In Christianity one question that I believe Voddie Baucham gives a great response to is simply Why you can believe the Bible?
Voddie provides the following response:
“I choose to believe the Bible because it is a reliable collection of historical documents,
written by eyewitnesses during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses, reporting supernatural
events that took place in fulfillment of specific prophecies and claimed their writings are
Divine and not of human origin.” – Voddie Baucham
A short discourse on how I believe we can and need to be firmly rooted in Him (Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior).
For me one thing it comes down to is the work of the Holy Spirit as evidenced in Jeremiah 17:9 how can I possibly come before God of my own accord (having a heart that is wicked above all things)? Without my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ I can do nothing! John 15:5 If these first two thoughts are not enough then let us look further to God’s word in Romans 3:23 (for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, not some, not a few, not even most, ALL), so as a fallible man who can do nothing apart from God but sin…. how could I ever come before the Lord to even receive Him?
Romans 3:24 – being justified by His grace, grace meaning something I receive that I could never deserve or earn! Further Romans 10:13 clearly tells us that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Ephesians 1:3-14 – The writer of Ephesians clearly states how, why, and when we have been redeemed, 4He chose us in Him before the foundations of the world, 5He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will. (emphasis added)
Going a step further down to verse 7: In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace. (emphasis added)
If the above isn’t enough verse 11: also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined, notice something? obtained and predestined, it’s already happened, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ sees us in heaven with Him right now as for Him this has already happened. When God Himself sees me sitting there at His feet in true communion with Him, talk about the hymn Blessed Assurance!
Oh and by the way the writer of Ephesians doesn’t stop there… Ephesians 1:13-14 further explains that once we have been saved and redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit as a pledge (surety) of our inheritance (eternal life John 3:16). So, simply put God would have to give up being God to go back on His word! I personally find it comforting to know that the One who saves me and keeps me for eternity has no intention of ever changing His mind about that decision He has made. James 1:17 clearly states there is no shadow of turning in Him.
To coin a phrase shared with me by a brother in Christ: Soli Deo gloria: To God Alone Be the Glory. (R.C. Sproul elaborates very thoroughly on this Latin phrase that my friend shared with me)
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