God's Proven Word

As an introduction to this study, please read the 1-minute devotion Guilty Until Proven Innocent which discusses the way Bible critics approach Scripture.

People who criticize the Bible rarely approach it fairly. Instead they ignore some of the facts and arrange their findings to fit their bias.

Because their arguments can sound convincing and because most people will not do further research, these critics do great damage.

1. Do you think it's possible for genuine believers to have doubts about God's Word? 

Of course. Having occasional doubts is not a sign of unbelief.

"One of the deep enigmas of God is this: he is always available, yet not visible. He has filled the world with hints of his presence, but not overwhelming proof of his existence. The blessing comes when we believe, not when we demand proof. The temptation to doubt will always be there. But learning to live by faith rather than sight is one of the keys to the Christian life." (Steven James, Flirting with the Forbidden) 
 
Some believers never have doubts. Other believers have occasional doubts. We all process things differently, and we shouldn't be frightened by doubts. But we should always keep them in perspective: Our faith rests in the character of God, not in a hard-to-understand passage of Scripture. 

Hebrews 11:1: "Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."

I have been studying the Bible for over 40 years. And whenever I hit something that seems like a contradiction or error, I pray about it and seek to find an explanation. 

I've always found a legitimate explanation. But, even if I didn't find one, I know I can trust God with my questions. 

See Taken Captive by Hollow Deception and Are You Uncomfortable With Mystery? 

An online resource that I've found helpful is Got Questions. 
  
2. Should we be surprised by Bible critics?

Jeremiah 6:10:  "To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to me? Their ears are closed so they cannot hear. The word of the Lord is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it." 

When a person closes their mind to God, they often seek to undermine the faith of others.

Jeremiah 20:8-9: "Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long. 9 But if I say, 'I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,' his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot."

In this passage, Jeremiah is explaining that people are offended when he shares God's Words of warning, "proclaiming violence and destruction" if they don't repent. God's warnings always have been and always will be repugnant to unbelievers who wish to continue in their sins. 

What teachings in the Bible most offend our modern culture? Would sharing these teachings bring you "insult and reproach"?

John 17:14: "I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world." 

When you read this verse, what kind of thoughts does it bring to your mind?

For 1-minute devotions that supplement these truths, read:
How can we trust the Bible when it was written by men?  
Count on It!
Starved Spiritually

© copyright 2013, Gail Burton Purath, BiteSizeBibleStudy.com, edited and updated in 2020.

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