Believing the Bible

The sermon opens with an important warning: when God's Word does not dwell within a believer, other voices will inevitably fill that space — doubt, philosophy, science, materialism, and atheism. The pastor emphasizes that the supreme purpose of Scripture is for the Holy Spirit to use it to transform and recreate the lives of believers, not merely to impart knowledge or promote moral living. Drawing on 2 Timothy 3:16, the word 'inspired' (theopneustos) is analyzed: God breathed through the Holy Spirit into the authors of Scripture, just as He breathed life into Adam, so that their written words carry the power to change lives.

The Bible consists of 66 books written by more than 40 authors, across 3 continents, in 3 languages, over a span of 1,500 years. The authors came from vastly different social backgrounds — from an Egyptian prince like Moses, a military general like Joshua, a Babylonian prime minister like Daniel, a fisherman like Peter, to a scholar like Paul. Despite this extraordinary diversity, the entire Bible unifies around a single theme: God's plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. The Old Testament prepares for that plan; the four Gospels manifest it; Acts develops it; the Epistles explain it; and Revelation concludes it. This remarkable unity is itself evidence that the Holy Spirit moved the authors.

The sermon also draws a clear distinction: Christians believe that the content of Scripture is God's Word, not any particular printed copy or translation. Whether it is the Phan Khoi translation, the paraphrase by Pastor Le Hoang Phu, or English versions such as the NIV or ESV, all carry God's Word because the authentic content remains intact. Nevertheless, the church firmly affirms that the 66 books constitute the complete and final revelation of God — entirely rejecting the Quran, the Book of Mormon, or any claim of new revelation beyond Scripture.

To answer how the New Testament can be trusted as historically accurate, the sermon compares it with other ancient sources. The Buddha's teachings were passed on orally for 400 years and were only written down by a single arrogant monk. Two biographies of Alexander the Great were written more than 400 years after his death in 323 B.C., yet historians consider them reliable. By contrast, Paul wrote about the resurrection of Christ within approximately 5 years of his own conversion, confirming that Christ appeared to more than 500 people, many of whom were still alive — a claim open to public verification. With approximately 5,500 manuscript copies of the New Testament and endorsements from scholars such as F.F. Bruce and Sir Frederic Kenyon, the authenticity and accuracy of the New Testament stand on solid ground.

The sermon concludes with a reminder about the importance of a proper approach to Bible study. A student of Scripture must come to discover what God has revealed, not to search for proof texts that support what they already want to believe. Hebrews 4:12 reminds us that God's Word is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, capable of judging the thoughts and intentions of the heart.