What kind of advertising works best on you? Is it seeing on television? Hearing it on the radio? Reading it in the newspaper? Most of us put more stock in what our friends and family might have experienced than in any formal or persuasive type of advertising. We tend to trust products and services that have proven their worth and effective for people we know personally.
This applies to other life experiences as well. If you’re interested in losing weight, you’ll likely seek the advice of someone you know that has actually lost weight. If faced with a medical problem and you know someone who has overcome that particular problem, you’ll probably go out of your way to discover what worked best for them.
When we see something that works for someone we know or trust, we’ll usually view that experience as being valid, credible and trustworthy. This is called experiential, anecdotal, or qualitative evidence. Experiential evidence is one more piece of the puzzle when looking at the reliability of the Bible. The bottom line is, does it work?
This week we’ve looked at strong evidence supporting the trustworthiness and validity of the Bible. We’ve considered the manuscript evidence, archaeological evidence, historical evidence, and internal consistency. But the most powerful evidence for the Bible is its ability to change a life, family, a community, or a nation. In their book, The Facts on Why You Can Believe the Bible, John Ankerberg and John Weldon point out how the Bible and Christianity have influenced our culture and our world. Here are just a few of their examples.
§ The founding and development of modern science and law
§ The establishment of the first hospitals
§ Modern education, including the establishment of many universities such as Princeton, Yale, Harvard and Dartmouth
§ The advancement of ethics by providing a logical basis through absolute values
§ Protecting the dignity of marriage and family life, which greatly contributes to the stabilization of society
§ Inspiring major contributions to the best in art, literature, music and architecture
God’s Word has had a significant impact on our culture and a life-changing effect on millions of individual lives. People who believe in Him have altered their view of their world, their treatment of others, and the way they conduct their daily lives. It has been known to transform people’s values, opinions, capacity to give, and level of compassion. The Word of God has an incredible effect on how people live out their relationships and respond to authority. The bottom line…the Bible has been proven over and over again, to cause positive change in people’s lives.
We all know people that have had their lives radically and permanently changed by the authority of the Word of God. I didn’t think it could be until happened to me. You’ll never know that it’s true until it happens to you.
The Bible is powerful and life changing. Every year more copies of the Bible are sold than any other book. The Bible has brought about significant changes in science, law, education, medical care, ethics, and the family. No other book can claim to have the same influence as the Bible. Most important, God can change the life of whoever reads its pages.
What are some of the ways that you have seen the truths of the Bible influence our society?
Read Romans 12:1-8
Ask God to open His word up to you.
1 comment:
I have read a lot in my life. I am a reader. When I was a kid I would read every inch of the cereal box. I read magazines, books, anything I can get my hands on. I love to read. I recently finished my first journey through the Bible, the first of what I hope will be many, many journeys. Never have I had anything I have read impact my life in such a way. I cannot wait to see what God will reveal to me each and every time I pick up my Bible. He never let's me down in that awesome exploration. I would challenge anyone whether you have read it before or not to pray beforehand and ask God to reveal His plan or some lesson to you and He will. Try it and see.
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