Why Should I Trust the Bible?
Why Should I Trust the Bible?
The Doctrine of Scripture
7 minute read
The Statement of Faith
We believe that the Bible—the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments—is the inspired, authoritative, and trustworthy Word of God. It is God-breathed, written by human authors who were carried along by the Holy Spirit. Scripture is sufficient for teaching, correction, and training in righteousness, and it remains the final authority for faith and practice.
How Did We Get Here?
Every building needs a foundation. You can have the most beautiful architecture in the world, but if it sits on sand, it will eventually collapse. The doctrine of Scripture (which simply means "writings") is that foundation for everything else we believe as Christians.
But here's the honest question every thinking person asks at some point: Why should I trust a collection of ancient documents written thousands of years ago by people I've never met? It's a fair question—and it deserves a thoughtful answer.
The church didn't arrive at its view of Scripture arbitrarily. For centuries, believers wrestled with questions about which books belong in the Bible, how we know they're reliable, and what it means to call them "inspired." The doctrine we hold today emerged from that wrestling—not from a council imposing books on the church, but from the church recognizing what God had already given.
Three realities shaped how early Christians understood Scripture:
Jesus treated the Old Testament as authoritative. He quoted it, lived by it, and said it testified about Him. If we trust Jesus, we inherit His view of Scripture.
The apostles wrote with recognized authority. Their writings were circulated, read in churches, and treated as equal to the Old Testament within their lifetimes.
The Holy Spirit guided the process. The same Spirit who inspired the writing also illuminated the church to recognize which books bore His fingerprints.
The canon of Scripture (canon means "rule") wasn't created by councils—it was recognized by them. The councils simply confirmed what the churches had already been living with for generations.
What the Bible Says About Itself
Scripture makes remarkable claims about its own nature. Let's look at the key texts:
From the Old Testament
"The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple."
— Psalm 19:7
David doesn't describe Scripture as merely helpful or inspirational. He calls it perfect and trustworthy—strong words that set God's Word apart from human wisdom.
"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path."
— Psalm 119:105
Scripture isn't just information about God—it's guidance from God. It illuminates the way forward when we can't see clearly on our own.
From the New Testament
"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
— 2 Timothy 3:16-17
This is the cornerstone text. The Greek word is theopneustos—literally "breathed out by God." Paul isn't saying Scripture is inspiring (though it is). He's saying it originates from God Himself. The human authors wrote, but God breathed.
"For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
— 2 Peter 1:21
Peter gives us the mechanism: human authors, divine direction. The Spirit didn't override their personalities or writing styles—He worked through them. This is why Isaiah sounds different from Paul, and why the Psalms feel different from Proverbs. Same God, different instruments.
Jesus' View of Scripture
Perhaps most compelling is how Jesus Himself treated the Old Testament:
He quoted it to defeat Satan's temptations (Matthew 4:1-11)
He declared that Scripture "cannot be broken" (John 10:35)
He said not the smallest letter would disappear until all is accomplished (Matthew 5:18)
He rebuked the Sadducees for not knowing the Scriptures (Matthew 22:29)
After His resurrection, He explained how all the Scriptures pointed to Him (Luke 24:27)
Jesus didn't treat Scripture as a collection of ancient opinions. He treated it as the living voice of His Father.
How It Fits the Full Narrative
The doctrine of Scripture isn't an isolated belief—it connects to everything else God is doing.
God is a speaking God. From "Let there be light" in Genesis 1 to "Come!" in Revelation 22, God communicates. He doesn't hide in silence. Creation itself is a form of speech (Psalm 19:1-4), but He goes further—He uses words, human language, to reveal Himself specifically.
God's Word accomplishes His purposes. Isaiah 55:11 tells us God's word doesn't return empty—it achieves what He sends it to do. Scripture isn't just information to be studied; it's an instrument God uses to transform, convict, comfort, and save.
The Word became flesh. John 1 presents Jesus as the ultimate Word of God—the full expression of who God is. Written Scripture and the Living Word aren't in competition. The Bible points to Jesus; Jesus affirms the Bible. They work together.
The Spirit and the Word partner together. The same Spirit who inspired Scripture illuminates it for us today. This is why the Bible isn't just an ancient text to be dissected—it's a living word that the Spirit makes alive in us (Hebrews 4:12). When we read Scripture prayerfully, expecting the Spirit to speak, we're participating in something dynamic.
Why This Matters
If Scripture isn't trustworthy, we're left guessing about everything else. How do we know who God is? What do we know about Jesus? How should we live? Without a reliable revelation, faith becomes speculation.
But if Scripture is what it claims to be—God's breathed-out word—then we have something extraordinary: direct access to the mind and heart of God. Not exhaustive knowledge (God remains mysterious), but true knowledge. Sufficient knowledge for life and godliness.
This matters practically:
For your daily life: You can open the Bible expecting to hear from God, not just learn about ancient history.
For your doubts: You have solid ground to stand on when questions arise.
For your witness: You're not sharing your opinions about God—you're pointing people to His own words.
For your church: Scripture becomes the shared authority that unites believers across cultures and centuries.
How to Communicate This
When sharing this doctrine with others, remember:
Start with Jesus, not with arguments. Most people who reject biblical authority have never seriously considered who Jesus is. If they come to trust Jesus, they'll inherit His view of Scripture. Arguments about manuscripts and archaeology have their place, but they're secondary to the central question: Who is Jesus?
Be honest about difficulties. The Bible contains passages that are hard to understand, events that are hard to accept, and tensions that scholars have debated for centuries. Pretending these don't exist undermines your credibility. Acknowledging them while affirming your trust shows intellectual honesty.
Share your experience. Testimony matters. Has God spoken to you through Scripture? Has the Bible proven true in your life? Personal experience isn't proof, but it's powerful evidence that the Word is living and active.
Invite engagement. Rather than demanding people accept the Bible's authority before reading it, invite them to read it and see what happens. "Read the Gospel of John and see what you think of Jesus" is often more effective than "You must believe this is God's Word."
The Bible Validates itself. Most important is how the older scriptures predict what happens later even though the writer didn't realize it many times. There are hundreds and hundreds of the predictions fulfilled within the pages and history itself. Documentation doesn't just exist inside the Bible but is attested through many external sources.
Defending Against Critics
Objection: "The Bible is full of contradictions."
Response: Most alleged contradictions fall into a few categories: differences in perspective (like four witnesses describing the same event), copyist variations (which textual criticism has largely resolved), or modern readers misunderstanding ancient literary conventions. When you examine specific examples, they typically have reasonable explanations. More importantly, the manuscript evidence shows remarkable consistency across thousands of copies spanning centuries—far more reliable than any other ancient document. And more importantly, even the "apparent ones", none dismantle any doctrine.
Objection: "The Bible was corrupted over time." (Common Islamic claim)
Response: We have over 5,800 Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, plus thousands more in other languages, dating remarkably close to the original writings. The Dead Sea Scrolls showed that the Old Testament was transmitted with extraordinary accuracy over a thousand years. If the Bible was corrupted, when did it happen? We can trace the text back further than almost any other ancient document, and it remains consistent.
Objection: "Men chose which books to include based on politics."
Response: The books that made it into the canon were already being used as Scripture in churches across the Roman Empire long before any council met. The criteria weren't political—they were apostolic connection, consistency with accepted teaching, and widespread acceptance in the churches. Councils didn't create the canon; they recognized what the Spirit had already made evident to the church.
Objection: "The Bible reflects outdated cultural views."
Response: Scripture was written in specific historical contexts (it was written to the people of its time), and some commands were for specific situations (like Old Testament civil laws for Israel). But its core teachings about God, humanity, sin, and salvation transcend culture. The challenge is distinguishing timeless principles from time-bound applications—which requires careful study, not dismissal. Often what seems "outdated" to modern readers is actually counter-cultural wisdom we need to hear.
Objection: "You can't use the Bible to prove the Bible."
Response: This objection misunderstands how we approach Scripture. We're not using the Bible to prove itself in a circular way. We're examining what the Bible claims, testing those claims against evidence (historical, archaeological, prophetic fulfillment), and ultimately encountering the risen Christ to whom Scripture testifies. The Bible's authority is ultimately validated by the Holy Spirit bearing witness to truth—not by human arguments proving it externally.
Going Deeper
Key passages to study:
Psalm 19:7-11 – The perfection of God's Word
Psalm 119 – The longest chapter in the Bible, entirely about Scripture
Isaiah 55:10-11 – God's Word accomplishes His purposes
Matthew 5:17-19 – Jesus affirms the Old Testament
John 10:35 – Scripture cannot be broken
2 Timothy 3:14-17 – Scripture is God-breathed
2 Peter 1:19-21 – The Spirit carried the human authors
Hebrews 4:12 – The Word is living and active
Questions for reflection:
How do I actually treat the Bible in my daily life? Do my habits reflect what I say I believe about it?
What questions or doubts do I have about Scripture that I've been afraid to examine?
How might the Holy Spirit want to speak to me freshly through the Word?