The Doctrine of the Word of God (2)

B. Therefore, to Disbelieve or Disobey Any Word of Scripture Is to Disbelieve or Disobey God

C. The Truthfulness of Scripture

1. God cannot lie or speak falsely.

• Titus 1:2
• Hebrews 6:18
  

2. Therefore, all the words in Scripture are completely true and without error in any part.

• Since the words of the Bible are God's words, and since God cannot lie or speak falsely, it is correct to conclude that there is no untruthfulness or error in any part of the words of Scripture.

3. God's words are the ultimate standard of truth

• John 17:17

4. Might some new fact ever contradict the Bible?

• If any supposed "fact" is ever discovered that is said to contradict Scripture, then that "fact" must be fale, because God, the author of Scripture, knows all true facts.
• No fact will ever turn up that God did not know about ages ago and take into account when he caused Scripture to be written.

D. The Inerrancy of Scripture

1. The meaning of inerrancy

• The inerrancy of Scripture means that Scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anthing which is contrary to fact.

a. The Bible can be inerrant and still speak in the ordinary language of everyday speech.

b. The Bible can be inerrant and still include loose or free quotations

c. It is consistent with inerrancy to have unusual or uncommon grammatical constructions in the Bible.

2. Some current challenges to inerrancy

a. The Bible is only authoritative for "faith and practice"

• The Bible repeatedly affirms that all of Scripture is profitable for us and that all of it is "God-breathed."
• Luke 24:25
• Acts 24:14
• Romans 15:4

b. The term inerrancy is a poor term

• The word has been used by scholars for more than a hundred years, and they have always allowed for "limitations" that attach to speech in ordinary language.
• Also we often use nonbiblical terms to summarize a biblical teaching. The word Trinity does not occur in Scripture, nor does the word incarnation. Yet both of these terms are very helpful because they allow us to summarize in one word a true biblical concept.

c. We have no inerrant manuscripts; therefore, talk about an inerrant Bible is misleading

• Think about it like this. The original copy of the United States Constitution is housed in a building in D.C. If that building were destroyed and the original copy of the Constitution lost, could we ever find out what the Constitution said? Of course, we would compare hundred of copies, and where they all agreed, we would have reason for confidence that we had the exact words of the original document.

d. The biblical writers "accommodated" their messages in minor details to the false idea current in their day and affirmed or taught those ideas in an incidental way

• God is Lord of human language who can use human language to communicate perfectly without having to affirm any false ideas that may have been held by people during the time of the writing of Scripture.

e. There are some clear errors in the Bible.

• Where?

3. Problems with denying inerrancy

a. If we deny inerrancy a serious moral problem confronts us: May we imitate God and intentionally lie in small matters also?

• Ephesians 5:1 tells us to be imitators of God.
• But a denial of inerrancy that still claims that the words of Scripture are God-breathed words necessarily implies that God intentional spoke falsely to us in some of the less central affirmations of Scripture.

b. Second, if inerrancy is denied, we begin to wonder if we can really trust God in anything he says.

• Once we become convinced that God has spoken falsely to us in some minor matters in Scripture, then we realize that God is capable of speaking falsely to us.

c. Third, if we deny inerrancy we essentially make our own human minds a higher standard of truth than God's Word itself.

• We use our minds to pass judgment on some sections of God's Word and pronounce them to be in error.

d. Fourth, if we deny inerrancy, we must also say that the Bible is wrong not only in minor details but in some of its doctrines as well.

• A denial of inerrancy means that we say that the Bible's teaching about the nature of Scripture and about the truthfulness and reliability of God's words is also false.

E. Written Scripture is Our Final Authority

• It is important to realize that the final form in which Scripture is authoritative is its written form.
  

The Doctrine of the Word of God (1)

I. Explanation and Scriptural Basis

• The authority of Scripture means that all the words in SCripture are God's words in such a way that to disbelieve or disobey any word of Scripture is to disbelieve or disobey God.

A. All the Words in Scripture Are God's Words

1. This is what the Bible claims for itself

• 2 Timothy 3:16 - "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness"

2. We are convinced of the Bible's claims to be God's words as we read the Bible

• Our ultimate conviction that the words of the Bible are God's words comes only when the Holy Spirit speaks in and through the words of the Bible to our hearts and gives us an inner assurance that these words of our Creator speaking to us.

3. Other evidence is useful but not finally convicing

• As the Westminster Confessin of Faith said in 1643-46

"We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the Church to an high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scripture. And the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is, to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man's salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God: yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts."

4. The words of Scripture are self-attesting

• Since the words of Scripture are "self-attesting", they cannot be proved to be God's words by appeal to any higher authority.
• If we make our ultimate appeal, for example, to human logic or to scientific truth to prove that the Bible is God's Word, then we assume the thing to which we appeal to be a higher authority than God's words and one that is more true or more reliable.

5. Objection: This is a circular argument

• We believe that Scripture is God's Word because it claims to be that. And we believe its claims because Scripture is God's Word. And we believe that it is God's Word because it claims to be that, and so forth.

6. This does not imply dictation from God as the sole means of communication

• The fact that all the words of Scripture are God's words should not lead us to think that God dictated every word of Scripture to the human authors.
• In instances where the human personality and writing style of the author were involved, all that we are able to say is that God's providential oversight and direction of the life of each author was such that their personalities and skills were just what God wanted them to be for the task of writing Scripture. Their backgrounds and training, their abilities to evaluate events in the world around them, their access to historical data, their judgment with regard to the accuracy of information, and their individual circumstances when they wrote were all exactly what God wanted them to be, so that when they actually came to the point of putting pen to paper, the words were fully their own words but also fully the words God wanted them to write, words God would also claim as his own.

Blessed is the man

Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. Proverbs 8:34

Blessed is he who trusts in the LORD. Proverbs 16:20

Blessed is the man who does this, the man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil Isaiah 56:2

Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days Daniel 12:12

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Matthew 5:3

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted Matthew 5:4

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled Matthew 5:6

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Matthew 5:7

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Matthew 5:8

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Matthew 5:9

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Matthew 5:10

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Matthew 5:11

Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me Matthew 11:6

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest Matthew 21:9

Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!" "Hosanna in the highest!" Mark 11:10

Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! Luke 1:42

Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh? Luke 6:21

Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you. Luke 11:27

Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it Luke 11:28

Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God." Luke 14:15

Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed Luke 23:29

Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Romans 4:7

Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him Romans 4:8

Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. Romans 14:22

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him James 1:12

Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near Revelation 1:3

Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed Revelation 16:15

Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. Revelation 19:9

Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. Revelation 20:6

Blessed Is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book Revelation 22:7

Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him Jeremiah 17:7

Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods Psalm 40:4

Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble. Psalm 41:1

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage Psalm 84:5

Blessed is the man you discipline, O LORD, the man you teach from your law Psalm 94:12

Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right. Psalm 106:3

Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands. Psalm 112:1

Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. Psalm 119:2

Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate Psalm 127:5

Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways. Psalm 128:1

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding Proverbs 3:13

Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. Nehemiah 9:5

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. Psalm 1:1

Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth Genesis 14:19

Laziness and the Bible

Growing up I remember it use to be like pulling teeth for my mom to try to get me to read anything. If it wasn't a book about animals or sports I was not interested. I know that was a poor and ignorant attitude but its how I was. I think for a lot of people they can have the same attitude towards the Bible or 'Christian' books, in that they don't find them exciting or applicable to them.

The book I am reading right now called Knowing Scripture talks about two myths that people give for not reading or studying the Bible. One is the myth that the Bible is too difficult to understand than only highly skilled theologians with technical training can deal with the Scriptures, and the other myth is that the Bible is boring to them.

I think both of those myths can both be pointed to the same problem, ... motivation. This book points out that we fail in our duty to study God's Word not so much because it is difficult to understand, not so much because it is dull and boring, but because it is work. Our problem is not the lack of intelligence or wisdom about the Bible or a lack of passion, but more of a sense of our laziness.

The whole theme of this book seems to be on not how to read the Bible necessarily, but how to study the Bible. Reading is something we can do in a leisurely way, with distractions around, or something that can be done strictly for entertainment. However to study the Bible, suggest labor, serious and diligent work, and a life long work at that.

One thing that Mark Dever said, at New Attitude, was that Bible study is one of the main things that can encourage your faith and I know for me that has been so true.

Packer in his book Knowing Scripture asks the question, "Why should we study the Bible?" and then responds....

"I could cite numerous reasons why you would benefit from a serious study of Scripture. But ultimately the main reason why we should study the Bible is because it is our duty. If the Bible were the most boring book in the world, dull, uninteresting and seemingly irrelevant, it would still be our duty to study it. If its literary style were awkward and confusing, the duty would remain. We live as human beings under an obligation by divine mandate to study diligently God's Word. He is our Sovereign, it is his Word and he commands that we study it. A duty is not an option. If you have not yet begun to respond to that duty, then you need to ask God to forgive you and to resolve to do your duty from this day forth."

Memorization of Scriptures

When I think of memorization, I think of all of the hours and time spent in the library studying for exams. Blah. This past weekend at New Attitude one of the topics spoken about was the memorization of Scripture and how important that was.

When Scripture is stored in the mind, it is available for the Holy Spirit to take and bring to your attention when you need it most. In Psalm 119 it says that, "I have hidden your word in my heart that I may not sin against you"

It is one thing when you are going through your daily life and a certain temptation pops in your head or you are watching or thinking about something you shouldn't and you realize you shouldn't so you stop. However it is even more 'powerful' against the temptation when a specific verse can be brought to your mind. In Colossians 3:2 it states to set your minds on the things above and not on earthly things.

I think a good illustration is the time Jesus had a confrontation with Satin. Every time the enemy through a temptation at Jesus, He parried it with 'the sword of the Spirit' as Piper would say. I think one way that we would be able to fight against temptations is to do like Jesus did, memorize Scripture so that it's available in our minds when we need it the most.

To me memorization also strengthens my faith because it repeatedly reinforces the truth. In Pipers message he said how every day he would write a Scripture on a note card and stick it in his pocket, and that throughout the day he would pull it out and read it which would help him memorize it.

One area I was convicted on this past week at New Attitude was not just the memorization of Scriptures, but the memorization of the songs we sing to praise him as well. Yes, some of the songs were new to me however, there are sometimes I don't know all the words to songs that I have been singing for years, but yet I know the words to the songs that are played daily on the radio.

Proverbs 22:17-19

Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge, for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips. That your trust may be in the Lord, I have made them known to you today, even to you.

Only One

Missing the Mark

Romans 3:23-24

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus

I guess a way you could look at it is, when a person competes in the pole vault, he is focused on doing one thing, jumping higher than the mark where the bar has been set. Once he/she has jumped, there can only be two outcomes. Either they cleared the mark or fell short.

If they failed in their attempt to clear the bar, whether he missed by an inch or a foot it doesn't matter. They still failed.

The same is true with sin. The Hebrew word for sin literally means "to miss the mark." Everyone sins by choosing to go their own way instead of God's way. Some people miss God's mark by an inch; others miss it by a mile. How close you come doesn't matter. Close isn't and never will be close enough.

The moral bar God has set for us to clear is a high one; it is so high that it's impossible to continually clear it on our own. A perfect, holy God can't embrace anything less than perfect. The good news is that this perfect and faultless God is also loving. That's why he provided a way for us to clear the bar more consistently, as well as a means for us to avoid penalty when we do miss the mark.

It is important for us to recognize that everyone sins. We should shift our focus to the future, not to the past. Because of Jesus, guilt and the fear of punishment no longer weigh us down. When we miss the mark, we should ask for God's forgiveness, learn from our mistake, and then keep moving forward.