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Reasons to BelieveNate Herbst

1. Reasons to believe in the Bible. It is logically consistentand corresponds with reality:a. The Bible is scientifically accurate it describes:

i. Radioactive decay, in 2Peter 3:10.

ii. Hydrologic cycles, in Ps.135:7, Ec.1:7and ob 3!:27"2#.

iii. Atos!heric "et streas, in Ecc. 1:!.

iv. #louds and condensation, in ob 2!:$, 37:11.v. $arth%s s!herical sha!e, %s. &0:22.

vi. The e&!ansion of the universe, in ob 2!:7.vii. $arth%s foundation hung on nothing, ob 2!:7.

viii. That air has 'eight, ob 2$:25.

i&. Hydrotheric vents, 'en. 7:11and ob. 3$:1!.&. That li(e begets li(e a biological la', 'en. 1:11"12( 21( 25.

&i. That one event could be seen across the 'orld an i!ossibility then no' !ossible

through T), )t. 2&:30and Rev. 11:#"11.

b. Bible is !ro!hetically accurate *here are a fe' out of thousands of e&a!les+:

i. esus alone fulfilled over - *odds o* +,st $ - 1in 1017

+.ii. esus% crucifi&ion !ro!hesied 1 years before crucifi&ion invented, in Ps.22:1!.

iii. Ale&ander the /reat, !ro!hesied in great detail: /reat 'arrior fro 0estearly death

e!ire s!lit four 'ayscobined into Toloaic and elucid, in aniel $:5"12.

iv. Rebuilding of erusale and te!le by #yrus !ro!hesied 1 years before #yrus% birthand 1 years before Nebuchadne2ar destroyed erusale, in %s.&&:2$.

v. Tyre%s destruction !ro!hesied in great detail: destroyed, ade bare as a roc(, a !lace

'here fisheran dry their nets, rubble throne into the sea and never rebuilt, in E/.2!.

c. The Bible is historically accurate: real !eo!le, !laces and events corroborated by archeology

*here are "ust a cou!le of e&a!les+.

i. Hitites critics condened the Bible%s descri!tion of this grou!3 archeological digs havesince !roven their e&istence.

ii. #aesar Agustus% census at the tie of #hrist%s birth *,e 2:1+.

d. The Bible%s authors agree.

i. 0ritten on - continents, in - different languages, over 14 years, over 5 generations by

5 authors of different bac(grounds, social status, languages and ethnicities.

e. The Bible is te&tually authentic *here is a 6uic( co!arison 'ith Hoer%s Illiad+.i. NT has co!ies fro as early as 125425"70 years a*ter written, 'ithin life7s!ans of

esus% conte!oraries+. The Iliad%s earliest co!y is fro 5 B# *4 yrs after 'ritten+.

ii. NT has 2&(000 early copies*8- yrs+ vs. Iliad%s 95-.

f. The Bible has the !o'er to change huan beings. E.ust loo( around this roo.

g. ost of esus% disci!les and any early church founders died for this essage.

i. ;eo!le often die for a belief but never for a (no'n lie.

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6o, ay choose at the end o* yo,r investigative processes o* the 8ew 9estaent to say( % choose not to

believe it.; B,t yo, ay not reserve the right to say( Beca,se there is not eno,gh evidence to believe

it.;< =ion 'reely " >aed Pro*essor( ?arvard aw =chool.

2. 9he Bible points to one person and one event < es,s and salvation.

a. esus alone accurately described the huan condition and the reedy.

9he depravity o* an is at once the ost epirically veri*iable reality b,t at the sae tie the ost

intellect,ally resisted *act. < )alco ),gridge

b. esus !rovided a reedy for that condition a *ree gi*t o* salvation*eperientially relevant+.

c. esus i!acted history ore than any other huan that has ever lived.

d. esus triu!hed over death *over'heling historical evidence for this+.

i. He alone has authority to describe the eans of salvation.

e. es,s@ essage corresponds with reality < ?e alone hit the nail on the head.

f. The Bible is logically consistent, only esus% descri!tion of our condition is epirically correctand only esus% reedy is eperientially relevant.

3. 9he s,ary.

a. Naturalis can%t account for atter, design or the universe3 design !oints to a designer.

b. The Bible alone !rovides coherent ans'ers to the 6uestions of origin, eaning, orality and

destiny in a 'ay that corres!onds 'ith reality.

c. %plicationsThere is a /od, He is the /od of the Bible, He cae to earth as the an esus,

He !rovided the only eans of salvation.d. %* yo, are a believer < be con*ident in the validity o* the Bible.

&. %* yo, aren@t a believer < here are the & ost *,ndaental biblical principals:

a. /od loves you and has an a'esoe !lan for your life. er. 31:3( n. 3:1!( 10:10.b. in and selfishness result in eternal se!aration fro /od. Ro. 3:23( !:23.c. esus !rovides the only eans of salvation the cross. n.1&:1!.

d.