When reading the Bible, can we be sure that it is accurate? Can we read it with
the assurance that it is the truth? Or is there error in it? So, therefore, do
we need to interpret some things written in the Bible, simply because there are
those that would say the Bible was written by man, therefore there could be
error in the Bible?
What is amazing is that people will subscribe to a daily newspaper and read it from one end to the other, and believe every word it says, and not question it, yet it was written by man. People will subscribe to a monthly magazine and read it cover to cover and believe what it says. Yet, it was written by man.
There are those who will go to a library and get a book that is based on a true story, not question it, yet it was written by man. If one purchases a product that needs to be assembled, he is informed to read the instructions thoroughly before beginning to assemble it. Yet the instructions were written by man.
But, when it comes to the Bible (God's Word) some will say, it was written by man therefore there could be error in it and therefore we need to interpret or come to the conclusion that some of it might not even be true. So then, was the Bible written by man? Yes, it was written by man, but not by man's own knowledge or his own ability. Rather, it was written by men through inspiration from God. As Paul the apostle to the Gentiles tells us, "all scripture (the Bible, or God's Word) is given by Inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." (II Timothy 3: 16)
The word inspiration is taken from the Greek word (theopneustos) which translated means "divinely breathed in". What God has done was to breathe into the hearts and minds of those men that He had chosen to write down those things concerning Himself that He would have us to know, and that word would be the Bible or God's Word, not man's word. Look also at the first two words of this verse, "all scripture" and especially the word "ALL". Notice it does not say "some scripture" but rather ALL SCRIPTURE. This means that every word in the Bible was given by inspiration of God.
What is amazing is that people will subscribe to a daily newspaper and read it from one end to the other, and believe every word it says, and not question it, yet it was written by man. People will subscribe to a monthly magazine and read it cover to cover and believe what it says. Yet, it was written by man.
There are those who will go to a library and get a book that is based on a true story, not question it, yet it was written by man. If one purchases a product that needs to be assembled, he is informed to read the instructions thoroughly before beginning to assemble it. Yet the instructions were written by man.
But, when it comes to the Bible (God's Word) some will say, it was written by man therefore there could be error in it and therefore we need to interpret or come to the conclusion that some of it might not even be true. So then, was the Bible written by man? Yes, it was written by man, but not by man's own knowledge or his own ability. Rather, it was written by men through inspiration from God. As Paul the apostle to the Gentiles tells us, "all scripture (the Bible, or God's Word) is given by Inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." (II Timothy 3: 16)
The word inspiration is taken from the Greek word (theopneustos) which translated means "divinely breathed in". What God has done was to breathe into the hearts and minds of those men that He had chosen to write down those things concerning Himself that He would have us to know, and that word would be the Bible or God's Word, not man's word. Look also at the first two words of this verse, "all scripture" and especially the word "ALL". Notice it does not say "some scripture" but rather ALL SCRIPTURE. This means that every word in the Bible was given by inspiration of God.
Luke tells us (concerning
Israel, God's covenant people) what God's plan was for them: "But those
things, which God before had showed by the mouth of all his prophets, that
Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. Repent ye therefore, and be
converted, that your (Israel's) sins may be blotted out, when the times of
refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, and he shall send Jesus
Christ, which was before preached unto you, whom the heaven must receive until
the times of restitution of all things, WHICH GOD HATH SPOKEN BY THE MOUTH OF
ALL HIS HOLY PROPHETS SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN. For Moses truly said unto the
fathers, a prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren,
like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet,
shall be destroyed from among the people (Israel). Yea, AND ALL THE PROPHETS
FROM SAMUEL AND THOSE THAT FOLLOW AFTER, AS MANY AS HAVE SPOKEN, have likewise
foretold of these days. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the
covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abra-ham, And in thy seed
shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you (Israel) first God,
having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every
one of you from his iniquities." (Acts 3:18-26)
What these verses tell us is that God inspired (or told man by revelation) to write down things concerning Israel and concerning our Lord Jesus Christ's coming to cleanse them and then reign over them, making Israel the instrument of blessing to the rest of the nations. This process of revelation began at the beginning of the world "since the world began" (verse 21). What was prophesied concerning Israel? Verses 19 and 20 tell us that if Israel as a nation would have been obedient to God by repenting of the murder of Jesus Christ, God would have at that time forgiven the nation and sent His son back to them. Jesus Christ would have immediately returned to reign over them as their King. God would have used the nation Israel as a blessing to all other nations of the earth. " ... and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" (verse 25) "unto you first ... " (verse 26).
This does not sound like something that man could come up with by his own knowledge, and even if he could, how would he carry it out?
We also know that Israel as a nation failed to adhere to the word of God.
So what God has done is to set that program with Israel aside for the time being. Since they (as a nation) would not believe the claims of Jesus Christ, nor the witness of God the Father, nor the witness of the Holy Spirit in His coming at Pentecost, they have been temporarily broken off and set aside in unbelief.
" ... because of unbelief they were broken off'. (Romans 11:20)
What these verses tell us is that God inspired (or told man by revelation) to write down things concerning Israel and concerning our Lord Jesus Christ's coming to cleanse them and then reign over them, making Israel the instrument of blessing to the rest of the nations. This process of revelation began at the beginning of the world "since the world began" (verse 21). What was prophesied concerning Israel? Verses 19 and 20 tell us that if Israel as a nation would have been obedient to God by repenting of the murder of Jesus Christ, God would have at that time forgiven the nation and sent His son back to them. Jesus Christ would have immediately returned to reign over them as their King. God would have used the nation Israel as a blessing to all other nations of the earth. " ... and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" (verse 25) "unto you first ... " (verse 26).
This does not sound like something that man could come up with by his own knowledge, and even if he could, how would he carry it out?
We also know that Israel as a nation failed to adhere to the word of God.
So what God has done is to set that program with Israel aside for the time being. Since they (as a nation) would not believe the claims of Jesus Christ, nor the witness of God the Father, nor the witness of the Holy Spirit in His coming at Pentecost, they have been temporarily broken off and set aside in unbelief.
" ... because of unbelief they were broken off'. (Romans 11:20)
Because of Israel's unbelief, God has revealed a new program to Paul, the
apostle of the Gentiles (or nations). "For this cause I Paul, the prisoner
of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, if you have heard of the dispensation of the
grace of God which is given me to you-ward. How that BY REVELATION he made
known unto me the mystery, (as I wrote afore in few words, whereby, when you
read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) which in other
ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto
his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, that the Gentiles should be
fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by
the gospel. Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace
of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who as
less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach
among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see
what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world
hath been hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ". (Ephesians
3: 1-9)
Notice Paul says it was REVEALED to him from God concerning the mystery of Christ. It was not by his own knowledge or ability that he wrote these things.
This brings up the question, What was revealed to Paul? "That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ BY THE GOSPEL" (Verse 6). What gospel? The gospel which was not made known in ages past, "which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men" (verse 5). What was the message of this gospel? "Moreover, brethren I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have received, and wherein you stand, by which also you are saved, if you keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15: 1-4).
What is so beautiful about this revealed message is that we can be saved by just believing it. "By which also ye are saved" (verse 2).
Paul speaks of himself in this way, "And I brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified (or what He accomplished in the cross). And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power; that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." (I Corinthians 2: 1-5) We are also told, "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. BUT GOD HATH REVEALED THEM UNTO US BY HIS SPIRIT, for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that WE MIGHT KNOW THE THINGS THAT ARE FREELY GIVEN TO US OF GOD. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Spirit teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. " (I Corinthians 2:9-13)
So I would conclude by asking again, is the Bible man's word or is it God's Word? Yes, the Bible was penned by man, but it was not man's word, it is GOD'S WORD. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the WORD OF GOD." (Romans 1 0: 17)
Notice Paul says it was REVEALED to him from God concerning the mystery of Christ. It was not by his own knowledge or ability that he wrote these things.
This brings up the question, What was revealed to Paul? "That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ BY THE GOSPEL" (Verse 6). What gospel? The gospel which was not made known in ages past, "which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men" (verse 5). What was the message of this gospel? "Moreover, brethren I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have received, and wherein you stand, by which also you are saved, if you keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15: 1-4).
What is so beautiful about this revealed message is that we can be saved by just believing it. "By which also ye are saved" (verse 2).
Paul speaks of himself in this way, "And I brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified (or what He accomplished in the cross). And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power; that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." (I Corinthians 2: 1-5) We are also told, "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. BUT GOD HATH REVEALED THEM UNTO US BY HIS SPIRIT, for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that WE MIGHT KNOW THE THINGS THAT ARE FREELY GIVEN TO US OF GOD. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Spirit teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. " (I Corinthians 2:9-13)
So I would conclude by asking again, is the Bible man's word or is it God's Word? Yes, the Bible was penned by man, but it was not man's word, it is GOD'S WORD. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the WORD OF GOD." (Romans 1 0: 17)
How God Saves Men
Believing Christ DIED, that’s HISTORY.
Believing Christ DIED for YOU SINS and Rose again that’s SALVATION.
Read Romans 1:16, Romans 10:9-10 and 1. Corinthians 15:1-4
Believing Christ DIED, that’s HISTORY.
Believing Christ DIED for YOU SINS and Rose again that’s SALVATION.
Read Romans 1:16, Romans 10:9-10 and 1. Corinthians 15:1-4
(A 10 Minute Video)
Posted By Cecil and
Connie Spivey
Share this Bible Message with your friends
No comments:
Post a Comment