A Read You Can Trust

"I grew up in a super-religious family," the man sitting to our left at a poker tournament said. "But I've always wondered how you can tell a story over thousands of years, and not have some changes in it."

This man was expressing skepticism about the Bible. How could today's translations be anywhere near the same as what was originally written in the years "B.C.", or before Christ? After all, poker players often stretch the truth or forget key details of their greatest victories or bad beats.

We could try answering that skepticism with the Bible's own words....

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.... - II Timothy 3:16

For the believer in God, this is accepted as truth. But for the skeptic, it can seem like a boast any delusional street-corner preacher might make about himself.

We could try pointing to fulfilled prophecies....

Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in the was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. - I Peter 1:10-11

Believers can list many Old Testament prophecies which were lived out by Jesus Christ. But skeptics can point to prophecies still not fulfilled....

First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." - II Peter 3:3-4

We tried to point the poker player next to us toward the Dead Sea Scrolls. They were discovered in the mid-20th century, and include more than 200 "Biblical texts" which show little change over a 1,000-year period compared with other Biblical scrolls.

Other ancient writings, such as those of Aristotle and Confucius, don't face the same doubts and skepticism that Biblical writings do. Perhaps that's because not as much rides on those writings - while the Bible challenges readers to accept that there is a God, and we should obey Him.

He [Jesus] replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it." - Luke 11:28

Are you a Biblical skeptic? Or are you concerned about what you might have to do, should you find the Bible really is accurate?