The Bible – Part Five
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (II Timothy 3: 16, 17) That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
The divine author of Scripture is God the Holy Spirit. Exactly how this process worked is a mystery. Scripture asserts that this did happen without explaining exactly how it happened.
In addition, the Lord divinely selected the writers of Scripture – there was no volunteering for the job.
The writers of the Old and New Testament were not merely stenographers who mindlessly wrote what God dictated to them. Their own experiences and personalities were involved when the various books were being composed. Ultimately, however, the final result was supernaturally guided by God.
The result of divine inspiration is that the Bible is the very Word of God. This includes the works, the ideas, and the specific vocabulary of Scripture. Therefore everything written in Scripture is correct—there are no errors of any kind since the ultimate source is God. This means that there are no errors of fact. No Scripture is from a human source. God spoke, that is, He communicated it through chosen penmen.
When we speak of the Bible being authoritative, it means that it is God’s accurate revelation of Himself to humanity. Though humans composed the various books of Scripture, the result was an error-free work in the original manuscripts. This is because all Scripture was God-breathed. God had His hand on the production in such a way that we can accept the entire Scripture as being trustworthy.
According to 1 John 1:4, John said, “These things I write unto you that your joy may be full.” The Bible also is the source of consummate joy, built on perfect peace and hope for time and eternity. This is the most powerful book in existence. And that is because in order to accomplish these living things, it must be not the word of men, but the word of the living God. And that is exactly what it is.
Study of the word of God results in joy. It results in peace that gives stability. Knowing it to be God’s standard for life gives confidence and assurance as to what conduct pleases God. Knowing this and living by the standard gives joy.
More than 2,600 times the Old Testament and 525 times the New Testament claim to be God’s Word. All (of this) Scripture is given by inspiration of God. (II Timothy 3: 16) “All” means all.
God’s appointed penmen wrote in Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek. They wrote in the Sanai desert, the wilderness of Judea, the cave in Adulliam, the public prison in Rome, on the island of Patmos, the palaces of Shushan, by the rivers of Babylon, and on the banks of Chebar. All the words they wrote were God’s word.
It being such a supernatural, divinely inspired, authoritative word for today makes it worth our study and compliance with its teaching. What is it to you?
The Bible – Part Four
THE BIBLE IS – – –
DIVINELY INSPIRED,
SUPERNATURALLY AUTHORED,
INFALLIBLY AUTHORITATIVE.
It being God’s Word, what does it mean to you? Will you make it a habit to read it often, even study it using a reputable source, memorize portions, and endeavor to live according to its teachings? Make yourself a commitment.
You may own a Bible and thus it is a possession.
You might memorize the Bible and thus it is a precept.
When you live by the Bible it becomes a practice.
The objective is to move from it being a possession to a practice.
Is God smarter than you? If so, His Book is a reputable source of knowledge, a competent guidebook, a reliable field guide. If so, resolve, “I will make it ‘.. a lamp to my feet and light to my path.’”
THE CENTER OF THE BIBLE
Q. WHAT IS THE SHORTEST CHAPTER IN THE BIBLE”
A. PSALM 117
Q. WHAT IS THE LONGEST CHAPTER IN THE BIBLE?
A. PSALM 119
Q. WHICH CHAPTER IS IN THE CENTER
A. PSALM 118
FACT: THERE ARE 594 CHAPTERS BEFORE PSALM 118
FACT: THERE ARE 594 CHAPTERS AFTER PSALM 118
ADD THESE NUMBERS AND YOU GET 1188
Q. WHAT IS THE CENTER VERSE IN THE BIBLE?
A. PSALM 1,188
THE NEXT TIME SOMEONE SAYS THEY WOULD LIKE TO FIND GOD’S PERFECT WILL FOR THEIR LIFE AND THEY WANT TO BE IN THE CENTER OF HIS WILL, JUST SEND THEM TO THE CENTER OF HIS WORD!
PSALM 118: 8
“IT IS BETTER TO TRUST IN THE LORD THAN TO PUT CONFIDENCE IN MAN.”
NOW ISN’T THAT ODD HOW THIS WORKS OUT,
OR WAS GOD IN THE CENTER OF IT.
PSALM 118: 8
The Bible – Part Three
The Bible consists of 66 books, 1,100 chapters, and 31,0000 verses, and 733,746 words. The story of the compilation of the books shows the spiritual effort involved in finding the mind of God. The compilation was known as the kanon, which is from a Hebrew word “qaneh” meaning reed or measuring rod. It was the standard by which the books were judged.
The Jewish historian Josephus (37 – 100 AD) was the first to explicitly distinguish books that were canonical. He determined them to be based on the proximity to the happening, and inherent authority. Regarding the New Testament added to these requirements was that the author had to have known or seen the resurrected Jesus.
Of the authors of the New Testament four were apostles, two were half-brothers of Jesus and one was a Gentile and second largest writer of the New Testament, Luke. One was Mark, a companion of Peter, and at times an assistant of Peter.
The earliest known recognition of the 27 books of the New Testament to which nothing could be added or deleted is the list preserved by Athanasius in 367 AD. The Synod of Hippos (393 A. D.) and the Third Synod of Carthage in 397 A. D. concurred.
A council of rabbis, called the Synod of Jamnia, met in 90A. D. and put together the Old Testament.
The first official New Testament appeared in the fifth century.
Political events hastened the canonization. Emperor Diocletian bitterly persecuted the Christians between 302 A.D. and 305 A.D. One of his edicts called for the burning of all Scripture. Christians had to decide what books were worth dying for. There criteria for inclusion:
Is the book authoritative — does it claim to be of God.
Is it prophetic – was it written by a prophet or apostle.
Its antiquity, how close was text written to the events.
The Bible – Part Two
THE BIBLE: NOT AN AUTHORIZED COLLECTION OF BOOKS BUT A COLLECTION OF AUTHORIZED BOOKS
Scripture says of itself it was “God breathed.” The verb “breathed” translates the Greek. The expression uses language related to music. As an instrumentalist breathes the breath of air in one end of an instrument and it comes out the other end as a musical sound, so God breathed the breath of thought into the minds of authors and it came out though the human hand as written words. It came from God through man to humankind. It was God’s thought infused into each author’s own vocabulary. A “word” is simply a vehicle by means of which thought is communicated from one mind to another. Thus, the Bible, God’s Word, communicates from one mind, God’s, to another, the author’s. .
The exact spiritual means by which this was accomplished is a mystery.
Following are factors indicating the authenticity and reliability of the Bible as God’s Word.
* Prophecy fulfilled, such as:
Prophecy Fulfillment
Jesus Born in Bethlehem Micah 5: 2 Luke 2: 4 – 7
Time of birth Daniel 9:: 25 Luke 2: 1, 2
Born of a virgin Isaiah 7: 14 Luke 1: 26
Slaughter of children Jeremiah 31: 15 Matthew 2: 16 – 18
Crucifixion Isaiah 53: 12 Mark 15: 27
Buried with the rich Isaiah 53: 9 Matthew 27: 57 – 60
Resurrection Psalm 16: 10 Mark 16: 6, 7
The Bible consists of 66 books, written by more than 30 different authors, written over 1500 years, in four languages, in several countries, by men of every social strata, under varied circumstances. Yet, in all this conglomeration it has remarkable unity of thought.
* The historical life of the Book
No sooner than it was compiled attacks were made on it. Throughout its life every engine that human science, philosophy, wit, reasoning, or brutality has been unleashed against it.
* The psychological impact of the Book
If all psychologists were asked what are the basic needs of human beings a summary list of about 10 would be noted. They would include such needs as “love and affection,” and “belonging.” The Bible addresses all ten.
* The inexhaustible depth of the Book. Much is to be learned and much gained by each subsequent reading. George Muller has read it over 100 times and says it is more refreshing every time he reads it.
* The availability of basic manuscripts near the time of the writing.
Homer’s “Illiad” has 643 existing manuscripts the nearest to the event is 500 years. Caesar’s “Gallic Wars” 10 early manuscripts exist, the closest to the events is 1,000 years. Aristotle wrote around 343 B.C. The earliest copy is dated 1100 A.D. Only five manuscripts exist. The New Testament, 25,000+ exist with the closest being 25 years. The records regarding the first two are considered reputable. Those consisting of the New Testament are even more credible.
The Bible – Part One
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
II Timothy 3:16–17
The extent of inspiration includes “all Scripture.” As an old timer said, I believe it from cover to cover, and what it says on the cover “Holy Bible.”
Another confessed, “I believe it from Genesis to maps.”
Being inspired by God it is therefore authoritative for doctrine, reproof, and correction. It is endowed with clarity regarding how to establish a relationship with God the Father through God the Son, Jesus. Its truths can transform us, making us complete in Christ.
II Peter 1: 21 tells how God did it: “…prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit…”
God used penmen with different intellect, various vocabularies, and writing styles to inspire it.
Jesus Himself confirmed the verbal inspiration of the Scriptures when He said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” (Matthew 5:17-18). Thus, Jesus acclaimed the accuracy of the Scriptures right down to the infinite detail. It represents itself as the very Word of God.
When the word “inspired” is used it means motivated or encouraged. It is that and more, it literally means “breathed out.”
The Bible’s claim to be Holy Scripture has been tested and proven through the centuries. Every generation gives rise to those who really believe they will put the last nails in the coffin that will bury the Bible — yet it never, never works.
Skeptics like Voltaire and Ingersoll have for centuries attacked the validity and genuineness of the book.
Had Scripture not made a claim to being divinely inspired critics would have said not even the Bible itself claims to be divinely inspired. Hence, such an inclusion forms a starting point for validating the inspiration of Scripture.
The Scripture: “All Scripture is God breathed” describes the Bible’s nature as being God’s literal word, given to men by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It is the supernatural work of God the Holy Spirit.
As in the case of Adam and Eve God breathed, that is infused, imbued, the breath of physical life, so now He breathed, that is infused, imbued, the essence of spiritual life in the book, the Bible.