D.James Kennedy’s Skeptics Answered (1997)
(Summary from JustBelief.org)

“Come let us reason together…” IS1:18 Belief is at issue; but we must have a reasonable belief. We are not warrented in believing something that could most probably be false. D. James Kennedy writes that “Christians have answers that are satisfying to the mind because ample evidence is present for Christians to have confidence in their Faith.” Other religions, or cults, are composed of fideists whose “knowledge” depends on faith and “secret” revelation. This non-evidential faith is based on private, “secret” revelation from what JustBelief would consider a demonic source. The ministry of Christ Jesus is entirely different in the sense it is historical and done in public. Or as Paul stated to King Agrippa in Acts 26:26, “these things were not done in a corner” (or in a cave either! JB) It cannot be stressed strongly enough that the Christian faith was established by the testimony of eyewitnesses and later by the blood of the martyrs. When Luke writes in Acts of “many infallible proofs” he is referring to the eyewitnesses who witnessed public events, many of them prophetic, and Paul informs us in 1COR 15:6 that many of those witnesses had not “fallen asleep” at the time of his writing.

Dr. Kennedy relies strongly on the work of scholars such as Simon Greenleaf, Norman Anderson, Lew Wallace, William Ramsay and C.S. Lewis as noted skeptics hostile to the Christian faith who critically examined the evidence for the Christian faith, particularly the Resurrection of Jesus, and were led to the Christian faith based on the reliability of the evidence. Genuine belief in the death and resurrection of “our Lord and Savior” Titus 2:13 and trusting in Jesus’ sacrificial death at the cross is essential for the salvation of every Christian. Jesus’ tomb was empty; our minds shouldn’t be! JB

The Bible is incredibly accurate, prophetic, and reliable. History and archaeology have provided exceptional support for the accounts found in the Christian text. (No discovery has ever undermined the accounts within the Bible; they have all been entirely supportive!) The Bible is the basis for the Christian Faith to the point that absolute confidence can be placed in an inspired inerrant text. The “inspired” Bible consists of 66 separate and consistent books by 40 authors in different locations spanning 1500 years. In evaluating possible contradictions in the Bible, scholars Tom Howe & Norm Geisler have critically demonstrated that the entire text of the Bible “checks out” exceedingly well! Please see their impressive volume The Big Book of Bible Difficulties (1992)

Stating the Bible is inerrant does not make it so; reading the works of noted apologists Norman Geisler, John W. Montgomery, Josh McDowell, and D. James Kennedy among others, should prove entirely convincing to anyone with the ability to believe. Coming to any other conclusion based on an objective examination of the evidence is a problem of the will and not of the mind. – JB While no autographsexist of any ancient writings, including the Bible, no ancient writing is credentialed as well as the Bible; None are even close! The study of textual criticism and the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 however, have produced vast support for the veracity of the Bible based on both archaeology and statistical probability. Predictive prophecy is glaringly absent in all religions except Christianity. (The reason for this lack of predictive prophecies is that they require supernatural ability that these religions do not possess.) As Lee Strobel reluctantly discovered, the Christian faith is based on incontrovertible facts. Dr. Kennedy definitively states, “the Bible is historically accurate and textually sound.” (p.46) It seems most interesting that so much evidence has been laid at the feet of Christian apologists for the existence of God, the divinity of Jesus, and the truth of the Bible; such did not have to be the case! It truly feels like “the hand of God” is working on behalf of the rational, thinking Christian. – JB
In conclusion to this critical section of D. James Kennedy’s Skeptics Answered, belief in the Christian Faith should be considered entirely rational and evidential because it is based on the well-grounded facts of history. see 2PTR 1:16 “We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses to His majesty.” This is quite a bold statement from Peter considering the presence of “hostiles” who would, if they could, contradict Peter’s message and account of the Gospel of Jesus. Apologist John W. Montgomery states that the existence of hostile actors who could not dispute the Gospel account from the eyewitnesses constitutes a de facto cross-examination that fails when no conflicting explanations arise. (see John W. Montgomery’s History, Law, and Chritianity (1986) for a superior evidential approach to proving the Christian faith. Montgomery’s “legal apologetic” is first rate!) Therefore, for all the aforementioned reasons, cursorily presented here, we can have great confidence in the truth of the Christian Faith. Jesus’ tomb was empty, our minds shouldn’t be!

Reasons to Believe from Apologetics Press Lyons & Butt (2017)

The Bible is the most popular book ever printed. Most Bible readers believe it is the inspired word of God. Believing such does not make it true. So why do they believe? The Bible itself claims to be inspired 2,700 times. Ex. 2 TIM 3:16 Paul wrote that “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God… (Mere claims however, prove nothing and are insufficient grounds for belief. Ex.Mormons, Muslims) The Bible writers claim their writings are grounded on solid verifiable facts; Ex.2PTR 1:16 “not cunningly devised fables but eyewitness accounts.” see Luke in Acts 1:3 The Bible should be considered accurate based on an abundance of verifiable proof. p.29 (How interesting and unexpected that God should provide so much evidence for the Bible’s accuracy and authoritative nature! – JB)

Bible writers have been wholly correct about the past and present; we can also have confidence in their future prophecy. 2 PTR1:20-21 pp. 29-30 The amazing accuracy of the Bible shows that an objective person can come to the rational conclusion that the Bible is “given by the inspiration of God.” p.31

*Predictive Prophecy The Bible contains numerous prophecies that history has shown to be perfectly fulfilled in every detail. (Such is not the case for the Quran or any of the cults.) The fall of Tyre and Babylon are significant Old Testament prophecies. Isaiah’s prophecy about the Medo-Persian King Cyrus is an amazing documented example! Isaiah’s God demonstrated the power to predict future events. pp.36-37 see Peter Stoner – Jesus’ Messianic prophecies in Science Speaks (1958)

Eric Lyons and Kyle Butt, the authors of “Reasons to Believe,” write that “the prophecies contained in the Bible show that it was penned by the inspiration of God.” p.38 *The Scientific Accuracy and Foreknowledge contained in the Bible is truly impressive! (This sort of knowledge cannot be found in any of the cults.) pp.38-45 The overall factual accuracy in the work of the gentile physician Luke, especially Acts, and the phenomenal support of history (mostly secular), and of course archaeology, make rational and evidentiary belief in a supernaturally inspired and accurate Bible a very defensible position to maintain. pp. 45-49 Stellar scholars Norman Geisler and Tom Howe have addressed any potential contradictions or inconsistencies in their large volume, “The Big Book of Bible Difficulties.” (1992) Their comprehensive study demonstrates that we can have perfect confidence in the Christian Scriptures. READ THE BOOK! Then READ THE BIBLE!

Michael Kruger: God’s Word in the Early Church (44:11) YouTube

Kruger discusses 4 basic facts about the Bible’s Four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) and why they ended up in our Bible and others, such as The Gospel of Thomas, did not.

Historical investigation shows that the Four Gospels are easily the earliest written and disseminated in the first century, probably before 70 AD (41-69). All the gnostic gospels were written much later.

Only the canonical gospels have a connection to the Apostles. Matthew was Jesus’ chosen historian who lived and traveled with Jesus and had access to Him and his family on a regular basis. (His notes were most probably the source for “Q.”) Mark had a close relationship with Peter, the leader of Jesus’ Disciples. Luke was a companion of The Apostle Paul and proved a first rate historian who demonstrated superior accuracy. John the Beloved was so close to Jesus he became a de facto brother; even caring for Mother Mary like a son. (Note that the gnostic gospels’ authorship is falsely attributed pseudepigrapha.) None of the apocryphal gospels, such as Thomas, Peter, Mary, Infancy et al., were written by eyewitnesses or anyone who had access to eyewitnesses. Protestants prefer the Septuagint relied upon by Jesus, and shun the 16th century Trentian Apocrapha of the Catholic Church.

The Four Canonical Gospels were recognized as authoritative from a very early date. Early Church Fathers, such as Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, and Tertullian, recognized the Bible’s four Gospels as Scripture. These Gospels are cited in abundance, while gnostic gospels are rarely cited at all. The quantity of gnostic gospels is miniscule as well. (*In the Bible, the writings of Paul were recognized by Peter as scripture; 2PTR 3:16 Paul instantly recognized Luke’s writing as scripture as well. 1TIM 5:18) According to Dr. Kruger, the gnostic gospels lack the historical and legendary embellishments of the 4 first century Gospels and are rather strange and fantastic; and are contradictory to accepted Scripture.