THINGS MOST SURELY BELIEVED AMONG US
10) We Believe In The Bible Is God Inspired
Text: Luke 1:1
"Forasmuch as many have taken in hand - to set forth in order a declaration…
of those things which are most surely believed among us."
RECAP
Last week we simply talked about how we believe in the Bible.
These are the things we, along with others, have taken in hand...
This is the declaration of God to man...
And “...these are the things most surely believed among us”
Now last week - we just broadly touched on two things:
The Bible = A Great Work
Firstly, we talked about how the Bible is a Great Work
The Bible is present all around the world, is available almost every country and language...
And it’s influence can be seen in nearly every race and culture.
The Bible is not only the number one best selling book of all time,
But The Bible has a well defined presence throughout history...
Even influencing our Annual Calendar.
For example when we talk about dates and make reference to times throughout History
We talk about periods before Christ Birth (BC) and after the Death of Chirst (AD).
The Bible has been a longstanding source of Inspiration for Music and Art,
And has been passionately quoted throughout time by inspiring people and pioneers of change.
Not too many people would discount the Bibles merit as a Great Work in this regard.
But brethren - the Bible is so much more than just a book isn’t it.
In fact, there is so much more to our beliefs about the Bible,
Than it being just a Great Work.
The Bible = God’s Word
Let’s just be clear about what we believe,
That being that the Bible – is not just a Great Work – But is in fact God’s Word.
And friends, this point changes everything – doesn’t it.
The Bible is not just another great book – it is the declaration of God’s Word to mankind.
The biggest problem people have – is not knowing that the Bible is here,
It’s failing to recognise and understand it’s real significance.
This is God’s message... and these are His Word’s.
This isn’t just a Great Book – It is God’s Word!
This is what we believe.
And do you know what – the Bible is very clear in showing this to us.
In fact, we are told over and over again in the Bible,
That it is actually, God that is speaking.
We see this all the way back in the very beginning in the book of Genesis,
And we see this all the way through to the Book of Revelation,
It’s just an open record of God speaking to man.
You might also recall how last week we looked at just one key Phrase found in the Bible,
That being: “Thus saith the Lord” – it’s used 413 times in the OT alone.
413 times the Scriptures plainly tell us – that this is what God has to say,
Because this is God’s Word – and brethren this is what we believe.
And the neat thing about God’s Word – apart from the fact that we know God is speaking,
Is that we see Him speaking on all kinds of levels too.
For example, We see God’s Word often directed at individuals.
We saw examples of this in the Scriptures last week.
Gods Word is often very personal…
And that means the Bible has a personal relevance to both you and I.
I can’t help reading the Scriptures – and be stirred in heart as God speaks to me.
Of course God not only speaks to individuals - because God also speaks to the Nations.
Make no mistake God’s Word has a message for every Nation today.
And the message is kind of simple...
Whenever collective peoples and Nations
Choose to Listen and hear the Word of the Lord – blessings follow.
But whenever they choose to ignore the Word God – Judgement follows.
And we saw several examples of this last week also.
But let’s not forget that God Word also heralds forth a message for His Churches...
A message every Scriptural Church congregation must still take heed of today.
And remember we saw the relevance of God’s messages to His Churches
In Revelation Chapters 2 + 3 where we see God’s message to
The Church at Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thya-tira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea.
And do you know what – God has a message for your Church too.
The Bible is the primary way God has chosen to speak to Mankind...
And make no mistake – the Bible is God’s Word.
This is what we believe! And there is a message in here for everyone.
For Every Individual...
For Every Nation of People...
And For Every Local New Testament Church Assembly. Amen!
God Inspired
Now today, I want to add further to our understanding of this,
By also declaring that the Bible is God Inspired.
You see, some people read the Bible and say: “The Bible cannot be God’s Word...
Because it was written by man – and is full of man’s words”
Some will even readily point out a presumed human authorship
Because of the various books written over time – many even named after the men that wrote them.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, etc etc
Hey look – people say that... “the Bible is a great work” – they say,
And they say this – because they fail to understand that every word is God inspired.
The Bible Is God-Breathed
So turn with me to 2 Timothy 3:16...
And let’s see the true source and inspiration of the Bible.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,... now let’s just stop here...
Because for the purposes of todays lesson - this is enough.
We will cover the rest of this verse in future weeks,
But for now – this is what we believe - All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,
Now I think its really important that we clarifiy what exactly this means,
Because I don’t want anyone to get the wrong impression.
Nowadays when we talk about “inspiration”,
We talk about a feeling, or an emotional response that gets us thinking or acting.
And we often link that inspiration to a particular source
For example, we hear about people becoming inspired by a song they heard...
By a book they read, or by a person they came into contact with.
That is not the kind of “inspiration” we are talking about here.
When the Bible says, that All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,
We are not talking just about a feeling...
That led some people to write some stuff down...
And this is why we have the Bible today.
That is simply not the kind of inspiration we are talking about.
Now many people don’t get this...
But in the original Greek – the term inspiration means: “to breath” or “to blow”.
Now at first this may seem a little odd,
But when I speak – I breathe...
I draw in breath and I blow out breath.
This is common practice for anyone who speaks.
And on one level – knowing that this is in fact God’s Word,
And understanding that this is in fact – Him speaking to us,
Its easy to see how this translation fits:
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,
Or put another way – “all Scripture is God Breathed”.
It comes from Him – every Word.
Now before we move on, there are a Couple of things I want you to note of here,
Firstly, I want to talk about Scripture.
Scripture is the Greek word graphe /graf·ay – It is used 51 times in the NT.
And it literally refers to “written text”.
It’s where we get the modern day word “Script” from.
We still talk about Actors – who learn their lines from a “Script”.
Of course, in this instance - when we talk about “Scripture”
We are talking about more than just a written text,
Because we are talking about “divine writings”
And of the Holy things of God that have been written down.
In fact, the Bible even places this emphasis around the way the term “Scripture” is used.
For example, Paul wrote to Timothy and declared: …that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:15).
So here, a particular emphasis is placed around the fact that the Scripture was Holy.
Paul also wrote in Romans chapter 1 about: ...the gospel of God, (Which He had promised afore by His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, (Romans 1:1-2)
And this is interesting, because here we have a wider umbrella under which Scripture falls,
It is not just something referred to in the NT,
Because Paul actually makes reference to the prophets of old,
Whose writings were recorded under the OT – and he calls them Holy Scriptures too.
So what then is Scripture?
Well they are the Holy writings we find collectively find written here in the Bible,
Encompassing both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
And let’s not forget - All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,
In other words, the whole Bible – from cover to cover,
“All Scripture is breathed out from God” - It comes out of Him.
On another level – it is also worth while noting also...
The role and the function of the Holy Spirit in all of this.
And again, not many people know this,
But the Greek term used for Holy Ghost in the NT is pneúma ...
In the Old Testament the equivalent word is Nephesh
And in both instances, the terms refer to Breath, or to the Soul or Spirit
Now as we know, and have already learnt – God is a Spirit - John 4:24
And the Holy Spirit is revealed to us as being a distinct part of God’s Triune Nature.
And we can see through the Bible...
The diverse role and function of the Holy Spirit in many different areas,
Including the inspiration it provided to Godly men in the recording of God’s Word.
Turn with me to 2 Peter 1:20-21:
20 Knowing this first…
Now if The Bible, God’s very own Word - says that we need to know this first,
It’s got to be important right,
…that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation.
Remember Scripture is the divine text and Holy writings that we find here the Bible
From the OT to the NT – this is Scripture, and it is God’s inspired words to us. Verse 21:
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
This means that although various human authors were used in penning down
And writing the Scriptures... the inspiration and ultimate source behind it all was God.
In fact, we are told here that the Spirit of God moved,
Or influenced these men in such a way that they recorded God’s divine will
And Holy words which we now have here for us to follow.
What the authors of Scripture wrote - God said.
He breathed it out. It came from Him.
And all of this inspiration – came directly from the Holy Spirit.
So rather than man working for God – to write this great book,
What we see is God working through man – to record His Word.
It’s actually quite critical that we make this distinction – isn’t it.
Man has not written this - for God...
God has written this - for man,
And what we see is that - God worked through certain men...
Who were filled and moved by His Spirit - to enable this to happen.
You see, people who don’t understand:
All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God – have a problem with this.
They say, “Well it can’t be God’s word because there are too many inconsistencies.”
If the Bible came from one source and one author...
There would be a universal tone and flow throughout.
In other words, they try to use the differences in people’s writing styles,
And evident personalities to try and disprove...
That this is in fact all the inspired Word of God.
I disagree – I don’t think this disproves the authenticity of God’s Word,
But rather proves it.
After all, Only God could be the definitive author of such a masterpiece as this.
Think about how the Bible was written and structured,
Being broken down into 66 different and distinct books
39 books in the OT and 27 books in the NT...
And that even though God used some 40 different human Authors,
Spanning across some two thousand years...to record His Word
All parts to the Bible still work in perfect harmony together
To share with mankind the greatest truths ever told – only God can do that.
And the thing is - God used individual people,
That He worked directly through to record His Word,
Precisely when His people needed to hear it – and in ways they could all understand.
The Bible encompasses writings that include:
History, Songs and Poetry…
There are Letters and Biographies,
With Legal teachings, Parables, and Proverbs too.
Needless to say, there is something in it for everyone
Because the Bible has it all – and its all by God’s design.
All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God
Turn with me Luke 1:68-70 – and lets take this understanding a step further.
68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed His people,
69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David;
70 As He spake by the mouth of His holy prophets, which have been since the world began.
Here we are reminded of how God has done – exactly what He said He was going to do.
This was what God spoke by the mouth of the Prophets – since the World began.
In other words, God has always spoken though a chosen few,
Who acted as messengers to delivery His Word before the people.
These words were recorded for us to follow in the OT.
Turn with me to Hebrews 1:1-2
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Again we see the same thing…
Before the Bible was completed…and while it was being recorded
We see God speaking at various times throughout history
And speaking in various ways to the Prophets,
Men of God – who were filled with the Holy Spirit.
And we have those words recorded for us here in the OT.
And then we are told in verse 2, that in the last days - God spoke to man through His Son.
And of course, we are able to see the life and ministry of Jesus Christ,
And we are able to hear His words and the things He spoke recorded for us here in the NT.
But through it all – what is the underlying truth?
All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God...
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Now there is another side to this,
And it stems not so much from a failure to understand that the Bible is God’s Word,
Which has been spoken and carefully recorded through Chosen men
As they were moved and inspired by the Holy Spirit,
Instead it comes from those who think that God is still speaking
And still delivering His truth through Prophets today.
Guys we not only believe this is to be God’s Word
Bit we believe that it stands whole and complete with any need for further prophecy.
And the Apostle Paul actually spoke about this in 1 Corinthians,
In fact, He said – “...where there be prophecies they shall fail”
Turn with me to 1 Corinthians 13:8-10:
Here the Apostle Paul was talking about how the miraculous spiritual gift ministry ...
Was drawing to a close – because the whole and complete Word of God
Was coming into fruition.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
We don’t have the whole picture yet because the Bible is not yet complete
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
Now flick over to 1 Corinthians 14:36
36 What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?
37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.
Paul says look, do you think you are the only one who has received the Word of God
If you think you’re a prophet then you need to acknowledge...
That what I am saying is the Word of God,
And the miraculous Spiritual gift ministry will draw to a close,
As Word of God is made complete.
Conclusion
All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God
God breathed it – it born out of Him.
More specifically, The Lord worked through Godly men,
Including the Prophets of old – to record His Word.
And worked through them at various points in time,
Influencing them and empowering them with His Holy Spirit to record these truths.
2 Peter 1:21: For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
But, because the Bible now stands as the whole and complete Word of God,
There is no further need for prophecy.
Brethren – we not only in God’s Word...
But we believe the Bible is God Inspired!
