Why do we believe the Bible is accurate? Is it more than just a history book? What makes it different from all other religious books? How do we know that the Bible really is the Word of God?

In the 20th century we have witnessed one of the most remarkable discoveries in recorded history: the discovery that the universe is finite. The implications of this discovery are indeed staggering. Beginning with Albert Einstein in 1903, twentieth-century physicists have demonstrated that space-time and matter had a finite, simultaneous beginning. Prior to this discovery, atheistic scientists and philosophers rested comfortably on the notion that the universe was eternal. Consequently, a universe without a beginning needed no cause, it just existed. However, a universe that has a beginning either created itself (a logical and scientific absurdity) or it was caused to exist by a Being who preceded it. By definition, that means a transcendent Creator, One who exists outside time and space.

A transcendent Creator presents some interesting possibilities. Because a transcendent Creator possesses the sufficient means to act in our space-time domain, He also has the capability to get a message to us. The Bible claims to be that message. The Bible authenticates that its text is an extraterrestrial, supernatural message system from a transcendent Creator in several ways. Not the least of which is its scientific accuracy.

The Bible declares that God is omniscient (all-knowing). He possesses a perfect understanding of the physical universe. Consequently, we would expect any book claiming to be the word of God to be without error or contradiction when it speaks on scientific issues. Well, not only is the Bible 100 percent accurate regarding scientific phenomenon, it revealed many scientific facts thousands of years before they were discovered by scientists (i.e. that time, space, and matter are finite, the universe is expanding, the spherical nature of the earth, the laws of thermodynamics, the oceanic currents, etc.)

Throughout the Bible's text there are highly specific and accurate statements regarding the laws of physics, the nature of our solar system, the planet earth, and its life forms that were penned centuries before this scientific knowledge was discovered by the scientific community. This phenomenon, called scientific foreknowledge, is present throughout the text of the Bible and is a powerful hint of supernatural authorship.

Throughout the Bible we find the fingerprints of a supernatural message system. Numerous design features in the Biblical text defy coincidence and demonstrate that the Bible, which consists of sixty-six books, penned by forty authors over thousands of years, is an integrated message system. Astonishing evidence has gradually accumulated in the fields of archaeology, astronomy, physics, and biology which confirm the scientific and historical accuracy of the Bible, the supernatural origin of its text, and the fact that it has been preserved virtually unchanged for over two thousand years. No other holy book on planet earth authenticates its message in these ways.

Did you know that the Bible anticipates the use of nuclear weapons and smart bombs? Did you know that there are passages of Scripture that allude to modern technologies and discoveries like DNA, microchip implants, clones, holographic images, and even global television coverage? Chuck examines these scriptures in detail in his new briefing pack Technology and the Bible.

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THE END FOR MUSHARRAF?

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A deal reached by Pakistan's major political parties could be bad news for President Pervez Musharraf. The PPP and the PMLN have signed an agreement to share power. The two groups won the highest and second highest number of seats in last month's elections. The PPP is the political party of former opposition leader Benazir Butto – who was assassinated in December. The PMLN was the ruling party in 1999, when Musharraf seized power. The PMLN says the 1999 coup was illegal and claims Musharraf's rule is "illegitimate."

Experts say the new coalition government could mean the end of President Musharraf's rule in Pakistan. The new coalition government has already reached an agreement to reinstate the judges that were forced out of office by President Musharraf. The judges were expelled during a dispute over the constitutionality of Musharraf's presidency.

The problem of Pakistan has no doubt been the cause of many sleepless nights in Washington. In recent months political unrest in the Islamic nation seems to have spiraled out of control. Pakistan has been described as "the most dangerous country on earth," and its strategic importance cannot be exaggerated. The problem of Pakistan goes well beyond political instability - the outcome of Pakistan's internal conflict could have global repercussions.

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is the sixth most populous nation in the world and the second largest Muslim nation. It is sandwiched between the Middle East and Asia, and bordered by Iran, Afghanistan, China, and India. Pakistan is of particular importance because it is the only Islamic nation with a declared nuclear weapons program.

Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, Musharraf sided with the United States against the Taliban government in Afghanistan. However prior to the 9/11 attacks Pakistan was a close ally of the Taliban. It was only under tremendous pressure that Musharraf agreed to join forces with the United States. Pakistan is considered to be a "frontline ally" in the war against terrorism. However it is also home to many Islamic extremists, some with links to terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda.

Now President Musharraf's rule is in jeopardy and political tensions are on the rise. Much like Iraq, Pakistan is a divided nation. There are many opposing sects and ethnicities that constantly threaten to pull the country apart. The worst case scenario is our worst nightmare: nuclear weapons in the hands of Islamic radicals. It is therefore essential that we do not overlook the problem of Pakistan. To learn more, click on the links below.

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THE GOSPEL OF PAUL -
 

The Epistle to the Romans is a cornerstone in the Scriptures. Sometimes called the Gospel according to Paul, it is the most comprehensive book in the New Testament. If you are going to study the New Testament seriously, you must diligently address this book.

Romans was written at the close of Paul’s third missionary journey during the three months he was in Greece (Acts 20) in either the late winter or the early spring of AD 57 or 58. This was just before he returned to Jerusalem with the offering from the Macedonian churches.

The historical impact of Romans is probably unequaled by any other book. The Church thrived on the great truths of God’s grace until grace began to erode into forms of legalism, plunging the world into the Dark Ages from the 6th to the 16th centuries.

The Great Reformation brought grace back into the picture. "By grace are we saved through faith." The Epistle to the Romans really altered the whole course of the world.

The book of Romans has a very international outlook. Paul was a Roman citizen. Since he was educated in Tarsus, he had a Greek cultural background and was well learned in the Greek philosophers. He was also a "Hebrew of the Hebrews," taught by Gamaliel himself, who was among the most venerated of the rabbis. Paul was bright, lettered, and intellectual, yet he was also very sensitive. He knew how to reach people; he tailored his message to his audience.

This book will delight the greatest logician; it will hold the attention of the wisest of men; yet, it will bring the humblest soul to tears of repentance at the feet of the Savior. Romans emphasizes that a God small enough for our mind is not large enough for our need.

The name Paul means "the least; the little one." He, of all writers, really understood the grace of God. He acknowledged that he himself was the chief of sinners, and yet he was the most devoutly religious man who ever lived. But if he was the most religious man who ever lived, and yet could also call himself the chief of sinners, that's really good news for you and I. God has already saved one far worse than us, by Paul's own testimony in the Scriptures. He was the chief of sinners, and God saved him.

Romans wasn't written to the world, but to believers. It wasn't written to the church at Rome, but to the individuals, to the believers, who were in Rome. This letter does not preach to the unsaved; the unsaved are never called "God's beloved," a term reserved for God’s own children. Romans is intended to teach the saints. What are saints? I prefer Donald Grey Barnhouse's definition:
 

Saints are a group of displaced persons, uprooted from their natural home, and on their way to an extraterrestrial destination, not of this planet, neither in its roots or in its ideals.
 

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