the great questions
Question One:
Question Two:
Question Three:
Question Four:
Question Five:
Question Six:
The bible is trustworthy
Can we trust the Bible?
The vast number of biblical manuscripts, the early dates, and the unparalleled accuracy of the manuscript copies establish the Bible's reliability well beyond than of any other ancient book.
The number of New Testament manuscripts is astounding. There are almost 5,700 Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, compared with the 7 to 10 of other ancient books. Homer's Iliad has the most with 643 manuscripts. The New Testament is simply the best textually supported book from the entire ancient world.
Most scholars date the gospel of Mark in the 70's AD, a mere 40 years after the resurrection. All the New Testament writers were Apostles, associates or eyewitnesses. All were willing to die for what they believed - and most of them did.
For further study, consider the following books:
The Historical Reliability of the Gospels, by Craig Blomberg
Reasonable Faith, by William Lane Craig
The Case for Christ, by Lee Strobel.
What is the true church? [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3]
What is the True Church?
Have you ever wondered what the word "church" means? And, if there is such a thing, what does it do? Is there any reason you should belong to a church? If you are interested in knowing what is happening to the church, then this chapter will be of special interest to you.
What Does "Church" Mean?
The word church has several meanings: those who belong to Christ, the local church, or a national church or denomination. Each of these will be addressed in the following section.
Those Who Belong to Christ
Jesus said: "I will build my church." The word He used means "called out ones." Christ calls us out to follow Him. We leave our old life of sin and become members of that great body of called out ones who recognize Jesus as their Head. This is the true Church . Only God knows who all of its members are. Many of them are already in heaven.
And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
(Bible, Colossians 1:18)
So in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
(Bible, Romans 12:5)
The Local Church
In any community those who share the same faith in Christ get together regularly to worship Him, just as they did in Bible times. They form a local church and work together for the Lord.
For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.
(Bible, Matthew 18:20)
Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.
(Bible, Colossians 4:15)
National Church or Denomination
A national church, or denomination, is an organization of many local churches. They help one another and can do much more for the Lord by working together than they could separately. They publish literature, train ministers, open up new churches, and operate schools and orphanages. The leaders of the national church or denomination help the local churches with their problems, as the apostles did in Bible times.
The apostles and elders met to consider this question. With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
(Bible, Acts 15:6, 23, 41)
The Church Building
The word church also means a building where God's people meet together. Whether it is large or small, richly decorated or simple in form is not important. What really matters is God's presence there.
What Does The True Church Do?
Church in this section refers to the body of Christ as it works through local and national churches.
The True Church Loves God and Lives for Him
God wants us to love Him fully and completely. He made us so that we could be His children, enjoy His love, and love Him too. The church meets with God in worship. Together and individually its members express their love to God in prayer, praise, music, giving, Christian service, and obedience to His commands.