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THE BIBLE - ITS UNIQUENESS, INSPIRATION, AND AUTHORITY

IT IS UNIQUE

1. It is unlike any other book:
      It was written by more than 40 authors over a 1500 year period.  They came       from varied backgrounds: kings (David and Solomon), poets (David and       Isaiah), fishermen (Peter, James, and John), shepherds (David and Amos), a       farmer (Amos), a tax-collector (Matthew), teachers (Ezra and Paul), priests       (Jeremiah and Ezekiel), prophets (many), a doctor (Luke),….  They came       from three continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe.  They wrote in three       different languages: Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek.  Yet it has one theme:       Man's need for a Savior and God's plan for salvation through the God-man       Jesus Christ.

2. It is the number one best seller of all time.

3. It has been translated into thousands of languages.

4. It is still relevant thousands of years after it was written.

5. It contains many fulfilled prophesies (Isa 7:14&Mt 1:18,22,23; Mic 5:2&Lk
    2:4,6,7; Ps 22, Isa 53; Dan 11; Ezekiel 26:3-21)

6. It says it is God's book thousands of times.

It cannot be a good book if it is not God's book, for then it would contain thousands of lies.  For example, there would be approximately 2600 lies in the Old Testament where it says God spoke or God spoke to or through the writers.

7. It claims that every word in it is written by God (II Tim 3:16,17; II Pet     1:20,21; I Cor 2:13; Mt 5:17,18)

IT IS INSPIRED

1. Revelation:  God revealing Himself, His ways and His plans to us.  Apart from
    Him revealing Himself to us, we could not know about Him.

2. General Revelation:  God revealing general information about Himself to all

peoples at all times, primarily through nature (Rom 1:18-23; Ps 19:1-6) Other possible sources of general revelation are God's providential working inhistory and man's spiritual nature (for example - his conscience) (Acts14:15-17; Rom 2:14,15)


3. Special Revelation:  God revealing specific information about Himself, His
    way of salvation, and His ways to specific people at specific times:     theophanies (Angel of the Lord, burning bush,..), miraculous signs (Moses'     staff, the crossing of Red Sea,..), dreams and visions (Daniel's dreams and     visions,..), God-inspired prophets (Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah,…), the Bible, and     Jesus Christ.

4. Inspiration:  It is not like a poet or song-writer being inspired to write a     poem or song, but it is God-breathing out His thoughts and words through His     chosen spokesmen (theo-pneustos = God-breathed, II Tim 3:16)

    The Bible does not contain God's Word.
        1) It is not man's fallible words about God (the liberal Church's viewpoint).
        2) It does not contain some of God's words (another liberal viewpoint).
        3) It does not become God's Word when it is read (the Neoorthodox
            viewpoint).

    The Bible is God's Word (I Thess 2:13; I Cor 14:37)
        All the Bible was breathed out by God (II Tim 3:16) (plenary inspiration).          Every word is God's Word (I Cor 2:13) and every letter is from God (Matt        5:17,18) (verbal inspiration).

The Old Testament is inspired by God (Matt 5:17,18).  The New Testament is inspired by God (I Thess 2:13; I Cor 14:37; II Pet 3:16)

Sometimes God spoke to men directly (Exod 20:22,23; Matt 3:17).  Sometimes He raised up men and women to be His spokesmen (Jer 1:5, 9; 30:2; Isa 30:8; Gal 1:15,16)

The Divine side: God directed men so that they wrote exactly what He wanted to be said (II Pet 1:20,21; I Cor 2:13)

The human side: He used their personalities, experiences, and backgrounds (for example: David the shepherd wrote the shepherds' Psalm - the 23rd Psalm).

IT HAS GOD'S AUTHORITY

The Bible is God's Word.  It is the ultimate authority for how we are to live our lives.

1. Jesus treated the Old Testament as God's authoritative guideline for how He
    should live His life.  When He was tempted by Satan His response was, "it is
    written" (Mt 4:4,7,10) (See also Mt 26:52-54; Lk 10:25,26)
2. Jesus sent the Apostles out with His authority (Mt 28:18-20)
3. The Apostles believed their words were the command of God (I Cor 14:37;
    II Thess 3:6-15)
4. We cannot pick and choose what in God's Word we will obey and what we will
    not obey.
5. Obedience to God's Word leads to freedom (Jn 8:31-36) (2+2=6 is not     freedom)

RESOURCES:  EVIDENCE THAT DEMANDS A VERDICT by McDowell; THEE

AUTHORITY OF THE BIBLE by Stott; INTRODUCING CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE by Erickson Part Two; DECIDE FOR YOURSELF by Geisler

ASSIGNMENT:  1. Do you believe the Bible is inerrant and infallible?  Please

explain your answer.

2. How do you deal with those who say the Bible is full of errors?