Doctrinal Series - God's Word
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· 7 viewsAn introduction to the topic of doctrine as well as our first topic, God's Word
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Introduction
Introduction
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Body
Body
In any study of doctrine, or study of anything having to do with creation, really, one must always start with God’s Word
2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
But First, Doctrine
But First, Doctrine
What is Doctrine?
According to the Open Bible Sense Lexicon, Doctrine is “a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school.
Christians accept the Bible, and therefor Biblical doctrine as authoritative because of who gave it to us.
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
This is necessary to understand for us to be able to accept God’s Word as authoritative
According to the New Bible Dictionary, Third Edition:
In the O.T., the Hebrew word translated as ‘Doctrine’ means “what is received”
The Hebrew word that refers to the idea of a body of revealed teaching is generally rendered as “law”
In the N.T. there are also two words that are translated as ‘Doctrine’, the first meaning both the act and the content of teaching
The second can also mean the act and the content of teaching, but refers more to the teaching of Jesus which He claimed to be divine.
We recognize only the Apostle’s Doctrine as being from God
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
We are encouraged to obey Doctrine as delivered to us in Scripture
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
So we discover that Doctrine is extremely important
We need to know it
We need to obey it
Now, God’s Word
Now, God’s Word
The general outline for this is taken out of the Lexham Survey of Theology
John 1:1 - States that God’s Word and God are one and the same
God’s Word carries all the power and all the authority of God Himself
God’s Word contains everything we need to know:
How to make sure we’re in proper covenant relationship with God at all times
How to live this life in accordance with God’s plan
How to make sure that we spend eternity with Him.
But God’s Word contains even more than that!
It contains all of our covenant promises
It contains the revelation of who God is and what His will is for us (Specific Revelation vs. General Revelation)
It contains the history of the entire universe, but focuses on the history of this one little planet; Earth.
God’s Word doesn’t encompass every bit and scrap of knowledge in the universe, but it is a complete revelation of truth.
Everything we need to know is contained in God’s Word
If God’s Word don’t have it, you don’t need it!
Lexham Survey of Theology The Bible
God’s special revelation, the revelation of his saving purpose, takes many forms, some of them unwritten. But God also intends to give his revelation in permanent form. According to Genesis, the patriarchs erected memorials so that later generations could visit the places where God revealed himself to their ancestors. In the book of Exodus, when God consecrated Israel to be his special covenant people, he produced two stone tablets, on which were Ten Commandments, written by the very “finger of God” (Exod 31:18). Note that God was not only the author of these commandments (the commandments were his words, expressed in the first person) but the publisher as well, since he inscribed the commands by his own finger. The tablets then were placed in the holiest location in Israel, the inner court of the tabernacle (and later the temple), underscoring the fact that as his very word, these documents partook of God’s very holiness. This procedure was similar to the custom in other nations when a mighty emperor would make a treaty with a lesser king, putting it into writing and preserving it in a holy sanctuary.
God gave more holy words through Israel’s history. Words of God’s inspired prophets were written down and added to the holy document. In the New Testament we learn that Jesus and the apostles reverenced this document as God’s word and therefore as a document with ultimate authority. Further, Jesus appointed and equipped his apostles to speak with the same authority, an authority sometimes delegated by the apostles to others of their company, like Luke, James, and Jude. This authority extended to their writing. Today all branches of the Christian church accept the Old Testament covenant document together with the New Testament words of Jesus and the apostles as “the Bible,” indeed the holy Bible, the written word of God.
As God’s own word, the Bible is the supreme authority for all areas of human life. In both Testaments, God urges his people to reverence his holy written word as their ultimate criterion of truth.
Different Subdomains of Bibliology
Different Subdomains of Bibliology
Inspiration - The divine action that creates an identity between a human word and a divine word.
Authority - The Bible’s authority comes from its source, namely God, and governs all areas of human life.
Truth - Because God is a God of Truth and cannot lie, His word, every word, is altogether truthful.
Canon - Recognized generally as the divinely authorized collection of books that God has given to govern His people. Those books in our bible today are recognized as canon.
Clarity - We understand that the Bible is sufficiently clear to leave people no excuse for disobedience to the commandments of God.
Sufficiency - We understand that the Bible contains all the divine instructions and principles necessary for human decisions.
Necessity - God’s Word is absolutely necessary and without it we simply cannot know any truth, specifically who God is and what He requires.
Translation - As everybody does not speak every language, translation of God’s Word from the original languages have been, and continues to be necessary so that every person might understand who God is, and what He requires.
Interpretation - Helping people to understand and apply what thus sayeth the Lord.
Rule of Faith - We’ll discuss this in depth in our study on Obedient Faith.
Inspiration
Inspiration
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
In general vernacular, inspiration can mean many things
I was inspired to help you out today
That classical musical piece really inspires me!
You are my inspiration to keep going!
In Scripture however, inspiration literally means “God-breathed”.
When God breathed into Adam and he became a living soul.
When God speaks to us the Words of life
God’s Word is given to us directly from God or through His chosen vessels.
Tables of Stone which contained the Ten Commandments
The preaching and writings of the prophets
The Words of Jesus
The preaching and writings of the apostles
Authority
Authority
11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
I’m not going to mince words in this section
God is the absolute and supreme authority in all of creation
God created everything ex nihilo
Everything is God’s, including you
God’s Word is law. Period.
Lexham Survey of Theology The Bible’s Authority
The Westminster Confession of Faith, 14.2, says that by saving faith, “a Christian believeth to be true whatever is revealed in the Word, for the authority of God himself speaking therein; and acteth differently upon that which every particular passage thereof containeth; yielding obedience to the commands, trembling at the threatenings, and embracing the promises of God for this life, and that which is to come.”
Truth
Truth
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
You won’t find any human being’s opinions on right and wrong here
You won’t find any human being’s ideas of truth and error in here
You will find truth from God here. Not just religious truth, but general truth that spans all of reality.
The Bible is inerrant not simply because there are no errors in the text, but more because God cannot make mistakes
What if we find something that contradicts scripture?
We don’t accept the bible as inerrant because we’ve answered every possible criticism, but because we presuppose the bible to be true to the exclusion of everything else.
Otherwise, scripture is not our ultimate source of truth. We’re now judging the bible based on our “higher understanding” of truth.
Have you applied the same criticisms to this understand of truth as you are to scripture?
Believing in scripture ultimately requires faith, but so does EVERY belief system.
You can’t prove everything you believe to be true beyond a shadow of doubt! At some point you have to accept something on the basis of faith.
People do not apply their criticisms equally.
The Canon
The Canon
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
Those books of the Bible recognized as being God-breathed.
It’s these writings, and only these that have all the characteristics of God’s Word
Other writers have, through ignorance, deception or maliciousness, written works and passed them off as coming from God when they were not from God.
Because of this, it became necessary to differentiate between God’s Word, and the works of men.
In the N.T., Jesus and the apostles referred to this canon of documents as the “holy Scriptures”.
Later the apostles wrote more documents under the unction of the Holy Ghost and today they are recognized as the “New Testament” portion of the Bible.
There is some controversy as to which books are recognized as God’s Word and which ones were rejected, namely the Apocrypha, but we cannot disallow a supernatural leading of the Holy Ghost here.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Clarity
Clarity
11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.
12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
If General Revelation is this clear and this specific, how much more the Specific Revelation of God’s Word?
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Revelation cannot be said to be given if it’s unclear or difficult to understand
God’s revelation is always successful
Whenever something in God’s Word seems to be unclear, it’s always on our end, not God’s
Sin - looking to cover up or excuse sin in our life
The condition of our heart - it lies to us
Rebellion and stubbornness - not wanting to submit
Don’t understand the thee’s and the thou’s?
Many good translations available
Always seek to improve your understanding of scripture. Don’t necessarily take the easy way out all the time.
Don’t always ask someone else first. Try and study it out yourself first.
Prayer is absolutely necessary in understanding God’s Word.
Sufficiency
Sufficiency
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
God’s Word is sufficient to perfect every person
God’s Word is sufficient to equip said person to every good work
Lexham Survey of Theology The Bible’s Sufficiency
The Westminster Confession of Faith (1.6) says, “The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men.”
Can I find out about the war of 1812 in the Bible?
Can I discover how to refine oil into gasoline in the Bible?
Can I learn how to tie my shoes in the Bible?
These kinds of questions completely miss the point
First, Scripture was never given to us for this information, but for the authoritative Words of God
Second, God actually does teach us all these things, either directly or indirectly, from General Revelation and a bit of inquisitiveness.
But in tying shoes for example, there are several ways to do that, and they all work fine. In Scripture there is only one way to enter into a covenant relationship with Jesus Christ. Every other way is wrong and impotent.
We find in scripture everything we need, and it’s complete sufficiency stands in stark contrast to religious traditionalism and intellectual flavors-of-the-month that seems so prevalent in our churches today.
The Bible’s Necessity
The Bible’s Necessity
3 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.
Talk in depth about the relationship between a greater king and a conquered king - the “treaty” or the “covenant”
That treaty, or constitution, was necessary to the relationship.
No treaty, no covenant.
No treaty, no Lord
To obey God, Israel must obey His Word.
To love God, Israel must love His Word.
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Many times in the O.T. we read God speaking to Israel “If ye love me and keep my commandments...”
Some state today that their allegiance is to Jesus, not to some holy book, but the two are one and inseparable.
In God’s Word we find His plan of salvation - how we enter into a covenant relationship with this Great King.
Bible Translations
Bible Translations
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
The languages that the bible was originally written in are Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, but God’s Word was always meant for everyone, everywhere.
Yes, there are always some losses in meaning when translating between two languages, but keep these in mind:
Scripture in to a large extend redundant. That’s how we can use scripture to interpret scripture.
God will reveal meaning to us as we read His Word through the working of the Holy Ghost.
God has provided His church preachers and teachers who have been gifted to clarify and explain more fully the meaning contained in God’s Word.
To get the Gospel to all the world, we must translate God’s Word into languages people can understand so that God’s Word is made available to them.
Interpretation
Interpretation
27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Understand at the outset there is only one correct interpretation of God’s Word, and that is God’s interpretation
Interpretation in the sense we’re describing here means that you’re trying to answer the complaint, “I don’t understand this. Can you explain it to me?”
Understand also this problem arises from a deficiency in the hearer, not from any shortcoming in scripture.
Again, there have been many controversies concerning biblical interpretation.
Some are too literal when the text is obviously to be taken allegorically.
Some seek to allegorize every scripture when they were obviously meant to be taken literally.
There are many rules and guidelines on how to properly interpret scripture (rules of definition, usage, context, etc.) but they are all of themselves ineffective without the leading and guiding of the Holy Ghost.
The question we’re trying to answer is “What is God trying to tell me here?” rather than “What do I think this means?”
Exegete vs. eisegete
Rule of Faith
Rule of Faith
To be covered in another lesson
Conclusion
Conclusion
As the tabernacle was at the center of the Israelite’s encampment in the wilderness, so must God’s Word be at the center of our lives, every aspect of our lives, as we move through the wilderness of this world on our way to the promised land.
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