140. Is the Bible the Word of God? Can We Trust Scripture Today?

What if the most ancient book still holds the most relevant truths for today? Welcome to a candid exploration of the Bible's credibility and significance in our skeptical, noisy world.

We're diving straight into the challenging question many believers and seekers face: Is the Bible truly God's word, and can we trust it? This isn't just theological curiosity—it's the bedrock question that determines how we navigate life, faith, and truth in a world overflowing with competing voices.

The evidence might surprise you. From the remarkable manuscript preservation (over 5,800 Greek New Testament manuscripts) to the mathematical impossibility of Jesus fulfilling hundreds of specific Old Testament prophecies by chance, the Bible's reliability stands on solid historical ground. Consider how 40+ authors across three continents, spanning 1,500 years, produced a single, coherent narrative about God's redemptive plan through Jesus Christ. That's not coincidence—it's divine inspiration.

But reliability only matters if it's relevant. While TikTok therapists and trending podcasts offer fleeting wisdom, Scripture addresses the timeless questions at the core of our humanity: Who am I? What's my purpose? Where will I find true hope? As Rebecca shares, "You don't need a trending podcast to tell you how to live. You need the voice of the one who made you."

Whether you're questioning Scripture's authority, rediscovering its power, or seeking deeper understanding, this episode offers thoughtful insights without judgment. We conclude with four reflective questions to help you examine your relationship with the Bible and practical next steps for engaging with God's living word. Faith comes by hearing the word of Christ—will you listen?

Chapters

• 0:33 Welcome to Coffee Talk
• 1:01 Is the Bible God's Word?
• 1:35 What Scripture Claims About Itself
• 3:20 Bible Authorship and Preservation
• 4:42 Fulfilled Prophecies in Jesus
• 5:42 The Bible's Relevance Today
• 7:34 Closing Reflections and Resources

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:33

Hello and welcome to the Radiant Mission Podcast. My name is Rebecca Toomey and we are in a special series right now called Coffee Talk, where we are really diving deep into some big questions and we are diving into our faith and I hope that this series has been encouraging to you. I hope this episode is encouraging to you. If you're loving it, shoot me a message and if you're not loving it, shoot me a message. I would love to know your thoughts on this series so far. So today's question, it is foundational Is the Bible the word of God and, more importantly, can we trust it?

Speaker 1: 1:12

Today there are a lot of opinions in this world. There's a lot of self-help advice, a lot of spiritual noise, and the Bible is often dismissed as outdated noise. And the Bible is often dismissed as outdated, altered or even irrelevant. Some will say it's just a collection of ancient writings with no real authority, and others question how we know it's even accurate anymore. But if you're a follower of Jesus, this question isn't optional, it's essential. So let's talk today about the Bible. Where did it come from? How do we know it's reliable and why it remains the living, authoritative word of God? All right, so let's dive right in.

Speaker 1: 2:04

Let's look at what scripture claims about itself first of God. All right, so let's dive right in. Let's look at what scripture claims about itself first of all. 2 Timothy 3, 16 through 17 says all scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. Hebrews 4, 12 says the word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. The Bible doesn't claim to be a helpful book of morals. It claims to be God's own word, inspired by the Holy Spirit and living in power. Jesus affirms the authority of scripture repeatedly. In Matthew 5.18, he said not a single jot or tittle will pass from the law until all law is fulfilled. This means that even the smallest part of the law, as insignificant as a letter or a stroke of a letter, will not. Jesus referred to scripture as the truth, and if Jesus believed it, then we should too.

Speaker 1: 3:16

Next, we're going to talk about who wrote the Bible and how it was preserved. So the Bible isn't just one book. It's 66 books and it was written by over 40 authors on three continents over the span of 1500 years. And yet it tells one unified story From Genesis to Revelation. It's about God's plan to redeem humanity through Jesus Christ. How is that possible? Because while the Bible was written by human hands, it was inspired by the Spirit of God. 2 Peter 1.21 says For prophecy had its origin in human will. But prophets, though, human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Speaker 1: 4:08

And when it comes to preservation, the manuscript evidence for the Bible is overwhelming. To preservation, the manuscript evidence for the Bible is overwhelming. We have over 5,800 Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, tens of thousands of early translations and quotes from church fathers and the Dead Sea Scrolls that prove the accuracy of the Old Testament text. Like Isaiah, nearly identical after thousands of years. The Bible is not only spiritually powerful, it's historically reliable, which brings us to fulfilled prophecy. One of the strongest arguments for the divine nature of the Bible is fulfilled prophecy.

Speaker 1: 4:48

The Old Testament contains hundreds of prophecies about the coming Messiah. Old Testament contains hundreds of prophecies about the coming Messiah and Jesus fulfilled every single one. Here are some examples Born of a virgin Isaiah 714. Born in Bethlehem Micah 5.2. Rejected by his own people Isaiah 53.3. Pierced for our transgressions Isaiah 53.5. 53.3,. Pierced for our transgressions Isaiah 53.5,. Crucified between criminals Isaiah 53.12,. Buried in a rich man's tomb Isaiah 53.9,. And resurrected Psalm 16.10. And in John 5.39, jesus said these are the very scriptures that testify about me. This isn't coincidence, you guys. This is confirmation. Only God could inspire prophecy centuries in advance and fulfill it perfectly.

Speaker 1: 5:42

So is the Bible still relevant today? Yes, of course. More than ever, the Bible speaks to our identity, our sin, our purpose, our hope. It answers the questions that our souls are asking. And while culture changes, god's truth does not. Isaiah 40, verse 8, the grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. Psalm 119, 105. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. You don't need a trending podcast or a TikTok therapist to tell you how to live. You need the voice of the one who made you.

Speaker 1: 6:30

So why do so many people reject the Bible? Well, because the truth is offensive, convicting and it's powerful. Hebrews 4.12 tells us that scripture cuts deep. It reveals motives and exposes sin. That's uncomfortable in a world that says live your truth. But the Bible doesn't give us our truth. It gives us God's truth. It gives us God's truth Jesus said in John 17, 17,. Sanctify them by the truth. Your word is truth. If we want to grow, we can't avoid the word of God. We need it open, we need to study it and we need to let it shape us.

Speaker 1: 7:14

As we close today, I'm going to leave you with a few reflection questions to consider this week. First, do I treat the Bible as God's living word or just good advice? Second, have I built my beliefs around scripture culture? Number three what's one verse or chapter I can dig into this week to go deeper? And number four do I believe God still speaks through his word today?

Speaker 1: 7:43

Thank you so much for joining me for this episode of Coffee Talk. Yes, the Bible is the word of God. It is trustworthy, it is relevant, it's alive and it's powerful, and through it God can speak and will speak directly to your heart. If this episode was encouraging or it challenged you, please share it with someone who needs to be reminded that the truth still exists and it's found in the word of God. And if you missed earlier episodes in this Coffee Talk series, definitely check those out.

Speaker 1: 8:14

Episode 139, are Demons Real? And episode 138, is Satan Real Are great to explore more of the unseen spiritual battle that many of us are up against. Thank you for tuning in and for being on this journey and if you'd like to stay connected outside the podcast. You can do so by joining the mission on instagram, at the radiant mission, on facebook at the Radiant Mission Podcast, or on YouTube by searching for my name Rebecca Toomey, t-w-o-m-e-y. And today I am going to close with Romans 10, 17. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. Wishing you a radiant week and I'll see you next time. Bye everyone.