POSITION OF THE CHURCHES (Continued)

The appeal to the Scripture has been the standard for the churches and the Christians. In our day we do see a weakening of this position as the rational for almost all of the modern language English language versions is that God, either by human intervention or disinterest, had lost control of the preservation of His Words. The argument is that we have, by the blessing of the human minds of the modern textual critics, reconstructed "with near certainty" a close approximation of the originally inspired autographs.

The real problem with this view is that it leaves the churches with a less than perfect standard of faith and practice. If the Scripture be uncertain we must turn to man, or to historical church traditions, to define faith and practice.

Bancroft (Elemental Theology) gives the argument for a Scripture which can be trusted. He says, "By the canonicity of the Scriptures is meant that, according to certain and fixed standards, the books included in them are regarded as parts of a complete and Divine revelation..."

This means, of course, that the appeal to the Scripture is an appeal to a final revelation from God to man. Why is it considered a final revelation? The answer would be that the Scripture has reached the apex of its teaching about how man may relate to God. This is done through the Person of Jesus Christ. In Him we see the restoration of that which was lost in the Garden.

With this revelation of Christ we have seen the full circle of God’s interest in His Creation. At such a point it is consistent with reason and Scripture to consider the canon of Scripture to be complete. The pictures and shadows of the Old Testament types have found their completion in Jesus. There is no need, no purpose really, in further revelation from God. The Gospels have given us a picture of Him. The Epistles have given us the standards of instruction in His doctrine.

I Corinthians 13:10 states, "But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." We have seen this happen in relation to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ as opposed to the "shadow and type" sacrificial system of the Old Testament. To allege that a later revelation would be possible, beyond that which spoke of Jesus from the apostles, is to allege that the sacrifice of Jesus was incomplete or not perfect. It is to argue that there is something better than Christ. Such cannot be the case.

In speaking of the inspiration of the Scripture we are speaking of a full revelation from God to man. We have seen, in His Words to us, all that He wishes us to know and all that we need to understand. He has already given us revelation as to salvation and the Christian life. To seek anything further is to move into the occult. To move into the occult is to move away from God. It is to consider Him as not having told the Story in full. Such is to question His goodness.

Since the purpose of inspiration is to give to man the complete teaching which God has for us, such would also be to question His wisdom.

The Scripture is also the rule of faith for mankind. We are not bound by church councils and church covenants. We are bound by such only when they are fully in accordance with the Words of God. Any church council or covenant which is contrary to Scripture is false. We are duty bound, as Christians bought by the Blood of Jesus Christ, to turn from such and accept the Scripture in all of Its purity and power.

The Scripture is also the rule of life, and how to live it, for man. We are the direct creation of the Creator. As the Manufacturer of humanity God knows best how we are to live in this space of time and physicality. The Scripture gives us His rule for the betterment of our lives here on earth as well as the preparation for our lives in eternity.

The Scripture is a form of Love from God to mankind as It gives us these instructions and information.

A little tract from the Moody Bible Institute (Here We Stand) reminds us that "Since the Bible is the Word of God as it indeed claims to be, whenever it speaks and whatever subject, it speaks the truth. There it ought to be heeded and obeyed."

We accept the Scripture because It is worthy. I have a monopoly game at home. In it are thousands and thousands of dollars. They are not worthy to be used at the supermarket. Only the real money can be used to buy my weekly groceries.

Only the true Scripture is the "coin of the realm" for the sake of the life, and the eternal life, of any person on this earth. There are plenty of other faith traditions and systems. Only that which is contained in the Scripture is that which God has authorized and inspired. Only that is worthy of our complete submission to its guidance and trust.

We accept the Scripture because we are unworthy. We are creatures of sin. Yes, we are! In Adam the entire human race fell from the state of complete innocence and perfection. Only through Christ may we be accepted back into fellowship with God. We are not worthy to even work toward this condition. It is only the grace of God, shown in the complete sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which allows us to draw near to Him.

The inspired and preserved Scripture is His message of the Love that He has shown toward us.

We accept the Scripture because it is God’s Word. If God said it, that settles it. God’s Word is above our understanding. He has condescended to teach us of His glory, and His power, and His love in the words of His Book.

The Philadelphia Confession of Faith says that, "The authority of the holy Scripture ... Dependent not upon the testimony of any man or church but wholly upon ... God .... It is the word of God."

The 1891 edition of the Iowa Yearly Meeting of the Friends, Book of Discipline speaks of the primacy of the Scripture.

"It has ever been, and still is, the belief of the Society of Friends, that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament were given by the inspiration of God; that, therefore, there can be no appeal from them to any other authority whatsoever..."

The 1972 Discipline of the Wesleyan Church says, "...whatsoever is not read therein [the Scripture], nor may be proved thereby, is not ... Required ... As an article of faith..."

The 1960 Constitution of the UPC in the USA makes two statements as to the Scripture.

Chapter 2, paragraph 8: "The Old and New Testament in Greek..., being immediately inspired by God, and by His singular care and providence kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical..."

Chapter 2, paragraph 20: "The Supreme Judge, by whom all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture."

The book, "Major United Methodist Beliefs," says that, "The tree of Protestantism roots in the Bible. In that soil alone does it flourish... When we exalt it [the Bible], vital Christianity thrives."

In "Meet Us At the Cross," the Church of God, Anderson, Indiana, maintains their belief in the Scripture. "The Church of God movement has maintained a sure belief that the Bible is the Inspired Word of God. ...we believe that the Bible is the foundation for instruction in the Christian faith."

The book, "Doctrinal Beliefs of the Church of God - 7^th Day," affirms their trust in the Scripture. "The Holy Bible is the Divinely Inspired Word of God. No other writing is of such divine origin. The Bible is infallible in teaching, and it contains the complete revelation of the plan of salvation and the will of God for man. God’s Word is eternal."

The 1979 Directory of the American Evangelical Christian Churches agrees that the Scripture is the inspired Words of God. "...[In the] Articles of Faith: ...{We accept] the Bible as the written Word of God.

In our next session we will begin to look at the concept of the inspiration of the Old Testament.

There is a fallacy that the churches of Jesus are disconnected into many sects which are widely different one from another. They do differ in many places in emphasizing some doctrine over another, or some such thing. But, they are amazingly similar when it comes to the primary tenets of the faith. I would hope that this session has shown some of that similarity.

OLD TESTAMENT

As we begin to look at the evidence of the inspiration of the Old Testament we are drawn to the claims made by the prophets that they were giving the message of God in their writings. Garner (Bible Analysis) says that, "In a sense the words of the prophets were their own words, but in a higher sense, their words were the very words of God."

I have written quite a lot. At no time did I ever confuse my words with the Words of God. I may make comment upon those Words, I may gain an insight via the illumination of the Spirit, but the words I commit to paper are my words. They will fade and disappear from history within a few years of my death, if not before.

The Words of the Lord, as inspired and preserved in the Scripture, are Words from eternity. They do not decay. They are even able to speak to me in this year, to my grandfather in his day, and in my grandson’s life, should the Lord tarry. This is the authority and ability which were placed on the words of the prophets as they wrote, in a human sense, the Words of God in the eternal and perfect sense.

"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14) "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." (Matthew 1:23)

Here we see a case where the Words which the prophets gave forth under inspiration we understood as for the time of that prophet. But, often, God gave these words a double meaning. The words were for the prophets own time, but the Words were also for another time.

This is but one illustration of the nature of the Words of God. They are for a time. They are for eternity. The speak to prophet hundreds of years before the time in which Jesus physically walked this earth. They speak to a confused bridegroom hundreds of years later, bring peace and wonder to his soul. They speak to us, two thousand years even later, and fill us with wonder at the workings of God.

"And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?" "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." (Matthew 24:36) Daniel wrote things that he did not understand. This was often so of the prophets as they understood a prophecy in light of their own times without the knowledge that the prophecy had a far distant fulfillment. Such is the "stuff" of inspiration that the Lord leads the human writer to write things that are far above that writer’s ability to understand. The Words, after all, are of eternity while the writer is of time. The Words, after all, are of the spiritual while the writer is of the physical. The Words, after all, are the Words of God; the writer is only the transcriptionist.

Back in the late 1900's I received a book wherein the author gave a very detailed and specific rendition as to why the Lord must shortly return. The author even gave a date. Even though hundreds of years had passed from the time of Daniel’s writing and the time of Jesus’ sojourn on earth, the Words inspired do not contradict one another. Daniel said he didn’t understand the prophecy which had been given him.. Matthew quotes Jesus as saying no one could understand the time of His second appearing.

That great agreement of Scripture, throughout the Record, is one of the strongest natural evidences of the supernatural inspiration of Scripture.

In the final analysis, the Words are timeless. They are to those to whom they were written and delivered. Those Words remain for all humanity of all ages.

Garner, again, says that the human instruments who were the "Old Testament writers did not claim that their words and messages were their own, but that of the Lord." Deuteronomy 18:17, II Samuel 23:2, Psalms 12:6, Proverbs 30:5, Isaiah 8:11, Jeremiah 13:15, Amos 3:1, and Micah 4:4 are all cited as reference to this fact.

Criswell (The Criswell Study Bible) declares that, "There are over 2500 claims of divine inspiration in just the Old Testament."

There are objector who would claim that the Old Testament is not for today. They believe that the Old Testament has been superceded by the New. This is not so. Paul, a New Testament writer, made reference to the Children of Israel as they wandered in the desert. "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." (I Corinthians 10:11)

Often the events described in the Old Testament are physical manifestations of truths we, the New Testament Christian, need to learn in the Spiritual realms.

Besides this, the fact of inspiration endows the Words with the essence of God’s Own personality. The Words are eternal and not subject to either decay in time or being discarded by humanity. Those Words are His Words and are still authoritative. It is true that the Substance, of which the type and shadow prefigured, has come. But, the principles of God never depart. Those Words are a record of His eternal principles given to us in this world of time.

To argue that those Words are no longer authoritative is to argue that God has, somehow, changed His Message to humanity. Those precepts of the Old Testament are timeless and will tell us how to live today.

The Old Testament is the foundation of the New Testament. Without that record of the Old Testament we cannot rightly understand the New Testament. Revelation, for instance, becomes a virtual science fiction novel if it is not read with an understanding of the Old Testament. We especially need to understand Ezekiel, Daniel and the rest of the Old Testament if we expect to find the meaning of the Words therein.

And, let us not forget, the prophecies of the Old Testament relate to this age. They also relate to the ages to come. God is not done with the Old Testament and neither should we be ready to discard the message contained in those thirty nine inspired and preserved Books.

We will continue this discussion in our next session.

OLD TESTAMENT (Continued)

There are many who dismiss the Old Testament as a collection of fables which were invented by the ancients in an attempt to understand the world about them. They see the Old Testament as a collection of fiction. To be fair, many who see the Old Testament in this manner believe that this was simply the method of teaching which God used. "After all," they would say, "We can’t really be expected to believe that the story of Adam and Eve, or the flood, or even of Jonah, were true. They were simply pious attempts used to explain the greatness of God to an unsophisticated people who wouldn’t understand what was really done."

The argument is that God just allowed the people to see these stories. He was using observable things to illustrate. It was like saying that the sun rises in the East. We know that the sun doesn’t rise; the earth rotates so that we can begin to see it in our sky. God was just acting that way in a literary sense.

Now, that sounds good. It sounds reasonable. It even sounds "religious," in a sense. But, as Criswell (The Criswell Study Bible) points out, some of the passages which modern man most readily doubts are among those which Jesus cited as authoritative. Things like the flood, Jonah, and the Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch were confirmed from the lips of Jesus.

"And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?" (Matthew 19:4-5) In these verses Jesus clearly refers to the original creation of Adam and Eve. He attributes real, historical accuracy to their lives.

"But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the days that Noe entered into the ark. And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." (Matthew 24:37-39)

In the above passage Jesus not only recounts the events of the Flood as real, He uses those historical realities as a basis for prophecy.

"But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here." (Matthew 12:39-41)

Once again, Jesus used the story of Jonah in an historical context. He didn’t say "as in the ‘story’ of Jonah..." He said simply that the fact that Jonah was three days and nights in the belly of a whale is a sign, or a prophecy, of Jesus. He said that the people of Nineveh had actually repented, thereby being more righteous than the present generation.

"And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you?" Jesus was, here, appealing to the twenty-forth chapter of Deuteronomy and saying that Moses had written those words. Jesus was not defending the Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch, He was simply stating this as an historical fact.

Jesus defended the authority of the Old Testament. Any who would seek to deny Him the ability to do so, through the force of His Own authority, must argue that He was wrong.

This argument could be made on the basis of the Incarnation. They could argue that His knowledge was limited because of the Kenosis (His laying aside of His outward glory during His sojourn on the earth). Such an argument borders upon blasphemy or heresy. Jesus was teaching spiritual truths at these points. To deny to Him the ability to teach correctly on matters of spirituality is absurd. Such a suggestion would allege that He could be wrong on spiritual matters. Such would put our own souls in jeopardy. Such an argument would deny Him the ability to act as the Son of God. His teaching, on every subject, would then be suspect.

Thank God such is not the case. Jesus was perfect in every phase of His human life. This would include His teaching.

The argument could also be made that Jesus simply accommodated the misconceptions of the culture of the day. This is, likewise, absurd. It seems that nearly every time He spoke to the Pharisees He was correcting some misconception which they had on spiritual matters. Besides, such an argument would mean that He was teaching error.

I would argue that our acceptance of the Old Testament is a legitimate test of orthodoxy. If we can not accept the Old Testament we are dismissing the very Words of God.

Our acceptance, or rejection, of the Old Testament colors our acceptance of Jesus Christ. There are many prophecies relating to the first advent of Jesus in the Old Testament. If we reject the authenticity of those documents we must be led to doubt the facts of His life.

Further, since Jesus trusted the Old Testament as authoritative, our nonacceptance of the Old Testament is tantamount to doubting His teachings.

Also, our acceptance or rejection of the Old Testament will color our acceptance of the Divine Initiative of Inspiration. Either we trust that God has given us an inspired Word, or we do not. It is not for us to decide what we will allow Him to have said!

As the Old Testament is the foundation of the New Testament, our faith in the New Testament must draw upon the Old Testament. If we do not have a trustworthy Old Testament it is not possible that we can have a trustworthy New Testament.

We are also led to accept the inspiration of the Old Testament because of the prophetic claims made therein. Fagal (By Faith I Live) had just been discussing the downfalls of Babylon and Tyre in relation to the prophecies relating to them, when he made the following observation. "The Bible is a book in which we can have confidence. Only those who have never had opportunity to check the accuracy of its claims could doubt its veracity."

Finally, the New Testament writers claim inspiration for the Old Testament documents. Garner (Bible Analysis) argued that, "...the New Testament writers considered the Old Testament Scriptures to be pure, holy, sacred and trustworthy..." He cited the following verses in defense of his claims.

"When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said." (John 2:2) The Gospel of John affirms the Old Testament.

Luke makes appeal to the Old Testament Scripture in his writing.

"And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?" (Acts 4:24-25)

Paul considered the Old Testament Scripture to be of God.

"And 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. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (II Timothy 3:15-17)

Peter preached the invulnerability of the Old Testament Scriptures. "Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus." (Acts 1:16)

Brethren, we have an Old Testament Scripture upon which we can stand. It is the Words of the Lord.

In our next session we will begin to examine some of the evidences of the inspiration of the New Testament.

NEW TESTAMENT

The Old Testament was the story of God preparing a people through whom the Savior of the World was to come. The New Testament is the story of that Savior. Everything in both Testaments can be found in Christ. He is the Creator, the Lamb, the Sovereign, the Focus and Master of History, the Eternal, the Word displayed for humanity and, most important, He is our Savior.

Jesus had a high view of Scripture.

Isn’t strange that we so often write in the past tense about the current Savior. Jesus is not a figure from history, He is the Savior from Eternity. We should also try to remember this in our speech and writing. Jesus has a high view of Scripture. He displayed this high regard in His pronouncements about those Words.

Jesus called the Old Testament Scripture to be trustworthy. Garner (Bible Analysis) said this about Jesus and the Scripture. "Christ knew the origin, history, contents, and authority of the Old Testament Scripture... [He] always treated the Old Testament with reverence and pronounced them to be sure preservation against error."

"Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God." (Matthew 22:29)

"Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." (John 5:39)

When confronted, either by Satan in the Temptation on the Mount, or in discourse with the religious leaders of the day, Jesus would resort to the argument of Scripture. Jesus, the Divine Son of God, considered those Scriptures as sufficient in doctrinal dispute.

I have heard many in this day ask why we should treat the Scripture as an authority. Especially in this day of multiple versions and a general distrust in the preservation of those Scriptures, we are asked why we can trust them. One simple reason: Jesus trusted the Scripture to answer disputes of doctrine. He considered the Scripture to be the Final Authority on earth. We are wise to follow His example, are we not?

Jesus, as Garner reminds us, considered the Scripture to be a valuable and infallible resource to which we could appeal. "He [Christ] held them [the Old Testament Scriptures] to be sacred, holy, and true."

Besides trusting the Scripture of the Old Testament, Jesus actually pre-authorised the words of the Apostles. Criswell makes comment on this subject.

"The Lord Jesus Himself pre-authenticated the New Testament revelation when He promised that the Holy Spirit would guide the apostles into ‘all truth’ (John 16:13) and would supernaturally assist their memories concerning the events and teachings He had ordained for them to record (Matt. 24:35; John 14:26)."

"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." (John 16:13)

"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." (Matthew 24:35)

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (John 14:26)

Please note the restrictions Jesus placed on those whom He authorized. The concept of "another gospel" of Jesus, whether it be the Book of Mormon or the later writings of the Gnostic’s, were never authorised by Jesus and are, thus, false gospels of false religious systems.

Among those who were authorised would be the Apostle Paul. Although some would contest his claims to be an apostle, Scripture declares that he is of this office.

"Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead..." (Galatians 1:1)

Paul was a man who spoke with the risen Lord.

"And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him; Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus." (Acts 9:1-7)

The other Apostles recognized the apostleship of Paul.

"But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncicumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter." (Galatians 2:7)

Paul, as were the other apostles, was instructed by the Lord.

"I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man (whether in the body or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities." (II Corinthians 12:2-5)

"For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." (Galatians 1:12)

Peter considered the writings of Paul to be Scripture.

"And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction." (II Peter 3:15-16)

Luke was a frequent companion of Paul. As such the apostolic authority for both the Gospel of Luke and the history of the early church in the Book of Acts derive their authority from the Apostle Paul.

Mark, the author (humanly speaking) of the Gospel which bears his name, was well known to Peter (see Acts 12:12). He was also a frequent companion of Paul (see Acts 12:25; Acts 15:37-39; Col. 4:10; II Tim 4:11 and Philemon 24). His writings would draw apostolic authority from these men.

Notice, again, that all of the New Testament Books were authored, humanly speaking, wither by the Apostles, themselves, or by a close companion of these men. These were given the pre-authorization from Jesus to compose, under inspiration of course, those Books of the New Testament. No one else can claim this authorization. Such works are false and not of God.

It shouldn’t have to be said, but... Neither is there any authority given to any writing in which the true author simply assumed the name of one of the apostles. Several of the Gnostic writings are forgeries of this sort.

In our next session we will begin by picking up some of the teaching of Paul.

NEW TESTAMENT (Continued)

A few hours ago I completed a six page update for this page. It was a triumph of the writer’s art - arguably one of the greatest tomes on the subject of New Testament inspiration ever written. I don’t like to brag like this but, I feel it wouldn’t be right if I lied.

Then I accidently hit "delete."

Back to work.

I often wonder why things like this happen. Yes; they happen to me quite often. Well, it seems quite often because I tend to dwell overmuch on things like this. In a greater sense I realize that this is not much of a loss. I’ve lost a couple of hours of time.

Then I realize that I’ve not lost any time at all. Actually, it has all been time well spent. I have been forced, because of my efforts at updating this page, to spend a few hours in communion with the Lord. That’s not really a waste of time now, is it! That’s a very good thing.

The incident has also sent me to consider just how important my little effort really is. Not much at all! It really isn’t. In the real scope of things, who cares if my writing ever does see the light of day? It just isn’t important.

Now, the Scripture, about which we are gathering together to discuss, that is important. It is so good that God has disallowed the "delete" button on His message to humanity. His Word is eternal; the fact of inspiration makes this certain.

The bottom line is, "Ain’t God Good!" No question mark at end of that sentence.

Now, it is time to once again begin this session of considering the fact of the inspiration of the New Testament.

There is a fallacy currently about which postulates that the writings of the New Testament were not considered inspired until much later after the time they had been written. It ain’t true! In the writings of Paul, for instance, we see a very early acceptance of the Christian writings as Scripturally inspired.

Criswell (Criswell Study Bible) points out I Timothy 5:18. In this specific verse Paul appeals to the Scripture in support of his arguments. In this verse Paul says, "For the Scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward."

The interesting thing about this verse, as Criswell points out is that Paul, while quoting Scripture - appealing to it as authority, he cites both Deuteronomy 25:4 and Luke 10:7 as both being equally inspired Scripture.

Paul was writing in the latter third of the first century. We are told that it was obviously at the end of the second century, if not later, that the writings of those early apostles were beginning to be accepted as Scripture. It would appear that we’ve been told wrong by the nay sayers.

The writings of Scripture were quite early on recognized as Scripture. Now, to be fair, not all of the Christians in every location accepted exactly the Scripture which is included in our New Testaments. It took some time for the Spirit to work on some of the hard hearts in the various churches before all of His canon was established. But, another important point is that this canon was settled upon by the churches, or rather by the Christians of those churches as the Spirit led them into the Truth.

No church council or conclave ever decided just what was Scripture and what was not. Those various councils only ratified the already prevailing truth which the Spirit has led the Christians of the churches to already accept.

There were many letters and gospels written in those first few centuries. Most of these have succumbed to the elements. A few others have been kept in this world by being buried beneath the sands, or placed on the back shelves of libraries where human hands and eyes have not bothered to lay the breath of worshipful attention upon them. But, those twenty-seven Books which make up our New Testaments have been copied and recopied by the pious. Those Words of Life have shown the evidence of Life in themselves. They have survived, through the providential preservation of the Spirit of God, while the sham and the forgery have been laid aside, largely forgotten.

The Word of God is an element unto itself!

Criswell also appealed to I Corinthians 2:10-11, 13 and Galatians 1:11-13 as evidence that Paul did claim that his words had authority beyond that of himself. "The Apostle Paul consciously claimed divine authentication of his writings.

Dr. John R. Rice (Rice Study Bible) also saw that Luke claimed authority for his writings.

"‘From the very first’ might have been translated ‘from above.’ The Greek word ‘anothen’ used here [Luke 1:3] is translated ‘from above’ in John 3:31; 19:11; James 1:17, and at 3:15 and 17 ... Luke said (v. 4) that these things were written ‘that thou mighest know the certainty of these things, wherein thou has been instructed.’ Other uninspired accounts could not be certain. This was certain, as from God, and the ‘perfect understanding’ which Luke possessed resulted from word-for-word inspiration."

Actually, the concept of a word-for-word inspiration is not strong enough. Listen to Paul’s argument about the promise given to Abraham. "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." (Galatians 3:16) Inspiration is so powerful and precise that it even extends to the letters of those words. As a matter of fact, we could go back to Matthew 5:18 where Jesus extends the preservation of the Words of Scripture all the way down to the "jot and tittle." These are parts of the letters.

This is just another indication that the current fancy with the idea of "concept inspiration" is wrong. This, "concept inspiration," is the teaching that God only inspired the general idea of what He wanted us to know. It is simply a variation of the old saw that the Bible only contains the Word of God; it is not the Words of God.

The purpose from which this idea sprang was not to consider faith, but the advance doubt. The modern versions are all based on consensus that the Words of Scripture were not preserved. For some reason even otherwise fundamental educator’s and Bible critics have decided that God either could not, or would not, but definitely did not preserve His Words for the ages. For some reason these "bible scholars" (small case intended) have decided that the Words may be settled in Heaven but they are lost on earth. It is only the great minds of mankind which has allowed us to reconstitute, a little from this part of the Tree of Life and a little from another part, a close approximation of what those original words might have been.

This is an affront to Almighty God. It is to allege that He is pretty stupid. After all, He was so precise in His inspiration that He gave His Message to the very tense, letter, and part of letter. And then, somehow, He forgot to preserve that Message. Well, maybe we could consider Him less mentally challenged and just say that He was unable to control the preservation of those Words.

What kind of a Scripture, what kind of a God, does this teach! How, indeed, are we able to have faith that this type of God and Scripture is really able to promise us the eternal security of our immortal souls?

I would argue that God did both inspire and preserve His Words to humanity. Nothing else is possible with the "concept" and Words which are recorded in the pages of Holy Scripture. Nothing less is possible for the God Who created the Universe and all that is within!

We also see that Peter claimed authority for His writings. Criswell, again, looks at the writing of Peter and says that Peter claimed that the Holy Ghost has "revealed" words to him. Peter was also "...conscious of the spirit’s work in his own writings. (I Pet. 1:10-12)."

Another interesting portion of the writing of Peter is contained in II Peter 3:15-16. The NIV Study Bible allows that "Some of have suggested that Peter is making reference to the Book of Romans as a circular letter being read in the churches."

This idea of the "circular letter" is another indication of an early identification of these writings as being Scripture. Many of Paul’s epistles were letters dealing with local considerations. It is the effort of the Spirit upon the souls of those early Christians which made them understand that these local incidents were being used to teach universal truths. The very fact that these letters were copied, recopied, and sent to the furthest reaches of the Christian communities, is evidence that these early Christians knew that these were the teaching of God rather than a simple local letter.

I get quite a bit of correspondence. Rarely have I ever made a copy of any of these letters and sent them out to someone else. Never have any of these letters been bound into books and sent to all the churches. And I’m going to assume that you know of no such actions either, save those of the early writings of the Apostle’s which make up the New Testament.

I also want to note that, as Criswell again says, that this passage sees Peter giving weight to the Epistles of Paul. Peter sees these writings, and cautions others to also see them, "...as the equal of the Old Testament writing in terms of inspiration..."

Water is a very special element in this world. Almost every element will get smaller as it gets colder. This makes these elements, and the molecules within them, condensed into a smaller area. Yet, they keep the same weight; it is their density which is increased. In effect, and in actuality, these elements become heavier per square inch as they cool.

Water, on the other hand, gets bigger as it cools. That is why we see pictures of the icebergs floating on the water.

If water acted like any other element the ponds would not freeze "over." They would freeze "under." All of the ice would sink, rather than float, as the ice would be denser, and heavier per square inch, than the water. Thus, in time, the ponds would freeze from bottom to top. They would become large blocks of ice. All the life within them would die from lack of oxygen.

Instead, the ice forms a layer of insulation on top of the ponds. The fish are afforded protection from the elements and live.

Likewise, the Bible is different from all other books. It is The Book which has risen above all others. Standing under the teaching of this Book, and saturated with the Spirit’s insulation from the things of the world, we are kept safe within the Love of God.

Rice, once more, appeals to I Corinthians 2:13. He sees that God gave His Words to the writers. "These words were ‘settled’ in Heaven; then God made them part of the vocabularies of men He had prepared to write (cf. Is. 49:1, 2)."

Once again I see an argument to the full inspiration of the Words of the Scripture rather than to the general ideas therein.

When we recall the reverence which Jesus had for the Old Testament Scriptures, we must also recall His pre-authorization of the New Testament Scriptures.

When we consider that the first Christians were Jewish men, we are reminded of the great care that centuries of Jewish scribes had copied the sacred page. We are reminded of centuries of pious "men in the street" Jews who saw these Words as the Words of Life. We must be struck by the utter faith which was exercised by these men. It was not an easy thing for them to begin to consider these "new" writings of the Apostles as on equal ground with the Old Testament Scriptures. It would have taken the work of the Spirit of God upon their hearts for them to see this truth!

Rice also considers I Peter 1:10 and sees that even the prophets needed to study their own prophecy as the words which they wrote were of God rather than of the personal study or thoughts of those prophets.

This brings up something else we need to consider. The inspiration lay upon the words rather than on the writer, or even upon the writing. Had the inspiration lay upon the human instrument, the authority would have died when he died. Besides, this would have given the words a temporal flavor as they would spring from God only as distilled through the instrument. The words would, then, not be eternal.

Neither could the inspiration lay upon the writing. Again, the parchment would decay and rot. This "inspiration" would fade with time again lacking the force of eternity within itself.

But the inspiration did lie upon the Words. The Words are eternal since they are the direct result of the action of the God of Eternity. Any faithful copy of those Words would carry the same force of inspiration since inspiration lay in the Words. We do not need the "original manuscripts" to give us instruction. We have the force of those "original manuscripts" within faithful reproductions of those originals.

It is for this reason that we can hold up our Bibles in this day, and in a derivative sense when they are faithful renditions of the preserved Text, say, "This IS The Word of God!"

Another example, as we spoke of even the human penmen needing to study that which they wrote under inspiration, is the case of Daniel. In Daniel 12:8-9 we see that Daniel asked to be told what it was that he had just written. He didn’t understand it.

An aside: Now there is faith. I have no idea what I’m doing right now; but since God asked that I do so, here I go. How frightening is that faith. How empowering is that type of faith! God said, "Write." So, Daniel wrote.

Again, this is a case for preservation. Daniel, or someone else years down the line, could not have "reconstructed" this under "concept inspiration" because they would have no idea what was the "concept" of which it spoke!

We see, of course, this same idea of the prophet not completely understanding all he had written, in Isaiah 7:14. I am fairly certain that Isaiah did not understand this as a prophecy of the coming Messiah.

But, it was! Matthew 1:23 confirms that this was a prophecy of the coming of Jesus. The Holy Spirit interprets the verse.

I appeal to John R. Rice (The Rice Study Bible) one last time in this session as we consider II Timothy 3:16. "The Word ‘inspiration’ means neither a sort of supervision so that ‘...God breathes on man’s best effort and so called it inspired.’ The meaning is that God breathed out the Words of Scripture Himself. Every Word of Scripture is, therefore, inspired..."

Notice that this verse says, "All Scripture is inspired..." So many of the modern English language versions will say, "All Scripture that is inspired..." There is a vast difference between the two phrases. One says that the entire Bible is inspired. The other says that parts of the Bible are inspired.

Under the second definition we are left to wonder, and to pick and choose, just what is - and what ain’t! Again, this is a weak view of Scripture and of God. It is a view that puts us in "the driver’s seat." Folks, a proper view of inspiration and Scripture understands that God is the Only One in charge. We exercise faith in Him when we allow Him to direct our paths.

In this verse we also see that the Word is given to us for several purposes.

One purpose is to make doctrine. We don’t decide what we’d like. We accept what God had decreed. Church councils are not in charge. Our culture is most certainly not in charge. He is in charge. We find our doctrinal beliefs recorded in His Truth. It’s not our doctrine to decide. It is His. We accept that which He has said.

The Word is given to us so that we can cease from doing wrong and begin to do right. Even our own conscience will not always lead us rightly. The Spirit is our guide for conduct as He impresses the Word upon our souls and minds.

The Mormon is said to decide issues by the "burning within his breast." That is feelings. Sometimes feelings are the result of pepperoni pizza too late at night. Sometimes feelings are the result of what we want. Feelings are not trustworthy; this is especially true to and unregenerate person. Satan can give "feelings." And, he does.

What we need is the Scripture wherein God gives us the Light for our Paths. Then we can walk with the Spirit.

"Feelings" have led the Mormon to follow a false gospel and a false Christ. "Feelings" if followed to their logical end result in an eternity separated from God in the pits of Hell.

The Word is given so that we may learn of Him. In the Bible God has revealed Himself and His Way for us to walk. In the glove compartment of my van is an "Owner’s Manual." It was placed there by the manufacturer of the vehicle. He knows best what will make that van of mine run. He even knows more about that van than I do.

God has given us The Owner’s Manual. He is the Creator and understands what we need to live even this physical life to the fullest. More than that, God’s Owner’s Manual tells us how to live forever with Him in Heaven.

Verse 17, right after II Timothy 3:16, tells us why the Words of God have been given. They have been given for us. The purpose of learning more of Him is so that we can begin to live a life of good works. The Word is given to those who are in a righteous state through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. It is not given for the world at large, but for the Christian.

How many of the modern versions state that there purpose is to make it easier for the unregenerate to read God’s Word. They will not want to read God’s Words. The Words of God are from Above and they are from beneath.

Those who would read the Scripture, in an unregenerate state will not be looking to submit to the real Will of God. They might be looking for some sort of fulfillment. They may even been looking for spiritual enlightenment. But, the Word says, "There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God." (Romans 3:11)

Unless, and until, the Spirit brings conviction power upon a person’s soul, they will not be ready to respond to the things of God. It is our duty to pray, by name, for these people and witness to them of the Living Word. He sill lead them to the Written Word.

This concludes our section on the inspiration of the New Testament. In our next session we will begin to consider some of the theories of inspiration.