Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him:
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. [Resurrection, Rapture, 2nd Coming, Prophecy, Miracles, etc.]
“Now evolution is the substance of fossils hoped for, the evidence of links not seen.” – Duane Gish
We must have faith, but God gives us a foundation for our faith. It would be foolish to believe the Bible if nothing in it could be authenticated. That would make it no better than the Koran, Book of Mormon, Bhagavad Gita, or other religious books that have little material that can be substantiated. The Bible is chock full of verifiable people, places, cities, nations, wars, kings, events, and history that can be validated. The “boring” genealogies provide a veritable wealth of such information.
When my wife tells me something, my initial reaction is to believe her, because she has a long record of being honest with me. Likewise, the Bible can be confirmed thousands of times. So when it tells us something that can’t be scientifically proven, like a resurrection, salvation, heaven, hell, etc., we can believe the Bible by faith because it has an impeccable record of being trustworthy.
Ps 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
1 Pet 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
This is the concept of “Bible Apologetics”. No, we don’t apologize for the Bible. The term means to give a “reasoned answer”, and that is derived from 1 Pet 3:15.
Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD:
Prov 25:2-3 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.
1 Thes 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
God is not afraid for His word to be put to the test. His word will pass the tests, while other religions books will fail.
Acts 17:2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures … 17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. 18:4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. 19:8 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
Paul certainly preached the gospel, but he also reasoned, disputed, and persuaded people to believe it.
Phil 1:7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
Trust Christ today! You can believe the Bible!
Though I agree with you on the Creation account as found in Genesis, I do not agree with your reference to the Rapture. May be the article regarding the history of the Rapture theory may prove my point: search for ‘Futuristic Interpretation of the Antichriat’ from the publication of ‘Our Firm Foundation’
Well, that is a prime example of straining at a gnat.