Unveiling the Truth: Is the Bible Fiction or Fact?

1. What do YOU say ? How do we even know that the Bible is factual or true ? There is no such thing as hell. Everyone goes to heaven – if you’re a good person! Your religion isn’t any better than any other religion! There are lots of ways to get to heaven! God is a loving God and He will not send people to hell !

2. Is this truth?The Bible had so many authors; how can it possibly be “God inspired?” It contradicts itself repeatedly and there are crazy things in there that couldn’t have possibly happened. Therefore, the Bible is a book of fiction. Comeback: The Bible is a book of crazy stories written by many people over the course of 1500 years. While it seems like a book of fiction, it is indeed fact. No one has been able to prove any part of the Bible false. In fact, more and more events and statements are being proven true just within recent history. Let me share with you some “proof”… • First, If we believe at all that the Bible is a holy book, then we must believe all of it, not just bits and pieces. Here are some Bible verses that support the truth of the Bible within the text itself:

3. Bible Truths • Isaiah 40:22Roundness of the earth • Job 26:7Gravitational field • Psalm 19:7-9 “The law of the Lord is perfect… the testimony of the Lord is sure… the commandment of the Lord is pure… the judgments of the Lord are true forever.” • Psalm 119:43 “the word of truth.” • John 17:17 “Thy word is truth.” • Titus 1:2 “God who cannot lie.” • Hebrews 6:18 “It is impossible for God to lie.” • 2 Timothy 3:16-17"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable e for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works"

4. Proving the Bible to non-believers:M-A-P-S M – Manuscripts • We have more than 14,000 manuscripts and fragments of the Old Testament of three main types: (a) approximately 10,000 from the Cairo Geniza (storeroom) find of 1897, dating back as far as about AD. 800; (b) about 190 from the Dead Sea Scrolls find of 1947-1955, the oldest dating back to 250-200 B.C.; and (c) at least 4,314 assorted other copies. The short time between the original Old Testament manuscripts (completed around 400 B.C.) and the first extensive copies (about 250 B.C.) — coupled with the more than 14,000 copies that have been discovered — ensures the trustworthiness of the Old Testament text. The earliest quoted verses (Num. 6:24-26) date from 800-700 B.C. • The same is true of the New Testament text. The abundance of textual witnesses is amazing. We possess over 5,300 manuscripts or portions of the (Greek) New Testament — almost 800 copied before A.D. 1000. The time between the original composition and our earliest copies is an unbelievably short 60 years or so. The overwhelming bibliographic reliability of the Bible is clearly evident.

5. Internal & External Tests (M) Internal: • The Old and New Testament authors were eyewitnesses of — or interviewed eyewitnesses of — the majority of the events they described. External: • This looks at the historical reliability of the historical events, geographical locations, and cultural consistency of the biblical texts. • Unlike writings from other world religions which make no historical references or which fabricate histories, the Bible refers to historical events and assumes its historical accuracy. The Bible is not only the inspired Word of God, it is also a history book — and the historical assertions it makes have been proven time and again. • Many of the events, people, places, and customs in the New Testament are confirmed by secular historians who were almost contemporaries with New Testament writers.

6. A – Archeological Evidence • Comprehensive field work (archaeology) and careful biblical interpretation affirms the reliability of the Bible. • For years critics dismissed the Book of Daniel, partly because there was no evidence that a king named Belshazzar ruled in Babylon during that time period. However, later archaeological research confirmed that the reigning monarch, Nabonidus, appointed Belshazzar as his co-regent while he was away from Babylon. • One of the most well-known New Testament examples concerns the Books of Luke and Acts. A biblical skeptic, Sir William Ramsay, trained as an archaeologist and then set out to disprove the historical reliability of this portion of the New Testament. However, through his painstaking Mediterranean archaeological trips, he became converted as — one after another — of the historical statements of Luke were proved accurate. Archaeological evidence thus confirms the trustworthiness of the Bible.

7. P –ProbabilityThe Bible records predictions of events that could not be known or predicted by chance or common sense. Surprisingly, the predictive nature of many Bible passages was once a popular argument (by liberals) against the reliability of the Bible. Critics argued that the prophecies actually were written after the events and that editors had merely dressed up the Bible text to look like they contained predictions made before the events. Nothing could be further from the truth, however. • Being struck by lightning in a year = 7 x 105 or 1 in 700,000 • Being killed by lightning in a year = 2 x 106 or 1 in 2,000,000 • Becoming president = 1 x 107 or 1 in 10,000,000 • A meteorite landing on your house = 1.8 x 1014 or 1 in 180,000,000,000,000 • You will eventually die = 1 in 1

8. Probability of Jesus being the Messiah as stated in the Old Testament Old Testament Prophecy Christ to be born in Bethlehem(Micah 5:2) Forerunner of Christ(Malachi 3:1) Christ to enter Jerusalem riding on a donkey(Zech 9:9) Christ to be betrayed by a friend(Psalm 41:9) Christ to be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver(Zech 11:12) 30 pieces of silver casted down and used to buy a potter's field(Zech 11:13) Although innocent, Christ kept silent when on trial(Isaiah 53:7) Christ crucified(Psalm 22:16)

9. S - Statistics • The Bible was written over a span of 1500 years by forty different human authors in three different languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek), on hundreds of subjects. And yet there is one consistent, non-contradictory theme that runs through it all: God’s redemption of humankind. Clearly, Statistical probability is a powerful indicator of the trustworthiness of Scripture. • When you look at some of the improbable prophecies of the Old and New Testaments, it seems incredible that skeptics — knowing the authenticity and historicity of the texts — could reject the statistical verdict: the Bible is the Word of God, and Jesus Christ is the Son of God, just as Scripture predicted many times and in many ways. M-manuscripts, A- archeology, P-probability, S-statistics

10. Is this truth?Other religions believe in our God (Jewish, Muslims, Mormons, Universalists, Jehovah Witnesses, etc), so they will go to heaven too. Comeback: Their gods have many similarities to the one true God, but you must look closely to find the differences and delve into historical context– and they are there. The only exception would be the Jewish religion, because they follow the Bible word for word throughout the Old Testament. Muslim-Jesus was a prophet, not son of God. God spoke through Muhammad (a man) with additional information (in Qur'an) (610 AD) Mormons –God had to attain His status of Godhead; he has a body of bones and flesh; history of religion is untrue, truth was revealed to Joseph Smith (1830). Universalism – believes the ideology that all religions are true and therefore worthy of toleration and respect; if practiced diligently, all will lead to God and salvation. (1961) Jehovah Witnesses - founded in 1879 by Charles Taze Russell, a Pennsylvania businessman. Jesus is not the true son of God and must earn your way into heaven. Response:It may seem like these religions all have the same God, but in actuality, they do not. We must rely upon the one true, historically correct text and its revealed truths, to test all “Gods”.

11. Bible Truths: • You shall have no other Gods but me (Exodus 20:30) • Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8) • All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16) • …You are the God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth." 2 Kings 19:15 • For there is one (true) God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus… (1 Timothy 2:5) • You believe that God is one . You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. (James 2:19) • Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6) • For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. (Malachi 3:6 ) • Thus says the Lord of hosts: Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; they speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:16) • http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/jesusgd2.htm

12. Is this truth? There is no way that people like Ghandi , Abraham Lincoln, and Nelson Mandela are not in heaven. They were awesome people who did great things and believed in peaceful practices (much like Jesus). People who do good things go to heaven! Comeback: It doesn’t matter who you are, what you’ve done, how famous you are, or how much money you have, you cannot earn your way into heaven! Good works and taking care of our brothers and sisters are “good fruits” but do not earn us a ticket to salvation. Ghandi – (1869 – 1948). Peacefully fought for civil rights within India. Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865). President who helped end slavery. Nelson Mandela – (1918- ). Peacefully fought for civil rights of black Africans.

13. Bible Truths: • For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9) • He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.  He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. (Titus 3:5) • For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  for God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only son. (John 3:16-18) 4. Jesus answered, I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

14. What is truth?Are people who sin really going to go to hell? Don’t we all sin? Isn’t God just going to forgive everyone because He is a loving God? Comeback: All sinners will go to hell; meaning everyone, unless they confess and turn away from their sins, believe that Jesus came as atonement for those sins, and put their faith and trust in Him as the living God Who conquered death through the resurrection. • Yes, we all sin. • God can only forgive us when we recognize the truth of why God sent Jesus to wash away our sins. We cannot stand before God unclean. Jesus’ blood is the only thing that makes us clean. • God is a loving God, but He is also a righteous and sovereign God. He is the ultimate Judge who must give punishment according to His perfect law. Jesus is the savior to that punishment.

15. Bible Truths: • For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. (James 2:10) • Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. (Romans 10:9-10) • I (Jesus) tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. (Matthew 12:36-37) • For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. ( 2 Corinthians 5:10) 5. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment. (Hebrews 9: 27) 6. The Lord will come with fire. He will ride on the wings of a storm to punish those He is angry with. By fire and sword he will punish all the people of the world whom he finds guilty-and many will be put to death. (Isaiah 66:15-16)

16. What is truth?Is hell a real place? Are sinners really spending eternity there? Comeback: Hell is real; if we believe in a heaven, then we must believe in a hell. Hell was created for Satan and his angels, but it is also where unbelievers will dwell after judgment. Life here on earth is but a short time, and eternity is real. We each have a choice as to where we will spend eternity. • Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41) • For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. (1 Peter 1: 24-25) • See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong [your] days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live. (Deuteronomy 30:15-19)

17. Bible Truths 1. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20: 12-15) 2. The LORD Almighty says, "The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. The arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw on that day. They will be consumed like a tree - roots and all. (Malachi 4:1) 3. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. (Dan 12.2) 4. As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13.40) 5. And they will go out and look upon the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind (Isaiah 66:23-24).

18. Be prepared ! …but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence… 1 Peter 3:15