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New Testament Proven Authentic
Is the Bible Proven Authentic? I hope you read the Old Testament article, Old Testament Proven Authentic. If not, you can click on the link. In this article, I will provide you with a link to hundreds of Old Testament prophecies and their fulfillment in the New Testament.
In the Old Testament article, we considered the massive amount of Textual proof, Historical proof, and Internal consistency.
We can certainly agree, after examining the evidence, that the Old Testament is authentic and extremely accurate.
There is much evidence, in archaeological findings, to substantiate the accuracy of both the Old and New Testaments.
God and Us
In Genesis, we are told about God’s creation. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 1:20-21 NKJV. “ For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened”.
We stand before God without excuse, because He is clearly seen in His Creation.
I believe this awareness of God originates with the spark of life with which God creates each of us in our mother’s womb.
Why would I say this? I have known God as long as I can remember, and I am not any different than you or anyone else. I was aware of God before I learned in church or was able to read the Bible.
Yes, we are without excuse because God and His works are clearly visible.
However, is the New Testament an authentic message from God?
First, let’s look at Jesus and the Church in the New Testament.
The New Testament is a record of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. It also tells of the growth of His Church over the next 50 or 60 years. It consists of 27 sections written by several different men in Koine Greek. The texts are divided into four gospels, a record of the Acts of the Apostles, and letters to the churches by several apostles. The most recent is the Book of Revelation, written by the last Apostle, John, while imprisoned on the isle of Patmos around AD 95.
The Gospels record Jesus‘ life, ministry, His death, and resurrection. Each gospel gives the account as the Holy Spirit directs them. Luke gives us Peter’s account of the events. Matthew tends to write from a Jewish perspective. We also have Mark and John, who both wrote from a firsthand style. Matthew, Mark, and John record what they saw with their own eyes. However, Luke reports what Peter tells him, along with his interviews with many early Christians who witnessed Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
These authors, guided by the Holy Spirit, recorded these events at different times, in different countries, and under continuous persecution. With that said, all the gospels support each other and record most of the same events without contradiction. These facts by themselves show the guidance of the Holy Spirit
As you read the gospels, you should note that the authors do not skip the parts where they acted badly or showed a lack of faith. I notice this especially in Luke, where he records Peter’s failing. You know that it must have been hard for Peter to speak of his denial of Jesus three times. Yet he recorded his failings, as well as his successes, so we could see both.
Paul’s Letters are unique.
The earliest copy of Paul’s letters is registered as P46. It dates around 300 AD. These letters to Rome, Ephesus, Galatia, and the second one to Corinth were written on strips of papyrus that had been pressed, dried, and cut to size. It is only by God’s protection that they have survived to this present time.
Paul is unique in that he led in the persecution of all those who followed Jesus. He was on fire for God, but misdirected. Jesus knew he had a heart for God, and He had a plan for him. Our Lord Jesus called him in a unique way to be the Apostle to the Gentiles. Acts 9:3-5 NKJV tells it like this: 3 As he journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”
Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
Although Paul wrote more than any of the other Apostles, he never elevated himself above the others.
This is one of the proofs we should look at. Paul does not try to hide who he was and what he did. He lays it out clearly for all to see. He refers to himself as chief among sinners and not worthy of God’s grace. Paul is also the only one of the Apostles, we know of, who supported himself by his own labor as a maker of tents.
Today’s translations are accurate!
Key Note: No other manuscripts in history are as well documented.
The textual integrity of the Bible we enjoy today reads the same as it did when first written. Only the language has changed to enable people all over the world to read God’s Holy Word in their language with confidence.
In fact, we have over 5,000 ancient manuscripts in Greek and 10,000 in Latin for comparison. There are also thousands in other ancient languages to compare.
Scholars who translate the originals into modern language are very conscientious and dedicated to their work. Each section, once translated, is checked by other scholars for accuracy.
Second, The Bible is Historically Accurate.
As a believer in God’s Holy Scripture, historical facts may have little effect on your faith, but they may help you witness to someone who has doubts. Some people believe the Bible is just another book. You may need to tell them a little about how the Bible came to them.
Paul admonishes Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV to, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Knowledge can increase your ability to witness.
One way scholars authenticate the Bible is by verifying that its claims align with other historical records from the past. This is one of the easier steps because of the abundance of secular material available for comparison.
Third, there is the fulfillment of prophecy.
The Old Testament is full of prophecies about the coming Messiah. There are 456 prophecies related to Jesus in the Old Testament, and of those, Jesus has already fulfilled at least 351 known to us. Take some time and research this further by going to the list of prophecies. Clicking this link will give you a complete list of 351 prophecies Jesus fulfilled. You will be amazed at the evidence God gives us.
Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, prophets foretold that He would be born of a virgin, born in Bethlehem, be taken to Egypt, and many more events. We are even told how He would die and that He would be raised on the third day.
Take time to read the list.
Fourth, New Testament events are recorded by other historians of the time.
Many scholars look at non-Christian sources first. Sources such as Josephus, a Jew, wrote about Jesus and the Christians in his Antiquities of the Jews in 93 AD. His historical accounts written for Rome verify many of the accounts we find in the New Testament and record the events related to the death of Jesus and some of the Apostles.
Josephus, along with Tacitus’s Annals in 116 AD and Pliny the Younger’s writings in 93 AD, confirm Jesus’ life, trial, crucifixion, and the growth of the early Church.
The New Testament was written at a time when many of its readers had firsthand experience with Jesus and the early church. Not just the writers but thousands of others who had seen the miracles recorded in the Gospels with their own eyes.
As mentioned earlier, Matthew and John were both eyewitnesses to Jesus’ ministry. Matthew was originally a tax collector, not someone you would expect to be called by Jesus. Luke tells us how Jesus selected Matthew in Luke 5:27 NKJV, After these things, He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.”
Luke, on the other hand, tells us in Luke 1:1-4 NKJV why he wrote his gospel, Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.
Finally, Personal Experience is a valid proof.
Although personal experience is important, it must be backed by the truths of the Bible.
The early church did not reach the world only because of the actions of the Apostles. Jesus sent them forth to preach the good news of salvation, and they did so faithfully. Each of them, except John, was executed for preaching about Jesus. Those who believed were saved and shared with others how Jesus saved them.
As a born-again Christian, your testimony is a powerful tool.
Don’t forget what Jesus did for you. He changes everyone who comes to Him.
The Bible is the source of your understanding of how to follow Jesus.
Conclusion: The New Testament is authentic.
The history of the church is clearly recorded in an enormous number of documents, both Christian and secular.
The historical information found in the New Testament is accurate and verifiable.
Hundreds of prophecies related to Jesus have been fulfilled, and there are more to come.
Christ working through His Holy Spirit in your life is one of the most powerful evidences of the Bible’s truths.
God’s Word has been translated into many languages.
The inspired Word of God, which we call the Bible, is the most popular book in the world.
There are more copies of the Bible printed than any other book in history.
The Bible is printed in more languages than any other book has ever been.
Part of our confidence in the Bible comes from solid physical evidence. Is the text we read today the same as the Holy Spirit gave the authors thousands of years ago? This is a very valid question and one that can be answered with a resounding, YES.
Our Bible today has the same doctrinal message as the original text, even though translated into today’s language.
As of 2020, the full Bible has been translated into 704 languages. The New Testament has been translated into 1,551 languages, according to Biblica.com.
If you haven’t read, Old Testament Proven Authentic. Click the link to go to it.