Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / Statement Of Faith

Inspiration Part 1

Intro: Have you ever asked yourself how we got the Bible?  From the comments and habits of many in the religious world today, it seems God wrote the Bible in the KJ language and delivered it to us directly from heaven by way of CBD and Amazon.Com.

 But seriously, Christians of all denominations hold that the Bible is the Word of God, that it is inspired by the Holy Spirit and that it holds a very unique place as the norm of Christian faith and practice.

 Though often neglected and taken for granted, though constantly under attack, the Bible still continues to be read and believed perhaps more than any other book written by man. Ah, but that is also the problem. A book written by man.... Many today, even in the church , have a difficult time holding to the idea that the Bible is wholly and fully the Word of God.

 Our Statement of Faith says 'The Bible is God's infallible, written word; uniquely, verbally and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit.'

 Did you know that there are less and less churches and Christian institutions, even Christian Colleges, who would not hold to what I just read. Biblical inspiration is the line dividing many Christians today.  And where we stand  in relation to that line will determine the nature and content of the Gospel we proclaim to the world. Because, you see, the doctrine of inspiration is central to all other doctrines, even to the whole of the Christina life.

 We here at CBC believe that  scripture is the fully inspired Word of God;  that it is one harmonious and sufficiently complete system of doctrine and that all the parts are in agreement. We have committed ourselves to the Bible w/o reserve or question and have based all our ministry here at CBC it.

 But if the Bible is not fully inspired by God, if it is to be corrected and edited and some parts are to be openly rejected, as many hold,  then the church will have an impossible job determining

 What is inspired and what isn't,
 What is truth and what is opinion,
 What is an historical event and what is just a story with a really good moral.
 Who determines what is God's Word and what is  mans  addition to it?
 Which of the commands in Scripture do we follow?
 Which of the prohibitions do we obey?
 Which promises do we trust and hold close to our  hearts?

 A low view of inspiration will always lead to conflicting opinions because we are by nature, still tainted with the effects of sin and our judgment is clouded at its best and oppressive at its worst.

 The message title is 'Scripture, 10% Inspiration and 90% Perspiration?' Please note the ?

I realize that Edison's quote was 'Genius is one percent inspiration, and ninety-nine percent perspiration.'

 The title of this message is a sad commentary on the direction the Christian Church is heading in the area of Inspiration.

 Clark Pinnock has said 'As the all-sufficient act of redemption accomplished in the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ constitutes the sturdy ground on which our faith resides, so the completed record of revelation, secured by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, provides the adequate data for theology, worship and proclamation. Preaching is not the act of unfolding our personal convictions. It is the duty of informing men of all that GOD HAS SPOKEN. To move off from the pages of Scripture is to enter into the wastelands of our own subjectivity.'

Trans:  So, to keep me from entering the wasteland of subjectivity, what does Scripture say about inspiration?
 Take your Bibles and turn to 2 Timothy 3:14. Here we will find perhaps the most authoritative and clear passage concerning the inspiration of Scripture. And we will learn that all Scripture IS the Inspired Word of God.

Background: A bit of context. Paul's 2nd letter to Timothy is believed to be the last he wrote before he died. In 4:6-7 he says

Read: 2 Tim. 4:6-7

 Most biblical scholars agree that he wrote this a very short time before he was executed, perhaps even as short as a few weeks or months  before his death. I believe Paul was telling us that which is of utmost importance to the Christian life. I believe he was saying that of all the lessons I have learned, what I want to pass on to you is that Scripture is life giving. Continue in what you have learned. Believe it, Listen to it, Be changed by it, Preach it. Rely on this book for it is the very  Word of God Himself.

 Timothy on the other hand was a relatively young man, new at ministry in Ephesus. He has his life before him and he is setting his course. 'What is really important?', he must have been thinking. 'What ought to be directing and guiding me as I walk forward in life and in ministry'?

 Scripture, Paul told him. Scripture alone , the inspired Word of our Holy and Righteous God. And I believe Paul is telling us the same thing. Scripture IS the inspired Word of God. Believe it, Listen to it, be Changed by it and Preach it,  Rely on it for it is the life giving Word of God to you.

Trans: Well how did God get this message across to Timothy and to us?  Turn to 2 Tim. 3:14.

Read: 2 Tim. 3:14
Scripture
I. You Learned It  (2 Tim. 3:14)
 Paul  told timothy to remember those who taught him the truths of God's Word. For Timothy it was his mother Lois and his grandmother Eunice who began the work in his early childhood and later on Paul became his teacher.

 And you learned Scripture from someone as well. Perhaps a Sunday School or DVBS teacher, perhaps someone mentored you individually or you were part of a small group  Bible study. Perhaps a Pastor taught you the Word of God. And as a result, you were convinced of the truths you were taught.

 Just a thought, have you thanked those who teach you the truths of God's Word? Or what about those in your past who grounded you in the Faith, when was the last time you remembered and thanked them?

I want you to understand...
      It is not enough to know that your teachers taught   you Scripture.
      It is not enough to have learned the Scriptures
      It is not enough to be convinced that Scripture is   true.

 Timothy knew all this..and so do most of you. But it is not enough.

 Timothy was told to continue; to abide, dwell , remain and stay...where? In the Scriptures. Timothy was to live out daily what he was learning in the Bible. To continue to walk and live in the truths of God's Word.

Trans: We know that Scripture is the inspired Word of God because we have learned that truth and were convinced of it.
 Next, according to our text we know that Scripture is the inspired Word of God because

II. You Were Saved By It  (2 Tim. 3:15)
Read: 2 Timothy 3:15

 Timothy learned from his early childhood that Scripture was able to give the wisdom necessary for salvation. What do you think this is saying about teaching our children the truths of God's Word from the time they are very young?The Jews took very seriously the command of God to teach their children the Scriptures, even to the point of memorizing much of it.

 How we are lacking in that area. But I hope the family devotional package the CE committee is putting together will help us restore the place of  Bible reading and study in the home.

 Back to the text. What does 'wise unto salvation' mean?

Well, it means:
    Scripture shows us that we are sinful people and that we are enemies of God because of our sin.
    Scripture shows us that God has a plan to remedy our impossible situation.
    Scripture shows us how we can be saved through faith in Jesus Christ, the Living, Holy and Righteous Son of God and that
        there is salvation in no other.

 No other book  or writing can reveal this to sinful man.

Trans: We know that Scripture is the inspired Word of God because we were saved by it. Because Scripture made us wise unto salvation.

 But how do we really know that all this is?  How do I know it is not just some collection of  really good stories written by men who were very skillful in their literary abilities? This is the question the Christian world is asking today. How do we really know the Bible is the Word of God?

III. You See....God Inspired It (2 Tim. 3:16-17)
Read: 2 Timothy 3:16-17

 Some in the church today would say that the Bible is inspired but only in the way Shakespeare was inspired when he wrote his plays.They hold that the authors of Scripture had a heightened sensitivity to God's will and that lead to a profound literary product. But Paul would not agree and he proves this in the very specific use of the Greek word  theopneustos.

  Definitions:
 Inspired by God: God breathed. A more literal translation of this phrase would be 'All Scripture is God breathed'. But, this is not saying that God breathed in the human authors and they took it from there.  I believe it is saying that the Bible is the product of the breath of God. It is the word from the very heart of God, who breathed it out for your sake so that you would know that He loves you.

 How did God accomplish this? How did He breath out Scripture? You will have to come back next week to find that out.

 Because the Word of God is God breathed, the very product of the creative and Holy Spirit of God, we are told that it is then profitable for us.

 Profitable: useful, beneficial and helpful. God gave us the Bible to help us. It tells us things that can change, encourage, straighten, correct and empower us.

Trans: Now that we have a couple key definitions, lets go back to the beginning of verse 16 and see if we can answer the question 'how much of the Bible is inspired by God' or to what degree is the Bible inspired or breathed out by God.

   Degree: ALL Scripture is inspired by God.
                                                     Not some, Not much, Not most but  ALL Scripture is inspired by God.

    Scripture does not point to the Word of God,
    Scripture does not become the Word of God when it is read
    Scripture does not contain the Word of God.

                                                             It is the Word of God, All of it.

 But as said earlier,  this is not held by all in Christianity today. And to find out what some of the other views are and why we believe they are not true,  you will need to attend our Wed. evening Bible study at 8 pm in Burtt Hall.

 While it is true for the Word of God to be efficacious or effective in leading sinners to salvation it needs the ministry of the HS, it is still the product of the creative breath of God. Understand, the ministry of the Holy Spirit is not to act upon the Word of God because it is lacking in some way, but instead the work of the Holy Spirit is to act upon our sinful hearts,  so that we can  comprehend the truths found in Scripture.

Trans: God has breathed out Scripture to the degree that all Scripture, the complete Old and New Testament canon is God's Word. But for what purpose? Why did God go to all the trouble?

   Purpose:
General:  The purpose of  God breathing out Scripture is, I believe, four fold.:
    FIRST to bring glory to Himself.
    SECOND: to secure an infallible record of truth ,
    THIRD: to show God's plan of salvation to a lost and sinful mankind.
    FOURTH: to show the redeemed in Christ how to live  rightly before God.

    And it is for this last reason that Paul gets specific in the text.
Specific
Profitable for doctrine: God wants us to know Him and Scripture reveals the truth about God and His plan for
                                      sinful mankind.

Profitable for reproof: God wants us to sense conviction and to be rebuked when we are disobedient to His will.
                                     Scripture reveals God's will and the consequences for disobedience to His will.

Profitable for correction: God wants us to be set right when we are wrong. The Bible teaches obedience through discipline.

Profitable for training in righteousness: God wants us to know the right things to do, to think and to say.
                                        Scripture reveals how to live a holy and godly life.

Trans: What is the intended result of the inspired Word of God in the life of the Believer?

   Result: That we might be adequate, equipped for every good work.

 The Greek word for 'equipped' means to be completely ready for anything, being able to meet any and all demands.

 Isn't that great? God will never send you or ask you to do that which He has not equipped you to do.We could worry about the problems will we face in the future...but we really don't know what they will be... do we? We do know, however,  that God's Word will always be here and that God will speak and work through it. But, now is the time to prepare for the future by continuing in the Word...because it equips us for every good work and prepares us for whatever may come our way.

Conclusion
 All Scripture is the inspired Word of God and it is trustworthy. Would you agree?

 Then when life gets tough and you can't see how you will ever get out of a particular situation, or when you experience the tragedy of severe illness, the loss of a much needed job or the death of a loved one, the promises of God may be claimed with confidence.

 Our Statement of Faith says 'The Bible is God's infallible, written word; uniquely, verbally and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit.'

 God's inspired Word is full of promises He has made to those who believe and call upon His name. And those promises are found in Scripture. And because all Scripture is inspired and profitable and will equip you for whatever comes along, then God's promises are inspired and trustworthy as well.

 I have written down just a few of the promises found in Scripture and placed them in an insert in your bulletin. I want you to look them over this week and thank God every day for a promise He has made to you.

 An unreliable Bible not fully inspired by God would rob us of our hope. Be assured, Scripture is not 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration...it is 100% totally the product of the creative breath of our Holy and loving God.

 We stand in the hope of the promises of God as found in His Inspired and Holy Word.