Sometimes it just happens. You come into contact with Muslims. They are walking on the street, quite normal people, actually. Then suddenly the thought crosses your mind: those people don't believe in the God of the Bible! They believe in the Koran. Of course, you immediately think, “That’s what they have learned at home.” But then your thoughts go further. Why is it that we do believe in the Bible? Is that also only because that's how we’ve been taught, at home and in the church? But then why should we, rather than they, be right? And why not Hindus, humanists, or whoever else you might want to mention?

Not a jump into the unknown⤒🔗

How does this actually work? Can we prove that the Bible is God’s Word? Or is it more like a jump that you have to make—a jump into the unknown, as it were? I would say: Neither. We cannot prove that the Bible is the Word of God. This is how it is with all important things in life. We cannot prove them. Just try to prove mathematically that you love someone! You cannot do that. But that does not mean that you cannot be sure about your love! That is how it also is with the Bible. Although seeing the Bible as God’s own Word remains a matter of faith, that does not make it a jump into the unknown. To the contrary, there are very good reasons for us to believe the Bible. The reasons are so good that you can be absolutely certain that the Bible is indeed the Word of God. One of the confessions, the Belgic Confession, gives a list of those reasons (read Article 5). There are three: The Bible itself shows it; the church says it; and the Holy Spirit makes it clear.

The Holy Spirit makes it clear←⤒🔗

So the Bible itself says that it is God’s Word, and the church says it. But is that enough to know for sure? No. It is always possible to produce new arguments against the testimony of the Bible. One could say, for example, that the Koran also considers itself to be God’s Word. Or, one could say that quite often the church really is not such a living proof of the truth of the Bible. Sometimes Muslims live far more seriously and piously than Christians! Therefore, however important the testimony of the Bible and the church may be, this does not give a properly argued solution.

Therefore, the Belgic Confession points, in the third place, to something else, which it maintains is most important. Most important is what the Holy Spirit says. For also that Spirit says that the Bible is the Word of God. And the Holy Spirit does not just say that somewhere outside of us, but says it in us; not in our minds, but far deeper: in our hearts.

How does this work? Is this some very special experience that one goes through? Yes and no. Yes, because the work of the Holy Spirit is always special, for it goes right through us; but also, no, because at the same time it happens in a very simple way. For example, you sit in church, and, as usual, you are listening to a sermon. The only thing is, this particular sermon touches you. Many a sermon just kind of passed you by, but now it feels as though you are set on fire. You have the feeling that that preacher is speaking especially to you, or rather, that God is speaking especially to you.

And that is how it is. The Bible really opens up for you. It deals with your life. Your own poverty and nothingness, but also the love of God and the touching love of Christ — it all hits you so directly that you feel, “This is the truth, also for me. It has to be.” And you get a strong longing now also to start living in accordance with the Bible.

Perhaps it does not all happen as you listen to one particular sermon, but bit by bit, as you hear many sermons. Perhaps it does not even happen when you listen to a sermon, but when you read the Bible for yourself, or during discussions with others about the Bible. That does not matter all that much. What matters is that the Holy Spirit, by means of the Bible, convinces me that the Bible is the truth, and that its message also applies to me personally.

When you read the Bible this way, with an open mind and with prayer, you will truly experience the persuasive power of the Spirit.