Building Our Lives on God’s Unshakable Word
This past Sunday at First Baptist, we focused on one of the most important foundations of our faith: the reliability of God’s Word. My own relationship with the Bible has shifted over the years. At one point, I tried to master the text. Now I’ve learned to let the text master me. I don’t come to Scripture simply for information—I come for formation.
That raises a big question for all of us: Who is Jesus to you? And what is the Bible to you?
As Voddie Baucham famously said:
“I choose to believe the Bible because it’s a reliable collection of historical documents written by eyewitnesses during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses. They report supernatural events that took place in fulfillment of specific prophecies and claim that their writings are divine rather than human in origin.”
The Bible isn’t just inspirational—it’s trustworthy, it’s true, and it’s enough. Let’s look at why.
Why We Trust the Bible – Rock-Solid History
Unlike any other religious book, the Bible stands apart in at least six ways:
Inspired by God – It calls itself the “Word of God” nearly 400 times (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21).
Inerrant – Without error in its original writings, whether doctrinal, historical, or scientific.
Living and Powerful – “Living and active” (Hebrews 4:12), it changes lives (John 17:17).
Historically Verifiable – Supported by tens of thousands of archaeological discoveries. The NT alone has 25,000 manuscripts, some dating within a generation of the apostles.
Prophetically Confirmed – Jesus fulfilled 300 Messianic prophecies. The odds of fulfilling even 48 is 1 in 10^157.
Timeless in Truth – “The word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8).
Evidence that Holds Up
Manuscripts:
OT: 42,000+ manuscripts, with 95–99% accuracy (thanks to finds like the Dead Sea Scrolls).
NT: 25,000+ manuscripts, with 99% accuracy. No other ancient work comes close.
Archaeology:
OT: 115+ sites and 60+ individuals verified.
NT: 30+ sites and 27 individuals confirmed. No discovery has ever contradicted Scripture.
Prophecy:
2,500 prophecies in the Bible.
About 2,000 already fulfilled.
Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection were foretold centuries before.
Science: Though not a science book, the Bible is accurate when it speaks: the earth is round (Isaiah 40:22), light moves (Job 38), air has weight (Job 28), and the water cycle is explained (Ecclesiastes 1).
Answering the Skeptics
We also walked through common objections:
“The Bible is full of contradictions.” Yet no genuine contradiction has been proven.
“It was written by men.” True—but men carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21).
“It’s been changed over time.” Thousands of manuscripts prove otherwise; the message has been preserved with remarkable accuracy.
“Copyist mistakes mean it’s unreliable.” Minor spelling or repetition errors don’t affect meaning or doctrine.
“It’s just myths and legends.” On the contrary, archaeology and eyewitness testimony prove it’s history. As Peter said: “We did not follow cleverly devised myths… but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty” (2 Peter 1:16).
The Bible as Our Foundation – Enough for Life
2 Timothy 3:16–17 reminds us that all Scripture is breathed out by God and equips us for “every good work.” That means:
It teaches what to believe (doctrine).
It corrects us when we stray.
It trains us to walk in godliness.
The Bible speaks into our homes (Deuteronomy 6), marriages (Ephesians 5), struggles (Philippians 4), forgiveness (Colossians 3), and daily choices (Psalm 1). It’s not only true—it’s sufficient.
A Call to Action
Church family, we can build our lives on this Word. It’s rooted in history, proven by evidence, and alive with God’s Spirit. As Baucham put it, the Bible’s authority comes not from science labs but from eyewitnesses, fulfilled prophecy, and God Himself.
So here’s the challenge:
Memorize one verse this week and live it.
Share what you’ve learned with a friend.
And as a family, commit: no step without God’s Word.
If you don’t yet know Christ, the eyewitnesses testify: He died and rose for you. Trust Him today, and let His Word become the foundation of your life.