Does it really matter if the Bible is true or not?

     According to 2011 Gallup poll 3 out of 10 Americans believe that the Bible is the literal word of God, while another 49% of Americans believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God but shouldn’t be taken literally, while another 17% consider the Bible to be an Ancient book of stories recorded by man. 

     This is fascinating to me!  How would you answer this question?  Is the Bible the literal word of God?  Is it the inspired word of God, but shouldn’t be taken literally? Or is it an ancient book of stories recorded by man?  Your answer has massive implications!

If the Bible is the literal word of God. . .    

Jesus said “I have come to give you life in all its fullness.”  His words provide both meaning and purpose for life here and in eternity.  His words have the ability to change our thinking, actions, and ultimately our destiny.    

If the Bible is the inspired word of God but shouldn’t be taken literally. . .

I think this is the most comfortable answer to give.  You show respect for the Bible, but you don’t have to take it “literally.”  Which basically means that you can make the Bible say whatever you want it to say, and you can pick and choose which parts of it you actually want to apply to your life.

If the Bible is an ancient book of stories recorded by man. . .

 It is irrelevant.  Frank Turek says “If no other God exists, then my life is meaningless, as there is no design or purpose for humanity.  I am free to do whatever I want.  If another God exists, then I am subject to His/Her teachings.”

     Let me ask you a very important question, “What evidence would it take for you to believe that this collection of ancient writings that we refer to as the Bible was the literal word of God?”

     What if the Bible predicted future events many years before they actually took place, would that convince you?

     What if archaeological evidence was discovered that proved that the “stories” recorded in the Bible were actual historical events, would that convince you?

     What if there was evidence that who recorded these “stories” were actual eyewitnesses or relaying actual eyewitness accounts, would that convince you?

     What if these eyewitnesses were so convinced of what they saw, that they died excruciating deaths rather than recant what they knew to be true, would that convince you?

     The fact is that each of the premises in these questions are indeed true.  So are you now convinced?

     Finally, if you do believe that the Bible is the literal word of God, what is keeping you from reading it and following its teachings? 

     Do you say that you believe the Bible to be the literal word of God but live like it is actually just a bunch of ancient fairy tales?