how to grow and develop this life, how to pass it on to others and how to use this life to transform the world. But God has also spoken to us in 3 additional ways: 1) through creation, 2) through his Son, Jesus Christ, and 3) through the church established by the Holy Spirit. Through Creation In Psalm 19:1-4 God has said about creation "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." Through Jesus Christ About his Son, Jesus Christ we learn this from God in John 1:1-5, 11-14, 18 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." "He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and[a] is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known." Through his words and his works, Jesus has made God known. In Hebrews 1:1-3 we read " In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." Through the Church God also speaks through the church he established through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2:1-47 the church is commissioned by Jesus Christ to continue his work in the world, to share the gospel so people can enter the kingdom of God. Through the wisdom of the Holy Spirit the church tells people how to live a life that is pleasing to God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Through the power of the Holy Spirit the church demonstrates how the kingdom of God is transforming the world we live in. (Romans 1:16-17; 1 Corinthians 4:20). The Holy Spirit gave spiritual gifts to the church to bring about this transformation (1 Corinthians 12:1-31). The apostle Paul wanted everyone to have the gift of prophecy so unbelievers would hear God speak (1 Cor 14:24-25). The true word of God spoken by creation, spoken by Jesus Christ, and spoken by the universal Christian church will always be in complete harmony with the written word of God. The bible is always the plum line we use when considering any other message from God. Even Jesus said to the Jewish leaders in John 5:39-40 "You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
Great question, Venkatesan! The New Testament writings are classified as Scripture (1 Timothy 5:18; 2 Peter 3:16.) Scripture is inspired and true (John 10:35; 2 Timothy 3:15). I can say for sure that the Bible is the only Word of God because of what it did to me. What did it do for me? I was a sex maniac, but God's Word, and only God's Word, set me free! It totally transformed me by delivering me from my porn collection of magazines, newspapers, videos, etc. I only hated myself for the way I was then because I could not free myself from this horrible addiction. But God's Word and only God's Word turned my hatred into love as I was a new man now! "God] sends his word out over the earth, his command runs swiftly." Or better, from The Living Bible, "how swiftly his word flies!" Indeed, it is true! I pray God's Word, the Bible, is flying swiftly (and powerfully!) in your life this year!
ainsley chalmers
Supporter
The bible has time and again, over the ages, shown itself to be completely true. For example: 1. hundreds of prophetic utterances over centuries have been shown to have come to pass. 2. archeological findings made over hundreds of years have been confirmed by the bible to be accurate, 3. scientific findings related to creation and the flood dovetail with biblical descriptions. 4. Jesus who is God often quoted from the bible and God never lies. 5. the Holy Spirit leads and speaks to our hearts that the bible is absolute truth. As a young Christian, 43 years ago, I didn't believe that, but much searching over the years have confirmed in my heart and mind the absolute truth contained within Holy Scripture.
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