So, What if the Bible Really Is True?

davidlimbaugh.com ^ | 12/23/10 | david limbaugh

[lancer256]

I'd like to challenge you to consider that the "good news" we celebrate during the Christmas season really is true.

You may choose to believe the Bible is merely a book of fables with nice moral lessons, but there is more abundant and accurate manuscript evidence for the New Testament than any other book from antiquity. Moreover, the number of witnesses to Christ's life, death and resurrection, as well as the nature of their testimony, is strong evidence of the reliability of the scriptural accounts, as are the corroborating secular testimony and archeological evidence.

In fact, the New Testament writers had every temporal motive to deny the resurrection occurred. Why would they fabricate and stand by a story that would lead to their being beaten, tortured and murdered?

So next time you read your Bible, consider that you're reading the inspired word of God and that Jesus really did say and do what the Bible reports, beginning with His claims about His own divinity:

[MHGinTN]

What a sly insult to spittle at Jesus and Christians! Failed? ... You really know what He is said to have accomplished and many many confirm in their lives, so that little insult is duly noted. As to your specious assertion, a student of Rabbi Gamaliel wrote the largest percentage of the New Testament after the Gospels. And Paul started writing his letters within no more than a decade after the Ascension.

Here's a lecture given by a pretty good Historian, at UNC Chapel HIll, regarding the veracity of Paul:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsrqFmEPUnw&feature=related Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsrqFmEPUnw&feature=related Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsrqFmEPUnw&feature=related Part 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsrqFmEPUnw&feature=related Part 4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsrqFmEPUnw&feature=related Part 5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqYwpGtzYHc&feature=related Part 6

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqYwpGtzYHc&feature=related Part 7

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SctdyQ9fN6c&feature=related Part 8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRRoRce4K6I&feature=related Part 9

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SctdyQ9fN6c&feature=related Part 10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaF-9Jm7bcs&feature=related Part 11

[caww]

Merry Christmas SZonian!

It is written...The Savior would come...and He did.

It is written...The Savior would die...and He did.

It is written...The Savior would rise..and He did.

It is written...He will come again.....and He will.

[onedoug]

And Merry Christmas to you too.

[MHGinTN]

Oh well, that covers the insult. Thanks so much for the revealing glimpse.

[WorldviewDad]

As far as I know, there has never been such a man. There was once a man who was inherently moral, but He had heard and believed in the Bible...since it was His word. Mankind decided to kill Him. I will put my faith and trust in Him...His name is Jesus.

Merry Christmas to all

[CitizenUSA]

You appear to be a traditional conservative. Traditional conservatives generally show respect for the faith, because Christianity benefits society, even for unbelievers. I think wise leaders once at least paid lip service to Christianity for that reason. Even if they were living their private lives in sin, they understood society is better when most people try to live by the Ten Commandments.

I also appreciate the fact that you at least entertain the possibility that Christianity might be true. My hope is that you find belief, because it does bring intellectual and spiritual comfort. For me, belief wasn’t an emotional conversion so much as an intellectual one. I read the Word and believe it’s true. I don’t understand the why of everything that God does (is that even possible for a mortal?), but I believe Jesus is God’s son who died and was raised to atone for our sins.

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom. 10:17 NKJV)

Merry Christmas!

[Elsie]

That's pretty funny but as a fact, I've learned from you.

Nah: from GOD.

I merely pointed it out to you.

[Elsie]

For instance, I recently learned that the geneology in Matthew 1, in the Greek, has the following properties:

But WHICH 'Greek'?

[Gondring]

The science confirmed OT mentions GOD using a talking ass; [...]

Bingo!

Those who claim to believe in Him, yet limit His methods, astound me.

[Gondring]

You have taken a physical sign and added an assumption without verification. If any argument is based upon false premise then the argument itself is false. (Professor Dan Showalter Mesa College @1980) Unless you can show what they were praying for as they committed suicide— your argument is false.

The professor is right.

Note, however, that I contradicted that argument anyway, so I didn't need to be rigorous in that step. It was largely rhetorical, emphasizing the fact that

Perhaps your suicides were praying for forgiveness-rather than as you suppose strength?

You are exactly, 100% right. My friend Victoria was doing that, according to the note she left me. She found no success in fighting the temptation to end her life, despite fervent extended prayer. Still, she prayed as she died, for forgiveness of her sins.

It wasn't a short-term thing. She bought a .357 Magnum as a last resort, but didn't want to leave a mess. She kept it by her at all times in case someone found out about her plans and called the cops to stop her. She extracted nicotine from a mess (literally) of cigarettes, but decided against it. She tried to obtain secobarbital from an overseas pharmacy, but Customs or the DEA or somebody stopped it. She then settled for another, more painful method.

Considering the year+ she held off, this was not some sort of knee-jerk, irrational action.

But let's go back to some points...

They were the extreme and irrational response of an individual in time of extreme stress.

Irrational?

Suicide relieves the situation quite effectively. Anytime I start to get upset at Victoria's success, I remind myself that she achieved what she wanted--she no longer has to endure the pain of living an existence she didn't want. She chose rationally, and it's hardly extreme. Even psych professionals admit that medications and therapy can't help a large portion of patients.

To me, it seems the irrational part is to ask for forgiveness after acknowledging that the promise of I Corinthians 10:13 has not been fulfilled.

[WorldviewDad]

It sounds to me that you are “blaming” God for the fact that you friend committed suicide. We all go through life having to make decisions and this was her decision. God has not made us to be robots. The verse that you state says...

1 Corinthians 10:13-14 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.

The temptation to take ones own life is common to man as is shown by the number of suicides committed. The verse does not say that God will remove the temptation but that you will be able to “stand up under it” and that He will “provide a way out”. You are assuming that she took the “way out” and still could not stand up under it. I would suggest that she chose not to take the way out and that is why she fell to the temptation. I am speaking with some degree of experience in this area. My brother committed suicide several years ago and from the information he left he knew that he had a better way to deal with his issues but decided that suicide would just be easier. He chose not to take the “way out”.

We all have to decide how we are going to live our lives. God has given us His Word to help us make the right decisions but He does not force us to chose the right decision.

I feel bad for your loss of your friend...and pray that you will find some answers to your questions.

[Elsie]

Merry Christmas to all!

[Gondring]

It sounds to me that you are “blaming” God for the fact that you friend committed suicide. We all go through life having to make decisions and this was her decision.

Please re-read what I wrote. I'm glad that she died, if she felt that it was less horrible than life. I'd not be a very good friend if I were selfish enough to put my own loss first. I'd be angry with God if He made her survive her ordeal and have to try again (unless, of course, He removed her burdens of Her earthly existence and made that unnecessary).

The temptation to take ones own life is common to man as is shown by the number of suicides committed. The verse does not say that God will remove the temptation but that you will be able to “stand up under it” and that He will “provide a way out”.

Agreed. But I think it refers to sinful temptations, not things like suicide.

You are assuming that she took the “way out” and still could not stand up under it. I would suggest that she chose not to take the way out and that is why she fell to the temptation.

I don't know what way she could have taken that she didn't take--she surely didn't. I would think that the implication in the verses was that the "way" wouldn't be a hidden one. She did not see any, despite trying hard. In fact, one of the things in her last note to me was that one of the first things she planned to do after death was to ask about that. To me, it seems to be a contradiction...but I give her credit for trying to find a way to reconcile the two; I don't find it as easy.

My brother committed suicide several years ago and from the information he left he knew that he had a better way to deal with his issues but decided that suicide would just be easier.

I'm sorry for your loss. I hope he is at peace.

I feel bad for your loss of your friend...and pray that you will find some answers to your questions.

Thanks. It was a terrible shame.

[Gondring]

Merry Christmas!