“Full of errors, a paper Pope, a Fundamentalist’s prop, outmoded,” and so on. The Bible has been called many things, has been attacked and/or undermined by atheists, radicals and so-called “Christians.” But it has stood the test on it’s own in spite of everything to which it has been exposed.

And it will continue to do so.

My point? Simply this: you don’t need to defend the Bible—even if you could! God can—and does—take care of it Himself.

I say “even if you could” because you can’t convince those who are inconvincible. Have you ever studied 1 Corinthians 2 in-depth? If not, take the time to do so, taking care to understand every verse. If there is one fact that runs through the entire chapter it is the insight that those who do not possess the Spirit of God (as believers alone do) neither can welcome nor have the desire to understand God’s Word. Since that’s the case, it’s utterly useless to try to achieve the impossible.

Until God grants the gift of His Spirit, it is not possible for blind eyes and deaf ears to hear what God has to say. Hearts turned against Him will reject His saving message. Of course, unbelievers can listen to the words that they hear preached, but they will not accept them. Indeed, as Paul says, they will be counted “foolish” by them.

The only people who are able to understand (savingly) are those whose hearts have been opened by God’s Spirit to believe the truth (See also Romans 5:5). It is He who gives life to dead souls (See Ephesians 2). The Spirit of life opens closed minds, brings about a new interest in the things of God, and enables people to be saved by granting them the gift of faith.

Because faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10), it is important to understand that both the preaching of the Gospel and the accompanying work of the Spirit as He opens minds to receive it, are necessary for true faith. The seed you sow falls on various sorts of ground, but only that ground which is plowed up and made ready by God’s Spirit will receive it and produce fruit that honors God. So, as you tell the truth and stand by the Bible as it is attacked, be sure to ask God to send His Spirit into the hearts of those to whom you present the message. The Bible is the product of the Holy Spirit, moving the writers to pen precisely what He desired, and it is through this Book which, therefore, is peculiarly His, that He works.

Don’t try to defend the Bible; prayerfully proclaim it!