While there are many historical documents containing information about Jesus, or references to Jesus, the Bible is the primary source of information we have about Jesus.   If we can’t trust the Bible, then we can’t trust anything we've heard about Jesus. 

So, I'm not interested in a Bible that's just a collection of writings by well-intentioned guys trying to start a new religion.  If it's been so twisted and altered over the years for various religious and political purposes that no one is sure what I'm reading is essentially the same message as originally written--then the Bible would be untrustworthy.  Just like the "Jesus pin" that holds a hang glider to his wing, the Bible HAS to be an accurate transmission of Jehovah’s message to me if it's to bear the full weight of my trust!  It must not only be accurate, but it must also contain sufficient clear information for me to unmistakably understand what God expects of me or it's just no good at all.

No other book is comparable to the Bible.  No other book has been so challenged, tested, disputed over for a longer period of time.  Why did Joseph Smith write his own “version” when he began Mormonism?  Why did the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (Jehovah's Witnesses) leaders find it necessary to “translate” their own special version?  Why do other religions add additional sacred writing which are supposedly more accurate or more revealing than the Bible?  Why do people discount the Bible and discourage others from studying it for themselves (“just listen to your leaders, we'll tell you everything you need to know”)?  Its because the Bible has the power to change people’s lives!  It is the ONLY basis for true Christianity.  Once you believe the Bible is God’s message to you (directly and personally) no one stands between you and the creator of the universe.  But once you know God’s expectations of you, you’re then accountable for what you know.

Readers who are familiar with Josh McDowell's writings will remember that the Bible is not just ONE book—it’s a collection of 66 books written over 1600 years by over 40 different authors. These authors lived on three different continents (Asia, Africa, and Europe), and most didn’t even know any of the other writers!  They wrote and spoke different languages (most of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, most of the New Testament was written in Greek, with some parts written in Aramaic).

Moses was a political leader trained in the courts of Egypt, a murderer who fled for his life.  He wrote the first five books after leading the Israelites out of Egypt in about 1450 BC  Joshua was a military leader who took over after Moses died.  David and his son Solomon were Kings of Israel. Amos was a shepherd.  Daniel was a Prime Minister for a foreign government.  Matthew was a tax collector for another foreign government.  Luke was a Gentile doctor.  Peter and many of the disciples were simple Jewish fishermen.  Paul, who wrote much of the New Testament, was one of the few legitimate religious scholars—but he persecuted Jesus, the church, and assisted in the capture or murder of many believers.  John—a fisherman—wrote the last book, Revelation, about 90 AD.

These various writers not only came from widely different backgrounds and lifestyles, they wrote from different prospective in many different situations.  Moses wrote while wandering in the desert for 40 years.  Jeremiah and Paul were either on the run, or in jail.  Daniel lived most of his adult life in a king’s palace, while John was in exile on an island—banished by another king.  Joshua wrote in the midst of his military campaigns; Luke wrote while he was traveling from town to town sharing the gospel and gathering historical information.  Some of the Bible’s books were written in times of war, others in times of peace.  Some was written while at the heights of joy, some in the depths of sorrow.

These 40+ writers scattered geographically across Africa, Asia, and Europe, and through 1600 years of world history, each writing from individual personal backgrounds, during different moods, and even using different languages wrote about many controversial subjects we’re still hotly debating today:

Yet, all these writers speak to us with one unified voice!  Through their varied writing styles and literary devices, and even different languages--these authors wrote about controversial subjects in COMPLETE HARMONY.  This, alone, should place the Bible at the top of your study list!

The Septuagint (a Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament) was the first book ever translated.  Since that translation the Bible, or individual books within the Bible, has been translated into more languages and dialects than any other book!

The Gutenberg Bible (Latin Vulgate) was the first book ever printed. Since it's first printing the Bible has continually been the most read book in world history, and more copies of the Bible have been published than any other book!

For hundreds of years copies of the Bible were hand-written by scribes who faithfully counted and verified each and every letter and space!  The style, authenticity, and very existence of the Bible depended upon their accuracy.  Today's existence of thousands of copies testifies to their accuracy and faithfulness. 

When the famous Dead Sea Scrolls were found in the late 1940's,  many scrolls were found to be almost 1000 years older than the oldest known copies at that time.  Critics expected to find many discrepancies between the these much older version and the current version—supposing many transmission errors, deliberate changes, or additions.  When one chapter of Isaiah was compared, they found only 3 characters were different in over a thousand years for copying!  These 3 characters comprised just one word inserted in one verse which did not materially change the meaning of the verse at all.  Over 1000 years—no significant changes!

Intense investigation by faithful and critics alike has diminished, rather than increased, the number of questionable passages, obscure references, and unclear meanings. The scribes and translators have long been vindicated. You may not LIKE what the Bible says, but there's no justification to believe that the Bible we read today is significantly different from the original writings!

In his landmark reference work Evidence That Demands A Verdict, Josh McDowell quotes author A. T. Robertson as follows:

"There are some 8,000 manuscripts of the Latin Vulgate and at least 1,000 for the other early versions. Add over 4,000 Greek manuscripts and we have 13,000 manuscript copies of portions of the New Testament. Besides all this, much of the New Testament can be reproduced from the quotations of the early Christian writers." [Introduction to the Textual Criticism of the New Testament. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1925]

No other book has been so criticized, challenged, and tested like the Bible. More money and effort has been spent trying to disprove the Bible than any other book. The end result is this: We have more accurate knowledge and understanding of the Bible today than people did even fifty years ago. We have more evidence for the accuracy of the transmission and translation of the Bible than ever before--and we're discovering more. Jehovah not only delivered His message, He has assured a correct copy is still around for us to study today.  You should read it yourself.

The Bible alone is the final authority for Christians in matters of faith and life.  No other instructions are required—whether written as sacred writings, published as organizational newsletters, or spoken from the prophet or head of the church.  Even if an angel appears out of heaven and proclaims something don't listen to him if what he says doesn't completely agree with the Bible.  God speaks directly from the Bible; none may go beyond what is revealed there.

The Bible is God’s written revelation of himself to mankind—telling us what’s important for us to know about God, ourselves, the physical and spiritual universe around us, and most importantly--how we can have a correct relationship with him through Jesus the Christ. 

What we call the “Old Testament” was written TO the Jews specifically, with application FOR everyone.  The “New Testament” was partly written to prove Jesus was the Messiah (Christ) prophesized in the Old Testament—but mostly written to believers to instruct us in righteous living.  That means that when you read Scripture, you must keep in mind who was it written to, what was the writer’s purpose, (based upon their cultural understanding at the time) how did the original listeners/readers understand the message, and how does this all apply to me? 

You also have to keep in mind that although the entire Bible is the “Word of God” not everything in the Bible is true.  Satan, particularly, makes several statements, which are definitely NOT true.  A number of people in the Bible make false or inaccurate statements, draw wrong conclusions, and make terrible decisions based upon their own false beliefs.  The Bible faithfully records everything God wants us to know—even the mistakes and sins of the heroes.