How do you know the Bible is inspired? This is an important question. In our age of skepticism, it is especially important that we are able to give concrete and compelling answers to this and other fundamental questions.

First, we need to know what we are trying to communicate when we say the word “inspired.”  Some believe that “inspired” just means that great writers are “inspired” by nature, events, and education. This is not what Biblical inspiration is all about. Others say that some parts of the Bible are inspired and others are not. To that we must respond, “which parts are?” and “how do we know?”.

The Bible claims to be inspired. What is the Bible claiming when it says it is “inspired”?  First the word “inspired” comes from a Greek word theopnuestos  which means “God breathed” and is so translated by the ESV. Thayer defined the word as: inspired by God: ‘graphe’, i.e. the contents of Scripture, II Tim. iii. 16.” The claim for inspiration is seen in the New Testament in 2 Tim. 3:16 and 2 Pet. 1:21. The process is seen in the Old Testament especially as prophets like Jeremiah received and reported “the word of the Lord”. The Bible claims to be God’s Word to mankind—1 Cor. 14:47.

We know this is true because the Bible is perfect (Ps. 19:7). It is perfect in historical claims. It demonstrates perfection in geographic details. It is perfect in its scientific foreknowledge. Perhaps most impressively it is perfect in its prophecies. The most important prophecies would be those concerning the coming Messiah and his kingdom the church. Some of the most impressive prophecies are in Psalm 22; Isaiah 53; Daniel 2; and Daniel 7. With amazing detail the God of Heaven has painted these ancient portraits so that we might recognize Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah when he took on flesh and was born to Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem.

The Bible is God’s Book. Therefore, the B-I-B-L-E is the book for me. Let us love the Book, learn the Book, live by the Book, and share the Book.