How do we know the bible was inspired by God and not written by man?

Answer 1

I don't--------It was

Answer 2

Prove it!

1) God's Word claims that it is inspired by God:
2 Timothy 3:16 -- All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,...

2) God's Word declares that he reveals things (like the future) to his people:
Amos 3:7 -- Surely the Lord God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.

So, the object is to prove if these are true; if they are, then the Bible, is what it says it is, Word of God.

Prophecy is a primary means of proving the Bible. If a prophecy can be proven to have existed before the fulfillment, then we have proved it.

Though there are many prophecies that have yet to be fulfilled, there are many others that have been fulfilled.

The prophecy of Daniel 8 tells about the Medo-Persian empire being conquered by the Greeks, and was written about 540 B.C.. The Greeks did not do this until 480 B.C.. So the prophecy, which clearly called out the two empires by name, was foretold 60 years before it happened exactly as it was told.

I'll leave it to you to look up and prove some of the other prophecies.

Answer 3

It's not an either-or matter; it's a both-and matter. When Paul claimed that the books that constitute the Jewish Bible were THEO-PNEUSTOS (God-breathed), he meant that they were the very words of God, written down by people He chose for this task. Some of the things in the Bible are merely word-for-word dictations, some things are ideas expressed with a little bit of the human author's God-ordained personality shining through, and some things seem to be more a matter of God's commissioning someone to describe accurately a series of events in a narrative or an inventory list of items found in the Jewish temple.

Notice that your question is not, "Was the Bible inspired" but "How do we know the Bible was inspired." An accurate answer to your question, therefore, will depend on what types of evidence you personally consider convincing. For example, finding over forty authors writing sixty-six books over a fifteen hundred year span while there is so much cohesion in the larger and smaller ideas contained therein, indicates to me that there is an Author behind the writings with a singular agenda inspiring whom He will when He will. In other words: the consistency of such a diverse group of writings speaks to its divine origin. I also don't know of a book that has affected so many people in so many different contexts so similarly as the Bible. A third thing that convinces me, but wouldn't convince a non-Christian, is that God affirms what I'm reading when I read His Word, unlike the human confirmation I get when I read the profound words of a human author. God's Word contains answers to life's biggest, most basic, and most profound questions in a manner that better explains the universe than any human writings.

That's me, but what about you? What things about the Bible would be able to convince you that it's God's inspired Word, as opposed to merely a human collection of cool texts?

Answer 4

We know it was inspired by man, not gods. If one researches the history of the Bible it becomes clear as day. The stories of the NT in the Bible were written years after Jesus died, and even then they were selected and in some cases modified.

Answer 5

It was written by man. It could not be inspired by God if it were not written by man. No theologian on earth ever denied that the Bible was written by man, and no theologian on earth ever denied the inspiration of Scripture. The question is how that inspiration occured. Was it simply inspired by the idea, or concept of God? Or did God dictate its contents? Or was it something in between?

Answer 6

The Bible was written by man,inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Answer 7

the Holy Bible was inspired by god. and written by man. God used them as a penholder.

Answer 8

you will not know unless you put it to the test?
This requires some effort on your part.
To give you a quick example of the bible having more authority than man?
Three thousand years ago man or all the scientific experts of that day supported the "Flat Earth Theory".
Only an Authority of higher intelligence cold know that it was round Isaiah 40:22. 2 Timothy 3:16
If you have questions that you would like answers to, feel free to ask. To learn a person needs a humble attitude and a reasonable mind.

[e-mail]

Answer 9

If the answer comes from the bible then it would be based upon a false premise. If you wish to believe the bible , and you keep it to yourself, I have no problems with you or the other christians. But, when you try to influence my life by attempting to usurp the power of the constitution of the United States of America by trying to impose your banality on me, then I have an extreme objection. Thank you.

Answer 10

Read this article and see if you agree with the author.

http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/divine.htm

Here's the index.

The Divine Inspiration
of the
Bible
by Arthur W. Pink
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Table of Contents
About This Book

Title

Introduction

Chapter One: There Is a Presumption in Favor of the Bible

Chapter Two: The Perennial Freshness of the Bible Bears Witness to its Divine Inspirer

Chapter Three: The Unmistakable Honesty of the Writers of the Bible Attests to its Heavenly Origin

Chapter Four: The Character of its Teachings Evidences the Divine Authorship of the Bible

Chapter Five: The Fulfilled Prophecies of the Bible Bespeak the Omniscience of its Author

Chapter Six: The Typical Significance of the Scriptures Declare Their Divine Authorship

Chapter Seven: The Wonderful Unity of the Bible Attests its Divine Authorship

Chapter Eight: The Marvelous Influence of the Bible Declares its Super-Human Character

Chapter Nine: The Miraculous Power of the Bible Shows Forth That its Inspirer Is the Almighty

I. The Power of God's Word to Convict Men of Sin.
II. The Power of God's Word to Deliver Men From Sin.
III. The Power of God's Word Over the Human Affections.

Chapter Ten: The Completeness of the Bible Demonstrates its Divine Perfection

Chapter Eleven: The Indestructibility of the Bible Is a Proof that its Author Is Divine

Chapter Twelve: Inward Confirmation of the Veracity of the Scriptures

Chapter Thirteen: Verbal Inspiration

Chapter Fourteen: Application of the Argument

I. We Need to Seek God's Forgiveness.
II. It Is the Final Court of Appeal.
III. It Is the Ultimate Standard for Regulating Conduct.
IV. It Is a Sure Foundation for Our Faith.
V. It Has Unique Claims Upon Us.

Answer 11

The Bible was written by man. I don't doubt that.