A sermon presented October 18, 2009 at Palm Desert Church of Christ by Dale Wells

1. Can I Trust My Bible?

2. Does it really matter?

3. Notorious mistakes in the Bible 1611 – “Judas” Bible 1631 – “Wicked” Bible 1653 – “Unrighteous” Bible 1716 – “Sin on” Bible 1763 – “Fools” Bible 1810 – “Wife-hater” Bible 1964 – “Modern” Bible

4. Who published the first modern language translation in the USA?

5. Manuscript errors

6. Modern Bible publishers work hard to ensure accuracy

7. God wants to communicate with us in our language

8. Deuteronomy 4:1-14 NIV Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. (2) Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.

9. Deuteronomy 4:1-14 NIV (3) You saw with your own eyes what the LORD did at Baal Peor. The LORD your God destroyed from among you everyone who followed the Baal of Peor, (4) but all of you who held fast to the LORD your God are still alive today. (5) See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it.

10. Deuteronomy 4:1-14 NIV (6) Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." (7) What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him?

11. Deuteronomy 4:1-14 NIV (8) And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today? (9) Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.

12. Deuteronomy 4:1-14 NIV (10) Remember the day you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, when he said to me, "Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn to revere me as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children." (11) You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness.

13. Deuteronomy 4:1-14 NIV (12) Then the LORD spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice. (13) He declared to you his covenant, the Ten Commandments, which he commanded you to follow and then wrote them on two stone tablets. (14) And the LORD directed me at that time to teach you the decrees and laws you are to follow in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess.

14. God made a special effort to communicate with Israel

15. Exodus 20–24 follows the pattern of a Suzerain-Vassal covenant document

16. God is truthful

17. John 8:12-26 NIV When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (13) The Pharisees challenged him, "Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid." (14) Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.

18. John 8:12-26 NIV (15) You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. (16) But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. (17) In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. (18) I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me."

19. John 8:12-26 NIV (19) Then they asked him, "Where is your father?" "You do not know me or my Father," Jesus replied. "If you knew me, you would know my Father also." (20) He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his time had not yet come.

20. John 8:12-26 NIV (21) Once more Jesus said to them, "I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come." (22) This made the Jews ask, "Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, 'Where I go, you cannot come'?" (23) But he continued, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.

21. John 8:12-26 NIV (24) I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins." (25) "Who are you?" they asked. "Just what I have been claiming all along," Jesus replied. (26) "I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world."

22. The context of John 8 was a challenge to Jesus’ identity

23. The Bible is a uniquely authoritative book

24. We do not have the original writings

25. What we have are handwritten copies of handwritten copies

26. 2 Timothy 3:14-17 NIV But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, (15) and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. (16) All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, (17) so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

27. Paul wrote this letter to young Timothy

28. Application

29. Psalms 119:9-16 NIV How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. (10) I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. (11) I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (12) Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees. (13) With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. (14) I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. (15) I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. (16) I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.