I love God’s word. The words written within the Bible led me to Jesus and continues to inspire, strengthen, and convict. For without any of those, I couldn’t as easily draw nearer to him or point in the right direction in the hope others will do the same.

Some might think at this point I worship said Bible. That I revere it too much and hold it above God. An idol, if you will.

Because not everyone has easy access to the Bible, God must use other means to reveal himself. That being the case, why revere something that God himself doesn’t necessarily need?

Another complaint is the Bible can’t be trusted, because flawed men wrote the words therein, and it has been translated time and again by other, equally flawed men. Some say that since few people can read the original Hebrew or Greek, we can’t trust any translation is accurate. As such, without learning the original languages, we can’t test those translations.

Back in my first blog, I wrote a rather incendiary post titled “The Bible is Wrong.” Oi vey, did that cause quite the upheaval!

It was meant to make a point, though, and it’s quite simple: The Bible doesn’t make much sense without the Holy Spirit.

How we approach scripture is key. Are we reading to prove its inaccuracies, contradictions, etc., or are we reading with openness and willingness to learn, to listen and heed the Holy Spirit’s whispers?

I do believe those translating the Bible must surely bring in their own biases to the table. It’s human nature. Still, more than one person is doing the translating, which can help to eliminate those unconscious or conscious biases. It’s also why I often recommend people study more than one translation, and to look up the original Greek or Hebrew words when they’re wrestling with a particular word or phrase.

Even if we can’t read the original languages (because not everyone has ready access to Hebrew or Greek), there’s one factor to always consider. Whatever inherent issues end up in those translations, God is neither bound nor hindered by any language or man’s either intentional or accidental mistranslation of the original documents.

So can the Bible be trusted? Absolutely! As long as we listen and are open to what the Holy Spirit shows us as we read.

Slight aside: I empathize greatly with King Josiah when the high priest, Hilkiah, found the Book of the Law in the temple while it was being repaired. When he heard the words, he tore his clothes in grief. He realized how far Israel had fallen: “For great is the wrath of the LORD that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book by doing all that is written about us.” (See 2 Kings 22).

This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. ~ Joshua 1:8

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. ~ 2 Timothy 3:16-17