Monday, October 31, 2011

FAQs Mondays: Can We Trust the New Testament?

We began our look at the integrity of the Bible by answer in the question, "Can we trust the Old Testament?". You can read the post here. Now we turn attention to the New Testament.

What evidence is there that we have the New Testament as it was at first written, or free from corruption?

The multiplication of copies in the original language, and of versions or translations, and their frequent private and public reading, rendered it impossible that any material and general alteration should have been made.

Have not Christians, from the first, entertained a reverence for the Scriptures, and a sense of the guilt of adding to or taking from them?
 
They have.

You know that, from an early period, there have been sects or parties among professed Christians; would not an attempt on the part of one to mutilate the word of God, have been surely noticed and made known by those who differed from them?

It would.

Can you mention any other evidence of the uncorruptedness of the Scriptures?

There is a remarkable agreement between them and all the quotations made from them by early writers.

Is there also a general agreement of all the manuscripts and versions of the New Testament now extant?
 
There is: so close is this agreement, that the worst manuscript extant does not misrepresent one article of faith, or destroy one moral precept.

Will You now state, in their order, the Proof's in support of the integrity or uncorruptedness Of the sacred Scriptures?

Ques. 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. Note: Questions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, and 11 are on the previous post. You can read them here. Questions 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 are the first 5 questions of this post. 

Does it not become us to be very thankful that we possess the word of God in its original purity?

It does.

Again we see that the evidence points to the integrity of the Bible. What we have today reflects what was written by the biblical authors. We have a sure Word that is worthy of trust. Next week, we will look at the completeness or excellence of Scripture. Feel free to leave a comment.


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