OceanSide church of Christ

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THE MYTH:

The Bible Is NOT the Inspired Word of God (1)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    We call the Bible by many names:  The Good Book, The Word of God, The Scriptures

 

B.      We love and respect the Bible because we believe it contains the very words of God himself.  We believe that they were God-breathed.

1.      II Timothy 3:16

 

All scripture is given by inspiration of God…

 

2.      II Peter 1:21

 

…but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

 

C.     We, however, are in the minority.  There are many who do not believe the Bible is inspired of God.

 

D.    In this lesson, we will deal with “The Myth:  The Bible is NOT the Inspired Word of God.”

 

I.                   THEIR CLAIMS

 

A.    “Humanists reject the claim that the Bible is the word of God.  They are convinced the book was written solely by humans in an ignorant, superstitious, and cruel age.  They believe because the writers of the Bible lived in an unenlightened era, the book contains many errors and harmful teachings” (www.americanhumanist.org, “Some Reasons Why Humanists Reject The Bible, Joseph C. Sommer).

 

B.       Book:  “The Bible in A Nutshell:  The Unbelievable Tale of An Extra-Dimensional Wizard and His Exploits with Humanity, “ by Casper Rigsby.

 

http://www.atheistrepublic.com/sites/default/files/tbian-3drevised.png

 

C.     “So I’m a Christian.  But I do not believe the Bible is the inspired word of God.  By inspired, I mean that the authors were divinely guided to convey God’s message in writing.  At best, the Bible is man’s attempt at conveying God’s message and interaction with mankind” (www.reddit.com).

II.                THE CLAIMS OF SCRIPTURE

 

A.    Very few individuals would have any difficulty with the Bible if it did not claim its inspiration.  It would fall into the category of elite literature.  But, it does claim to be the very Word of God.

 

B.      Texts:

1.      More than 3,000 times we read the phase:  “thus saith the Lord” in the Bible.

2.      Then there are the numerous verses declaring inspiration:

a.      II Samuel 23:2

 

The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.

 

b.      I Corinthians 2:12-13

 

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might now the things that are freely given to us of God.  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom giveth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

 

c.       Galatians 1:11-12

 

But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.  For I neither received it of men, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

 

d.      II Timothy 3:16

 

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God…

 

e.       II Peter 1:21

 

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

 

C.     NOTE:  A claim does not make something so. 

1.      I can claim to be the major stockholder of Google, but that does not make it so.

2.      I can claim to be the son of the Queen of England, but that does not make it so.

3.      All claims need to be backed by evidence.

 

III.             EVIDENCES OF INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE

 

A.    The Enduring Nature of the Bible

1.      The Bible is here.  After hundreds and thousands of years, the Bible is here.

2.      It said it would endure.

a.      Psalm 119:89

 

Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.

 

b.      Matthew 24:35

 

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

 

 

c.       I Peter 1:25

 

But the word of the Lord endureth forever…

 

3.      Morris:  “It has weathered the storms of hate; it has withstood the thunderbolts of wrath; it has triumphed over the edicts of tyranny; it has endured the anathemas of infidelity; it has conquered the gnawing teeth of time; it has outlived, out-looked, out-loved, outreached, outranked and out-blessed all other books” (as quoted by Bobby Stafford, “Evidences for Inspiration of the Bible, www.granbychurchofchrist.org).

 

B.      The Unity of the Bible

1.      When the Bible was completely put together, it had one common theme that ran throughout all of its pages:  “The Redemption of Fallen Man through Jesus Christ the Son of God.”  Just saying these words does not sound like a big deal, but did you hear the words:  “completely put together”?

2.      The Bible is not a book written by one man in a single lifetime.

a.      There are as many as 40 writers of the Bible.

b.      These forty men sprang from many different cultures and socio-economic conditions.

1)      Moses was educated in the courts of Pharaoh.

2)      David was a shepherd lad.

3)      Amos was a herdsman and a gather of sycamore fruit.

4)      Peter, James, and John were fishermen.

5)      Matthew was a publican.

6)      Paul was a tentmaker.

c.       They all wrote over a period of some 1,400 years.

d.      They wrote in three different languages:  Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.

e.       Most of them did not know one another and never met.

f.        They wrote at different times in history.

g.      Their books were written with definite purposes for a definite audience.

1)      Genesis – Deuteronomy (Israel)

2)      Matthew (Jews)

3)      Luke (Gentiles)

4)      The Revelation (The seven churches of Asia)

3.      Now, when they are all combined, there is just one theme that runs throughout:  “The Redemption of Fallen Man through Jesus Christ the Son of God.”

a.      How do we account for this?

b.      There was just one architect of the Bible.  There was just one mind that formulated and communicated the message of the Bible to man throughout all of those years, writers, and circumstances.

c.       That one author was God.

 

C.     The Succinct Nature of the Bible

1.      Succinct:  verbal brevity, concise, expressed in few words

2.      Examples

a.      II Peter 1:3

 

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.

 

1)      All we need for a vibrant life is found in the Bible.

All we need to have relationship with God is in the Bible.

2)      The Bible has 66 books, 1,189 chapters, 31, 102 verses, and contains all we need.

b.      John 3:16 has been referred to as the Bible in miniature.

1)      For God:  the greatest being

2)      So loved:  the greatest love

3)      The world:  the greatest number

4)      That He gave His only begotten Son:  the greatest gift

5)      That whosoever believeth:  the greatest faith

6)      Should not perish:  the greatest condemnation

7)      But have everlasting life:  the greatest reward

c.       Romans 5:1

 

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

1)      In the KJV, this verse only has fifteen words.

2)      In Naves’ Topical Bible, they reference this one verse under nine different headings:  Justification, Faith, Peace, Salvation by Faith, Jesus the Savior, Atonement, Mediation, Propitiation, and Reconciliation.

d.      In the Revelation, Jesus addresses the seven churches of Asia in just two chapters composed of 51 verses.

1)      Ephesus (7 verses)

2)      Smyrna (4 verses)

3)      Pergamos (6 verses)

4)      Thyatira (12 verses)

5)      Sardis (6 verses)

6)      Phildelphia (7 verses)

7)      Laocidea (9 verses)

 

D.    The Transforming Power of the Word of God

1.      A denominational writer penned these words:  “News articles may inform us. Novels may inspire us.  Poetry may enrapture us.  But only the living, active Word of God can transform us” (Charles Swindoll).

2.      Romans 12:2

 

And be not conformed to this world:  but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.

 

3.      Sinners have been turned into saints.

Shepherds have been turned into prophets.

Fishermen have been turned into apostles.

Persecutors have been turned into preachers.

Wicked nations have embraced righteousness.

Idol worshippers have turned to the living God.

The outcasts have been made the children of the King.

The sin sick have been healed and made whole.

The defeated have been turned into victors.

Servants of man have been turned into priests of God.

 

 

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    We have brought the Word of God to court.

1.      We have brought the accusation against the Bible.  It is said that you believe that you are inspired of God.

2.      The answer:  I am inspired of God.

3.      The evidences:

a.      The Enduing Nature of God’s Word

b.      The Unity of the Word of God

c.       The Succinct Nature of the Word of God

d.      The Transforming Power of the Word of God

 

B.      Each one of us is the jury.  We must hear the evidence and weight it for ourselves.

1.      If we accept the evidence as true, we must deal with the Bible as the Word of God.

2.      If we reject the Bible as the Word of God, the Bible as the Word of God will deal with us in the last day (John 12:48).

 

 

 

 

 

 

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