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The Fork… God’s Word vs. Our Way. Chaos -- a state of utter confusion or disorder; a total lack of organization or order. Without organization or direction. Proverbs 3:1-5 Proverbs 16:25 Jeremiah 17:9-10 Jeremiah 10:23-24. The choice we make when we decide on a path is
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The Fork… God’sWord vs. Our Way
Chaos--a state of utter confusion or disorder; a total lack of organization or order. Without organization or direction.
Proverbs 3:1-5 Proverbs 16:25 Jeremiah 17:9-10 Jeremiah 10:23-24
The choice we make when we decide on a path is rarely this clear…
Hebrews 11:24-26 We don’t know what lies ahead no matter which road we choose…by faith we trust that God DOES!
How Can I Trust a Book? • The Old Testament was standardized by Jesus’ time. • The New Testament was standardized by no later than 3rd century AD. • A book/letters acceptance by early believers is what led to it becoming a part of the standard (qaneh) “canon” of scripture . 1. Could the author be trusted? 2. Was the content consistent? 3. Was it widely accepted by the believers? • No one person or council can be credited with our modern Bible. It was a product God working through the Holy Spirit in people over time.
How it came together… • 33 AD the O.T. was essentially set by Jesus’ time. • 70 AD The Synoptic Gospels were added as eyewitness accounts of Christ. • 100-150 AD The “memoirs of the apostles” (Justin Martyr) were added by the middle second century at the latest. • 200 AD a few other books like James, Hebrews, Revelation and a couple of the epistles were debated a bit, but eventually found wideacceptance. • Eusebius wrote in the 3rd century a list of all our modern NT, stating the Revelation was accepted by most… • 2 Peter 1:16-21—the scriptures are God inspired!
Key Points 1. Compared to other widely accepted ancient writings the Bible has no peer. 2. Written and circulated shortly after the events of Christ’s life. 3. Thousands of eye witness’ were still alive to confirm or dispute events as it circulated. 4. Many suffered death rather than deny the account of what the scriptures described.
Comparison of Ancient Writings Title Origin Earliest Copy Interval Copies History of Thucydides 450 BC 900 AD1350 years 8 Poetics of Aristotle 343 BC 1100 AD 1450 years 5 Caesar’s Gallic Wars 50 BC 1000 AD 1050 years 9 Works of Plato 400 BC 900 AD 1300 years 7 Homer’s “The Iliad” 900 BC 400 BC 500 years 643 New Testament 45-80 AD 110 AD 65 years 5686 Source: How We Got the Bible and Why We can Trust It, IPI Books 2009, pp. 37
Which Road Will I Choose? My Own “true to my heart” God’s Word “true to Reality” (+)Unbiased. (+)Unchanging. (+)God is in control. (+)God inspired and therefore always correct. (-)unpopular w/ many. (-)uncomfortable. • (+)Makes sense to me. • (+)I am in control. • (+)My feeling/opinion matters most. • (+)I can change to fit circumstances. • (-)Not universally shared by all. • (-)Very possibly, even likely to be wrong.
HIS Word • John 8:31-32—HOLD TO = True disciples • Mark 7:5-8—Tradition does NOT = truth. • 1 Timothy 4:16—Practice what we preach. • Matthew 4:1-4—God’s word is our food. • Read your bible daily • Don’t reject its direction Leaning on God’s understanding means following his Word above our own opinions, feelings, circumstances and traditions.