Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 95:377 (Jan 1938)
Article: The Effect of Christianity on Society As Evidence for the Supernatural Character of the Bible
Author: Peter Guerrant Cosby III

BSac 95:377 (Jan 38) p. 113

The Effect of Christianity on Society
As Evidence for the Supernatural Character of the Bible

Peter Guerrant Cosby, III

To my mind the influence of Christianity on society is one of the most convincing proofs of the divine character of the Scriptures and of the basic trustworthiness of Christianity itself. This is a most comprehensive subject and we can do no more than mention one or two points, seeking to clarify our thinking in regard to this matter, which doubtless we have for the most part taken for granted, failing to realize the powerful force of the testimony to the Bible which comes to us from this practical effect on society.

Dr. Jowett, on board ship, asked a sailor one day whether he knew all about the wind. “Surely,” replied the man, “I know all about the wind.”

“What? Do you mean to say you understand what the wind is, where it comes from, where it goes, what makes it blow, why it is sometimes gentle, sometimes raging?”

“Oh, no. Of course I don’t know all that.”

“Well, then, what do you mean, you know all about the wind?”

“I mean,” replied the old salt, “that I know how to sail a vessel.”

He knew all he needed to know about the power of the wind in order to sail his boat, and to him that was all that was necessary. And it is the same with us in regard to the Scriptures. There is much that we cannot understand, but we are aware that we hold in our possession a marvelous, an amazing, an unlimited power, which properly used and directed has such potency in its influence on society that not

BSac 95:377 (Jan 38) p. 114

even yet have we begun to realize its dynamic efficacy. And this we take to be a proof of the inspiration of the Bible.

I believe a very simple chain of evidence will establish this argument which we have briefly stated above. First, is it true that the Bible has exerted and does now exert a salutary influence on society? Second, if it does so, is this influence a superlative one, is it distinctive, is it differentiated from the vast number of other influences which play upon the emotions and wills of men? And lastly, if the two preceding contentions can be upheld, is it possible to explain this power of the Bible and of Christianity on any other ground than that they are supernatural? In this discussion we shall treat Christianity and the Bible as a unit, not distinguishing them. The reason for this is obvious enough, since the influence of Christianity is due to the Scriptures. However, we might add that in a more exacting study it would be well to differentiate, since it is true that the Scriptures have not always been properly represented by ...