How can you follow the bible when it was written by man?

Question

someone asked the question earlier whether christians followed god or thier pastor.... as a confirmed pagan this interested me.... everyone said God and the bible but being as the bible was written by man and man is fallable and everyone always interprets things differently from each other... how can you use the bible as a reference point?

Before the hate starts... this isn't meant in a degroatory way, i'm just curious how the inconsistency is resolved?

i appreiciate that the bible was written by a group of people at the same time and they all managed to get thier story straight but it has been revised and re-written throughout history to suit whoever was in charge at the time. it has gone through so many language translations that how can you trust that it is as was.... the Cof E version - the Authorised King James version that was kicking around when i was at school was authorised by a king, edited to his request... so how can this be the word of god.??

EDward J - though i am not a follower of your religion, I respect and like your answer. hence i chose it for best. Thanks for the viewpoint, it was alot more enlightening that the many "it is inspired by god" only responses i got

Answer 1

Actually as much as I believe the bible the inspired word of God there is a difference between following the bible and following God. Though I would agree that the bible is useful for helping someone to follow God. It is important to know that although man is fallible God is not. If God desired to communicate to men then it is reasonable that he would do it in a way that would be somewhat effective. That being said a good question would be then why the confusion and different interpretations. One might even ask why his own disciples didn't understand Jesus. After he was resurrected he explained the meaning of what he said and when the spritual blindness was removed from their eyes. The bible teaches that the god of this world (satan) has blinded the minds of men. It is oly throgh the Holy Spirit can their eyes be opened to salvation. It is also interesting whn satan tempted Jesus he quoted scripture. So it is reasonable to believe that Satan also wants to misuse scripture to try and mislead people. And from a simply natural stand point. It would help people to be educated to the history and culture and the language to help understand the context of words better within the specifity of those being spoken to. Don't worry I am not offended by your question but thanks for your sensitivity. as far as textual manuscripts go, there are no works of antiquity that can compare with the reliability of the gospels. There are thousands of copies written in different languages and and different substances. Scrolls, animal skins, wax on wood. etching on concrete. When you compare the many different texts you can find when the odd word has been added. Im sure if you investigate this you will find that the bible has actually been amazingly well preserved. The Jewish scribes took there religion seriously. One common criticism among many cults is you can't rely on the bible so instead they substitute it with their own writings yet quote the passages that they feel validates their beliefs.

Answer 2

You are correct the bible is written by man. Some 40 individuals, including kings, shepherds, fishermen, civil servants, priests, at least one general, and a physician, had a hand in writing the different parts of the Bible. But time and again, the writers made the same claim: that they were writing not their own thoughts but God’s(in the same way that a secretary may type a letter, but the contents are clearly the boss's).2 Samuel 23:2; Isaiah 22:15 2 Timothy 3:16-17 .Also consider this..The bible is the most available and biggest selling book of all time. According to figures, 98% of the earths population have access to it in around 2000 languages(if it truly is a message from God, surely he would want to make it available to all people).
Only by studying it for yourself will you find a satisfying answer to your question. Check up to see if it is Scientifically, Geographically and historically(too many 'cally's'?) correct. Some Prophecies were allegedly made 100's of years before their fullfilment, is this possible? I studied the bible in these ways and came to the conclusion myself that it is God's word. I hope you can do the same.

Answer 3

Read 2 Timothy 3:16; this means the the ink, pen and papyrus were used by man, but the words were inspired by God Himself. That's why the prophecies in the Bible have been either fulfilled, or are in process of fulfilment, or are specific to the Tribulation, i.e. the last seven years, which could begin at any time God chooses.

We are saved by faith; but that faith is founded in fact, not blindly accepting everything we are told. Yes, there are many different Bible versions out there, the majority of them originating in the 20th Century; but the message of each (mainstream version) is the same: Jesus is God, believing in Him is the only way to enter heaven, and whosoever believes in Him CANNOT lose their salvation. The main difference in these versions is the English words used to translate; similar to a teacher reading a book by, say, Chaucer, and then using modern English to explain it to his charges.

However, there are two different types of manuscript used, the Textus Receptus (Received Text) upon which the King James Version was based, and the others, upon which most modrn versions are based. There are up to 10,000 more words in the KJV compared to the NIV, but the bsics are the same. No major doctrine is affected by the missing words; it merely means more digging is required to show the doctrine of the Triune Godhead is contained in the modern versions. Personally, I use the King James, the Amplified Bible, and the New American Standard Update (1995) versions.
I prefer the thoroughness of the KJV, but the Amplified helps explain Greek, Aramaic and Hebrew words more thoroughly, whereas the uNASB, like the KJV, uses italics to show which words were not in the original languages.

Hope this helps: may God bless you if you seek Him.

Answer 4

"The Christian god would have made sure that what he/she wanted in it was there, and that he/she would not have allowed man to hinder or alter it in anyway."

I've read this kind of assertion so many times on these pages, always written by non-believers, and I'm left wondering on what basis those who don't believe in God's existence can make such definitive statements about him!

The Bible, written by men, inspired by the Holy Spirit, has not only survived down the centuries, it continues to this day to bring comfort and enlightenment to those who read it with faith and understanding. It continues to spark debate, as people wrestle with its meaning and how it may be applied in our lives in today's world.

Of course there are question marks - it could hardly be otherwise; but it is a living word in a way that writing carved in stone, unchanged and unchangeable for ever, could never be.

Above all it should be remembered that Christianity is the religion of a person, Jesus Christ, not of a book, the Bible; and a living relationship with Jesus is the key to a living relationship with the Bible, not the other way round.

Answer 5

It's who the Bible points to that makes the Bible worth reading. all along throughout the Old Testament, the Bible points to Christ. And in the New Testament, Jesus places himself as the religious center of the universe.

That says loads when the Spirit of God convinces those who are trusting God to bring them through this life. So those who are not trusting god for what he said was important, will never ever see that. They won't know Him through his Spirit, and so will never understand why we read and value a book written by men. The book was inspired by the same Spirit that inspires us to understand it.

Answer 6

If there really was a god, and he is or was as good and as brilliant as we are led to believe, then he`s not doing a very good job.
He made a mess of creating people, thieves, paedophiles, robbers, murderers and decreed that if they acted the way they did it was not his, god`s fault.
In short, no gods exist, only in the minds of those who are unintelligent and too weak to stand up for themselves or make their own judgements nd decisions.
And if it all goes wrong, then there`s always a `god` to blame.
That would be typical human nature.

Answer 7

I belive it is a matter of faith.. those who belive it is the word of God have faith that the words written by man were inspired by God and have not been corrupt in anyway because God would not have allowed his word to be tainted by Man.

So it just simply about the amount of Faith people have in the Bible as being the word of God.

Answer 8

You've hit the nail on the head-it was changed with the King James Version and since.
At the same time it does not claim like the Koran that it was written by God, but rather inspired by the Holy Spirit.
If you bear witness to it by how you live you will see what it is saying.
Good question.

Answer 9

The Bible is the word of God to his people and it tells of all that has happened to Humankind from the Creation, and it continues to speak to us today. It was written by humans, but Inspired by God. It Shows the love of God to us, and how he sent his Son Jesus to Redeem the World from all the evil that we have done, and are continuing to do. It also shows us how mankind rejected/rejects his love in past times and the present day. It was written by humans, and they in their own words, passed its stories down from many generations. It was not all written at one time but over many hundreds of years. Some of it was written as mankind saw it, for example the Creation did not happen in seven days of 24hrs. or whatever measure of time there was when it was first written, but in Gods time, which is limitless, He is not tied to time as we know it. It has been changed in words, as language has changed over the centuries, but it has not changed in Substance.
I would suggest to you that if you read it with an open mind, and perhaps join a local Alpha course at a local Church, you may find God, and his love for you.
May he bless you, and may you be a Blessing to your family and Friends.
Remember, you may not believe in Him, but he Still Believes in You.

Answer 10

the Bible was written by man but directed by God. it is consistant from beginning to end as to who God is... and what He stands for.

as for the bible being 'retranslated' too many times.... my feeling is that as long as the 'translation' you read is a direct translation from the Greek/hebrew... by a 'group' of studied men and women... it is a true translation with guidance thruthe Holy Spirit.

it is hard to conceive the thought of it being 'real' (the Holy Spirit) until you have been filled with it....

you are right that man is fallable... but God isnt... and with God's guidance, many things, while inconceivable to man, are attainable with God