Many churches are being disturbed today by disputes over the authenticity, accuracy, and sufficiency of the Bible. Strife between those who trust the Bible fully, and those who don't, threatens to divide the churches. Is the Bible correctly preserved for us today? Is it accurate, reliable, complete, and authentic?

The believer knows that God revealed himself to man by His Word (Romans 1:18-19, Acts 20:32, 2 Peter 1:2-4, etc.) He promised to preserve it intact (Psalms 117:2, 119:89, 152, 160; and Isaiah 40:8). Jesus said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (Matthew 24:35). He also said that we would be judged by His words "in the last day" (John 12:48). He could make no such promise, if there was no power in heaven to preserve the Word to all generations of those who would be judged. We should accept this by faith, but this faith can be reinforced by researchers, who have found many proofs that the Bible has been accurately preserved.

The believer also knows that the Bible stands alone. It cannot be supplemented by other books, whose authors also claim to be "inspired." In our last lesson we learned that the Scripture is sufficient to provide us with "teaching, reproof, correction, and instruction in right-eousness," so that we "may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Jesus kept God's Word faithfully (John 8:55). He did not question the trustworthiness of its statements (John 10:30-36). He did not doubt the accounts of the miracles given in the Old Testament, such as God's appearance to Moses in the burning bush (Luke 20:37), the flood of Noah's day (Matthew 24:37-39), the sending of Manna to the Israelites in the wilderness (John 6:48-49), the swallowing of Jonah by the whale (Matthew 12:40), or the creation of Adam and Eve (Matthew 19:4). Jesus also expected the fulfillment of Bible prophecies (Luke 22:37, Matthew 24:15-16). Jesus treated "every word of God" as the supreme guide for His life, and for all mankind (Matthew 4:4).

We must have the same attitudes toward the Scripture held by Jesus. If we believe in Jesus, it is because of God's revealed Word. If we believe what the Word says about Jesus, should we not also believe what Jesus says about the Word? To do otherwise not only casts doubt on the Word, but on the integrity of Christ as well!

2.According to Romans 1:18-19, what is being revealed from heaven?

3.What is God's Word able to do for you, according to Acts 20:32?

4.According to 2 Peter 1:2-4, through what means has God given us "all things that pertain to life and godliness?"

5.How long does truth endure, according to Psalm 117?

6.According to Psalm 119:160, what is the "sum" of God's Word?

7.What did Jesus say about the endurance of His words?

8.By what shall we be judged in the "last day," according to John 12:48?

9.What passage of Scripture shows that it can furnish the "man of God" completely to "every good work?"

10.In what verse in John chapter 10 did Jesus say, "The Scripture cannot be broken?"

11.What Old Testament miracles did Jesus confirm as true happenings in His teaching?

12.What prophecies did Jesus expect to be fulfilled, according to our lesson?

13.When tempted to use His divine power to "turn stones into bread," what Scripture did Jesus quote as His defense?

14.If we believe in Jesus, because of what we read in the Bible, should we not also believe what Jesus said about the authenticity and accuracy of the Bible?

15.If we refuse to have the same attitude toward the Bible held by Jesus, what does this say about His integrity?