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What would you do, if you had no Bible, and you met a stranger. You would use your memory of what you learned from reading the word, which is understandable.

No the Bible does not make it Christianity, Christ does, and without Him it would be Judaism. The Bible is not God, the Bible tells His story. John said that there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

So does the fact that all of the things Christ did was not all written down make God incomplete if the Bible is God? No, because the Bible is not God. I agree it is the best tool we have available to us, but there could come a time when we as Christians do not have it. If so then how miserable we would be if we cannot reach the lost without it?

Think of a scenario that would put you in a place without the Bible, and you could not give it or read from it to reach others.

Are you saying you could not save that individual? God is the one who said, “I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts”, not me.

Either he can reach the lost without the Bible, or he cannot, and we all know the truth. God does not need the Bible to reach us. We need it to understand Him. remember, He can and did grow the church without the Bible.

But I do understand you take, and that was my first take until i thought it through.

Hey editor, my friend is a good Christian. However, as a professor of apologetics, he finds himself doing these sort of mental gymnastics to sharpen his ability to fight the good fight and to reach the Dawkins of the world. Plus he is thinking of writing another book.

The Bible is not God, the Bible tells His story.

That's your opinion of God's Holy Spirit inspired Word - it's a story book? It explains your low opinion of God's Word that it is not necessary for a Christian. You have NO IDEA what God's Word is and that leads to the dismissive attitude you display. Get educated here...when did a story book have this capability...

"For the Word of God is LIVING and ACTIVE. SHARPER than any double-edged sword, It PENETRATES even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; It JUDGES the thoughts and attitudes of the heart". Heb 4:12

John said that there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

God gave you what His Holy Spirit inspired Word is in Heb 4:12 and you dismiss it as a story book. God knows what is needed for salvation - and gave us what HE KNOWS is needed. Are you claiming to be saved?

So does the fact that all of the things Christ did was not all written down make God incomplete if the Bible is God? No, because the Bible is not God.

What part of JESUS ALWAYS WAS is repulsive to you? What part of hear and obey is not necessary in 'your world' that you can dare say - anything of God is incomplete? You do not know God nor His Word which your own words prove. It's best not to speak of those things you don't know. That was an amazingly dumb comment - sorry if you were looking for warm and fuzzy - but I hate evil brought about by other's thoughts and then they not only want to spread their venom but try to convince others who are lost to believe the same. Nothing new under the sun - satan's tactics were from the beginning.

I agree it is the best tool we have available to us, but there could come a time when we as Christians do not have it.

Who are you agreeing with that statement? Not me! There is nothing in this world worth anything but God's HOLY SPIRIT inspired WORD. You have it available to you and it has done nothing for you - so don't be concerned about the next guy until you are grounded in HIS Word.

If so then how miserable we would be if we cannot reach the lost without it?

You couldn't reach the lost - We are told to go MAKE DISCIPLES. You have to be one first! Does that make you miserable?

Think of a scenario that would put you in a place without the Bible, and you could not give it or read from it to reach others.

No I will not. That's a thought from the pit of hell and I won't entertain it.

Are you saying you could not save that individual?

I can't save a gnat! It's the Holy Spirit that draws the lost in and Jesus Who saves.

God is the one who said, “I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts”, not me.

Wow! You really are a trip and think too much of yourself. You actually think I thought you said that? LOL! You posted it and it ends there.

Either he can reach the lost without the Bible, or he cannot, and we all know the truth. God does not need the Bible to reach us. We need it to understand Him.

NO - you do NOT know the truth - your whole post proves that! Jesus is The Word - He is the One Way, One TRUTH, One LIFE. Now go meditate on all those Scriptures where He refers back to HIS WORD before you go questioning what 'you think' The Almighty God needs nor not. Ditch the pride first.

You actually think you can 'understand' God? What arrogance! Little pea brain mortal beings can understand The Almighty Supernatural God - NEVER IN A MILLION+++ YEARS will that happen. Christians live by FAITH! And without it they can never please God. Knowing HIM is through fellowship with HIM and through His Word but we will never understand Supernatural God. Do you understand how He spoke His creation into existence, yet? Do you understand how their is life in every seed bearing fruit? SPOKE - HIS WORD - ALIVE - ACTIVE. Get it?

remember, He can and did grow the church without the Bible.

I remember nothing of the sort. JESUS IS THE WORD. You have the mindset of Adam/Eve who satan was able to deceive by making what God said of no effect to them. You are treading on dangerous ground.

But I do understand you take, and that was my first take until i thought it through.

And that's where you screwed up! "We cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

"For MY thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. Is 55:8

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are MY ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts are higher than your thoughts". Is 55:9

Hey editor, my friend is a good Christian. However, as a professor of apologetics, he finds himself doing these sort of mental gymnastics to sharpen his ability to fight the good fight and to reach the Dawkins of the world. Plus he is thinking of writing another book.

Then REMIND him of those verses above - his mental gymnastics has dulled his Christian walk and is leading him on the wide path to destruction. Where is his armour for the good fight? What does God's WORD say you need?

It's more more like the dawkins' way already reached your friend. The greatest book was already written and he needs to read/study and obey it. For those are the GOOD Christians - those who obey it. And Jesus said...Just believe. So far, I see no obedience to His Holy Spirit inspired Word nor faith.

I found the article to by interesting to read but not very practical. I believe your friend has a wrong starting point...”But what if the Bible could not be demonstrated to be trustworthy?” This is a big “WHAT IF” statement since the Bible has already been shown to be trustworthy.

“I will argue that even if we lost the Bible completely, Christianity would remain undefeated.” I would change that to “could remain undefeated” but that current culture would say that Christianity would be shaken at the least...look at the churches that stopped preaching from the Scriptures and see how many people are coming to the Lord through their efforts.

“First, it is entirely possible that Christianity's message could have been communicated verbally-and only verbally-forever.” But it was not communicated only verbally...Peter, Paul, John, and others wrote it down as inspire by God. See 1 Timothy 4:11-13 and 2 Timothy 3:14-17

“What would you do, if you had no Bible, and you met a stranger. You would use your memory of what you learned from reading the word, which is understandable.”

This statement would line up with 2 Timothy 3:14-17 but it assumes that I had the Scriptures to start with so that I could study them and then share them verbally...but if I did not have the Scriptures then what would I be sharing...something that somebody else shared with me when they did not have the Scriptures...sounds like an opportunity for a game of “telephone”...not the best way to share information over long time periods. So God had them write things down.

“Think of a scenario that would put you in a place without the Bible, and you could not give it or read from it to reach others. Are you saying you could not save that individual?” I could not save the individual even with a Bible. My job is to prepare the soil, plant seed, water, and maybe harvest...only God can cause the increase. (sometimes even despite my failings)

“Hey editor, my friend is a good Christian. However, as a professor of apologetics, he finds himself doing these sort of mental gymnastics to sharpen his ability to fight the good fight and to reach the Dawkins of the world.”

After observing Dawkins several times I really do not think that a change in approach is what is needed to reach him. I had a brother-in-law that was very much like Dawkins...same line of work as well...and we would debate over science, theology, philosophy, etc., until I realized that he just was not ready to here the Truth. That is when I stopped trying to “reach” him but instead started to pray “God, do what ever it takes to reach him, so that he does not spend eternity without You.” God heard that prayer and during a very painful battle with cancer he became ready to here the Truth...and the Truth set him free. He has now left this earth and is finding out the reality of the Truth that he learned about at the end of his life.

For my conclusion, like I said before, the article starts with the wrong assumption “what if”, “entirely possible”, etc. Could God keep His Church in good health without the Scripture...sure, if He wanted to...but Scripture tells us that He chose to use the written word so I do believe that we need the Scriptures to remain healthy as followers of Christ.

We need it to understand Him. remember, He can and did grow the church without the Bible.

I don't buy that one...God provided the Apostles with the ability to provide miracles to the unbelievers in the absence of scripture until the scripture could be recorded...

And that process was completed and ended with the book of Revelation penned by John the Apostle...

With the death of the Apostles and advent of God's words on paper and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the believer, not only did the office of Apostle end, but the Apostolic miracles ended as well...

And I am confident that there were enough copies of those scriptures during that time to satisfy God...

But naw, God didn't grow his church without the written word...

Prior to the written word, God used miracles to show his power...He shortly changed to the power of his written word to gather the lost...