Why Am I a Christian? Because the Bible Is Inspired

The theme for the Lim Ah Pin congregation for the year 2026 is “Ye Are The Light Of The World”. This theme reminds us that each and everyone of us must be involved in the work of personal evangelism. Yet, some may feel inadequate or uncertain as to where to start the discussion with a friend or family member. Each of us must be ready to give an answer / defense regarding our beliefs (cf. 1 Peter 3:15), and so over the next few months, I hope it will be useful to examine the topic – “Why Am I A Christian?”. Last month, we looked at the first point – “Because God Exists”, and this month, our second point is – “Because The Bible Is Inspired”.

What do we mean when we make the claim that the Bible is inspired? In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, the apostle Paul makes this assertion:

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The English phrase “given by inspiration of God” comes from the compound Greek word “theopneustos”, which means “God-breathed”. In other words, Paul is claiming that although various people wrote the books of the Bible, the ultimate source of the Scriptures is God Himself. In fact, the apostle Peter corroborates Paul’s statement, in 2 Peter 1:20-21:

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (2 Peter 1:20-21)

What a bold claim to make, that holy men of God wrote down the prophecies in the Scriptures by inspiration, as they were “moved by the Holy Spirit”! Is the claim that the Bible is inspired of God baseless and without evidence? God forbid. One of the categories of evidence by which we can see that the Bible is inspired of God is by looking at the numerous prophecies in the Scriptures that have been fulfilled.

The human penmen of the Bible made prophecies about events and people hundreds of years in their future – things which they could not have had any knowledge about or influence over, but which still came to pass even in the smallest of details. How could they have known these things, unless the God who knows all and sees all revealed it unto them?

For example, consider the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. As He hung dying on the cross, the soldiers took His coat and cast lots for it, to see who would get to keep it, as the apostle John recorded:

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did (John 19:23-24).

What was the fulfilled Scripture that John was referring to? This was a prophecy made 1,000 years earlier by King David in Psalm 22, when he wrote that:

They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture (Psalm 22:18).

How could David have known these things would be done to the Saviour 1,000 years in the future – unless God revealed it to Him? As we move along in the crucifixion account, consider the fact that after Jesus died, the Roman soldiers broke the legs of the condemned men on His left and right to expedite their execution, but did not break Jesus’ legs. Instead, a soldier pierced Jesus’ side with a spear. As John recorded:

Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water (John 19:32-34)

For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced (John 19:36-37)

How could King David, writing 1,000 years before Jesus, know that the soldiers would not break the legs of the Christ? How could the prophet Zechariah, prophesying 500 years before Jesus, know that Jesus’ side would be pierced?

He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken (Psalm 34:20)

And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn (Zechariah 12:10)

Thus, we can be confident that there is indeed a God who knows all and sees all, who inspired human penmen to write down the books of the Bible. Why am I a Christian? Because The Bible Is Inspired! Stay tuned to next month’s bulletin article, where we will examine the next topic: “Why Am I A Christian? Because Jesus Is The Son Of God”.