Joel Kontinen
Is the Bible still relevant for us who are living in the Internet age? Some would claim that the Book is merely a collection of stories made up by uneducated members of a Near East nomadic tribe, and that it thus cannot be reliable.
However, many archaeological discoveries show clearly that the Bible is about real people who lived at a real time in real history in a real geographical setting.
Many other things show us that Scripture is reliable.
One of the important teachings of the Bible is that God’s Word never changes. Jesus Himself says,
“For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Matthew 5:18, NIV).
Jesus, whom the apostle John introduces as the Logos (λόγος) who created everything, is the Living Word. Scripture says unequivocally that like the eternal Word, even He never changes:
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever”(Hebrews 13:8).
So, what does that mean for you and me?
Luke begins the Acts of the Apostles with the words, “In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven” (1:1–2).
The rest of Acts shows what Jesus did through the apostles’ ministry.
Yes, but that was 2,000 years ago, you might say.
While some Christians think that the age of miracles ended when the New Testament canon was completed, there is scant evidence for this view in Scripture.
Many present-day healings suggest strongly that God still heals people.
Let me tell you of three healing miracles that I either saw or experienced. Several decades ago I prayed with some young people for a girl who was suffering from a bad migraine. She was healed instantly. Then we prayed for an elderly man suffering from the same condition. He, too, was healed on the spot.
In 2007 I hurt my knee. At times the pain was excruciating. I had to wear an elastic bandage all the time, and even then life was difficult. I could hardly walk. But then, on a short trip to the Greek island of Lesbos, God suddenly touched my knee. I noticed I no longer needed the bandage and I could actually walk very fast and soon even jog!
I have not needed the bandage since then. Now, almost nine years later the healthy knee still reminds me of the heavenly Miracle Maker, who is the same as in Bible times.
