Evidence • Can I Trust The Bible • Jonathan Hansen
Can I Trust the Bible? Evidence for Scripture's Reliability
"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." - 2 Timothy 3:16-17
In a world filled with shifting ideologies and unstable foundations, more people are searching for truth they can build their lives upon. This search has led to a revival in Bible sales and renewed interest in this ancient book. But with that interest comes legitimate questions: Can we really trust the Bible? Has it been corrupted over time? Is it just a collection of stories voted on by religious leaders to advance their agenda?
Key Verses
2 Timothy 3:16
Genesis 1:27
Matthew 25
2 Peter 1:20-21
John 6:63
Hebrews 4:12
Psalm 119
Ephesians 6:17
Why the Bible Matters
Whether you're a believer or skeptic, everyone must acknowledge that the Bible is the most important and influential book in human history. The Guinness Book of World Records recognizes it as the best-selling book of all time, with over 6 billion copies printed in the past 500 years—far exceeding any other book in history.
The Bible Shaped Our World
We're already living in a world shaped by Scripture, often without realizing it. Like children who don't realize they've already arrived in California, we're surrounded by biblical influence without recognizing its source.
Our beliefs about human dignity, justice, healthcare, education, and care for the poor all trace back to biblical principles:
Human dignity: The idea that every person has inherent worth comes from Genesis 1:27: "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." In ancient Rome, this concept didn't exist—your value depended on your status.
Justice and rule of law: The belief that no one is above the law traces back to the moral law of God, where even kings were accountable (Deuteronomy 16:20). Our governmental system of checks and balances has its roots in Scripture.
Science and discovery: We value scientific inquiry because we believe the world is ordered by a rational Creator (Genesis 1:1). Many early pioneers of science, including Isaac Newton (who wrote more theology books than science books), saw their work as studying God's design.
Healthcare and education: We build hospitals, educate the next generation, and care for the poor because of biblical principles. Jesus said, "I was sick and you cared for me" (Matthew 25:36), and the early church took that seriously, helping launch what we now know as hospitals. Education spread because people believed God's Word should be read and understood. Harvard, Oxford, and the University of Paris all began as Christian institutions.
These things are so ingrained in our culture that we think they're obvious—that we've always had laws, governance, civilization, schools, and healthcare systems. But they're not obvious at all. Whether we realize it or not, we are living in a world that has been shaped and formed by the Bible.
Evidence the Bible Wasn't Written by Humans Alone
While humans put pen to paper, the evidence suggests divine orchestration behind this remarkable book. As 2 Timothy 3:16 states: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness."
But the Bible is under attack. This is not new—it's been under attack for a long time. Everywhere you turn, people on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are telling you that the Bible is false and cannot be trusted. If you can discredit the Bible, then Christianity and Jesus have no ground to stand on.
So let's answer the hard questions with real evidence.
1. Supernatural Unity Across Time and Authors
Imagine asking 40 people from different generations, cultures, and professions—a doctor, a fisherman, a poet, a shepherd, a tax collector, an ancient Egyptian, a Pharisee—to write one coherent book without communicating with each other, spread across 1,500 years and three continents. It would be impossible.
Yet the Bible contains:
66 books
Written by over 40 authors
In three languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek)
Across three continents
Over 1,500 years
All telling one unified story of salvation through Jesus Christ
The Bible contains over 63,000 cross-references—verses that connect to and reference other verses throughout Scripture. This intricate web of connections spanning centuries demonstrates a supernatural unity that human coordination alone cannot explain.
Friends, no amount of human planning could've orchestrated a project of this scale. The Bible is a miracle.
2. Fulfilled Prophecy: Statistical Impossibility
God "calls His shots" centuries in advance. The Old Testament contains 300-400 prophecies that were accurately fulfilled in the New Testament. These include specific details like:
Birthplace (Micah 5:2): "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah... from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel..." No child chooses their birthplace. Mary and Joseph weren't trying to fulfill prophecy—they were just heading home to pay taxes.
Virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14): "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." A miraculous sign promised 700 years before the first Christmas.
Triumphal entry (Zechariah 9:9): "Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey..." Not a warhorse. A donkey. The King arrives lowly, salvation in His hands.
The suffering servant (Isaiah 53:5, 9): "But he was pierced for our transgressions... and by his wounds we are healed... and with the rich in his death." Written 700 years before the cross, foretelling suffering love and a rich man's tomb.
The Statistical Odds
Mathematician Peter Stoner calculated that the probability of just eight prophecies being fulfilled by one person is 1 in 100 quadrillion (10⁷).
Picture this: Cover the entire state of Texas in quarters two feet deep. Mark one coin with an "X," stir the whole mass, and ask a blindfolded person to pick that one coin on their first try. That's the odds for just 8 prophecies.
Push it to 48 prophecies? 1 in 10⁵⁷—a number larger than the total number of atoms in the known universe.
Now imagine 350+ fulfilled prophecies. Statistically impossible.
As 2 Peter 1:20-21 states: "No prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation... but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
These authors didn't compare notes. Most didn't even live in the same century. They weren't trying to create something that would fit together so perfectly. Even if they wanted to, it would be humanly impossible.
The Bible is either the longest, most complicated game of telephone ever devised by humanity (which is statistically impossible), or it's a book written by God Himself.
Historical Reliability: Can We Trust What We Have Today?
Debunking the Constantine Myth
A common misconception claims that Roman Emperor Constantine and bishops voted on which books to include in the Bible at the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. This is historically false.
Emperor Constantine and the early bishops did not give us the Bible any more than Al Gore gave us the internet—it just didn't happen.
By the time the Council of Nicaea gathered, the early church already had the Bible—both Old and New Testaments. They already knew which books were clearly Scripture and which ones weren't. They gathered to bring unity to the church across the world and created the Nicene Creed, which clarifies what Christians have believed based on what the Bible clearly taught.
Manuscript Evidence
We have over 20,000 ancient manuscripts of the New Testament, with fragments dating within decades of the original documents. To put this in perspective, all the ancient manuscripts from Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, and Roman emperors combined total only about 12 documents.
We have more evidence for the life of Jesus than virtually all the Roman emperors and ancient Greek philosophers combined.
The Dead Sea Scrolls
These pushed our Old Testament evidence back 1,000 years, proving that the text of Isaiah remained virtually unchanged. It was the greatest discovery proving that what we have today is word-for-word what was written thousands of years ago by the original authors.
Understanding the "Variants"
While there are approximately 300,000 variants among these manuscripts, not a single variant affects core Christian beliefs. These differences consist of minor issues like missing commas, spelling variations, or copying errors.
Think of it this way: If I handed everyone in a room a copy of my sermon manuscript and asked them to copy it word for word, there's no way we wouldn't find some variants—someone would miss a comma, a sentence, or accidentally misspell a word. But if we lost the original and combined all the manuscripts together, with 1,000 copies we could get extremely close to the original.
Having 20,000 manuscripts actually helps us ensure accuracy—when one manuscript has an error, the other thousands confirm what was originally written.
Instead of relying on a single copy, God allowed His Word to be reproduced again and again, protecting it from loss and preserving its message through generations.
All these ancient manuscripts have proven one thing: The Bible we have today is accurate and trustworthy, and what we are reading is actually what was written by the original authors.
Can we all agree: If God can speak galaxies into existence, He can make sure that His book is not corrupted in any way.
The Bible Goes Against Human Nature
Embarrassing Honesty
If humans were inventing a religion to gain power, they wouldn't write themselves as failures. Yet the Bible is brutally honest about its main characters:
Peter denied Jesus
Paul persecuted Christians before his conversion
King David committed adultery and murder
The disciples doubted, fled, and argued about who was the greatest
You don't write yourself into the story looking like a fool if you're trying to start a worldwide religion. You want people to trust you, not laugh at you.
Women as First Witnesses
The first witnesses to the resurrection were women. In that culture, a woman's testimony wasn't even admissible in court. If you were inventing a lie, you'd pick "credible" male witnesses. You only include the women if that's actually what happened.
Countercultural Ethics
The Bible teaches principles that go against natural human reasoning:
"Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44)
"The greatest among you will be your servant" (Matthew 23:11)
These teachings don't appeal to human desires for power or revenge—they represent divine wisdom that challenges our natural instincts.
Humans write myths about men becoming gods. God wrote a book about becoming a man to save the world.
Impact Theory: Why We Can Trust Eyewitness Accounts
When extraordinary events occur, they make lasting impressions. We remember "impact events." If I asked you where you were on September 11, 2001, you could probably tell me vivid details. Why? Because our brains categorize what's important.
If you watched someone rise from the dead, would you remember it? If you watched someone walk on water, would you remember it? Absolutely! Jesus' life was one impact event after another. The eyewitnesses didn't write fables; they wrote what they saw and what was seared into their souls and minds.
Just as people vividly remember where they were during significant historical events, the disciples would have remembered with crystal clarity seeing Jesus walk on water, raise the dead, and rise from the grave. These weren't everyday occurrences—they were life-changing moments that would be impossible to forget or misremember.
Approaching the Bible on Its Own Terms
The Bible is a spiritual book with a specific purpose. It's not primarily a science textbook or history book, though it contains accurate historical information. It's God's plan of salvation—explaining where the world broke and what God has done to redeem it.
Imagine getting the opportunity to play Augusta National golf course, but instead of golf clubs, they hand you a hockey stick, a baseball bat, and a tennis racket. It would ruin the whole experience! You're not experiencing it the way it was intended.
Approach with a Heart of Faith
As Jesus said in John 6:63: "The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life."
The Bible is a spiritual book; approach it on its terms—faith and an honest heart looking for Jesus is the key. You can't just read it with a hockey stick.
Many brilliant people throughout history have tried to approach the Bible like a textbook to figure it out. But it just doesn't work. You have to approach it on its terms if you want to experience what God intended.
Approach Scripture with only your head and you'll get information—some of it confusing, some of it helpful, but you'll be missing the point. If you come with your heart full of faith, you'll meet a Savior.
Here's my question for you: Have you actually sought the Lord? Or are you just trying to figure Him out? The Lord says, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13). Not just our mind. Yes, we need our minds involved, but in your heart you have to reach for Him.
What the Bible Offers
The greatest evidence of a life that is not falling apart is a Bible that is.
A Bible that is falling apart is evidence of a life that's not. A tattered, worn-out Bible is the greatest source of a life that is whole, healing, steady, anchored in peace, and able to endure the suffering that will come.
Where else can we go? We live and die by God's word.
Here's what you'll discover when you approach the Bible on its terms:
It is alive: "The word of God is living and active... judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12)
It contains the words of life: Peter said to Jesus, "Where else can we go? You have the words of eternal life" (John 6:68)
It sets us free: "If you hold to my teaching... you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32)
It renews our minds: "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2)
It heals and restores: "He sent out his word and healed them" (Psalm 107:20)
It is the doorway to Jesus: "The words I have spoken... are spirit and life" (John 6:63)
It guides our next right step: "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path" (Psalm 119:105)
It equips and matures us: "All Scripture is God-breathed... so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped" (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
It endures forever: "You have been born again... through the living and enduring word of God" (1 Peter 1:23-25)
It is a weapon against the enemy: "The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17)
It produces faith: "Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17)
It must be obeyed: "Do not merely listen... do what it says" (James 1:22-25)
The 30-Day Experiment
You don't master this Book; this Book lovingly masters you.
If you're skeptical, you're welcome here. If you've been hurt by people wielding the Bible like a club, I'm sorry—that's not how Jesus used it.
Here's my challenge for you. For the next 30 days, try this experiment:
Read one chapter a day
Underline it, mark it up, highlight it
Obey one thing
When you come to the Bible, approach it with genuine faith. Don't just try to figure it out. Ask God to personally reveal Himself to you. Ask Him to personally encounter you in and through His holy Word.
Open this Book with a simple prayer: "Lord, I want to meet You. Show me Jesus."
It's the doorway to a relationship with Jesus. It's the doorway to true freedom. It's the doorway to life.
So dig. Keep digging. And watch what God does.
Life Application
This week, commit to reading the Bible with fresh eyes and an open heart. Whether you've been following Jesus for decades or you're just beginning to explore faith, approach Scripture as the living, active Word of God it claims to be.
Get a physical Bible and read it regularly - not just on your phone, but as a treasured book. Read with a highlighter and pen, mark it up, pray through it, and ask God to reveal Himself to you through His Word. As Jeremiah 29:13 promises: "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
Questions for Reflection:
How does learning about the Bible's supernatural unity across 40 authors over 1500 years impact your view of Scripture?
What stood out to you most about the statistical impossibility of Old Testament prophecies being fulfilled in the New Testament?
How do you respond to claims that the Bible has been corrupted or that its books were simply voted on by church leaders?
Why do you think the Bible includes so many embarrassing details about its main characters like Peter's denial and David's failures?
What does it mean to approach the Bible 'on its terms' rather than as a science or history textbook?
How can we balance using our minds to study Scripture while also approaching it with our hearts and souls?
What barriers or hesitations do you have when it comes to reading the Bible regularly?
How might your life change if you truly believed the Bible was 'living and active' as described in Hebrews 4:12?
Key Takeaways
The Bible demonstrates supernatural unity with 63,000 cross-references connecting 66 books written by 40+ authors over 1500 years
Over 350 Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled in the New Testament with statistically impossible odds
The Bible is historically reliable with over 20,000 ancient manuscripts confirming its accuracy
The Bible goes against natural human reasoning, showing it wasn't invented by people seeking power
We must approach the Bible on its own terms as a spiritual book that transforms lives when read with faith
Additional Resources
Setlist
WFC Lenexa + WFC Anywhere
1. I Believe - Phil Wickham
2. Jesus Is Our King - The Collective KC
3. What A God - SEU Worship
WFC Speedway
1. Faith and Wonder - Upperroom
2. The Blessing - Elevation Worship
3. Tremble - Phil Wickham
4. Jesus We Love You - Bethel Music
Be sure to save our SpotifyWorship Playlist, updated weekly with the upcoming Sunday’s set!
