Why consider the bible?

Why consider the bible?
A nautical tale
"Shut up. Shut up, I'm busy."
This was the last message the ship S.S. Titanic sent to the ship Californian on April 14, 1912 prior to striking an iceberg that night. In reply to the Californian's repeated warnings of icebergs, the message was angrily dispatched by the Titanic's radio operator who was preoccupied with wiring passengers' mid-Atlantic greetings.
Regardless of whether or not it's true, is it even important?
Undeniably, it's very difficult to tell who believes the Bible and who doesn't based solely on outward appearance. Both consist of the rich, the poor, the intellectual, the ignorant, the happy, the sad; and not one person in the bunch will we find to be perfect. So the question must cross our minds, "Regardless of whether or not the Bible is true, is it even important?"
Determining the believability of the Bible is important for several reasons. The Bible claims to be the voice-on-earth of the one true God. It claims to be foundational for learning about the creator of the universe, about being made spiritually alive by God, and about loving one another. But most importantly, the Bible claims to assure us how we can survive the physical death every single one of us will suffer. Receive the following allegory as a logical argument as to why the Bible should even be considered:
A piece of paper says the ship is sinking.
Imagine being on a long pleasure cruise; a warm, summer evening with the first breeze of dusk just coming over the bow of our ocean liner as it glides into the starlight ahead. Silently standing against the railing of the highest deck, we look down to see below us crowds of fellow passengers going about their evenings. Some are quietly strolling along, others are absorbed in this activity or that, a few are laughing, and some are retiring to their cabins below.
What we see next strikes us as strangely different from everyone else. Certain people are putting on life preservers and are trying to convince others to do the same. One of them notices our curiosity and hands us documentation that claims to be from the captain. It contains this message: "The ship is sinking". What do we do?
What would you do?
First questions first: Is this message really from the captain? Is this message important?
The importance of the message lies within its truthfulness. If it's not true, then it's not important. But if it is true, then we need to believe it and act accordingly. So having taken notice of the information, what do we do next?
We look around. At the moment, everything seems normal. Casual observation may not confirm that the ship is in dire straits, but it's a big ship. And if the ship were in trouble, a warning of some kind is exactly what we would expect.
On one hand, the passengers who are retiring to their cabins try to assure us, "The ship is fine. It always has been, always will be . . . ". The fact that so many people believe this provides a certain amount of comfort.
On the other hand, we cannot deny that the dark ocean floor, miles below us, is crowded with ships like the Titanic that mistook similar assurances for security (crowded in the sense they don't need us to join them!). To this end, the other voices sound out, "Get in the lifeboat - it's the only way you'll make it." The sincerity of both voices only heightens the mystery: Is this ship really sinking? How can we know? What do we do now?
Let's consider our options
Three possible options.
(1) We could do nothing. Totally ignoring the message leaves us on the ship and wearing no life preserver. So if we are going to stay, we might as well make the most of it and go with option two.
(2) We could assume the message is wrong and go back to our own cabin. The advantages are: our cabin is comfortable, that is what many friends and neighbors are doing, and that's where all of our stuff is. Of course, the disadvantage is that if the ship goes to the bottom, so will we. A third option is...
(3) We could assume the message is correct and get into the lifeboat. There is plenty of time to board, they're still letting people in, and if the ship sinks, slowly or suddenly, we'll be saved. However, there are several adjustments we would encounter. These adjustments include wearing the life preserver (which results in discomfort when trying to move in ways it restricts), leaving behind those things which the lifeboat will not accommodate, and placing ourselves under the lifeboat chief's authority until it departs and we are rescued.
Personally, I doubt that I could quickly forsake the many immediate comforts of the ship. Donning a restrictive lifejacket and submitting to some unfamiliar authority isn't exactly my idea of vacation. On the other hand, who could completely put that warning out of their mind? We know that the people who are assuring us the ship is safe are rebutting the placing of unsubstantiated faith in alleged messages from the captain.
However, it would be hypocritical to condemn faith in the warning only to take up faith in the rebuttal without having investigated either one. So again, what should we do? Well, what have others done in similar situations done?
Learn from the mistakes of others.
Witnesses tell us that the Titanic initially launched some of its precious few lifeboats only one-third to one-half full. That ocean liner's nickname "Unsinkable" now mocks all 1,517 who remained on board -- some undoubtedly recalling to mind their lost opportunity as they died. While there was still hope of escape, certain passengers had been comfortable in gambling that tomorrow would come and go just as the previous day, and that the boats they had watched leave would soon be returning with their very cold and very embarrassed congregations.
This leaves us asking ourselves whether or not there is any possibility that we might be in a comparable position. Though we might think a sinking ship is improbable, it is nevertheless possible. Therefore, this fourth very rational option seems to be the most reasonable choice: A reasonable compromise.
(4) Check out that documentation to see if it is true.
Of course, the documentation represents the Bible. The ship is representative of the world, the lifeboat represents the salvation God has provided for us in Jesus Christ, and the life preserver God's Holy Spirit with which each believer is sealed as a guide and guarantee of God's grace.So what similar life-or-death consequence does the Bible boast that it should be given consideration?
Where does the Bible fit in?
The Bible's message is largely a positive one of God's love for humanity; collectively and personally. Yet the message is also one of humanity's desperate need to receive God's forgiveness and regeneration; not just collectively but also personally. This includes confessing our sinfulness to him and personally receiving his forgiveness as earned for us by Jesus Christ.
By being drawn by God to believe in him, and receiving his forgiveness, and being given the Holy Spirit in return, we are spiritually reborn (or "born again"). We are sealed and legally set apart (though not separated) from everything corrupted by sin and death - things God's character of justice has slated to destroy.
n terms of our analogy, we can either receive the security and guidance of God's Holy Spirit today, guaranteeing our eternal rescue into his presence, or eventually go down with the world which God has graciously warned us in advance must be destroyed. The point is that the Bible's message does claim to be a matter of eternal life or death. Therefore, if the message is true, it is extremely important.