Scripture: Inspiration and Preservation, Part 2

I am going to continue discussing the issue of the inspiration and preservation of the Bible (2 Timothy 2:15). As stated earlier, entire books have been written on this issue, and it is not meant to be exhaustive by any means. However, it will cover the basics, and, hopefully, encourage you to further study and strengthen your faith in the Word of God, especially, in a day in which fewer and fewer seem to believe it.

Last time, we defined revelation as a disclosure of information that could not have been known otherwise. Also, the two types of revelation which include general and special. Both speak of situations in which God is revealing Himself to some extent. Today, we are going to tackle the subject of inspiration. Obviously, one can have a revelation without it necessarily resulting in an inspiration, but one cannot have an inspiration without first having received a revelation. The word “inspired” literally means “God-breathed” or as Erickson puts it, “breathed into by the Holy Spirit”  It is seen in 2 Timothy 3:16 where it says that “All Scripture is inspired by God.” The inspiration spoken of here is more than just that of an artist or a musician being inspired to create something. Instead, it is a unique event in which God speaks words to man and man in turn, writes those words down.

When speaking of these words as contained in the Bible, Peter said in 2 Peter 1:16-21 that the Bible is the “prophetic word made more sure”. In the context of that statement, Peter had just stated that even though he and the others who were him had seen Christ transfigured before them on the mountain (Matthew 17:2-5); their testimony was not to be compared to the testimony of the Bible itself. In other words, the Bible, by its own claim to inspiration, is always the superior witness.

There are several views as to inspiration. First, there is the natural view which totally denies any supernatural element in the process. Those who hold this view merely see the Bible as a great work of art on the level of Shakespeare or any other great artist. A second view is that of partial inspiration which believes that while not all of the Scriptures are inspired, some are. The third view is what is called conceptual inspiration. In this view, it’s not necessarily the words themselves that are inspired, but the concept behind those words, i.e., the overall message. A fourth view is what some would call encounter inspiration. In other words, the Bible “becomes” inspired to each individual reader as they “encounter” perceived truth. 

And finally, there is what is called plenary verbal inspiration. This is the correct view. It implies that not only is the message of the Bible inspired, but the very words of that message are inspired. The word “verbal” actually means “by means of words” or “word for word”. Jesus said in Luke 16:17 "But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail.” That same language is found in Matthew 5:18 where it says, “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” The word for “letter” in this verse is the Hebrew word iota and the word for “stroke” is the Hebrew word keraia as in Luke 16:17. The iota, or jot as it is sometimes called, refers to the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet and the word keraia refers to the small appendage that differentiates two similar letters in the Hebrew alphabet. In our English language, it would almost be the equivalent of what we would call the dotting of an “I” and the crossing of a “T”.

Now, some would argue that verbal inspiration of necessity requires dictation. Grudem is quick to point out that even though the words in the Bible are indeed God’s words, we are talking more about the “result” than the actual words themselves.  He further points out that God actually used a “wide variety of processes” to bring about the desired “result”. However, that is not to say that no dictation is to be found in Scripture. It is obvious from the text at times that the author did indeed pen the words verbatim as they were spoken to him. For example in Revelation 2:1 it says, "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:” It’s obvious from the text that the Apostle John was told emphatically to write exactly what the angel said to write. In the end, it means that God made sure that the human personalities and the individual writing styles of each were under the oversite of God and He directed each of them to write exactly what He wanted them to write. Finally, that brings us to the “plenary”. The word means “full” or “all”. In other words, when the words “plenary verbal inspiration” are all added together; they mean “all words God-breathed.”

Congratulations, Marling!

Congratulations, Marling! She is one of several students who is sponsored by Building Lives International. The funds given by this ministry allowed her to successfully complete not only high school studies but continues to provide for her as she studies at university. She is well on her way to becoming a teacher! We are so proud of her and equally honored to be a part of her journey. Marling, lives in Esteli, Nicaragua.

Scripture: Inspiration and Preservation, Part 1

In this post I am going to take a closer look at the Scriptures and what we believe in regards to their inspiration and preservation (2 Timothy 2:15). Since the subject is large, it will be in several parts. Of course, entire books have been written on this issue, and it is not meant to be exhaustive by any means. However, it will cover the basics, and, hopefully, encourage you to further study and strengthen your faith in the Word of God, especially, in a day in which fewer and fewer seem to believe it. 

Christianity rises and falls on not only the inspiration of Scripture but also upon God’s ability to preserve them for future generations. As such, issues such as revelation, the various views, and proofs of inspiration, inerrancy and ultimately canonization must be looked at together and in order. Revelation comes first. The word revelation speaks of a disclosure of information that could not have been known otherwise. In Scripture, the word speaks of God giving information to man that he otherwise would not have known on his own. In regards to revelation, there are two types that must be dealt with before we proceed: they are general and special. Both speak of situations in which God is revealing Himself to some extent.

General revelation is by definition, “God’s disclosure of Himself in nature as the creator and sustainer of all things.”  Most would agree that this revelation comes through nature (Psalms 19:1-6), conscience (Romans 2:14-15), and history (Deuteronomy 28:9-10). The Bible tells us two things about general revelation. First, it is seen by all men. Barnabas and Paul asked, "Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men of the same nature as you, and preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, WHO MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM. In the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways; and yet He did not leave Himself without witness” (Acts 14:15-17, NASB). Second, it leaves all men without an excuse. Paul said in Romans 1:20, “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.” It’s that “natural knowledge of God that is the basis for divine  judgment.” 

Therefore, no man will stand before Him in the day of judgment with a valid excuse. However, ultimately, general revelation is not enough. While it does indeed point to God, it is insufficient to reveal the totality of God and salvation. We see this in Romans 2:12-16. However, most do agree that general revelation, if accepted, will of necessity lead to special revelation. Some will also argue otherwise and say that many will die with only the general revelation of God and will be held accountable for how they responded to it.  

Special revelation is when God reveals Himself to men “directly in a personal way.”  It is information that cannot be learned any other way, but through God (1 Corinthians 2:14) and it must be accepted by faith (Romans 10:17). Swindoll and Zuck point out that it was necessary as that it would have been impossible for Adam and Eve to just look around at God’s creation in the garden and have been able to surmise from creation alone what God’s will and purpose for their lives was. God had to have eventually communicated with them by using words.  

The conclusion would be that the ultimate form of special revelation is the Bible itself; for it is the Bible that contains the gospel that is necessary for salvation. Thus is the urgency of getting out the gospel (Romans 10:13-15). It is only through special revelation that we are able to “learn truth about God that cannot be known or discovered by general revelation alone.” 

The Triune God

In this post I am going to continue to look at some basics that we as Christians must believe. None of these posts are meant to be exhaustive by any stretch, therefore, I encourage you to be a diligent student of the Word of God yourself (2 Timothy 2:15). 

Next on the list is that God is eternally existent in three separate persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Actually, it is this belief that separates Christianity from all others. Any group that rejects the Triune Godhead cannot identify themselves as truly Christian. However, this subject cannot be adequately addressed without acknowledging the Deity of Christ. That is to say that Jesus is God. Not a God. He is the one and only God, Maker of Heaven and Earth. We believe that Jesus was and is the God-Man. All God. All human. Son of God and Son of Man. That is what the word "incarnate" implies. God poured into flesh almost 2000 years ago. To deny the Triune Godhead or the Deity of Christ is to make Jesus merely a man or something other than God. For example, Islam says that he was merely a prophet and not God. Mormonism says that he is actually Michael the Archangel and not God. Jehovah's Witnesses say that he and Lucifer are actually brothers and not God. Sorry, but neither of these can be found in the Bible.  

No, it is not something that the early church fathers just pulled out of a hat at a council, instead, it is found throughout the Bible. I believe that it starts in the very first verse of Genesis when it says, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." The Hebrew word used for God is "Elohim" which is in the plural form. The singular is "El" or "Eloi". However, it is the "im" at the end of this word that makes it plural. We see this with other words in the Bible as well. For example, the plural of the word Cherub is Cherubim. The plural of the word Seraph is Seraphim. The plural of the word Anak is Anakim. So, the name "Elohim" is plural, and in it, we see the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 

We see this more clearly as we work our way through the first three chapters of Genesis. In 1:26-27, it says, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." Do you see the plural personal pronouns? Also, in 3:22, it says, "And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil." 

To further the point, God created man in His own image. As God is a Superior Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; man is an inferior trinity: Man the soul, Man the body, and Man the spirit. God is to the Soul (mind), as Jesus is the Body, and the Holy Spirit is to the Spirit. Do you see how these two church doctrines go together? They must both be believed. 

We see it proven further in John 1:1-5; 14 where it says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." And then John goes on to identify the "Word" that he is talking about in v.14 when he says, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." The Word is Jesus. Jesus is God. Not a God, not only a prophet, not the brother of Lucifer, and not an archangel, but God!  

That is why John wrote later in the book of Revelation, “And I saw heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wages war. And His eyes are a flame of fire, and upon His head are many diadems; and He has a name written upon Him which no one knows except Himself. And He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood; and His name is called The Word of God” (Revelation 19:11-13). The Bible clearly teaches the Triune Godhead and the Deity of Christ. These, we believe. 

Biblical Inspiration, Part 1

We continue today to look at something else that we as believers in Christ must embrace, and that is that the Bible is inspired by God. While there are many proofs, today we will look at its scientific accuracy. Although not a science book, the Bible is accurate when it speaks on scientific matters, and this does serve as another proof to its inspiration. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Life in the Blood

The Bible says in Leviticus 17:11 that life is in the blood when it says,  "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement." Have you ever read how our first president, George Washington died? - Leeching. They believed that illness was carried in the blood. Check out this website HERE for more history on that.

Paths of the Sea

The Bible says that there are paths in the sea. We see this in Psalm 8:8 when it says, "The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas." Have you ever read the story of Matthew Maury and how he discovered these paths? For more history on that, go HERE.

The Earth is Spherical

The Bible says that the earth is spherical in shape in Isaiah 40:22 when it says, "It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in." For years people thought that the earth was flat! I believe this was in part because the Bible often refers to the "four corners" (Revelation 7:1)

Suspended Earth

The Bible also says that the earth is actually suspended in space. Job 26:7 says, "He stretches out the north over empty space And hangs the earth on nothing." That is a lot more believable than the belief that it is actually on the back of a giant turtle holding four elephants! Read more HERE. 

Innumerable Stars

The Bible also says in Genesis 15:5 that the stars of the heavens are innumerable: "And He took him outside and said, "Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." This was not realized to its fullest extent until the invention of the telescope. 

Mountains and Canyons in the Sea

The Bible says that there are actually mountians and canyons in the sea in 2 Samuel 22:16  when it says, "Then the channels of the sea appeared, The foundations of the world were laid bare By the rebuke of the LORD, At the blast of the breath of His nostrils." They are also referred to in Jonah 2:6 "I descended to the roots of the mountains. The earth with its bars was around me forever, But You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God."

Springs and Fountains in the Sea

The Bible says that there are springs and fountains in the sea in Genesis 7:11 when it says, "In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day all the fountains of the great deep burst open, and the floodgates of the sky were opened." Also, it says in Genesis 8:2, "Also the fountains of the deep and the floodgates of the sky were closed, and the rain from the sky was restrained;" And again, it is found in Proverbs 8:28 where it says that "when He made firm the skies above, when the springs of the deep became fixed,"

Hydrologic Cycle

The Bible also shows us the hydrolic cycle in Ecclesiastes 1:6-7 when it says, "Blowing toward the south, Then turning toward the north, The wind continues swirling along; And on its circular courses the wind returns. All the rivers flow into the sea, Yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, There they flow again." Also, it is seen all throughout the book of Job. Job 26:8 "He wraps up the waters in His clouds, And the cloud does not burst under them." Job 36:27-28 "For He draws up the drops of water, They distill rain from the mist, Which the clouds pour down, They drip upon man abundantly." Job 38:25-27 "Who has cleft a channel for the flood, Or a way for the thunderbolt, To bring rain on a land without people, On a desert without a man in it, To satisfy the waste and desolate land And to make the seeds of grass to sprout?" Job 37:16 "Do you know about the layers of the thick clouds, The wonders of one perfect in knowledge," The psalmist also refers to it in Psalm 135:7, "He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; Who makes lightnings for the rain, Who brings forth the wind from His treasuries." Want some more interesting reading on this, click HERE. 

Existence of Matter

Paul actually spoke of matter in Romans 1:20 when he said, "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse." Cool video can be found HERE.

Reproduction

The Bible speaks of reproduction and kind (i.e., humans produce humans, cats produce cats, etc.) in Genesis 1:21 when it says that "God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it was good." Also in Genesis 6:19 it says, "And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female."

Sanitation

The Bible also addresses the issue of sanitation in Deuteronomy 23:12-13 when the Israelites are encouraged to "have a place outside the camp and go out there, and you shall have a spade among your tools, and it shall be when you sit down outside, you shall dig with it and shall turn to cover up your excrement." An interesting fact is that during the Black Plague of the 1300s, many blamed it on the Jews because they seemed to be less affected by it. Truth be known, it was their practice of sanitation as prescribed in the Bible that kept many of them safe. 

Quarantine

The Bible also warned that there comes a time when quarantine is necessary to protect others. We see this in Leviticus 13:45-46 "As for the leper who has the infection, his clothes shall be torn, and the hair of his head shall be uncovered, and he shall cover his mustache and cry, 'Unclean! Unclean!'  "He shall remain unclean all the days during which he has the infection; he is unclean. He shall live alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp."

Rest for the LandThe need for the land to rest

The Bible also speaks to the fact that land needs rest. We see this in Leviticus 25:1-12 when it says, "The LORD then spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai, saying, 'Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, 'When you come into the land which I shall give you, then the land shall have a sabbath to the LORD. 'Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its crop, but during the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath rest, a sabbath to the LORD; you shall not sow your field nor prune your vineyard. 'Your harvest's aftergrowth you shall not reap, and your grapes of untrimmed vines you shall not gather; the land shall have a sabbatical year. 'All of you shall have the sabbath products of the land for food; yourself, and your male and female slaves, and your hired man and your foreign resident, those who live as aliens with you. 'Even your cattle and the animals that are in your land shall have all its crops to eat. 'You are also to count off seven sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times seven years, so that you have the time of the seven sabbaths of years, namely, forty-nine years. 'You shall then sound a ram's horn abroad on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the day of atonement, you shall sound a horn all through your land. 'You shall thus consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim a release through the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, and each of you shall return to his own property, and each of you shall return to his family.   'You shall have the fiftieth year as a jubilee; you shall not sow, nor reap its aftergrowth, nor gather in from its untrimmed vines. 'For it is a jubilee; it shall be holy to you. You shall eat its crops out of the field."

Circumcision

The Bible actually prescribes circumcision for the Israelites, but it was to only take place eight days after birth. It says in Genesis 17:9-12, "Now as for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. "This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised. "And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you."And every male among you who is eight days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations, a servant who is born in the house or who is bought with money from any foreigner, who is not of your descendants." We know today that God had a reason for waiting eight days. The reason was that it takes between five to seven days for a newborn's blood to have sufficient vitamin K which allows for blood coagulation which prevented the child from bleeding to death! Want more? Read HERE. 

The bottom line is that the Bible, while not a science book, is accurate when it speaks to matters of science. Further proof of inspiration!