Inspiration of the Bible
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Inspiration of the Bible
II Tim. 3:14-17
Theme: God answers three questions regarding the validity of the Bible.
Welcome to Mountain View Baptist Church. We are thrilled to have you with us today. It is also great to have the WCBC singing group with us. If you are a first time guest today, thank you for attending today. We would love to connect with you.
Our theme this year Back to Basics leads us to strengthen and continue in the basics of the Christian life. There is nothing more basic and foundational than the Bible. How much do we know about it? How important is it in our lives? Many see it only as a textbook for church but not something for everyday life.
God has given us His word in the pages of the Scriptures, the Bible. The Bible is not just a book or any book, it is the very Word of God. When you open the Bible, you open the mind of God. “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63)
This means the Bible is a living book. Jesus is the living Word and the written Word. The words in the Bible are not just some words of history written about people in the ancient middle east. They are not just words on pages but the words in the Bible are the very words of God Almighty.
God describes the divine authority of His Word by using the word inspiration. This morning we will answer three questions regarding the inspiration of the Bible. These questions are what many have regarding the Bible. When you are armed with an understanding of inspiration, you will be greatly strengthened in your faith.
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)
Question 1 . . .
What is inspiration
What it is not
Let’s start with what inspiration is not. The dictionary defines it as being mentally stimulated to do or feel something or to do something creative. Inspiration basically means to share with someone your excitement to encourage them to participate in your excitement.
One common inspirations when you go somewhere you enjoy. There are many beautiful places in the world that you see would inspire you to want to share with your spouse, or family, or friends. I went on a mission trip to Hungary where I flew into Budapest. I had never been to Budapest but it truly is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It located next to the Danube River. Just walking around that beautiful city made me wished I could have my wife there with me so we could share the beauty. It inspired me and would loved to have Janet with me.
This is not what the word inspiration means in the Bible. None of the writers penned words which were inspirational as the dictionary says. It wasn’t their thoughts that was inspirational. It wasn’t their feelings or experiences that was inspirational which they wanted to share. It wasn’t the places they visited.
What it is.
The word inspiration means God-breathed. The words that are written on the pages of the Bible are breathed out of the mouth of God. They are the very words of God.
“And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.” (Deuteronomy 8:3)
Please notice “every word.” Not the thoughts or feelings but the words are God’s words. All Scripture not just some of it, or your favorite parts, but all of God’s Word is inspired. There is a strong condemnation given to anyone who removes or adds to the words.
“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” (Revelation 22:18–19)
God breathed out the words for the writers to put into Scripture. The Scriptures says out of the mouth of the Lord. God uses His words to touch the heart of man. He uses music, He uses preaching to cut through man’s outer self-righteousness and gets to the heart of man.
Someone said one time, “I could not convince my friend to get saved. “ It is not that we are to convince a person to get saved, it is the Word of God that convicts a person of their need of Christ.
The wife of a skeptic became interested in her need of personal salvation with Jesus Christ. The skeptic became annoyed at her reading the Bible and he said, “I will give you enough of that. I’ll give you the Bible every day until you become sick of it.” He began to read a chapter a day when he came home. One day after finishing the third chapter of John, he said to his wife, “Won’t you pray for me? I am a poor lost sinner.” They both knelt and prayed together, reading the Word together, and both received Jesus Christ as their Savior.
Inspiration is not making someone feel good about the Bible. Inspiration shows us this Bible we hold in our hands is given to us directly from God for all of humanity. Since the words are alive, they keep speaking to the hearts of people from all generations. The words don’t die when past people and past civilizations die. It is a living document because it is God’s Word.
“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” (Matthew 24:35)
Question 2 . . .
How is the Bible inspired?
Did God just breathe into the words inspiration or come upon the words written. God gives us a Bible answer to this question.
As you turn over to II Peter 1:19-21 God give us insight into the how of inspiration. While it is not absolutely clear how God inspired His Word, this passage gives us tremendous understanding of the how. The Bible came in a miraculous way.
Written word is always more sure than oral word. It is always best to write down important things because we forget the details. It is funny how we forget things we don’t want to do. Mom and dad would tell me to do something I did not want to do and for some strange reason I forgot. A written word which we obey is like a light in the darkness of this world. The Scriptures are like a flashlight of truth in a world of darkness
“NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
Verse 19 prepares us for understanding of how God inspired. A written word is sure and verse 20 tells us Scripture is not given by man’s thoughts or imaginations. The Scriptures were not written by men who used their ideas and words but God says in verse 21 they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
There were 40 different writers over 1600 years who penned the Word of God, the Holy Spirit guided their hands to write down without error the Bible. All of the writers were guided by the spirit so their words were the very words of God.
The word moved is a nautical term referring to a boat being carried by the wind. The idea is that man is being guided the Holy Spirit to write down the very words without error. This is why every word is necessary.
This is truly miraculous that over 1600 years the Word of God was given under inspiration and has no contradictions in it. The moving upon the writers was also a miracle of God. Perhaps the best way to understand this miracle is the experience of the typing class.
How many of you in here took typing class in high school or college? I remember the keys were covered and you had to know the keys by feel or touch. On every typing test, you were scored based on having few errors. The more the errors, the lower the grade on the test. Sometimes you would type the same sentence twice or the same word twice or misspell the word.
God is telling us under inspiration the writers were moved by the Holy Spirit in writing down the very words God breathed out to the writers.
“Whether we are reading the Bible for the first time or standing in a field in Israel next to a historian and an archaeologist and a scholar, the Bible meets us where we are. That is what truth does.” (unknown)
Question 3. . .
Why did God inspire the Bible
We go back to II Timothy 3:14-17
Verse 14 tells us we teach and preach the Word of God to teach salvation v. 15. The best time for children to hear the gospel is when they are young. Wise unto salvation means it is always the best decision to encourage your children to know Christ. Parents, let me encourage you to teach them the gospel, let them hear the gospel and let them ask questions.
“The Bible is not man’s word about God, but God’s word about man.” – John Barth
This is why we have Sunday School for children, Junior Church for children, and bring children on the bus to SS. The hope of America is reaching the young people with the gospel of Christ.
Once a person receives Christ, there are four purposes for the inspired Word of God.
Doctrine which means teaching. The importance of learning the teaching of the Bible. This is why we have three services a week, we have connection groups, we have discipleship classes. We are committed to making sure every person is given the opportunity to the learn the teaching of God’s Word. This is God’s authoritative truth.
God’s Word teaches us when man was created, when man sinned, and what God did to restore man back with God. He teaches us the role of the husband and wife. He teaches us about family and how rear children. He teaches us about life around us and how to care for others. He teaches us how to show respect and give honor to other people. He teaches us how to have a purpose in life and peace in our hearts. He teaches us that man without Christ is headed for hell and needs forgiveness He offers through His Son Jesus Christ.
Reproof means God tells us what is not right. He lays out the dangers of sin and how to avoid sin. It is not what man says is right and wrong but what God says.
Instruction is how to stay right with God. As we study His Word, the Holy Spirit comes to illuminate our understanding of living for God. Christians are filled and led by the Holy Spirit to they know how to live right in a crooked and perverse world.
God’s Word v.17 furnishes us with everything we need to live for God. If you don’t read God’s Word, hear God’s Word, and obey God’s. Word, you are in need of God’s Word. Perfect means to be in fit shape or condition.
“The object of the Bible is not to tell how good men are, but how bad men can become good.” —Dwight L. Moody
Are you here today without Christ as your personal Savior? This is the starting place as we learn here in verses 14-15. Salvation is only in Jesus Christ. He died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. He offers true life by His sacrificial death. If you have not accepted Him, today would be the perfect time to accept Him. In the back of the auditorium there are people standing with a landyear that says altar worker. If you will go directly to them, they will show you how you can make you are a Christian.
If you are Christian, when is the last time you read your Bible? When is the last time you spent time with God?
“No educated man can afford to be ignorant of the Bible.” Theodore Roosevelt
Today would be the perfect time to allow God to furnish your Christian life because none of us can furnish ourselves. God uses His Word to furnish us unto all good works.
Will you come forward today and decide you will go back or start reading the Bible? The Bible our absolute foundation.