Question: What are some scientific evidences that prove Christianity?

Answer: Scientific inquiry depends upon the truth that there is order in the universe. Natural laws exist that we rely upon and upon which we build our scientific system. These laws have been placed into our world by an intelligent designer, God, the creator of the universe. The book of Genesis in the Bible provides us with a creation model that is reliable and consistent with true science. When we assume there is order and intelligent design in our world it leads us to discover other scientific truths. Consider the following by Dr. Vardiman.

Isaac Newton is recognized today by almost all scientists to have been one of the greatest, if not the greatest, scientist who ever lived. His breadth of knowledge, his ability to analyze and synthesize the physical world, his development and use of the calculus, his formulation of the three laws of motion, and the expression of the law of gravitation have been unequaled by any other scientist before or since.

"This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being. This Being governs all things, not as the soul of the world, but as Lord over all, and on account of His dominion He is wont to be called Lord God, Universal Ruler." (Newton, 1686).

Source: http://www.icr.org/research/lv/lv-r03.htm

Fruitful scientific inquiry almost demands a Biblical world view, either consciously or subconsciously, a world view in which like causes produce like effects, where natural phenomena follow fixed and intelligible natural laws, and where we can have confidence that we can think rationally and meaningfully.

Dr Henry Morris The Biblical Basis for Science p. 29

Psalm 19:1 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 display knowledge.

Romans 1:20 -25 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God

gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. Things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen.

Institute for Creation Research - ICR

Question: Give intellectual proof for Christianity.

Answer: The laws of probability offer me some clear intellectual proof for Christianity. There are over 300 prophecies of the Old Testament that were fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. We have in common the belief in the historic Jesus, so now consider the probability that one man could fulfill just eight of these prophesies.

For Example:1. Born of a woman Genesis 3:15, Galatians 4:42. born of a virgin Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:213. of the seed of Abraham Genesis 12:1-3, Matthew 1:14. of the tribe of Judah Genesis 49:10 ,Luke 3:23,335. of the house of David 2 Samuel 7:12, Matthew 1:16. born in Bethlehem Micah 5:2, Luke 2:4-77. Anointed of the Holy Spirit Isaiah 11:2, Matthew 3:16-178. Rise from the dead Psalm 2:7 , 16:10, Acts 2:31, Mark 16:6

The probability would be 1 in 1017. Science Speaks Peter Stoner 1963 Moody Press

Josh McDowell spent several years trying to intellectually refute Christianity and shares his finding in two books, Evidence That Demands A Verdict, and More Evidence That Demands a Verdict.

Josh McDowell’s search for truth and intellectual validity to Christianity is summed up in this story.

A student at the University of Uruguay said to me. "Professor McDowell, why can't you refute Christianity?" "For a very simple reason," I answered. "I am not able to explain away an event in history – the resurrection of Jesus Christ."

After more than 700 hours of studying this subject, I have come to the conclusion that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is either one of the most wicked, vicious, heartless hoaxes ever foisted on the minds of human beings – or it is the most remarkable fact of history.

Here are some of the facts relevant to the resurrection: Jesus of Nazareth, a

Jewish prophet who claimed to be the Christ prophesied in the Jewish Scriptures, was arrested, was judged a political criminal, and was crucified. Three days after His death and burial, some women who went to His tomb found the body gone. In subsequent weeks, His disciples claimed that God had raised Him from the dead and that He appeared to them various times before ascending into heaven.

From that foundation, Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire and has continued to exert great influence down through the centuries.

Source:http://www.josh.org/resurrection.html

Question: What does Christianity say about Jesus and His relationship with God?

Answer: The key question is not what Christianity says but what the Bible says. The Bible’s reliability has been documented and continues to be found to be reliable with each new manuscript discovered during archaeological digs. The New Testament text can be reconstructed with over 99 percent accuracy with 100 percent of the message preserved. The Bible is quite clear as to the relationship of Jesus and God

Some passages include:

John 1:1 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 men.

John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."

Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."

John 8:58 "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!"

Matthew 16:13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets. "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

Colossians 1:13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-- if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

Rev. 1:12 - 18 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man," dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

This question is further explained in the discussion of the Trinity, (There is one God in Three Person; God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit) as it is presented in the Bible.

http://www.answering-islam.org/Trinity/beckwith.html

Question: Why do you call Jesus, Son of God, when Jesus called Himself, Son of Man?

Answer: A simple way to determine what Jesus meant is by examining the passages in the Bible where he uses Son of Man and determine what he meant. We will see that he clearly teaches that he is God and should be worshipped, has authority over sin, death, hell, and that He is to be obeyed even as his father is to be obeyed, etc. To understand why he didn’t simply say, “I am God, worship me” is better understood in the context of Jewish culture and religion where it was blasphemy to do so. Yet, we will see he clearly equated himself with God, which caused the Jewish leaders to accuse him of blasphemy and ultimately crucify him. Take time to examine these passages, which use Son of Man and consider what Christ was saying about himself. For a more exhaustive study connect to the website listed below.

Matthew 9:5,6 - 'Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...' Then he said to the paralytic, 'Get up, take your mat and go home.'

Matthew 12:8 - 'For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.'

Matthew 12:40 - 'For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.'

Matthew 13:41 - '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.'

Matthew 16:13-17 - When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, 'Who do people say the Son of Man is?' They replied, 'Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.'

'But what about you?' he asked. 'Who do you say I am?' Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Christ [Messiah], the Son of the living God.'

Jesus replied, 'Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.'

Matthew 17:9 - As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, 'Don't tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.'

Matthew 17:22,23 - When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, 'The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill

him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.' And the disciples were filled with grief.

Matthew 20:18,19 - 'We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!'

Matthew 20:28 - '...the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'

Matthew 26:2 - 'As you know, the Passover is two days away - and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.'

Matthew 26:45 - Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, 'Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.'

Mark 8:31 - He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.

Mark 9:31 - He said to them, 'The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.'

Mark 10:33,34 - 'We are going up to Jerusalem,' he said, 'and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.'

Mark 14:41 - Returning the third time, he said to them, 'Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.'

Luke 9:22 - And he said, 'The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.'

Luke 12:40 - 'You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.'

Luke 18:31-33 - Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, 'We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock

him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.'

Luke 22:48 - ...but Jesus asked him, 'Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?'

John 3:13-15 - 'No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven - the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.'

John 9:35-38 - Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, 'Do you believe in the Son of Man?' 'Who is he sir?' the man asked. 'Tell me so that I may believe in him.'

Jesus said, 'You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.'

Then the man said, 'Lord, I believe,' and he worshipped him.

The above references give far more information about who exactly this 'Son of Man' is. Matthew 16:13-17, Luke 22:48 and John 9:35-38 make it crystal clear that it can only refer to Jesus. The other examples teach us much more about his character and purpose. We see that:

He has power to forgive sins (Matthew 9:6); He is Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8); He is the king of a kingdom and the angels are his (Matthew 13:41); He is the Messiah, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:13-17); He was to be killed and raised from the dead (resurrected) (Matthew

17:9,22,23;20:18,19;26:2; Mark 8:31;9:31;10:33,34; Luke 9:22;18:31-33); He was to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28); He was unique and came from heaven (John 3:13); All who believe in him are to have eternal life (John 3:14,15); He accepted worship (John 9:35-38).

In the light of the above, it will be seen that the Christian position on the person of Jesus has ample support from the Bible. Far from being simply a human prophet of Allah, he is unique, far above all other prophets. The following reference from Revelation 1:12-18 is yet again instructive. John, in his vision from God, says:

I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw... someone 'like a son of man', dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze

glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters... His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

Above quoted from:Answering Islam, A Christian-Muslim Dialog and Apologetic

Question: Describe the state of the soul after death until the Day of Judgment.

Answer: Both the Old and New Testament teach that physical death is not the end for anyone. The unsaved will be immediately punished as they wait for the Day of Judgment. The righteous will be immediately ushered into the joy of God’s presence as they await that day.

Those who have not been saved by Jesus from God’s wrath will occupy a place called lower Sheol or Hades. (Cf. Psalm 9:17) This is a place where the unrighteous are kept “under punishment unto the day of judgment”. (Cf. II Peter 2:9) All the wicked will come forth from Hades to meet God at their final judgment at the great white throne of God. (Cf. Revelation 20:13)

Those who have been saved by Jesus’ sacrificial work on the cross are immediately gathered to be with God. This place is called upper Sheol or Paradise. The psalmist is assured that “in Sheol” the comforting presence of God would be his experience. (Psalm 139:7-12) Hezekiah was convinced that he would go into the gates of Sheol. (Cf. Isaiah 38:10). The thief on the cross was promised that he would be with Jesus in Paradise that very day. (Cf. Luke 23:43) Lazarus is said to be comforted in Paradise after his death (Luke 16:25).

For both the saved and unsaved physical death transitions the soul to a place which awaits the final judgment of God.

Question: What does the Bible say about salvation for people who do not believe in Jesus or who lived before Jesus came?

Answer: The Bible is very clear on the question concerning salvation for people who do not believe in Jesus.

John 3:36, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." [1]

John 3:16-18 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, [6] 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. [7]

I John 5:11-13 “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Acts 4:12, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

I Timothy 4:5, 6, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men--the testimony given in its proper time.”

These Scriptures speak for themselves in this regard.

The second part of your question asks about those who lived before Jesus was born. The Bible answers that question in Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Paul quotes Genesis in his answer.

Galatians 3:6-14, “Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." [1] Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." [2] So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." [3] Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." [4] The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." [5] Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." [6]

He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”

The Bible teaches that all men and women are saved on the basis of faith in the provision of God, namely His Son, Jesus. Abraham’s faith looked forward to the future when Jesus would come as God’s provision. Today, our faith looks backward to the past when Jesus did come and die as God’s provision for our sin. The Bible teaches that no man can save himself on the basis of his own righteousness. Rather our righteousness is credited to us on the basis of faith in Jesus.

Question: What is the motivation of people doing good things if Jesus has taken all of their sins?

Answer: First, I would say that some who call themselves Christians play with God’s grace in such a way as to attempt to make a mockery of God’s grace. Some view the forgiveness of God through Jesus as a license to sin. The Word of God would call into question whether such a one has truly received Jesus in genuine faith. God cannot be mocked.

It is true that Christians do not pursue a godly life because they fear condemnation from God. Rather we pursue a godly life because of our love for the God who has given us salvation freely through his Son. Jesus was asked the question, “What is the greatest commandment?” In Matthew 22:37-40 he answered, "`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' [2This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' [3] All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Love binds the heart stronger than fear can. It is love that binds the heart of a Christian to God. The following story from Luke 7:36-50 may help with this answer:

“Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is--that she is a sinner."

Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."

"Tell me, teacher," he said.

"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." "You have judged correctly," Jesus said.

Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.

You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven--for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."

Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"

Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

Question: Can you explain for us how God is both just and merciful?

Answer: This is the great dilemma which the whole Bible answers in regard to man’s relationship with God. For the Bible teaches that no one is righteous enough to merit God’s acceptance on the basis of good works.

Justice requires that a right penalty is meted out to those who break the law. If God were only just, no one could stand before Him. A holy God would condemn all.

Psalm 53:2-3 says, “God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. Everyone has turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.“

God’s justice would require that the extreme penalty of His fierce wrath be poured out upon all who are guilty. Since all are guilty, all would fall under God’s wrath.

Yet God is merciful. How can he be both just and merciful at the same time? God’s proper wrath against sin must be satisfied. The answer is found in the person of Jesus Christ. God poured out his wrath against mankind’s sin upon a substitute. God treated Jesus, who never sinned, as though He were a sinner so that God could treat us as though we were righteous. The Bible explains it this way in Romans 3:20-26,

Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.

There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, [9] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-- he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

God is merciful because He sent His own Son to die in our place. He did not have to, but His mercy and love for us moved Him to do so.

God is just because sin is paid for. He is not merely lenient, but his wrath was satisfied in the death of His Son.

Question: Is Jesus white, fair-skinned and with blue eyes?Answer: No. The Son of God, who existed in equality with God from all eternity past, took on the flesh of a Jewish male. He looked like the people into whose race He was born. (Cf. Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 3:21-37)

Question: What is the gospel of Barnabas?Answer: The Gospel of Barnabas is a document that claims to be another gospel which records the life of Jesus. The question is simply, “Is it an authentic account of the life of Christ by a disciple of Jesus?” The evidence is overwhelmingly negative. Consider the following facts:

1. The earliest reference to it comes from the 5th century work entitled, Decretum Gelasianum. Even this reference is in doubt. There is no original language manuscript evidence for its’ existence.

2. The earliest form known is an Italian manuscript which is judged to be from the fifteenth or sixteenth century some 1400 years after the time of Barnabas. Even Muslim defenders of it, like Muhammad ur-Rahim, admit that they have no manuscripts of it before the 1500s.

3. Muslim writers do not make reference to it until the fifteenth and sixteenth century.

4. No church father or teacher of the Christian church ever quoted from it from the first to the fifteenth century.

5. Sometimes it is confused with the Epistle of Barnabas, which first century work. But this is entirely different work.

6. It contradicts both the four other gospels’ claim and the Qur’an’s claim that Jesus was the Messiah or the Christ.

7. This work contains many geographical and historical errors. These are too many to innumerate here, but they can be found at the following resources.

For further study I recommend David Sox’s book The Gospel of Barnabas and an article found at http://www.answering-islam.de/Gilchrist/barnabas.html

Questions: 1. If you say the Bible is the word of God, why are there so

many versions? How can you explain messing with God’s word?

2. Islam finds fault and error with the Bible. How do you know that the Bible is in fact the very word of God? How can you say that it is valid and without error?

3. History tells us that the language of Jesus (AS) was Aramaic. Simple logic says that the original Gospel is in Aramaic. If that is so, where is it? Also, none of the translations can be the exact word of God because it is done by the “Sinnex,” i.e. the human. Just to state clearly: Where is the original gospel in the Aramaic language (bearing in mind 82? Of the words ascribed to Jesus (AS) in today’s bible are never said by Him)?

Answers: These questions deal with a common theme, so we’ll answer them together. Let’s begin with this admission: We cannot place our hands upon the original documents that were written by the Biblical writers. The manuscripts that we have today are copies of what was originally written by Moses, David, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul and others. Just as no one can hold up a parchment claiming that it is the original writing of Muhammad, so no one can claim to have an original manuscript of the work of a biblical author. The question in light of this is whether or not we can still say that the Bible we read from is the word of God. Let us consider several related questions:

I. First, can we be confident that the manuscripts we do have accurately reflect what was written on the original parchment? If not, then the Bible we have today is certainly not the word of God.

A. Original language preservation

Instead of bemoaning the lack of the original paper upon which Moses or the Apostle Paul wrote, we would do well to consider the incredible evidence that exists which can point us to an exact knowledge of what they wrote.

Consider this: The Old Testament was written thousands of years before the Koran. Today, we have over ten thousand Old Testament manuscripts that are copies of at least portions of the original writings of Old Testament authors. The following are a few examples of the evidence that we have that these OT manuscripts are faithful copies of the original:1

Few Variants in the Text: There are few variants in the texts. This is because the Masoretes were careful to copy from older manuscripts.

Reverence for the Scripture: There was a reverence for Scripture among those who copied the older manuscripts: “Rules governed the kind of ink used, dictated the spacing of words, and prohibited writing anything from memory. The line and even the letters were counted methodically. If a manuscript was found to contain even one mistake, it was discarded and destroyed (cf. chap. 20). This scribal formalism was responsible, at least in part, for the extreme care exercised in copying the Scriptures. It was also the reason there were only a few manuscripts…as well as why those which are extant are of good quality.”

1 A General Introduction to the Bible, Norm Geisler and William Nix, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1986) pp. 374-382.

Support from archaeology: That God’s people have been faithful to preserve His Word is confirmed by the recent scholarship done with the Dead Sea Scrolls. Before the discovery of these scrolls, the earliest manuscripts we had for our Old Testament documents was about 1000 AD—almost 400 years after the Koran was written. These scrolls took us back another 1000 years—600 years before the Koran was written. Those who doubted the trustworthiness of Scripture believed that there would be significant differences between the Old Testament in our Bibles today and these manuscripts that were copied down thousands of years ago.

What we see then is that as we compare texts and consider the historical transmission of the original texts to copies we have a clear testimony of the reliability of the texts the translations we read from today are based on.

Similarly, we see God’s hand at work in the preservation of the New Testament. While most documents that we have from antiquity are constructed from merely a few documents. It is hard to imagine that a document that was written thousands of years ago could have been preserved so well, but today we have over 5,000 Greek manuscripts that reveal God’s Word to us. In addition to this, we can look at the writings of the early church fathers, many written just a generation after Christ. As we do this we can compare their quotations of Scripture with our texts and confirm their reliability in this manner.

B. Numerous translations

Do the numerous English translations cause us to doubt that we have an accurate translation of God’s Word? No doubt, there are some translators who have not been faithful to preserve God’s Word as they have translated it. These men and women will be accountable to God for their distortions. However, most of the differences in translations can be explained by examining the difficulty in translating a text from one language to another. Just as the Koran “loses something” as it is translated to English, so does the Bible. The numerous translations that exist often help the reader who cannot read Greek or Hebrew understand the different nuances in a text. Far from distorting God’s Word, these translations actually help enable people to understand it better. Very rarely are the differences in translations enough to cause one to question the basic meaning of a text.

C. Jesus’ Words

Concerning the actual words spoken by Christ, I’m not sure where the person asking the question came up with the figure 82%. I know that the Jesus Seminar put the number of “disputed words” at above 50%. Determining such a figure seems ridiculous and hopelessly arbitrary. Those that make such claims were not there to hear Christ’s words and so they have no way of knowing what was said by Him and what wasn’t. Rather, our best hope of knowing what Jesus said lies in relying upon the accounts of those who heard Him speak—that is the gospel accounts of his life found in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

D. Summarization:

To summarize, we can be confident as we look at the historical and textual evidence, that the Bible we have is an accurate rendering of the original manuscripts.

II. Second, not only must we be sure that the manuscripts we have accurately reflect what was written on the original parchment, we must ask ourselves did the original manuscripts contain errors? If so, then it is not relevant that we have an accurate translation, for our Bible would merely be an accurate representation of an errant text and it would not be the word of God.

Many people not familiar with the Bible claim that it contains errors, but are merely repeating what they have heard others say. The original manuscripts—of which we have reliable copies—did not contain any errors. To answer the question that was posed more fully, I would need to know exactly what errors you perceive the Bible contains. The Bible’s description of man and his fallen condition and God and His plan of salvation are completely true. We can be confident that when the Bible says that Jesus Christ came to earth to die on the cross for our sins, and that if we place our faith in Him for the forgiveness of our sins, it is true and correct.

III. Finally, even if the manuscripts are without error and well preserved, how do you know that the text is the Word of God?2

A. Self-attestation

One of the ways that we know that the Bible is God’s Word is that it claims to be. Throughout Scripture, we have clear instances of the writer claiming that what he was writing was from God—the very Word of God in fact. Here are some examples:

Exodus 17:14: “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Write this as a memorial in a book.’”

2 Much of the material in this section is taken from “Scripture’s Self-Attestation,” by Wayne Grudem.

Exodus 24:4: “And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord.” Jeremiah 1:9: “I have put my words in your mouth.” Isaiah 45:5: “I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me

there is no God.” 1 Thessalonians 4:15: “For this we declare to you in a word of

the Lord.”

B. Outside Evidence

There are many evidences that Scripture is God’s Word, but we’ll touch on only a few here. One of the remarkable things about the development of the Biblical canon was the recognition that others gave it. Those that heard the words of Moses were convinced that what he said was indeed the word of God.

Those in the New Testament also held to the reliability of the Old Testament because they believed it was the Word of God. The writers of the New Testament referred to the writings of the Old Testament as God’s Word (Luke 1:70; Acts 3:18, 21; Acts 4:25, etc.). Even minor details in Old Testament are believed to have been fulfilled in the life of Christ.

Another example of this is the testimony of Jesus Christ Himself. He confirmed that every part of Scripture was God’s Word and that no portion of it would pass away.

Finally, we must realize that the Bible is a work written by not one other but dozens. It was written not in a few hundred years but over thousands. The remarkable thing is that it is consistent in the themes that it deals with and the character of the God it reveals. God is a God who seeks to reconcile men to Himself and who seeks His own glory.

C. Personal Evidence

We can also testify to the authority of God’s Word as we read what it says about God and our condition. “All Scripture is inspired by God,” Paul tells Timothy, “and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Hebrews 4:12 says that the “word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” As we experience this in our own lives we recognize that the text we have in front of us is the very word of God for no mere book could know us so well and change us so deeply.

In conclusion, what can we say then about the Bible? Historical and textual evidence confirms that the manuscript we have before us is a reliable transmission of the original. The original did not contain errors. Furthermore, the original text claimed to be and was the very Word of God.

Question: The thing that turned me away from Christianity is how people would continue to do bad—because Jesus died on the cross for their sins, as long as your repented it was okay to continue to do what they wished. They never took responsibility for their actions. How do you explain this?

Answer: I am sorry that these people have turned you from Christianity, for these are people that have clearly not understood the good news of Jesus Christ. Jesus is very clear that those who have placed their faith in Him are not merely forgiven of their sins but called to live a life that reflects His presence in their life. Consider what the book of 1 John says about those who are truly Christians and those who are merely pretending to be Christians. Look carefully at the first verse listed here and look at the relationship between our sins being forgiven and how we know that this has taken place:

1 John 2:1-3: “My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.

1 John 3:15: “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”

1 John 3:24: “And the one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him.”

1 John 4:20: “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.”

1 John 5:1-2: “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God; and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments.

Clearly, though we are saved and forgiven by faith alone, that faith results in a changed life that must be manifested by the works and deeds that we do.

Question: What does the Bible say about people (Christians) who oppress other people? Are their sins going to be forgiven also?

Answer: Yes, if they are truly Christians. 1 John 1:9 relates that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. Oppressing others is wrong, certainly. But our forgiveness is based not upon the works that we do, but on the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, who took the penalty for all our sin. When we place our faith on what He did on the cross, he forgives all of our sin.

Question: If God is unchangeable, then why did He choose to die in the hands of an inferior species, i.e. the humans, and then again live?

Answer: God is unchangeable in His essence, attributes, consciousness, and will. All change must be to the better or the worse, but God cannot change to the better, since He is absolutely perfect; neither can He change to the worse, for the same reason. He is exalted above all causes and above even the possibility of change. He can never be wiser, more holy, more just, more merciful, more truthful, nor less of any of these. His plans and purposes cannot change. Scripture declares that there is no variation with God (James 1:17). He does not change with regard to His character (Psalms 102:26; Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 1:12). He does not change with regard to His power (Romans 4:20). He does not change with regard to His plans and purpose (Psalms 33:11; Isaiah 46:10)

God’s unchanging nature must not be confused with immobility. God is active and enters into relationships with changing men. In these relationships it is necessary for an unchangeable God to use various methods in His dealings with changing men. God’s unchanging nature consists in His always doing what is right and in adapting the treatment of His creatures to the variations in their character and conduct. It was always in the plan of God for Christ to be the “spotless lamb” that was sacrificed for the sin of the world. It has always been according to His plan to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. God has always accomplished His plan while weaving it through time and using His creation to bring about His desired results. The birth of the God/man, Jesus, His crucifixion at the hands of evil men, His burial and resurrection were exactly according to the eternal decrees of God.

For further discussion on this subject, refer to www.answering-Islam.org and click on the question “Who is God?” and follow the link The Attributes of God and look up the immutability of God.

Question: You tried to say Jesus is God. How did God limit himself in the human body and exist having only the human environment?

Answer: The process of God becoming man through the person of Jesus Christ is called the incarnation. Two primary things were involved in the incarnation: Christ emptied Himself and He was made in the likeness of man (Philippians 2:5-11)

A. He emptied HimselfIn Philippians 2:7 we are told that Christ “emptied Himself.” Several things took place in this emptying. In some manner His divine glory was veiled, but not surrendered (John 1:14; 2:11; 17:5) He willingly left the riches of heaven to take on human poverty (2 Corinthians 8:9). He took on unglorified human flesh, which was subject to weakness, pain, temptation, and limitation. He voluntarily chose not to use His prerogatives of deity, such as omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience, to make His way easier. Though He did not surrender His divine attributes, He willingly submitted to not exercising certain attributes of deity so that He could identify with man. As a prominent Christian theologian, John Walvoord writes, “The act of kenosis…may…be properly understood to mean that Christ surrendered no attribute of Deity, but that He did voluntarily restrict their independent use in keeping with His purpose of living among men and their limitations.” (Walvoord, Jesus Christ Our Lord)

B. He was made in the likeness of menThough He existed in the form of God, He came to be in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:7). The one who was and is by nature God, became man. John declared that “the word became flesh” (John 1:14; 2 John 7). Christ was given a human body (Hebrews 10:5) so that God could dwell among us. In Christ “all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9) Not only did Christ become man, but while being in the form of God, He took on the form of a servant. He did not exchange the form of God for the form of a servant but took the form of a servant while He retained the form of God. This is exactly what makes our salvation possible and what it took to achieve it.

For further discussion on this topic, refer to www.answering-islam.org and click on the question “Who is Jesus?”

Question: The Bible says in “The Lord’s Prayer” to “forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” Why then did Jesus need to die?Answer: The death of Jesus was necessary to pay for the penalty of our sin before a perfect and holy God (Romans 6:23, “the wages of sin is death…”). There are several things about this part of the Lord’s prayer that we need to look at. First, Jesus is teaching that we need forgiveness. We, because of our sin, stand in direct opposition to God. We have offended Him on every turn. We need His forgiveness. Man in His arrogance, has trouble recognizing his need for forgiveness from something greater than himself. Second, we need to be a forgiving people. Is there any possible way that anyone could sin against us to the magnitude that we have sinned against the holy God? If God, being rich in mercy, can forgive us, how can we not forgive one another? Jesus would cause us to think here by saying ask God to forgive your sins in the same manner that you forgive those who have sinned against you. Now then we must recognize the truth that as we seek a pardon before the God of creation, we have to rely upon the satisfaction that was made to the justice of God for the sin of man, by the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. John the Baptist would say “behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” The scripture explains this necessity throughout its pages. “Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin (Hebrews 9:22), and 2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us that God made Him who knew no sin to become sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God.

For further discussion on this subject, refer to www.answering-islam.org and click on the question “Who is Jesus?” and follow that the topic of Jesus, the Lamb of God.

Question: How come the three religions are struggling for one peace on earth, killing themselves in the name of peace?

Answer: Outside of a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, man is left to his own thoughts and plans. In his sinful and arrogant state, though it may be clothed “in the name of God,” man is willing to perform the most abhorrent atrocities to prove himself in the right. Jesus said that it is no great accomplishment to love your friends, but we are to love our enemies as well (Matthew 5:43-48).