WHY THIS?
Christianity, salvation, the Bible, scientific evidences... it can all seem so complex.
Yet Christ lifted up little children as the example to follow for those who would seek to enter his kingdom.
Is there a simplicity we're missing somewhere?
He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
- Matthew 18:2-4
"If God really wants his children to be saved, why make salvation contingent upon belief in a document as complex and disputed as the Bible?"
RESPONSE:
I don't think it is. That is, I don't think the Bible is a bottleneck to belief. It certainly was't before anything was written down. Nor did people have to believe in a completed New Testament when Jesus was preaching right in front of them. Remember that having a fully printed Bible is a very modern convenience.
Salvation is contingent upon being in a certain relationship with the living God. And whether news of that comes to you by way of a post-it, printed word, radio, TV, internet, preacher, word of mouth, or observation of life and the universe, it doesn't matter. (Even faith doesn't save; Jesus saves. It's faith that is the conduit.)
To continue the analogy of getting an email from my CEO, keeping my job is not contingent upon the electronic ability of email to accurately transfer words. It depends upon me doing what my CEO orders. If salvation seems complex, it's because one has made it so. Salvation isn't contingent on explaining every logistic about the scriptural writings, it's contingent upon being in right relationship to Christ.
If I still distrusted where the words on my computer come from, I could get an IT degree or start tearing apart the motherboard of my PC. But do you see how that's only making the simple complex?
Sure, we can go crazy breaking down the logistics of the Bible from every conceivable angle (one purpose of this site), but we're doing so at our discretion, not God's direction. It's not forbidden to do so, it's actually encouraged to a slight degree. But it's limited in its helpfulness and, at some point, distracting from the real issue. Obey Christ.
See also:
What is the Gospel?
The nature of God's word
Expanded!