A Case for the Bible: The importance of understanding the Bible’s scientific authenticity when practicing Christian Apologetics

Over the past few months we have been looking at the evidence for the reliability, historicity and inspiration of the Bible. We have seen an abundance of evidence, so much so that Christian Apologist J. Warner Wallace says, “there is so much evidence for the the reliability of the Bible that it is like death by a thousand paper cuts.” Using the acronym MAPS-S we have investigated evidence in these categories: M=Manuscripts, A=Archeology, and P=Prophecy, and we will now take a look at the evidence from S=Science.

The first thing to note is that the Bible was not written to be a book of science, however, when it speaks of things related to science facts known today it is never incoherent or mythological in its descriptions. In fact, the Bible was giving accurate scientific and medical information thousands of years before they were discovered by humans. Unlike the other so-called “holy books” the Bible speaks about the things of nature, including cosmology, geology and even biochemistry, in ways that we would speak of them today.

For example…

1. The earth is a sphere (Isaiah 40:22)
2. Incalculable number of stars (Jeremiah 33:22)
3. Free float of earth in space (Job 26:7)
4. Creation made of invisible elements (Hebrews 11:3)
5. Each star is different (1 Corinthians 15:41)
6. Light moves (Job 38:19-20)
7. Air has weight (Job 28:25)
8. Winds blow in cyclones (Ecclesiastes 1:6)
9. Blood is the source of life and health (Leviticus 17:11)
10. Ocean floor contains deep valleys and mountains (2 Samuel 22:16; Jonah 2:6)
11. Oceans contain currents and springs (Psalm 8:8; Job 38:16)
12. When dealing with disease, hands should be washed under running water (Leviticus 15:13)

Areas of scientific truths found in the Bible:

Anatomy truths: God knit us together in our mother’s womb. (Psalm 139:13)

• In contrast, the Muslim Quran and Charles Darwin both say we begin as a clot. We know today, the detail and intricacy involved in the formation and structure of the cell, and the development of the embryo and the skeletal system.

Astronomy truths: The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. (Psalm 19:1) …as countless as the stars of the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore… (Jeremiah 33:22)

• In 150 BC scientists proclaimed that they had counted all of the stars and numbered them at 1,056; but with the invention of the telescope, we now know there are too many to be counted.

Geological truths: He (God) suspends the earth over nothing. (Job 26:7)

• In contrast the Quran says the mountains stabilize the earth. The Hindu Vedas say that the earth rests on the back of an elephant that stood on the back of a turtle in an endless cosmic sea of milk. The early Greeks believed that Atlas carried the earth on his back.

Medical truths: For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised… (Genesis 17:12)

• This is now known to be the best day to avoid infection and is the only day in which the blood-clotting factor is at its highest level, and we also know that this is the only day that vitamin K and Prothrombin are at their highest levels and therefore would be the safest day in which to perform this procedure.

Health truths: Bacteria and virus avoidance is found in early Hebrew practices given by God in the Law concerning sanitation and eating regulations—See Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy.

• We know today that the regulations for contamination avoidance that was given in God’s Law has been justified in modern times with the discovery of the microscopic world and proper hygiene.

Nutrition and Dietary truths: Food regulations given in the Mosaic Law, as well as in the Garden of Eden, are proven to be the most healthy means of eating. See Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy and Daniel.

• Today’s medical community recommends the “Mediterranean” diet which is an example of the types of foods God told the Israelites to eat.

Laws of Nature truths: Herbert Spencer, who died in 1903, was famous for applying scientific discoveries to philosophy, and he listed five knowable categories in the natural sciences: time, force, energy, space and matter that we find in the very first verse of the Bible:

• Genesis 1:1 shows how God laid it all out in the beginning of Scripture:  “In the beginning (time); God (force); created (energy); the heavens (space); and the earth (matter).”  Genesis 1:1

Watch this video, narrated by Ray Comfort, that highlights ten of the top scientific facts found in the Bible:

In addition, the existence of God and the Creation account of Genesis are supported by evidence outside the Biblical record that we will go into more detail with in our next class called “A Case for Creation”:

The Cosmological Argument: Defines and defends evidence found in the creation and design of the universe as pointing to God. For example, the universe is extremely fine tuned for life, specifically here on earth, and also for the existence of the universe itself. There are hundreds of constants that must be at precise settings otherwise no life would be possible and even the universe itself could not be sustained. This design is only possible through an intelligence that exists outside the constraints of these rules that it (He) created.

The Teleological Argument: Defines and defends evidence found in the design of nature and in human life itself as pointing to God. For example, the DNA code contains information so complex that it is beyond our comprehension. This information is also fine tuned to exact codes needed for biological life to exist. Information like this can only come from intelligence, and this type of intelligence can only come from a mind beyond the scope, and rules, of the thing that it (He) created.

Going Deeper

Check out J. Warner Wallace’s short presentation that debunks the thought that the level of intelligence required for the construction of the DNA code could come about by random mutations and chance. In fact it is at the highest level of communication in code form:

Also, get J. Warner Wallace’s book: God’s Crime Scene, and Lee Strobel’s best-seller: The Case for a Creator

Reflection

1. Write out two or three science facts that support the reliability of the Bible that you can commit to memory and share with someone.
2. PTRs: Prayer focus—Pray that secular education would open up to the discussion of an intelligent design to the universe, and life itself, because science should be about the pursuit of truth and viewing all evidence in that endeavor.

Bible Study

Each week we do a Bible study to practice our Bible study skills. Read/reread James chapter two, then answer the following questions:

Always remember to pray before reading and studying Scripture.

1. What is the “sin of partiality” that seemed to be happening in the early church gatherings, and what example does James give concerning this behavior? (Read 2:1-9) How do we see the “sin of partiality” acted out in church groups today, and what can we do to avoid this?
2. What does James say about a person that breaks just one part of the “Law?” (Read 2:10-11)
3. How do we want to be judged when we break God’s Law? How then should we treat others when they wrong us? (Read 2:12-13)
4. What do we already know about God’s mercy and grace since we are all guilty of breaking the “Law?” (Distinguish between mercy and grace)
5. How does James distinguish between faith and works and what examples does he use to differentiate between them? What do you think of James’ example concerning what demons believe? (Read 2:14-20)
6. How was Abraham’s faith proven? (Read 2:21-24) How was Rahab’s faith proven? (Read 2:25) Going Deeper: Cross-reference Abraham and Rahab by reading their stories – Abraham in Genesis chapter 22:1-18; and Rahab in Joshua 2:1-24 and 6:15-27.
7. What is the difference between salvation and justification?
8. Application: Copy 2:26 as a memory verse, then discuss the meaning of “faith without works is dead” and what that might look like in a Christian’s walk today.

Join us next week as we continue our Case for the Bible with more on the Bible and Science, Part 2!