Theology Club: Scripture

I am starting a new thread on insights called “theology club.”  These are the some of my most personal thoughts on Scripture, Humankind, God, and Ministry.  I hope like always  that these writings will spark thought, dialogue and even greater insights from those who wrestle with these writings.  Mike

I believe that Scripture is the inspired Word of God.  Scripture is not the product of man’s mere thoughts, but the supernatural revelation of God (2 Peter 1:21).  I believe that God chose human authors to record His revelation.  God’s plan, therefore, provided a rich diversity of literary styles while maintaining unity in doctrine.  All Scripture was breathed by God and recorded by human authors who were supernaturally selected and inspired to write the very words they recorded (2 Tim 3:16). 

In the original autographs, I believe that Scripture is completely infallible.  The truthfulness of Scripture is assured by Christ’s claim that calls the Word the truth (Jn 17:17).  The very nature of God is truth and therefore it is safe to assume that the Word He authored must also be true (Rom. 3:4). 

Though we do not have the original autographs, I believe the issue of inspiration applies to the copies of Scripture we have today.  Through many studies of manuscripts, it has been noted that the copies we have today are amazingly accurate.  As a result, we too have an accurate account of God’s word (1Thess.2:13).

The Bible is my spiritual map for life and ministry.  Through the instruction of Scripture, I continually strive to keep myself pure as I read, meditate, and apply the Bible to my life (Ps 119:9).  Scripture challenges me daily to become more Christ-like as I strive to model my life after the Master. 

           

In ministry, the Bible is the authority in everything I do.  The Bible is a useful tool for teaching, correcting, and training in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16).  The Word of God allows me to teach and speak with the authority of God.  The Bible is the foundational tool for ministry.  It is the Word of God which has the power to transform lives (Heb. 4:12).

In order to determine the origin of Scripture one must first look at the evidence.  Just as evidence is considered by a juror in a court of law, so we can decide rationally whether or not the Bible is the word of God by studying the evidence.  In my studies I have found many pieces of evidence which support God’s authorship of Scripture. These can be summarized in the following four arguments:

First, the Bible is the Word of God because it claims to be the Word of God.  In 2 Timothy 3:16, Paul writes that all Scripture is God breathed.  In 2 Peter 1:21, we learn that prophecy did not come about from man but was the spoken Word of God through human lips.  Piles of other passages support the claim that Scripture is the written word of God, such as 2 Peter 3:15 1 Thess. 2:13, Hebrews 1:1-2.

Second, the Bible is the Word of God because Christ claims the Bible is the Word of God.  Throughout the gospels, Jesus often quotes the Old Testament to support His claims and actions (Mt 5: 17, Jn 10:35, 17:17).  For example, in Matthew 4:4, Jesus quoted Deut. 8:3 when He faced temptation.  The value Christ placed on Scripture is far greater than the value He placed on any other literature.  Christ acknowledged Scripture as the powerful Word of God which He has come to fulfill (Mt 5:17).

Third, the Bible is the Word of God because of the vast number of fulfilled prophecies and the unified nature of the text.  Fulfillment of prophecy is one of the most unique characteristics of Scripture.  It is most easily seen in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ (Mk 7: 6).  For example, the virgin birth of Christ was predicted thousands of years earlier through the prophet Isaiah (Is 7:14, Mt 1:18).  The virgin birth, together with a multitude of other examples throughout Scripture, prove the supernatural authorship of the Bible and provide a unity in a text which was written over thousands of years.  The Bible is a clearly unified group of texts which has been authored and protected by God (1 Peter 1:23, Mt 5:18).

Finally, the Bible is the Word of God because of the supernatural impact it has on its readers.  No other book changes lives like the Bible (Heb. 4:12).  Within Scripture are the principles for living a complete and fulfilling life.  The Word of God provides wisdom, knowledge and guidance for those who believe (1 Thess. 4:13).  It is the powerful and everlasting guidebook for all mankind (Mk 13:31, 1Pet. 1:23).