ETERNAL WORD E OF GOD PART TWO Planted Christians Study #5 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. II Peter1:19-21 Lesson Overview Part One Introduction - Foremost the Terms Regarding God s Word Foundation ------------ God Laid His Word Inspiration ------------ God Gave His Word Preservation ---------- God Keeps His Word Cannonization ------ God Ordered His Word Translation ----------- God Renders His Word I. God s Word As Our Foundation (final authority) Part Two II. God s Word And Its Inspiration A. Inspiration Defined 1. Verbal Inspiration The Very Words are from God 2. Plenary Inspiration Every Word is from God B. Inspiration Defended 1. Through Old Testament Writers 2. Through New Testament Writers C. Inspiration Denied 1. False View of Phony Inspiration 2. False View of Poetic Inspiration 3. False View of Partial Inspiration III. God s Word And Its Preservation I. God s Word And It s Inspiration In the context of the Scriptures, the word inspiration simply means God-breathed. II Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: A. Inspiration Defined When explaining the Biblical doctrine of Inspiration of Scripture there are two words that we must understand. They are the words Verbal and Plenary. 1. Verbal Inspiration The Very Words are from God The Bible was divinely influenced by God in such a way that as the writers penned Scripture they were writing the very Words of God. This doctrine of inspiration is called Verbal Inspiration II Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Inspiration extends to the very words not just to concepts or ideas and inspiration extends to all parts of Scripture not just to certain parts of Scripture. 2. Plenary Inspiration Every Word is from God Not only did God inspire the VERY words in the Bible, He inspired EVERY word in the Bible!
This Inspiration extends to ALL parts of Scripture and all subject matters of Scripture. Man is not at liberty to choose which words of God they believe to be the very words of God while rejecting other Words as the very words of God. II Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God While God gave the VERY words and EVERY word in His Inspired Word he did use the personalities and standings of men to reach different groups of people. For instance, each of the Gospels has its own emphasis on the ministry of Christ. Each Gospel is inspired, yet each Gospel is written by God using the standing and personality of the men that He used to pen the Gospel. This allowed each Gospel to be tailor fit to a distinct group of people. Matthew, writing to a Jewish audience, emphasizes Jesus fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, proving that He is the long-awaited Messiah. Mark writes a fast-paced, condensed account, that reached Romans by recording Jesus miraculous deeds and not recording His long discourses. Luke portrays Jesus as the remedy of the world s ills, emphasizing His perfect humanity and humane concern for the weak, the suffering, and the outcast. This Gospel was written to those of sharp intellect. John emphasizes Jesus deity by selecting many conversations and sayings of Jesus on the subject and also including signs that prove He is the Son of God. B. Inspiration Defended 1. Old Testament Writers Claimed Their Message Was from God Isaiah 1:2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. Jeremiah 10:1-2 Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. Ezekiel 1:3 The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him. Hosea 1:1 The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. Jonah 1:1 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Micah 1:1 The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. Zechariah 1:1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, See also Joel 1:2 Amos 1:3,6, Obadiah 1:1; Zephaniah. 1:1
2. New Testament Writers Claimed Their Message Was from God I Corinthians 14:37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. Ephesians 3:3-5 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; I Thesalonians 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. I Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; See Also II Thessalonians 3:12 John 12:48-50 Acts 16:32 Romans 1:16 1 Thessalonians 1:5 Yet with all of the evidences of inspiration coupled with all the Scriptures that support verbal, plenary inspiration, there are those who ask, How can you blindly believe in inspiration? The answer is simple: FAITH. At the end of all the studying on the topic of inspiration, man is left with two options. First, man can by faith believe God and accept verbal, plenary inspiration as a Biblical truth, or man can lean on his own intellect and reject the Bible doctrine of inspiration. The Christian life is inseparable from faith in God! Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Romans 14:23 for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. II Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight: Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. The Christian who walks by faith should never feel inferior for their blind faith! It is the intellectual that cannot place his faith in God that is the foolish person. II Timothy 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. C. Inspiration Denied Here are some common views held by those who would reject the inspiration of Scripture. All of them have there roots in the intellect and reasoning of man rather than faith in a perfect and Holy God. 1. False View of Phony Inspiration Some people teach that the Bible writers never claimed to be inspired or directly guided by God. They say that neither the writers nor God viewed Scripture as a revelation of the mind of God which we should follow as a pattern for our lives. As such, they deny the infallible, inerrant, verbal inspiration of Scripture.
2. False View of Poetic Inspiration Other people say the Bible is inspired in that the writers did put down some of God's ideas, but maybe men still put some of their own uninspired ideas in it. For example, maybe God just taught the men right ideas, but left them to express those ideas as they see best. 3. False View of Partial Inspiration Others say the Bible writers speak the truth in matters of religious faith and morals, but when they speak about history or science they are writing as humans and may be wrong. Therefore, we cannot accept the Bible accounts of miracles and the lives of Bible characters as necessarily valid. The results of these views of inspiration are that maybe there is some error in the words written by "inspired" men: maybe we can, even should, reject parts of it as not being true. Such views are called "modernism" or "liberalism." These are views of higher criticism. SUCH VIEWS ARE HERISIE AND LEAD TO MAN ELEVATING HIMSELF ABOVE GOD S WORD II. God s Word And It s Preservation God not only gave His Word, he promised to keep His Word. Inspiration without preservation would weaken or even erode Scripture. If God was able to give it in PURE form, God is able to keep it in PURE form. It does not require any more faith to believe the Preservation of Scripture than it does to believe the Inspiration of Scripture! Psalm 105:8 He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. Psalm 119:89 LAMED. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Psalm 119:160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever. Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. The problem that we have today is not the inspiration of Scripture or the Preservation of Scripture. The problem that we have today is the Application of Scripture! Matthew 7:24-27 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. The Bible is as powerful as we will allow it to be. God intended it to be followed and obeyed and considered NOT ignored! It is amazing how many times we table God s commands and follow our own opinions. How this insults a loving God that gave us a perfect Word!
James 1:21-25 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. Will you by faith stand for the inspiration and preservation of Scripture? Will you move from education of Scripture to the application of Scripture! If you will, you will live life with a fullness that you never imagined! Learning the Bible doctrine of Inspiration and Preservation is a marvelous thing, but the application of the inspired and preserved Word of God is a life changing event! Unfortunately many Christians are far better at Rationalization of God s Word than they are at Application of God s Word. We live in a society that has become prolific at rationalizing unscriptural behavior and accepting it as normal. We have used new labels to identify these behaviors in an attempt to make them tolerable, yet man s labels do not change the view or stance of a Holy God. Here are a few areas that the Bible is clear on, yet many have rationalized them away. Holy Living I Peter 1:15-16 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. Priority Living Colossians 1:18.that in all things he might have the preeminence. Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Sacrificial Living Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. James 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: Faithful Living I Corinthains 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. I Corinthains 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
How about it? Are we successful at the rationalization of Scripture or are we successful at the application of Scripture?