Doubt:  Can we believe the 66 books of the Bible?

What is one of the first things we see in the Bible that Satan seeks to do to keep people from learning and living by the truth? The Bible shows us that his methods for accomplishing this haven’t changed from the beginning.  Among some other things, let’s look at some principles we can learn from that—

Genesis 3:1-6

¹ Now the serpent [a reference to Satan appearing in this form] was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

This passage provides the record of man’s initial fall into sin.  Please note that the first thing Satan does is to plant seeds of doubt in the mind of the woman about what God had said.  Even today, he and his organization of other fallen angels, called demons, do everything they can to get people to question the truthfulness of what we’re told in the Bible.  And, as it was with the woman in the garden, she wasn’t clear in her thinking about what God had said.  This was at least partly because she got her information about this second hand, much like we do today.  God had not actually told her this; she got her information from her husband Adam. She apparently misunderstood or simply added to what He had said.  Does this happen with the Scriptures today? Of course it does! It happens every day.

² And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

³ But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

Had anything been said about not “touching” the fruit? Not one word! Instead, she was just told she couldn’t eat of it.  Don’t people sin today out of ignorance? This is such a common problem that I have addressed it with at least two articles about it on this website—

Ignorance: Could this be the primary problem?

Ignorance:  Is this something you will overcome?

The solution to this problem of ignorance is to make ourselves serious students of the Bible.

2 Timothy 2:15

¹⁵ Study [SPOUDAZO = be diligent] to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. [Emphasis added]

Eve was obviously not clear in her understanding about God’s policy for them.  Did Adam cite it to her wrongly? Was she not paying close attention when she was told this? We may never know the answer to these questions about this and others, but we do know that ultimately, she sinned.  Look at this next verse that tells us what Satan said.

Genesis 3 continued—

⁴ And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

Satan’s first comment to her about this was subtle, but here you have his bold frontal attack on the truthfulness of God’s Word.  He tells her that if she partakes of the fruit, she won’t die.  Then look at Satan’s next comment. He tells her that she not only won’t die, but that life will be better for her.  He also tells her why it will be better even before she asks—

⁵ For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

⁶ And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. [Emphasis added]

So, in this paragraph we have the fact that Eve was deceived in all this, but we also see that Adam was not.  He knew the truth but sinned willfully. Have any of us ever done something like this? Of course, we all have!

A very important truth that comes out of this is that sin is enticing and leads us to believe we’ll be better off in committing the sin.  But is this true? No! Of course not! Not ever! We all need to take note of what James says about this.

James 1:14-16

¹⁴ But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

¹⁵ Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Then we have the important warning—

¹⁶ Do not err, my beloved brethren. [Emphasis added]

The great and effective deterrent to sin is knowledge of the Word of God.  We’re to fortify our thinking with it.

Psalm 119:11

¹¹ Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. [Emphasis added]

There’s no force that’s greater than God’s Word to ward off temptations to sin.  To the degree you’re ignorant of it is the degree to which you are vulnerable to sin.  We must all realize the tremendous value of knowing it.

Hebrews 4:12

¹² For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. [Emphasis added]

Notice the apostle Peter’s last recorded words about it.  He even informs us that we’re to study the apostle Paul’s writings—

2 Peter 3:14-18

¹⁴ Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

¹⁵ And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

¹⁶ As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest [STREBLOO = twist], as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

¹⁷ Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

¹⁸ But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. [Emphasis added]

This is why even our Lord used Scripture to ward off all Satan’s temptations.  The clear record of that is in both Luke 4:1-15 and Matthew 4:1-11.  If you’ve not read my article on this website about temptation, please do.  Here’s the link to one that addresses this—

Temptation: How can it be resisted?

Don’t be like the guy who said the only thing he couldn’t resist was temptation.  It is because of such things as temptation to sin that you need to devote a generous amount of time to studying the Bible. Not just reading it but studying the Scriptures! My website is available to help you with that.  Of all the Bible, it is the thirteen Pauline writings that need to get the majority of our time and attention.

Some who read this article will recall the story about the apostle often referred to as “doubting Thomas.” How would you like to be stuck with a title like that? When many people think his name, they recall this which he seems to be remembered for most—his doubting about Christ’s appearance to the other apostles in His new resurrection body.  Let’s take a little time to review this wonderful incident.  This of course took place shortly after our Lord’s crucifixion and resurrection.

John 20:19-29

¹⁹ Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

²⁰ And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side [where the soldier’s spear had pierced Him]. Then were the disciples glad [CHAIRO = glad] when they saw the Lord.

²¹ Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

²² And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost [PNEUMA = Spirit]:

²³ Whose soever sins ye remit [APHIEMI = forgive], they are remitted [APHIEMI = forgiven] unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain [KRATEO = hold or retain], they are retained [KRATEO = hold or retain].

This is the verse Catholic “priests” misuse to justify what they believe is their ability to “forgive” people of their sins.  If you want more information about this, please see my article about it and more—

Priesthood: Are there people today who are Priests?

For information about forgiveness of sins as the subject relates to us today, please see my articles about it.  Here are the links to several—

Forgiveness:  How complete is it?

Forgiveness:  What is the “gotcha” passage?

Forgiveness:  Are the sins of everyone forgiven?

Forgiveness:  What should we conclude about it from Scripture?

John 20 continued—

²⁴ But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

²⁵ The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

²⁶ And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

²⁷ Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

What a gracious expression of our Lord this was to Thomas!

²⁸ And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

²⁹ Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that HAVE NOT seen, and yet have BELIEVED. [Emphasis added]

This last verse is where we are today in the sense that we have to learn these things from others by faith and not by sight.  Are there people today who hear and/or read about these verses who are doubtful about the truthfulness of all that is written? Yes, there are millions in every generation who refuse to believe all this.  My advice to you is to not be one of them.

Believing what you hear or learn is a choice.  Such is the situation when addressing the things you learn about God and about Jesus Christ from the Bible.  If they’re to have any impact on your life, you’ll have to believe them. 

There are many people in the world I’ve never seen, but I believe they exist. There are also many places I’ve never been but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.  Like all of us, I have to accept many things on the basis of faith and nothing more.  These things have all become a part of my knowledge.  Such is the same regarding spiritual matters and more that’s been provided for our reading in the Bible.  I’ve never been to a lot of places, including Heaven and Hell.  But I believe they both exist.  I’ve never seen Jesus and His nail-scarred hands, but I believe the things I’ve read about His crucifixion, death, and resurrection. But whether I believe or don’t believe these things doesn’t change anything.  They really happened whether anyone believes them or not.  Such is also true regarding the gospel message.  If you want to avoid this place called Hell and end up in Heaven someday, believe Jesus Christ came into the world to make a way for you to get to Heaven.  If you believe He came into the world, paid the penalty for your sins, past, present, and future, you’ll someday get to live in this wonderful place called Heaven.  If you choose not to believe those things, you’ll end up in this terrible place of torment called Hell and be there forever.  What will you decide?

So, now let’s get back to our Genesis passage where Eve was deceived by Satan.

Genesis 3:7-24

⁷ And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Here we find that they’ve created for themselves a big problem.  Like most people today, they foolishly think they can solve this problem apart from God.  Their sewing of the fig leaves is tantamount to “religion” through which man foolishly thinks he can solve his problem of sin and death.

⁸ And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.

Every which way you go today you can find people “running and hiding” from God, foolishly thinking they don’t need His help.  This truly is a part of man’s biggest problem.

⁹ And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

¹⁰ And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

¹¹ And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

Of course, our Lord being omniscient already knew exactly what they’d done.

¹² And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

Aren’t there people playing this “blame game” today?

¹³ And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled [NASHA = CHARM] me, and I did eat.

Even Eve knew how to play this “game.”

¹⁴ And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

¹⁵ And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Did Adam and Eve then know what all this meant? They did not! This is an example of what is called progressive revelation.  Not until thousands of years later through the revelation given to the apostle Paul and from him to us would this be made known.

2 Corinthians 5:21

²¹ For he [God the Father] hath made him [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]

Genesis 3:15 is a prediction and a promise in veiled terms of how this provision was to be made by God to solve their sin problem.  Simply believing Christ died, was buried, and rose again for our justification and resultant salvation is all that’s now required of us [1 Corinthians 15:1-4].  It was at Calvary when Christ was identified with all our sins, having all of them held against Him, that we were provided with the means to reconciliation with God [2 Corinthians 5:18-21]. What a glorious day that was!

Then we have more about the curse that was placed on them and on all mankind.

Genesis 3 continued—

¹⁶ Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

¹⁷ And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

¹⁸ Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

¹⁹ In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

²⁰ And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.

²¹ Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

After the sacrifice of the animal was made [representing the sacrificial death of Christ on the cross], the coats of skin placed on Adam and Eve speaks of the righteousness of Christ that is then identified with them and all of us the moment we put our faith in this one work of Jesus Christ for our salvation.

²² And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

²³ Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

²⁴ So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep [guard] the way of the tree of life. [Emphasis added]

Has sin ever made someone wise or wiser? Of course, we can learn from bad experiences. But sin itself doesn’t make anyone wise.  It is God’s Word and its application that does that.  Solomon is a good example of this. Just knowing what to do and not doing it is not good enough.  Belief and faith must be applied.

I assure you that you’ve never held in your hands a more valuable and reliable book than the 66 books of the Bible.  If you’ve not made a habit of reading and studying it to make applications from it in your life, why not begin that now?