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Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:6-13

The Nature of Divine Revelation

 

Intro.

1.  God has revealed His mind to mankind, Heb. 1:1-2.

  a.  Revelation: “laying bear, making naked...a disclosure of truth, instruction…concerning things before unknown” (Thayer), Rev. 1:1.

  b.  Making known of those things we could not know without God telling them to us, cf. Eph. 3:3 (make known the mystery).

2.  Revelation is necessary to know the mind of God, 1 Cor. 2:7-12.

3.  The nature of God’s revelation assures us that our faith in it as the word of God is sound, 1 Ths. 2:13.

 

I. THE NATURE OF GOD’S REVELATION.

  A.  God’s Revealed Word is Truth, Jno. 17:17 (18:38; 14:6); 16:13.

    1.  Power to sanctify the sinner; “to separate from profane things and dedicate to God” (Thayer).

      a.  Not “cunningly devised fables”, 2 Pet. 1:16.

      b.  Not the wisdom/will of men, Gal. 1:11-12.

    2.  The word of the truth of the gospel teaches heaven’s hope, Col. 1:5.

  B.  God’s Revealed Word is Verbally Inspired, 2 Pet. 1:20-21.

    1.  Holy Spirit gave the apostles words to speak, Matt. 10:16-20.

    2.  Scripture given by inspiration, 2 Tim. 3:16. (God-breathed)

       a.  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (nkjv): “In this form there is a definite assertion of inspiration” (A. T. Robertson). Or...

       b.  “Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable” (asv): “...making ‘inspired of God’ descriptive of “every scripture” (Ibid).

    3.  HS combined spiritual things with spiritual words, 1 Cor. 2:12-13.

  C.  God’s Revealed Word has been Miraculously Confirmed, 1 Cor. 2:4-5; Heb. 2:3-4 (Mk. 16:17-20).

    1.  Validated, certified as genuine, Gal. 1:11-12.

    2.  Example of this confirmation, Acts 14:3.

    3.  Assures that our faith is in truth from God, not fables from men.

  D.  God’s Revealed Word is Adequate, 2 Tim. 3:16-17.

    1.  Sufficient, fully meeting our needs, 2 Pet. 1:3-4.

    2.  All truth, Jno. 16:13-15.

  E.  God’s Revealed Word is Incorruptible, Matt. 24:35.

    1.  Always reliable and relevant, 1 Pet. 1:22-25.

    2.  The truth abides with us forever, 2 Jno. 2.

    3.  Sinners fall away from truth, but truth continues, 1 Tim. 4:1.

  F.  God’s Revealed Word is Once for all Delivered, Jude 3.

    1.  hapax: “once for all”, cf. Heb. 7:27; 10:10.

    2.  That which is perfect has come, 1 Cor. 13:8-10.

    3.  Completely revealed, competently confirmed as valid and communicated by inspiration, Jas. 1:25.

    4.  No new, ongoing, yet undiscovered revelation!

  G.  God’s Revealed Word is Authoritative.

    1.  The apostolic teaching is heaven’s authority, Jno. 13:20 (Matt. 18:18).

    2.  Scripture has binding authority, Jno. 10:35.

    3.  The apostles’ teaching must not to be minimized, 1 Cor. 14:37 (7:40, have the Spirit of God).

  H.  God’s Revealed Word is Understandable.

    1.  It is God’s communication to His creatures! Eph. 3:3-4

    2.  Christ expects us to know it and abide in it, Jno. 8:31-32.

    3.  Full assurance of understanding...knowledge...in Christ are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Col. 2:1-3.

 

II. OUR FAITH IS SECURE BECAUSE IT IS BUILT UPON GOD’S REVELATION, Rom. 10:17; 1 Ths. 2:13.

  A.  God’s Revealed Word is Powerful to Accomplish the Purposes of God, Heb. 4:12.

    1.  Power to convict of sin, Jno. 16:8; Acts 2:37.

    2.  Power to convert the heart, Rom. 6:17-18.

    3.  Power to save the soul, Rom. 1:16.

 

Conclusion

1.  God’s revelation of truth restrains us from sin, Prov. 29:18.

2.  God’s revelation strengthens (establishes) us in our obedience to the faith, Rom. 16:25-26.