If the Bible was something people made up, it wouldn’t be telling us to deny ourselves, sacrifice, forgive the people who hurt us, or keep purity in a world overflowing with lust. That’s right—it’d be saying, “Go on! Follow your heart. Chase after everything that feels good.” But it doesn’t do that. The Bible challenges us, it confronts us, and it calls us to something higher. And you better believe that kind of truth didn’t come from human nature.

Think about it. Our world, in case you haven’t noticed, worships one thing above all: self. We’re a culture obsessed with making ourselves happy, fulfilling our desires, and living our “best lives” on our own terms. We’ve elevated our feelings and our desires to the level of gods. But the Bible? It’s not a “me-first” manual; it’s a God-first message. A message that points to something bigger than ourselves, and that message could only come from one source—the One who made us.

Now, let’s dig into some real examples. Today, everyone’s all about pride—self-love, self-esteem, self-promotion. We live in a culture that says, “Lift yourself up.” But God’s Word? It says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up” (James 4:10). It says we’re supposed to “value others above ourselves” (Philippians 2:3). Jesus didn’t say, “Get what you want and live how you want.” No, He said, “Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). Let’s be honest: that is not what a man-made book would say. We wouldn’t write a message about self-denial; we’d be writing about self-gratification. But God calls us to lay down our lives, to let go of our egos, and to lift up His name above our own. That’s a divine message, not a human one.

Then there’s lust. This world is drenched in it—everything is sexualized, and we’re bombarded with messages that tell us it’s natural, it’s normal, and you’re crazy if you try to resist it. But the Bible? It stands like a wall against that message. It says, “Flee from sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18). Jesus took it even further: “Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). If the Bible were written to cater to our desires, it’d say, “Go on, indulge a little. No harm done.” But that’s not what it says! It calls us to holiness. It calls us to a standard of purity that goes against everything the world tells us is okay. That’s not a man-made message, folks—that’s a call from God Himself.

Now let’s get to forgiveness, because this one goes against every natural desire we have. In a world that tells us to “get even” and hold grudges, Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). The Bible calls us to forgive, even when it’s hard, even when the other person doesn’t deserve it. That’s radical stuff! If this were a human message, it’d say, “Hold on to your grudges, protect yourself, and don’t let anyone walk all over you.” But God says, “Forgive, just as I have forgiven you” (Colossians 3:13). Forgiveness is not natural; it’s supernatural. It’s the work of the Holy Spirit in us. Only God would command us to let go of the need for revenge and choose mercy instead.

And what about money? Let me tell you, there’s no shortage of messages out there telling us to “get rich or die trying.” We’re taught to chase wealth, to make ourselves comfortable, to accumulate stuff. But the Bible? It calls us to generosity, to hold loosely to material things. Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… but store up treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:19-20). He also said, “You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24). If the Bible were man-made, it’d be full of prosperity promises and get-rich-quick schemes. But instead, it warns us that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). The Bible doesn’t say, “Get more stuff.” It says, “Seek first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33). That’s not a message we’d invent on our own, and that’s because it comes from God.

One of the biggest lies our culture peddles today is “live your truth.” Everybody wants to be their own little god, setting their own moral standards. But what does the Bible say? It says, “I am the LORD, and there is no other” (Isaiah 45:5). Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). The Bible doesn’t tell us to follow our hearts; it warns us, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). If humans wrote the Bible, we’d write it to justify our behavior, to make us feel good about our choices. But the Bible calls out our sin and convicts us of truth. It doesn’t say, “Do what makes you happy.” It says, “Be holy, because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16).

And look at Jesus Himself. He didn’t come to Earth to be the type of hero people wanted—a conqueror with armies, a political savior to overthrow Rome. People wanted a leader who’d make their lives easy and give them power. But what did they get? They got a humble carpenter who said things like, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). He didn’t come with wealth or worldly influence. He came with a message of repentance, and He went to the cross willingly. That’s not a message that appeals to human pride. That’s not the kind of Messiah we would invent for ourselves. Jesus didn’t come to boost our egos; He came to save our souls. And only God would write that kind of story.

And the cross? Come on. Who would make up a story where the “hero” dies a criminal’s death on a cross? That’s not a victorious, feel-good ending. But that’s the heart of the gospel: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son” (John 3:16). Jesus “humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8). That’s a shocking story. If humans wrote it, we’d make it a story about winning in a way that doesn’t hurt. But God showed us that true victory comes through sacrifice, humility, and obedience. He showed us that love is laying down one’s life (John 15:13), and that’s not a message that came from our desires—that’s straight from God’s heart.

So let’s be real. If the Bible were man-made, it would go along with every selfish, sinful thing we crave. It’d tell us to indulge, to seek our own pleasure, to hold grudges, to chase after wealth and power, to live for ourselves. But that’s not what it says. It stands against all those things and calls us to live a life that’s holy, sacrificial, and centered on God, not on ourselves. And that’s precisely how we know it’s not just another man-made book. It’s God’s truth, sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12), cutting through our pride and pointing us to the only One who can save us.

The Bible wasn’t written to make us comfortable; it was written to make us holy. It wasn’t written to feed our egos; it was written to crush them. It wasn’t written to tell us what we wanted to hear; it was written to tell us what we need to hear. And thank God for that because without it, we’d be lost, giving in to every selfish whim and calling it “freedom.” But true freedom is found in Christ, and only in Him. So don’t fool yourself into thinking the Bible is some man-made crutch. It’s God’s divine revelation, the only thing in this world that cuts through the lies and points to the truth that sets us free.