Christianity and Islam are both old religions that claim to be historical. They both claim that God intervened in the affairs of mankind at a certain time and place in history, speaking to certain people, acting in certain ways. Also, both faiths place great value on the historical records of these events. They both realize that if books or traditions are not trustworthy then they must be disregarded. In talking with Muslims many times I am faced with the charge, "The Bible has been corrupted." Other Christians I talk to have received the same charge. It is because of these frequent charges against the Bible that I am writing this. No one likes having their holy book criticized, but if a book claims to be the truth it should be able to stand up to criticism. As a Christian I have known that if my Bible is not trustworthy then I should not believe it. This has prompted me to examine all of the historical evidence available, Christian, non-Christian, and anti-Christian to determine the truth. Truth will not be discerned if only part of the evidence is considered. Hearing only part of the story leads to misunderstandings and ignorance.

As I have searched for the truth concerning the Bible I have found that it is the most trustworthy holy book available. No other Scripture achieves the same standard of trustworthiness as the Bible. I do not say this to attack other books. I say this as my conclusion after much personal study. I realize that one's eternal salvation depends on the book in which one believes. The Bible and the Qur'an, however, disagree on how one is to be forgiven of their sins and saved from condemnation. The holy books must be questioned, but questioning them must be done with sincerity, objectivity, and reverence.

This booklet presents the historical evidence for the Bible's trustworthiness and also addresses a few of the major misunderstandings Muslims have concerning the Bible that convinces them it has been changed. Many people think that the Bible is irrelevant to them because they think it is a book that has been changed by men many times in its 2000 year history. This is not true. The Bible has not been corrupted, and it is as relevant today to people in the computer age as it was when its pages were originally written on animal skins and parchment. Please read the following facts concerning the Bible and its history. If nothing else, it will help you understand why Christians love and trust the Bible, and why allegations of its corruption are not true.

Throughout this paper reference is made to "the Church." In this paper "Church" refers to those who are believers in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior regardless of denomination or nationality. It refers to all who are true Christians regardless of the name given to their Christian organization. In the early centuries of Christianity's existence there was no organizational name for the movement Jesus left on earth. They were not a nation or a political group. Instead, they were an informal movement made up of people of many nationalities and cultures who had believed in Jesus the Messiah. Believers in Jesus were known by many names like followers of "the Way," "Christians," or "believers." The early Church developed an organizational structure but it was spread throughout many countries and was highly decentralized. It was not until after the Roman Empire extended toleration to Christianity under Emperor Constantine ( AD 313) that a highly centralized organization developed.

Reference is also made to the "Holy Spirit" in many places in this booklet. This person is the Holy Spirit referred to in the Bible who is God's Spirit. He is not an angel or man but is a spirit who is fully God in his nature and attributes. Whenever the Holy Spirit is mentioned in the Bible it is in reference to God acting directly rather than using an angel as a messenger.