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.