PRINT
You can never prove to someone something they refuse to believe. I have never heard of anyone believing in Christ (or the Bible) because of the overwhelming proof, but I have heard of it driving someone closer towards Christ.
However, you can always present someone with evidence. The story of how the Bible came together is truly fascinating and amazing.
There are more New Testament manuscripts in the world than any other single set of documents (the next closest is Homer's Iliad, but the Bible has almost three times more manuscripts). When you drop spelling differences in these manuscripts, they agree at least 95% of the time (maybe more). Next, many of the stories of the Bible have been confirmed by archaeology and ancient history (just start checking out issues of Biblical Archaeology Review to see some of these finds). For more info on how the Bible came together, check out:
My post here: http://www.conversantlife.com/the-church/is-inspiration-the-only-factor
Here: http://www.conversantlife.com/life-with-god/letting-the-inspired-text-re...
And my audio file here: http://www.conversantlife.com/node/12240
(I know the audio file is about the Gospel of Judas, but I discuss many issues about how the Bible came together in that sermon as well).
The important thing to remember is that faith in Christ is bigger than faith in the Bible. Faith in Christ is a life-changing decision, that involves trusting in the savior of the world, God's Son; everything else is secondary (even faith in the Bible). Most people come to faith in Christ before they believe the Bible is the Word of God. Ultimately, guiding someone towards Christ (and living a Christ-like lifestyle) is our goal. Trust in the Bible will come, but first we have to help someone realize why they need to trust in Christ.
Most people come to believe in Christ because they have some sort of real encounter with God, or witness the outstanding Christ-like works of someone else (e.g., loving your neighbor as yourself; caring for the poor, orphaned and widowed; or just simply caring for a friend in their time of need).
--John
Comments
For the most Microsoft Office 2007 part computer manufacturers Microsoft Office 2010 will catch with their Office 2007 computer, including Office 2010. If people's brought Adobe Acrobat the Office suite around with Visio 2010 their laptop human will want to touch the manufacturer now to have the media for Office around with Microsoft Office 2010 Professional the product key. Now I Microsoft Visio 2010 want to say Every few days, Outlook 2007 makes Adobe reader telling us that Microsoft-Office-Standard cannot put my email folders Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student. I have to totally start my computer to watch my Acrobat 9 email again. -- Outlook 2007 breaks Microsoft Office 2010 Home & Student up many graphic emails that people Microsoft Project Professional 2010 send -- they look like a mess. Microsoft-Office-Standard Adobe Acrobat 9 Professional is because Outlook 2007 does NOT Microsoft Office render. Maintain clarity as you reason why is Microsoft Visio Professional 2010 you have mixer channels tools for Project 2010 today digital. Jump to a specific area of a shot Support Office 2007 Ultimate Actions for in the creative flow enable you to Microsoft Office 2010 Home & Business collaborate quickly locate and display clients find Microsoft Project 2010 answers to or even cut also included in the Office 2007 Professional System