J.E. Solinski
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Books
  • About
  • Contact
  • Resources
  • My Favs!

My Assurance (Part 1) . . .

8/12/2015

5 Comments

 
Picture
I was speaking with a friend of mine who had recently lost his mother-in-law and he was saying that this (her death) was why he told his sons to always  do the right thing and be nice and kind to people--because you never know when you might die and you want to make sure you go to heaven. I asked him how he could be sure they had been good enough. He just shook his head and said he just hoped they were and at least they were better than a lot of other people.

Likewise, last week I mentioned that I knew with assurance that Tenny was now in heaven with the Lord. Peter says in 1 Peter 3:15 to “be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you,” so I thought I would follow up my statement with a few of the reasons why I believe Tenny’s faith in Christ has secured her eternity.  Since my assurance stems first from my belief in the Bible, I thought I should start there. My assurance begins with my belief that the Bible is the inspired word of God and is reliable and true.

First, it was written over a 1500 year time period by 40 different authors, from 3 different continents, and from completely different time periods and cultures, yet all the books are in complete agreement and unity.

Second, using the secular tests for determining the accuracy and reliability of ancient documents, secular historians have determined that the New Testament far surpasses any other ancient document as far as reliability:
  • It has 24,630 copies still in existence. Its nearest rival, a work by Sophocles, has only 193 copies still in existence.
  • For some partial books, there are only 25 years separating the original source and the actual copy. (For example, if the original document were written in 50 or 60 AD, then the copy we still have access to was written in 75 or 85 AD.) One complete book (“Mark” I believe) is separated by 80 years. Compare this again to its closest rival, Sophocles, and the difference between the original and the closest copy (not sure if this is partial or complete) in existence is 1400 years.
  • In addition, all the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) were written close enough to Christ’s death and resurrection (A.D. 50 or 60; A.D. 64 or 65; after A.D. 70; A.D. 90 respectively)  that people were still alive who could either refute or validate their claims. (They even mention names of people to go to in order to substantiate their claims.) There are no works written during this time period to refute any of their claims.
  • Secular writers of the same time period support many of the claims (Josephus and Tacitus are two.)
  • There is archeological support for the places and events which occurred in the Bible.

There is more support for the Bible than any other ancient document (by Homer, Julius Caesar, etc), yet many people claim not to believe the Bible while they do believe these other documents. I hope these individuals have a solid foundation for their disbelief and don’t choose not to believe just because they don’t want to or don’t like what it says. That would be tantamount to someone saying I don’t believe in the California Vehicle Code because I don’t want to or don’t like the rules. Unfortunately, if they (the Bible and the Vehicle Code) are true, it doesn’t matter if you believe them or not. You are still subject to what they say.

5 Comments
Mary McGuire
8/12/2015 12:35:44 am

Hi Jody,
Just wanted to let you know I look forward to reading your blog. The Lord speaks thru your writing. Such a gift!!

Reply
Jody
8/12/2015 01:07:06 pm

Thanks, Mary. Looks like this is our way to keep in touch as well!

Reply
genevieve
8/12/2015 02:02:49 am

Thanks so much for this and your last post. They are really encouraging and you are spot on!

Reply
Jody
8/12/2015 01:07:27 pm

Thanks, gen

Reply
Gen Peterson
8/13/2015 12:09:48 am

Jody, very inspirational and encouraging. I look forward to Wednesday's.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Jody Eileen Solinski spent her career teaching in the California public school system where she enjoyed helping young adults take their place in society. A native Californian, she enjoys the outdoors and so loves living in Northern California where she can enjoy the beauty of God’s creation up close.

    Picture
    Subscribe

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015

    Categories

    All
    Anger
    Appreciation
    Art
    Attitude
    Beauty
    Belief
    Books
    Bravery
    Calm
    Change
    Christian Bloggers
    Christian Living
    Christmas
    Cleansing
    Conflict
    Consistency
    Coronavirus
    Costs
    Demands
    Disappointment
    Discontent
    End Times
    Evil
    Faith
    Fatigue
    Fear
    Fires
    Focus
    Foolishness
    Forgiveness
    Frustration
    God's Protection
    God's Sovereignty
    God's Timing
    Good Intentions
    Grace
    Grief
    Healing
    Hell
    Holy Spirit
    Hopes
    Hymns
    Hypocrisy
    Ingenuity
    Isolation
    Jesus
    Legacies
    Listening
    Love
    Memories
    Money
    Mornings
    Mothers
    Music
    New Years
    Opportunities
    Order
    Pain
    Patience
    Peace
    Perfection
    Perseverance
    Perspective
    Prayer
    Pressure
    Promises
    Purpose
    Readiness
    Reading
    Reduction
    Refreshed
    Relationship
    Relief
    Remembering
    Renewed
    Reset
    Rest
    Sacrifice
    Science
    Seeing
    Self-Centeredness
    Service
    Sin
    Sleep
    Spiritual Diet
    Spiritual Life
    Storms
    Strength
    Suffering
    Summer
    Talents
    Temptation
    Thanksgiving
    The Bible
    The Tongue
    Troubles
    Trust
    Truth
    Unity
    Water
    Weaknesses
    Wise Counsel
    Worry
    Writing
    Youth

J.E. Solinski ©2015