·
Questions to be answered:
How do we know
that the Bible is God’s word?
Are there any
errors in the Bible?
·
Definition of the authority
of Scripture: The authority of Scripture
means that all the words in Scripture are God’s words in such a way that to
disobey or disbelieve any word of Scripture is to disobey or disbelieve God.
·
All the words in Scripture
are God’s words.
·
This is what the Bible claims for itself.
The phrase, “Thus saith the Lord,” appears over 400
times in the OT and was a common introduction when a prophet was about to speak
for the Lord.
2 Timothy 3:16
– All Scripture [Gr. Graphe] is God-breathed [Gr.
Theopneustos] and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training
in righteousness.
The word Graphe (Scripture) is used 50 times in the NT and always refers to
the OT.
2 Peter 1:20-21 – Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
What about the NT? Is the NT also “God-breathed?”
1 Timothy 5:18 – For the Scripture [Graphe] says, "Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain," and "The worker deserves his wages."
The first quotation is from
Deuteronomy 25:4, but the second quotation is from Luke 10:7.
2 Peter 3:15-16 – Bear in mind that our Lord's
patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the
wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking
in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to
understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures [Graphe], to their own destruction.
All Scripture is God-breathed: everything that falls into the
class Scripture is God-breathed. This is valid for past, present and future Scripture.
·
We are
convinced of the Bible’s claim to be God’s word as we read the Bible.
John 10:27 – My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and
they follow me.
As we read the Bible, we
realize that God is speaking to us through the pages of Scripture.
Only people who are Spirit-filled (more on that later) can
make this claim.
·
Other evidence is useful but not fully
convincing.
The Bible is historically
accurate.
The Bible is internally
consistent.
The Bible contains fulfilled
prophecy.
The Bible changes lives.
The Bible is tremendously
influential.
All these things are true, but
in the end have no effect on the truthfulness of the Bible being the words of
God. In fact, many rational people
reject all of these points.
·
The words of Scripture are self-attesting.
We cannot appeal to any other higher authority to prove that Scripture is the word of God. If Scripture is the final authority it must be self-attesting. The ultimate authority by which Scripture is shown to be the word of God must be Scripture itself.
·
Objection:
This is a circular argument!
Circular reasoning is not
necessarily invalid!
All arguments for an absolute authority must ultimately appeal to that authority for proof; otherwise the authority would not be an absolute authority!
Some examples of things considered
to be the “ultimate authority”
Human Reason.
Logic.
Sensory Experience.
Ultimately, the truthfulness
of the Bible will commend itself as being far more persuasive than any other
religious book or any intellectual construct of the mind.
·
A word of caution: Scripture being the words of God does not
imply dictation from God as the sole means of communication.
Hebrews 1:1-2 – In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the
prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has
spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom
he made the universe.
Luke 1:1-4 –
Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been
fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the
first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself
have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also
to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that
you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
John 14:26 – But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
·
Therefore, to disbelieve or disobey
any word of Scripture is to disbelieve or disobey God.
If you accept the truth that Scripture is indeed God’s very own words, then this must necessarily follow.
·
The truthfulness of
Scripture.
For the Bible to be authoritative, it must be true in all its parts. If the Bible is false in anyway, it calls into question its authority.
Question: If the Bible is God’s word, can God lie?
Numbers 23:19
– God is not a man, that he should lie, nor
a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act?
Does he promise and not fulfill?
1 Samuel 15:29
– He who is the Glory of Israel does not
lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind.
Titus 1:2 – a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of
eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of
time.
·
Therefore, all the words in Scripture are
completely true and without error in any part.
P2 – God cannot lie
C – There is no untruth or
error in the Bible
Psalm 12:6 – And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined
in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.
Matthew
24:35 – Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
·
God’s word is the ultimate standard of truth.
John 17:17 –
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
John doesn’t say your word is true, but your word is truth.
The Bible is not true in the sense that it conforms to some higher standard of truth. The Bible is itself the ultimate standard of truth.
· Might some new fact ever contradict the Bible?
No new fact or discovery will ever contradict Scripture, rightly understood.
It is quite possible that some new fact or discovery will cause us to re-examine what we (as fallible creatures) think Scripture says.
·
The Inerrancy of Scripture.
·
Definition of
inerrancy: The inerrancy of Scripture
means that Scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything which
is contrary to fact.
This does not mean that the Bible tells us every fact there is to know on any given subject. It does mean that whatever it does say on any given subject is 100% true.
B. The Clarity, Necessity and
Sufficiency of the Bible.
·
Questions to be answered:
Can only
Bible scholars understand the Bible rightly?
For what
purposes is the Bible necessary?
Is the Bible
enough for knowing what God wants us to think or do?
·
The Clarity of Scripture.
·
The Bible frequently affirms its own clarity.
Deuteronomy
6:6-7 – These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.
Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when
you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Psalm 19:7 – The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the
soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
Psalm
119:130 – The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to
the simple.
Jesus’ favorite rebuke: “Have you not read?” “Have you never read in the Scripture?”
· The moral and spiritual qualities needed for right understanding.
1 Corinthians
2:14 – The man without the Spirit does not
accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to
him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
The barriers to understanding
Scripture are more spiritual and moral than intellectual.
·
Definition
of the clarity of Scripture: The clarity of Scripture means that the Bible
is written in such a way that its teachings are able to be understood by all
who will read it seeking God’s help and being willing to follow it.
Clarity does not mean that
everyone will agree on the teachings of Scripture, but only that Scripture is able to be understood.
There are only two possible
causes for doctrinal disagreements or misunderstandings.
1. We are
seeking to make affirmations where Scripture is silent.
2. Our
interpretation of Scripture is wrong.
·
The
Necessity of Scripture.
·
Definition
of the necessity of Scripture: The necessity of Scripture means that the
Bible is necessary for knowledge of the gospel, for maintaining spiritual life,
and for certain knowledge of God’s will, but is not necessary for knowing the
God exists or for knowing something about God’s character or moral law.
·
The Bible is necessary for knowledge of the
gospel.
Romans 10:13-17 – For, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved." How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed
in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how
can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless
they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who
bring good news!" But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For
Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?" Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and
the message is heard through the word of Christ.
·
The Bible is necessary for maintaining spiritual
life.
Matthew 4:4 – Jesus answered, "It is written: `Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
·
The Bible is necessary for certain knowledge of
God’s will.
Deuteronomy
29:29 – The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed
belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of
this law.
Psalm 119:1
– Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of
the LORD.
1 John 5:3 – This is love for God: to obey his commands.
·
The Bible is not necessary for knowing that God
exists or for knowing something about God’s character and moral laws.
Psalm 19:1 – The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim
the work of his hands.
Romans
1:19-21, 32 – Since what may be known about
God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the
creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine
nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so
that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to
him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened….Although they know God's righteous decree that
those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very
things but also approve of those who practice them.
Romans 2:14-15 – Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by
nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though
they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are
written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their
thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.
·
The
Sufficiency of Scripture.
·
Definition
of the sufficiency of Scripture: The sufficiency of Scripture means that
Scripture contained all the words of God he intended his people to have at each
stage of redemptive history, and that it now contains everything we need God to
tell us for salvation, for trusting him perfectly, and for obeying him
perfectly.
·
We can find all that God has said on particular topics, and we can find
answers to our questions.
2 Timothy
2:15-17 – and how from infancy you have
known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus. 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.
·
The amount of Scripture given was sufficient at
each stage of redemptive history.
Hebrews 1:1-2 – In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the
prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has
spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom
he made the universe.