5. More Proof for Divine Inspiration (1)

This chapter will address two more exhibits which show the Bible is far more than an ordinary book. We will examine how the Bible, through the power of God’s Word has the proven ability to change lives dramatically for the better. And we’ll examine the testimony of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, about the divine inspiration of the Scriptures.

☼ Exhibit #16: The Evidence of the Changed Lives

 “To my own mind”, wrote J. Sidlow Baxter, “the most satisfying proofs that the Bible is divinely inspired are not those which one ‘reads up’ in volumes of religious evidences or Christian apologetics, but those which we discover for ourselves in our own study of the Book. To the prayerful explorer the Bible has its own way of revealing its internal credentials.” [1]

No doubt that believing and following the Bible has changed many, many lives. Thousands and thousands (how many millions?) of testimonies prove this. The words of the Bible create an impact that can last a lifetime. Biblical principles have the power to change the quality of life beyond cultural norms and expectations. Not making you “wealthy and healthy,” but by giving you contentment and peace unknown elsewhere.  In the words of the apostle Paul: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7:).

People get out of debt and shed addictions, marriages are saved and restored, parents become better parents, families grow closer, hate turns to love, forgiveness replaces resentment and genuine joy replaces material happiness. Following the teachings of Scripture lays a solid foundation for a better and happier life. Some are changed overnight, some are transformed over time. Either way, change for the better occurs. God’s Word is the dynamic, transforming power of God. In the New Testament, a Christian is often portrayed as being “born again” (John 3:5,  1 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 6:4). Each convert has a new life, and begins it as a new creation.

This book would explode in size with even the beginning of a list of such testimonies. My own testimony and those of my family would take many pages. Because this book is about evidences and facts, we will limit this discussion to some observations about the evidence of life-changing power in the Word of God:

• It happened in the past, and it still happens. For individual testimonies refer to the many books written by others.[2] The following quote summarizes them all: “No other religion, no other philosophy, gives a man so much to live for as Christianity. For this reason Christianity has a record of martyrology absolutely without comparison in the history of religions. Every religion has produced a Socrates here and there willing to drink poison hemlock, or a Buddha willing to forsake wealth and fortune for religious ideals. But where is the stream of martyrs like unto Christianity? What other devotees have been burned, tortured, torn asunder, and in many other diabolical ways have had their flesh baptized by excruciating pain, and yet have suffered it with words of forgiveness on their lips, with hymns of glory sung up to the last minute, with faces beaming and glowing amid smoke and torture, amid bleeding flesh and scorched limbs? And why do they so die? Because Christ has given them so much to live for that they choose to live for Christ and die, rather than deny Christ and live.” [3]

• The experience is subjective.  A critical observation on the changed life is that it is a subjective experience. For a non-believer this evidence is intriguing because of the vast number of testimonies, but also hard to grasp as it is hard to relate to. Skeptics can easily dismiss this evidence as “it might work for you, but not for me.”
• How about other religions? Other religions also point to changed lives as evidence for the divine inspiration of their “holy book.” For instance, many Muslim apologists point to the transformation of lives and culture by the Qur’an as a proof of its divine origin. One has to realize that religion touches and changes the values and beliefs of a person. That person will therefore also live by what he or she believes to be true. The huge difference, however, between Christianity and Islam (and the other religions) is the total freedom of choice that is part of the process of reading and accepting the Bible and the resulting change of life. In Islam it is more of an enforced regime by surrounding culture, family and country and less of a choice because of reading an inspired book. We will discuss Islam and the other world religions in later chapters, but at this point be aware that the power of the Bible to transform lives is based on the truth of the Word. Genuine faith, when based upon truth, will have this transforming effect.

“Contentment is realizing that God has already provided everything that we need for our current happiness.” [4]

Read on about: (2) Exhibit #17: The testimony of Jesus Christ