EFCA Statement of Faith Article 2: The Bible
We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises.

The Bible is ___ __________ ___ _____ ________________ _____.

Hesed - Unfailing love, covenant loyalty, faithfulness, kindness, goodness, mercy, love, compassion

· There are no original copies of the Bible – Papyrus
· Copies of the New Testament far outnumber pieces of literature from antiquity
· The Gallic Wars by Julius Caesar (50BC)
· Earliest copy dates to 900AD (950 year span)
· Completed New Testament (90AD)
· Earliest copy dates to 125AD (35 year span)

Number of copies:
· Plato – 7
· Aristotle – 49
· Homer (The Iliad) – 643
· Greek manuscript copies of the New Testament – 5,700
(Resource book - Scribes & Scripture by John D. Meade & Peter J. Gurry

We need to remember that the purpose of us engaging with the Bible is that we do so in order to be with God.