It is one thing to claim authority. It is another to confirm it. What the Bible claims to be, it proves itself to be.
The Claim From Self-Vindicating Authority
The Bible is its own proof
It needs no other authority than its Author
It does not need to be defended. It defends itself
Logic:
- A book that speaks with true self-vindicating authority is God’s Word
- The Bible is that Book
- Therefore, the Bible is God’s Word
The Claim From The Testimony of the Spirit of God
The Book attested to by the Holy Spirit is the Word of God
The Bible is the Book attested to by the Holy Spirit
Therefore, the Bible is the Word of God
The Claim From the Dynamic Ability of the Bible
A Book which has its power and source in God can affect the complete salvation of a human being
The Bible has this ability
Therefore, the Bible has its power and source in God
The Claim From Jesus and the Gospel Record
Whatever Jesus taught is true
The doctrine of the inspiration of the Old Testament is something that Jesus taught
Therefore, the doctrine of the inspiration of the Old Testament is true
The Claim of the Unity of the Bible
A Book with amazing unity, written over a 1600 year period, is from God
The Bible is such a book
Therefore, the Bible is from God
The Claim From the Prophecies of the Bible
Repeated and accurate predictions of future events are only supernaturally given
Bible prophecies are repeated and accurate predictions of future events
Therefore, Bible prophecies were supernaturally given
The Claim of Moral Superiority in the Bible
A holy God would set forth practical morality for all human beings
The Bible explains the best universal and practical morality
Therefore, The Bible is the Word of God
The Claim From Archeological Evidence
To confirm the credibility of the Bible is to confirm the divine inspiration of the Bible
Archeological findings confirm the credibility of the Bible
Therefore, archaeology confirms the divine inspiration of the Bible
The Claim of the Universality of the Bible
A Book which is cross-cultural and universal in scope and application must be from God
The Bible is such a Book
Therefore, the Bible is from God
The Claim of the Indestructibility of the Bible
The Book which has proven indestructible throughout the ages must be God’s Word
The Bible is that Book
Therefore, the Bible is God’s Word
-Adapted from authors Geisler & Nix