Intro.
1.
2 Tim. 3:16-17 – NT affirms
all scripture is “God-breathed”.
a. Bible is
not the product of man – 2 Pet. 1:21.
b. “Inspiration
is, therefore, usually defined as a supernatural influence exerted on the sacred
writers by the Spirit of God, by virtue of which their writings are given Divine
trustworthiness” (B. B. Warfield, ISBE, III:1473).
2.
How we view the inspiration of the Bible will have practical
effects upon our faith: Faith,
life and eternity – Rom. 10:17; Matt. 4:4; 2
Tim. 3:16-17.
3.
Some present doctrines among us are undermining respect for the
inspiration of the Bible.
A.
Apostles Words and Writings – 1 Ths.
2:13; 1 Cor. 14:37.
1. “Thus
says the Lord” or equivalent – Over 2,000 times in OT.
2. cf. Jer.
10:1-2; Ezek. 1:3; 1 Cor. 14:37 – Word, commandments
B. Received By Revelation – Gal. 1:12; Eph.
3:3-5 (1 Cor. 2:10).
A.
Divine – 2 Tim. 3:16; 1 Cor.
2:11-12.
1. 2
Pet. 1:20: “does not
come ‘of private interpretation’; that is, it is not the result of human
investigation into the nature of things, the product of its writers’ own
thinking” (B.B. Warfield, ISBE, III:1474)].
2.
1 Pet. 1:10-12 (Instrumentality
of man) - Prophets tried to understand their prophecies, but didn’t!
B. Verbal – Matt. 10:19-20; 1 Cor.
2:13.
1. God
directed men to speak His will using words – Deut.
18:15-18.
2. Not
merely concepts or ideas, leaving man to use his own insight, skill, and
experiences to communicate God’s word and will – cf. 2
Pet. 3:15 (1:21).
3. God’s
word - 2 Sam. 23:2 (Mk.
12:36); Jer. 1:9, 11.
(God, thru Holy Spirit, directed choice of subject and words).
{Zech. 7:12:
Lord…His Spirit…prophets…law and words…Israel}
C. Plenary (Full,
complete, extending to every part): All
Scripture is Fully Inspired by God.
1. Jno.
10:35 – Cannot be broken (lose its integrity, undone, deprived of
its binding authority).
2. 1
Pet. 1:22-25 – Word of God an incorruptible seed, abides forever.
3. Psa. 119:128 - God's word is right concerning all things.
4. Psa. 119:160, 138 – Sum of God’s word is truth and very faithful.
5. Matt.
5:18 – Down to smallest letter (jot, “Yod”) and stroke (tittle).
A. Days of Creation
in Genesis 1.
1. False
doctrine: “Days” = “ages” in
Genesis 1.
a. Attempt
to fit Bible into current scientific theory about origins (15-20 billion years).
b. Should be
the other way around! – Psa. 33:6, 9
(Rom. 3:4)
2. The
Bible says:
a. Evening and morning
– Gen. 1:5, 8, 13….
b. Jewish work week corresponds to creation week – Exo. 20:9-11.
B. Flood: Local or
Global?
1. Gen.
6:13 (all flesh); 7:11
(all fountains and windows); 7:17-21
(all high hills under the whole heaven were covered)…Lk.
17:27 (destroyed all).
2. John
Clayton; Hugh Ross said:
“I kind of read through the text and it seemed obvious to me that it had to be a local flood, not a global flood, and I was shocked to discover that there are all these Christians, and even Christian scholars, that held to a global flood. And I wanted to figure out, you know, how did this happen? You know, how did people get off track like this?” (1990). (RandR, 8/98, cited by Bert Thompson)
C. Miracles
of Bible:
1. Sodom
and Gomorrah (Gen. 19; Lk. 17:29-32)?
2. Jonah and great fish? – Jonah 1:17; Matt. 12:39-40.
3. What’s next? Resurrection
of Jesus?!
1.
Divine inspiration secures the Bible’s authenticity, credibility and
reliability (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
2.
We must build and maintain trust in the verbally-inspired word of God!
It has…
a. Power to save
– Heb. 4:12; Rom. 1:16.
b. Power to protect
– Eph. 6:17.
c. Power to defeat
error – Jude 3 (Acts
6:10).
d. Power to give life – Matt. 4:4;
Jno. 12:50.
3.
Resist every infringement on the inspiration of the Bible!