This column appeared Aug. 30, 2012, in The Pathway, the official news service of the Missouri Baptist Convention.

In the last column we began exploring good reasons to trust the scriptures, including the reliability of the ancient documents and the faithful testimony of the human authors. Now, we examine five more reasons to be confident that the Bible we hold in our hands is true written revelation from God.

Reason 3: Fulfilled prophecy

The Old Testament features nearly 300 prophecies of the Messiah. Many are highly detailed, making it impossible – apart from divine intervention – for one man to fulfill them all. Yet Jesus did, confirming His identity as the Christ and providing exceptional evidence for the reliability of scripture. Among the Messianic prophecies fulfilled in Jesus are:

• His virgin birth (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:21)
• His birthplace in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; Matt. 2:1; Luke 2:4-7)
• His miracle-working authority (Isa. 35:5-6; Matt. 9:35)
• His rejection by the Jews (Ps. 118:22; 1 Peter 2:7)
• His suffering and death (Ps. 22; Isa. 53; Matt. 27:27ff)
• His resurrection (Ps. 16:10; Mark 16:6; Acts 2:31; 1 Cor. 15:3-8)
• His ascension into heaven (Ps. 68:18; Acts 1:9)
• His place today at the Father’s right hand (Ps. 110:1; Heb. 1:3)

Reason 4: Archaeology

The unearthing of ancient sites has confirmed the accuracy of the biblical record. Noted archaeologist Nelson Glueck states, “As a matter of fact … it may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a biblical reference. Scores of archaeological findings have been made which confirm in clear outline or exact detail historical statements in the Bible.”

Examples of archaeological confirmations include the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11); Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 18-19); the fall of Jericho (Josh. 6); and the Assyrian Captivity (Isa. 20).

Reason 5: Jesus

Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, the Son of God and the Son of Man (Matt. 16:16-18; 26:63-64; John 8:58). He was confirmed by acts of God (John 3:2; Acts 2:22) and declared that He had been given all authority in heaven and earth to rule and to judge (Matt. 28:18; John 5:22). Therefore, His views on the Bible are extremely important. What did Jesus have to say?

In Systematic Theology Norman Geisler writes, “Jesus declared that the Old Testament was divinely authoritative (Matt. 4:4, 7, 10); imperishable (Matt. 5:17-18); infallible (John 10:35); inerrant (Matt. 22:29; John 17:17); historically reliable (Matt. 12:40; 24:37-38); scientifically accurate (Matt. 19:4-5; John 3:12); and ultimately supreme (Matt. 15:3, 6).”

In addition, Jesus promised that the New Testament – yet to be written – would be God’s Word. He told the apostles that the Holy Spirit would teach them “all things” and guide them into “all truth” (John 14:26; 16:13). The apostles later claimed this divine authority for their words (John 20:31; 1 John 1:1-4; 4:1-6). Peter acknowledged Paul’s writings as “scriptures” (2 Peter 3:15-16).

Jesus also personally affirmed many things that Bible critics deny, for example: 1) God created a literal Adam and Eve (Matt. 19:4); Jonah actually was swallowed by a great fish (Matt. 12:40); and the whole world was destroyed by a flood in Noah’s day (Matt. 24:36-39).

Reason 6: The Holy Spirit

The same Holy Spirit who authored scripture (2 Tim. 3:16-17) lives in believers’ hearts and “testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children” (Rom. 8:16). This means the Holy Spirit confirms the truth of God’s Word to us. Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit would convince the lost of their sin of unbelief, of the righteousness of Christ, and of the judgment they will share with Satan if they persist in their unbelief – all clear teachings of scripture (John 16:7-11).

Reason 7: The redeemed

The Bible’s life-changing power is widely known through the testimony of those who have come to know Jesus. The apostle Paul, once a Christ-hating persecutor of the church, declared, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1:16).

Peter added, “… you have been born again – not of perishable seed but of imperishable – through the living and enduring word of God” (1 Peter 1:23).

The celebrated British archaeologist Sir William Ramsay, who began his studies as a skeptic, became a Christian after exploring the sites of Paul’s journeys firsthand and comparing them with the testimony of Acts.

Millions of personal testimonies throughout the ages lend credence to the power of God’s Word to convey truth, convict the spiritually dead of their sins and bring new life through faith in Jesus Christ. As the writer of Hebrews declares: “For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as to divide soul, spirit, joints, and marrow; it is a judge of the ideas and thoughts of the heart” (Heb. 4:12).