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100 Reasons to Believe New Testament History
6. Knowability of History Consistent with Everyday Life
The most popular argument against the knowability of history is that a person can't be sure of events they have not seen personally. The point must be granted the critic. This is true - theoretically. But to claim, as some critics do, that we can only be sure of things we have experienced personally is completely incompatible with life in the real world.
The fact is, everyone including the critic must believe in things they have not experienced, and in many cases, they must practically bet their life on it. For example, when we get a prescription from a doctor, we must believe the doctor as prescribed the right medication. We must believe the pharmacist put the right stuff in the bottle and on the label. When we buy groceries at the store, or order food in a restaurant, we don't first have it laboratory tested.
Many who deny that written history can be known consider themselves to be "scientific". Ironically, the scientific "facts" these people claim to "know" amount to written reports. By faith the historical relativist accepts these reports, which themselves are a type of historic statement. Clearly then, life in the real world requires belief in things most probable, though not necessarily proven empirically before our eyes.