How to Study
the Bible
Dr.
Student’s Study Guide
How the Bible Came into Being
Chapter 1
Revelation
Divine Revelation
Everybody knows the Bible has been and continues to be the world’s bestseller, but not
everybody knows just how this amazing book came down to us today. It could have happened this way. At some
early ecumenical “Scripture
session,” a group of prophets and priests got together in
We said it could
have happened that way. But of course it did not. God used three wonderful
methods as he carefully carved out that most blessed of all books, the Bible.
These three “tools of the Trinity” are
referred to as revelation, inspiration, and illumination. Each of the tools were use
beginning with revelation.
Sometime around 1400 BC God began to quietly call
forty men and women into his presence. He did not call them in all at once. In
fact it took Him nearly fifteen centuries to complete the job. God spoke the
burden of His great heart in simple but sublime language to those chosen forty.
With a holy hush they heard God tell of creation and corruption, of
condemnation, justification, sanctification, and glorification. Weighty words,
indeed. When God had finished, the first tool in carving out the Bible was set
aside. Revelation had occurred.
With the first step completed the God began to
carefully guide each of the chosen human vessels in his assigned writing task.
Each of the forty was dealt with individually. Job, a rich farmer, wrote
differently than Amos, a poor farmer. The words of the educated Paul were more
complicated on occasion than those of the uneducated John or Peter. But in the
end they all carried with them the divine approval of heaven itself. Finally,
the last scribe laid down his pen. The angels watched as their Creator laid
aside the second tool in the making of His manuscript. Inspiration has taken place.
Soon many thousands of men and women joined the
ranks of those original forty and begin their assigned task of taking God’s
story of grace and glory to the uttermost parts of the earth. As they did,
untold multitudes were stopped in their tracks, convinced in their hearts and
saved from their sins. The secret power that accomplished all of this is called
illumination. Illumination continues
to take place by the ministry of God the Holy. To summarize thus far, God used
three tools to produce the Bible.
· God used revelation,
which refers to the way the Scriptures
come to us from God. Man hears that which God wants written.
· God used inspiration,
which refers to the way man wrote down that which God wanted written.
· God used illumination
which refers to the way man receives the light of that which God has written so
there is proper understanding concerning the divine will.
The Process of Receiving the
Bible
With these three concepts in mind the process of
how the Bible came into existence can be considered in detail. We know God
spoke to man, but how did He speak? The answer is given in Hebrews 1:1-2. “God, who at sundry times and in divers
manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by
his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the
worlds.”
The Bible informs us God spoke to the fathers and
prophets in many ways. A careful examination of the Bible reveals at least
seven different modes of communication.
First,
God often spoke to men through angels.
· Angels reassured Abraham of the birth of Isaac
and later informed him of God’s decision to destroy
· Angels warned
· The angel Gabriel explained to Daniel the nature
of the judgement to come upon
· Gabriel informed Zacharias he would have a son
who would become the forerunner of Christ (Luke
· Gabriel informed Mary that God had chosen her as
His vessel for Christ’s birth (Luke
· Angels announced the birth of Christ to the
shepherds (Luke 2:8-14).
· An angel announced the resurrection of Christ to
some women (Matt. 28:5-7).
· An angel directed Philip to the seeking eunuch
(Acts
· An angel directed Peter out of a Roman prison
(Acts 12:7-10).
Second, as
God spoke to men through angels so He spoke through a loud audible voice.
·
God spoke
directly to Adam (Gen. 3:9-19).
·
God spoke
directly to Noah (Gen. 6:13-21).
·
God spoke
directly to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3).
·
God spoke
directly to Moses (Ex. 20:1-17).
·
God spoke
directly to Joshua (Josh. 1:1-9).
·
God spoke
directly to Samuel (1 Sam. 3:1-14).
·
God spoke
directly to Nathan, about David (2 Sam. 7:4-16).
·
God spoke
directly to Elijah (1 Kings 17:2-4).
·
God spoke
directly to Jeremiah (Jer. 1:4, 5).
Third, God spoke to men through nature.
·
Psalms 19:1-3 The
heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. 2
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. 3 There
is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
Fourth, God once spoke to a man through the mouth
of a donkey.
·
Numbers 22:28 And the
LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done
unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
Fifth, God spoke to men through dreams.
On a number of occasions God chose this method.
·
Jacob
received the confirmation of the Abrahamic Covenant in a dream (Gen. 28:12).
·
Solomon
received both wisdom and a warning in a dream (1 Kings 3:5; 9:2).
·
Joseph in
the New Testament received three
messages in three dreams to assure him of Mary’s purity (Matt.
· The wise
men were warned of Herod’s evil intentions in a dream (Matt.
Sixth, God spoke to men through visions. Unger’s
Bible Dictionary defines a vision as, “A
supernatural presentation of certain scenery or circumstances to the mind of a
person while awake.” It may be noted that many great truths in the
Scriptures were related to men through this unique method.
·
Jacob was
instructed in a vision to go to
·
David was
warned of judgment in a vision (1 Chron.
·
Isaiah saw
God’s holiness in a vision (Isa. 6:1-8).
·
Daniel saw
the great Gentile powers rise and fall in a vision (Dan. 7, 8).
·
Daniel saw
the glories of Christ in a vision (Dan. 10:5-9).
·
Daniel saw
the rise and fall of Alexander the Great in a vision (Dan. 8).
·
Ezekiel saw
the re-gathering of
·
Ananias was
ordered to minister to Saul in a vision (Acts
·
Cornelius
was instructed to send for Peter in a vision (Acts 10:3-6).
·
Peter was
ordered to minister to Cornelius in a vision (Acts
·
Paul was
ordered to
·
Paul was
comforted at
·
Paul was
comforted at
·
Paul viewed
the glories of the third heaven in a vision (2 Cor. 12:1-4).
·
The Apostle
John received the book of Revelation in a vision.
Seventh, God spoke to men through Christophanies. A Christophany is a pre-Bethlehem appearance of
Christ. Some theologians have seen a number of these appearances in the Old
Testament, believing that the term “the
Angel of the Lord,” is actually another name of Christ. If this is true,
the following examples of Christophany communication could be submitted.
·
The Angel of
the Lord wrestled with Jacob (Gen. 32:24-30).
·
The Angel of
the Lord redeemed Jacob from all evil (Gen. 48:16).
·
The Angel of
the Lord spoke to Moses from the burning bush (Ex. 3:2).
·
The Angel of
the Lord protected
·
The Angel of
the Lord prepared
·
The Angel of
the Lord commissioned Gideon (
·
The Angel of
the Lord ministered to Elijah (1 Kings 19:7).
·
The Angel of
the Lord reassured Joshua (Josh.
·
The Angel of
the Lord saved
·
The Angel of
the Lord preserved three Godly Hebrew men (Dan.
In summary it is the belief
of the Church that God has spoken to men. He communicated His revelation to at
least forty human authors over a period of 1,500 years in three languages
(Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek) and on three continents (
v
Angels
v
direct verbal communication
v
Nature
v
Animals
v
Dreams
v
Visions and
v
Christophanies.
~*~
Quiz
How the Bible Came into Being
Chapter 1
1. List the three tools of the Trinity in
bringing the Bible into existence.
Answer.
2. Define revelation.
Answer.
3. Define inspiration.
Answer.
4. Define illumination.
Answer.
5. List four of the seven modes of
communication by God to man.
Answer.
6. In which century did God begin the process
of having individuals write His Word?
Answer.
7. List the three languages God used to write
His Word.
Answer.
8. About how many authors did God use to write
His Word?
Answer.
9. About how long did it take for the Bible to
be written?
Answer.
10. Does
anyone have an angel story to share?
~*~
Scripture References
Chapter 1
· Hebrews 2:1-2
· Genesis 18
· Genesis 19
· Daniel 9:21-27
· Luke 1:11-20
· Luke 1:26-37
· Luke 2:8-14
· Matthew 28:5-7
·
Acts
· Acts 12:7-10
· Genesis 3:9-19
· Genesis 6:13-21
· Genesis 12:1-3
· Exodus 20:17
· Joshua 1:1-9
· 1 Samuel 3:1-14
· 2 Samuel 7:4-16
· 1 Kings 17:2-4
· Jeremiah 1:4,5
· Psalm 19:1-3
·
Number
· Genesis 28:12
· 1 Kings 3:5
· 1 Kings 9:2
· Matthew 1:20
· Matthew 2:13
· Matthew 2:19-22
· Matthew 2:12
· Genesis 46:2
·
1 Chronicles
· Isaiah 6:1-8
· Daniel 7,8
· Daniel 10:5-9
· Daniel 8
· Ezekiel 37
·
Acts
· Acs 10:3-6
· Acts 10:10-16
· Acts 16:9
· Acts 19:9
·
Acts
· 2 Corinthians 12:1-4
· Genesis 32:24-30
· Genesis 48:16
· Exodus 3:2
· Exodus 14:19
· Exodus 23:20-23
· Psalm 34:7
· Isaiah 63:9
· 1 Corinthians 10:1-4
·
Judges
· 1 Kings 19:7
· Joshua 5:13-15
· Isaiah 37:36
· Daniel 3:25
~*~
How the Bible Came into Being
Chapter 2
Divine Inspiration
Having discussed
various possibilities and ways God may have employed in the giving of His
revelation to the human authors attention can be turned to consideration of the
next major step, that of inspiration. The ears have heard the message, but how
will the fingers react? What is involved in transferring the voice of God into
the vocabulary of man? Five areas can be examined along this particular line.
But before we do this, let us define the word itself.
The term “inspiration” is found but once in the
New Testament. This occurs in 2
The Natural Theory. This theory argues that the Bible writers were
inspired in the same sense that William Shakespeare was inspired. In other
words, that spark of divine inspiration that
supposedly is in all men simply burned a little brighter in the hearts of the Bible writers.
This theory of
inspiration is totally rejected by the Apostle Paul in 2
Peter wrote, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the
scripture is of any private interpretation” (2 Pet.
The Mechanical Theory. This theory contends that God coldly and in a wood like manner dictated the Bible to His
writers as an office manager would dictate an impersonal letter to his
secretary. But that cannot be the case. The Bible
is the story of divine love, and God is anything but mechanical or cold
concerning this subject. The Holy Spirit did not violate the limits of the
writer’s vocabulary. This fact is reflected in the fact that the educated Paul
uses many specialized Greek words, while the less educated John employs more
common language. But God equally inspired both writings for “All Scripture is God-breathed” (2
“The Church has never held what has been
stigmatized as the mechanical theory of inspiration. The sacred writers were
not machines. Their self-consciousness was not suspended; nor were their intellectual powers superseded. Holy men spoke as
they were moved by the Holy Ghost. It was men not machines; not unconscious
instruments, but living, thinking, willing minds, whom the Spirit used as His
organs…The sacred writers impressed their peculiarities on their several
productions as plainly as though they were the subjects of no extraordinary
influence.” (Systematic Theology, Vol. I, p. 157).
The Content or Concept Theory. This theory maintains that only the main thought
of a paragraph or chapter is inspired. This theory is immediately refuted by
many biblical passages beginning with Matthew 5:18. “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one
tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
Then there is 2 Samuel
23:1,2, which says,
“Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man
who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet
psalmist of Israel said, The Spirit of the Lord spake
by me, and his word was in my tongue.”
One reason for
embracing the content or concept theory is a fear that the Bible might be
proven to be in error on certain facts regarding geography, history or science.
But there is no need to worry about that. The Bible has never been proven to be
in error on any given point of substance.
The Partial Theory—that only certain parts of the
Bible are inspired. This of
course is the position of the liberal theologian who would cheerfully accept
those portions of the Bible which deal with love and brotherhood, but quickly
reject the passages dealing with sin, righteousness, and future judgment. But
let it be said that heaven and hell are like up and down—you can not have one
without the other. Paul refutes the partial theory in 2
In his textbook, A Dispensational
Theology, Dr. Charles F. Baker
writes: “A certain bishop is purported to
have said that he believed the Bible to have been inspired in spots. When asked
for his authority for such a statement, he quoted Hebrews 1:1, stating that
this meant that God spoke at various times in varying degrees. Thus, some spots
were fully inspired, others were only partially inspired, and still others were
not inspired at all. The bishop was embarrassed when a layman asked: ‘How do
you know that Hebrews 1:1, the one Scripture upon which you base your argument,
is one of those fully inspired spots?’” (p. 38). The whole Bible loses the confidence of the
reader if only select spots were inspired.
The Spiritual-Rule-Only Theory. This says the Bible may be regarded as our infallible rule of faith and
practice in all matters of religious, ethical, and spiritual value, but not in
other matters such as historical and scientific statements. This is pious
nonsense. Consider the following: Here is a pastor greatly beloved by his
congregation. How would this man of God feel if only his “moral” and “spiritual”
statements made in the pulpit were accepted by his members? How would he react
when the members would smile and take lightly any scientific or historical
statements he might make? The fallacy of the spiritual-rule-only theory is that
any book or man whose scientific or historical statements are open to question
can certainly not be trusted in matters of moral and spiritual pronouncements!
This theory is soundly refuted by Jesus himself in John 3:12. “If I have told you earthly things, and ye
believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?”
The Plenary-Verbal Theory. This theory insists that that all (plenary) the
very words (verbal) of the Bible are
inspired by God. This view alone
must be the correct one for the Christian Church to embrace. There are many Scriptural reasons to do so.
·
Matthew 4:4. “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
·
2
·
John 17:8. “For I have given unto them the words
which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I
came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me.”
·
John 6:63. “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the
flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and
they are life.”
Concerning the issue
of inspiration the Scriptures are not
silent on the topic. The Bible strongly claims its writings are from God.
Compiling a few choice texts, we discover the following.
·
The prophet
thought up no Old Testament Scripture
himself. 2 Peter
·
The Holy
Spirit gave all Old Testament Scriptures
as he moved upon men. 2 Peter
·
This
Spirit-breathed inspiration was given in many ways. Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in
time past unto the fathers by the prophets.
·
Once it was
given, this inspired writing could not be broken or shaken down (John
·
John 10:35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and
the scripture cannot be broken.
· Matthew
5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one
tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
· 1 Peter
The Old
Testament writers did not always understand the nature of everything they wrote
about (Luke 10:23, 24; 1 Pet. 1:10-12). They did not completely understand the
details of Christ’s suffering. They did understand that the mysteries would be
clearer to a generation other than theirs.
Luke 10:23 And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: 24 For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
· 1 Peter
1:10-12 Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently,
who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11 Searching what, or
what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, minister
the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the
gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the
angels desire to look into. When it testified beforehand the sufferings of
Christ, and the glory that should follow. 12 Unto whom it was revealed, that
not unto themselves, but unto us they did,
· The four Gospels were given by inspiration of
God. Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times
and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets. 2
Peter 3:2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the
holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and
Saviour:
· Paul believed God inspired his writings. 1 Corinthians 2:4 And my speech and my
preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of
the Spirit and of power: 1 Corinthians
15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that
Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 For
this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the
word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as
it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that
believe. 1 Thessalonians
· Paul used the Holy Spirit’s words to explain the
Holy Spirit’s facts. 1 Corinthians 2:13
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but
which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
· Paul’s writings were received through a special
revelation from Christ. Galatians 1:11-12
But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was
preached of me is not after man. 12 For I neither
received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus
Christ.
· Paul’s writings were to be read by all. Colossians 4:6 Let your speech be alway with
grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every
man. 1 Thessalonians
· Peter believed God inspired his writings. 2 Peter 3:2 That ye
may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and
of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour.
· Peter believed Paul’s writings were inspired. 2 Peter 3:15-16 And account that the
longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also
according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16 As also in all
his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard
to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do
also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
· John believed his writings were inspired. John
warned that if anyone added to his words, God would add horrible plagues to him
and that if anyone subtracted from his words, God would remove his name from
the
What are the implications of inspiration?
As one carefully
considers the subject of inspiration the following nine conclusions can be
noted.
·
First, plenary-verbal inspiration does not teach
that all parts of the Bible are equally important, but only
those they are equally inspired. For example, Judges
·
Second, plenary-verbal inspiration does not
guarantee the inspiration of any modern or ancient translation of the Bible,
but deals only with the original Hebrew and Greek languages.
·
Third, plenary-verbal inspiration does not allow
for any false teaching, but it does on occasion record the lie of someone. For example, Satan distorts the truth and lies to
Eve (Gen. 3:4). Therefore we have an accurate record of the devil’s words. As
one reads the Bible, he must carefully distinguish between what God records and
what he sanctions. Thus, while lying, murder, adultery, and polygamy are to be
found in the Word of God, the God of the Word never approves them.
·
Fourth, plenary-verbal inspiration does not
permit any historical, scientific, or prophetical error whatsoever. While it is admitted that the Bible is not a
textbook on science, it is nevertheless held that every scientific statement in
the Scriptures is absolutely true.
·
Fifth, plenary-verbal inspiration does not
prohibit personal research. The
New Testament writer Luke begins his Gospel account with the following words: “Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile
an account of the things accomplished among us, just as those who from the
beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the Word have handed them down to
us, it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully
from the beginning, to write it out…” (Luke 1:1-3, nasb).
·
Sixth, plenary-verbal inspiration does not deny
the use of extra-biblical sources. Here several examples come to mind.
q
On at least
two occasions, Paul quotes from heathen authors. Acts 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and
have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also
his offspring. Titus 1:12 One of
themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The
Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
q
Jude quotes
from an ancient Hebrew book, one not included in the Bible. Jude 14-15 And Enoch also, the seventh from
Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands
of his saints, 15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are
ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly
committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken
against him.
·
Seventh, plenary-verbal inspiration does not
overwhelm the personality of the human author. The Bible writers experienced no coma-like trances as do some mediums
during a séance, but on the contrary, always retained their physical, mental,
and emotional powers. Various passages testify to this.
Isaiah 6:1-11 In the year that king
Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and
his train filled the
temple. 2 Above it stood the seraphims:
each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered
his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3 And one cried unto another, and said,
Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 4 And the
posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was
filled with smoke. 5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am
undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a
people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. 6
Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live
coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7 And
he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine
iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. 8 Also I heard the voice of the
Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for
us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. 9 And he said, Go, and tell this people,
Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. 10
Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes;
lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with
their heart, and convert, and be healed. 11 Then said
I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be
wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly
desolate (cf. Daniel 12).
· Eighth,
plenary-verbal inspiration does not exclude the usage of pictorial and symbolic
language. This is to say the
Holy Spirit does not demand we accept every word in the Bible in a wooden and
legalistic way. For example, a case could not be made that God has feathers
like a bird, by referring to Psalm 91:4. Here the thought is simply that the
persecuted believer can flee to his heavenly Father for protection and warmth.
·
Ninth,
plenary-verbal inspiration does not mean uniformity in all details given in
describing the same event. Here an Old Testament and a New Testament example
come to mind.
·
Old Testament example: The wicked reign of King Manasseh is vividly
described for us in two separate chapters. These are 2 Kings 21:1-18 and 2
Chronicles 33:1-20. In 2 Kings we read only of his sinful ways, but in 2
Chronicles we are told of his eventual prayers of forgiveness and subsequent
salvation.
The reason for this may be that God allowed the
author of 2 Kings to describe the reign of Manasseh from an earthly standpoint
(even though he inspired the pen of the author), while he guided the pen of the
author of 2 Chronicles to record Manasseh’s reign from a heavenly viewpoint.
God alone, of course, knows true repentance when he sees it coming from the
human heart.
· New
Testament example: There are
four different accounts concerning the superscription on the cross at
Matthew says, “This is Jesus the King of the
Jews” (Mt. 27:37).
Mark says, “The King of the Jews” (Mark
Luke says, “This
is the King of the Jews” (Luke
John says, “Jesus of
The entire title probably read, “This is Jesus of
·
Plenary-verbal inspiration assures us that God
included all the necessary things he wanted us to know, and excluded everything
else (2
What is the Importance
of inspiration?
Of the three tools involved in the making of our Bible,
inspiration is the most important. This is true because of the following.
· It is
possible to have inspiration without revelation. We have already seen how Luke carefully checked
out certain facts concerning the life of Christ and was then led to write them
on paper.
Luke 1:1-4 Forasmuch as many
have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which
are most surely believed among us, 2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which
from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; 3 It seemed
good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very
first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, 4 That thou
mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
1
John 1:1-4 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we
have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled,
of the Word of life; 2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and
bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father,
and was manifested unto us;) 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we
unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is
with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things write we
unto you, that your joy may be full.
· It is
possible to have inspiration without illumination. Peter tells us the Old Testament prophets did
not always understand everything they wrote about (1 Pet.
Is Inspiration Still Going on Today?
Has God
inspired the writing (or will he someday) of a sixty-seventh book of the Bible?
For nearly twenty centuries now, evangelical Christians everywhere have held to
the belief that when John the apostle wrote Revelation
·
God could
have inspired the wicked writings of cult leaders (such as a Joseph Smith, or a
Mary Baker Eddy, or a Charles Russell, or a Herbert W. Armstrong).
·
Perhaps the
Church still does not possess all the details concerning the plan of salvation,
details vital to escape hell and enter heaven.
·
God has
allowed millions of devoted and faithful Christians to believe a horrible lie
for some 2000 years.
~*~
Quiz
How the Bible Came into Being
Chapter 2
Divine Inspiration
1. How many times is the term
inspiration used in the New Testament?
Answer.
2. Explain the Natural Theory
of inspiration.
Answer.
3. Explain the Mechanical
Theory of inspiration.
Answer.
4. Explain the Content or
Concept Theory of inspiration.
Answer.
5. Explain the Partial Theory
of Inspiration.
Answer.
6. Explain the
Spiritual-Rule-Only Theory of inspiration.
Answer.
7. The Plenary-Verbal Theory of
inspiration.
Answer.
8. True or false. The Bible
strongly claims its writings are from God?
Answer.
9. Did Paul believe his
writings were inspired?
Answer.
10. Did Peter believe Paul’s writings were
inspired?
Answer.
11. Did Peter believe his own
writings were inspired?
Answer.
12. True or false.
·
The Plenary-Verbal Inspiration Theory teaches that all parts of the
Bible are equally important.
Answer. False. They are inspired.
·
The Plenary-Verbal Inspiration Theory guarantees the inspiration of
every modern and ancient translation of the Bible.
Answer.
·
The Plenary-Verbal Inspiration Theory allows for false teaching.
Answer.
·
The
Plenary-Verbal Inspiration Theory permits historical, scientific, and prophetical
error.
Answer.
·
The
Plenary-Verbal Inspiration Theory does not prohibit personal research.
Answer.
·
The
Plenary-Verbal Inspiration Theory denies the use of extra-biblical sources.
Answer.
·
The Plenary-Verbal Inspiration Theory does not
overwhelm the personality of the human author.
Answer.
·
The Plenary-Verbal Inspiration Theory excludes
the usage of pictorial and symbolic language.
Answer.
· The Plenary-Verbal Inspiration Theory demands uniformity in all details given in describing the same event.
Answer.
· Plenary-verbal inspiration assures us that God included all the necessary things he wanted us to know, and excluded everything else.
Answer.
13. Is
inspiration important in Christian theology?
Answer.
14. Is inspiration still going on today?
Answer.
~*~
Quiz
How the Bible Came into Being
Student Handout
Chapter 2
Divine Inspiration
1. How many times is the term
inspiration used in the New Testament?
2. Explain the Natural Theory
of inspiration.
3. Explain the Mechanical
Theory of inspiration.
4. Explain the Content or
Concept Theory of inspiration.
5. Explain the Partial Theory
of Inspiration.
6. Explain the
Spiritual-Rule-Only Theory of inspiration.
7. The Plenary-Verbal Theory of
inspiration.
8. True or false. The Bible
strongly claims its writings are from God?
9. Did Paul believe his
writings were inspired?
10. Did Peter believe Paul’s writings were
inspired?
11. Did Peter believe his own
writings were inspired?
12. True or false.
·
The Plenary-Verbal Inspiration Theory teaches that all parts of the
Bible are equally important.
·
The Plenary-Verbal Inspiration Theory guarantees the inspiration of
every modern and ancient translation of the Bible.
·
The Plenary-Verbal Inspiration Theory allows for false teaching.
· The Plenary-Verbal Inspiration Theory permits
historical, scientific, and prophetical error.
· The Plenary-Verbal Inspiration Theory does not
prohibit personal research.
· The Plenary-Verbal Inspiration Theory denies the
use of extra-biblical sources.
· The Plenary-Verbal Inspiration Theory does not
overwhelm the personality of the human author.
· The Plenary-Verbal Inspiration Theory excludes the usage of pictorial and symbolic language.
· The Plenary-Verbal Inspiration Theory demands uniformity in all details given in describing the same event.
· Plenary-verbal inspiration assures us that God included all the necessary things he wanted us to know, and excluded everything else.
13. Is
inspiration important in Christian theology?
14. Is inspiration still going on today?
~*~
How the Bible Came into
Being
Chapter 3
Divine Illumination
Having
argued that without inspiration no Scripture ever would have been written it
can now be argued that without illumination, no sinner ever would ever be
saved! Illumination is that method used by the Holy Spirit to shed divine light
upon all seeking soul as they look into the Word
of God. Illumination is from the written word to the human heart. Why is
this third step of divine illumination necessary? Why cannot sinful man simply
read and heed the biblical message without divine aid?
·
Divine illumination is necessary because of
natural blindness. Paul writes, “But the natural man receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he
know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor.
Our Lord
also commented on this during his earthly ministry: “And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art
the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath
not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Mt.
·
It is necessary because of satanic blindness. Again we note the sober words of Paul: “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them
that are lost: In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them
which believe not…” (2 Cor. 4:3, 4).
· It is
necessary because of carnal blindness. Hebrews 5:12-14 For when for the
time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be
the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of
milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For every one that useth milk is unskillful in
the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But
strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of
use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
What are the practical results of illumination?
· Sinners are saved. Psalm 146:8 “The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind…” Psalm 119:130
“The entrance of thy words giveth light…”
· Christians are strengthened. 1 Peter 2:2 “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” 1 Corinthians 2:10 “But God
hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit…”
2 Corinthians 4:6 “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of
darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of knowledge…” Palm
119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
The implications
of illumination are practical.
· Because the mind of the natural man is darkened
and blinded the Holy Spirit must first shine truth upon the heart.
·
Because the
mind of the converted man is sluggish he must pray and seek for spiritual
understanding. Illumination is not automatic. God has never promised to reveal
precious and profound biblical truths to any believer who will not search the
Scriptures for himself. Note the following admonitions. Matthew 4:4 “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that
proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” John
The
Holy Spirit often seeks out the aid of a believer in performing his task of
illuminating the hearts of others.
· The Holy Spirit used Philip
to speak to the Ethiopian eunuch. Acts 8:30,31,35
“And Philip ran hither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said,
Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How
can I, except some man should guide me…Then Philip opened his mouth, and began
at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.”
·
The Holy
Spirit used Paul to minister to the Jews at Thessalonica. Acts 17:2 “And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three
Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures.”
· Paul used
·
The Holy
Spirit used Apollos to minister to the Jews at
~*~
Quiz
How the Bible Came into Being
Chapter 3
Illumination
1. List three reasons why divine illumination is necessary.
Answer.
·
·
·
2. List two practical results of illumination.
Answer.
·
·
3. Why must the Holy Spirit first shine truth upon the heart?
Answer.
4. Is illumination automatic or something that is certain to happen?
Answer.
5. What does the Holy Spirit use in performing the task of illumination?
Answer.
~*~
How the Bible Came into
Being
Chapter 4
Different Views of the Bible
The
View of
In spite of her sin
and sorrows, Old Testament
The View of the Early Church
During the third, fourth, and fifth centuries the church held
no less than 184 councils, not to deal with civil rights, ecology problems, or
political ills, but to deal with any and all heresy that would dare tamper with
the pure Word of God.
The View of Agnosticism
In the book, A Guide
to the Religions of America,
Dr. Bertrand Russell makes the following statement: “An agnostic regards the Bible exactly as enlightened clerics regard
it. He does not think that it is divinely inspired; he thinks its early history
legendary, and no more exactly true than that in Homer; he thinks its moral
teaching sometimes good, but sometimes very bad. For example: Samuel ordered
Saul, in a war, to kill not only every man, woman, and child of the enemy, but
also all the sheep and cattle. Saul, however, let the sheep and cattle live,
and for this we are told to condemn him. I have never been able to admire
Elisha for cursing the children who laughed at him, or to believe (what the
Bible asserts) that a benevolent Deity would send two she-bears to kill the
children.”
The View of Liberalism
Probably the
most famous liberal of the twentieth century was the late Harry Emerson
Fosdick. He has written the following words which typify the liberal attitude: “When one moves back to the Scriptures with
a mind accustomed to work in modern ways he finds himself in a strange world.…Knowing modern astronomy he turns to the Bible to
find the sun and the moon standing still on the shadow retreating on a sundial.
Knowing modern biology he hears that when Elisha had been so long dead that
only his bones were left, another dead body, thrown into the cave where he was
buried, touched his skeleton and sprang to life again, or that after our Lord’s
resurrection many of the saints long deceased arose and appeared in Jerusalem. Knowing modern physics he
turns to the Bible to read that light was created three days before the sun and
that an axe-head floated when Elisha threw a stick into the water. Knowing
modern medicine he finds in the Scripture many familiar ailments, epilepsy,
deafness, dumbness, blindness, insanity, ascribed to the visitation of demons…We
live in a new world. We have not kept the forms of thought and categories of
explanation in astronomy, geology, biology, which the Bible contains. We have
definitely and irrevocably gotten new ones…”
The View of the Cults
In general it may be
said that the major cults and sects of Christianity give lip service to the
Bible; nevertheless they look upon the writings of their various founders as
equal if not superior to the Scriptures.
For example, the Christian Scientist was founded by Mary Baker Eddy;
1821-1910). George Channing, an international Christian Science lecturer and
practitioner, writes the following. “Each
person, of any religion, can find what is satisfying to him as the spiritual
meaning in the Bible. But Christian Scientists feel that Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy’s
Book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, offers the complete
spiritual meaning of the Bible. They believe that this full meaning would not
have been available to them without Mrs. Eddy’s discovery.”
The Jehovah’s Witnesses
was founded by Charles Taze Russell; 1851-1916. Mr. Russell calmly announces in
the opening pages of his Studies in the
Scriptures that it would be far
better to leave the Bible unread but read his comments on it than to omit his
writings and read the Bible.
Mormonism was founded
by Joseph Smith; 1805-1844. This cult teaches that the Book of Mormon, first printed in 1830, must be
regarded on an equal basis with the Bible.
The
View of Mysticism
Those holding this
view lean heavily upon that divine “inner
light” to reveal and guide them into all truth. Thus the personal
experiences, feelings, etc., of an individual are looked upon as vital to
discovering divine truth along with the Word of God itself.
The
Position of Neo-Orthodoxy
Neo-orthodoxy is a
view made popular by the German theologian Karl Barth in his Epistle to the Romans first published in 1918. This position
holds that the Bible may well contain
the Word of God, but that, until it
becomes such, it is as dead and uninspired as any other ancient or modern
historical book might be. Thus the Bible
is not to be viewed as objective, but subjective in nature. It is only the Word of God as it becomes the Word of God
to an individual.
Neo-orthodoxy would
thus view the first eleven chapters as
“religious myths.” This term is defined as a “conveyer of theological truth in a historical garb, but which
theological truth is not dependent upon the historicity of the garb itself for
its validity.”
In the latter part of
1957, one of the leaders of this position wrote the following: “The New Evangelicalism in the latest dress
of orthodoxy or Neo-orthodoxy is the latest expression of theological
liberalism. The New Evangelicalism differs from Fundamentalism in its
willingness to handle the social problems which Fundamentalism evaded. There
need be no dichotomy between the personal gospel and the social gospel…The New
Evangelicalism has changed its strategy from one of separation to one of
infiltration…The evangelical believes that Christianity is intellectually
defensible but the Christian cannot be obscurantist in scientific questions
pertaining to the Creation, the age of man, the Universality of the flood and
other moot biblical questions.”
This view holds that the Bible alone is the illuminated, inspired revelation of God and is
therefore the sole ground of authority for believers. Orthodoxy claims the Bible is objective in nature and
proclaims not a social gospel, but a sinner gospel. According to this view,
whenever there is a clear contradiction between the Bible and any assumed “fact”
of history or science, it is that “fact”
which must give way to the Bible, and not the reverse. This was the view of the
Old Testament writers concerning the Old Testament.
·
Moses. Exodus 4:10-12 And Moses said unto the LORD,
O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken
unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. 11 And the
LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? Or who
maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I the LORD? 12
Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt
say.
·
Samuel. 1 Samuel
·
Joshua. Joshua 23:14 And, behold, this day I am
going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your
souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD
your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing
hath failed thereof.
·
David. 2
Samuel 23:2-3 The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. 3 The God of
·
Isaiah. Isaiah 1:10 Hear the word of
the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of
It should be remembered that the Old Testament refers to itself as the Word of God some 3,808 times, which is why the New Testament writers were convinced the Old Testament was of
divine origin. The New Testament
writers refer to at least 161 Old
Testament events and quote from over 246 Old Testament passages. Some of these events and passages are as
follows:
·
Creation
(Gen. 1:1; Heb. 11:3)
·
Man made in
God’s image (Gen. 1:26; 1 Cor. 11:7)
·
God resting
(Gen. 2:2, 3; Heb. 4:4)
·
The
institution of marriage (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:4-6)
·
The fall
(Gen. 3:6-8; Rom.
·
the murder
of Abel (Gen. 4:8; 1 Jn.
·
Enoch’s
translation (Gen. 5:21-24; Heb. 11:5)
·
The ark of
Noah (Gen. 6:14-16; 7:1-12; Luke
·
The call of
Abraham (Gen. 12:1; Heb. 11:8)
·
The meeting
of Abraham and Melchizedek (Gen. 14:18-20; Heb. 7:1-4)
·
The
destruction of
·
Isaac’s
birth (Gen. 19:20; Gal.
·
The offering
up of Isaac (Gen. 22:10; Heb.
·
The burning
bush (Ex. 3:2; Luke
·
The Exodus
(Ex. 12-14; Acts
·
The giving
of manna (Ex.
·
The giving
of the law (Ex. 20; Gal.
·
The serpent
of brass (Num. 21:8, 9; John
·
Elijah and
the drought (1 Kings 17; Luke
·
The healing
of Naaman (2 Kings
·
Daniel in
the lion’s den (Dan.
·
Jonah in the
belly of the fish (Jonah
Some of the Old Testament
passages referred to in the New Testament
are as follows.
· Be ye holy, for I am holy (Lev.
· I will never leave thee nor forsake thee (Josh.
1:5; Heb. 13:5).
· Be ye angry and sin not (Ps. 4:4; Eph.
· There is none righteous, no not one (Ps. 14:1;
Rom.
· Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth (Prov.
· God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes
(Isa. 25:8; Rev. 21:4).
· Death is swallowed up in victory (Hosea
· I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh (Joel
· Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord
shall be saved (Joel
· The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof
(Ps. 24:1; 1 Cor.
· My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord
(Prov.
· Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord
(Ps. 118:26; Matt. 21:9).
· Charity covereth a multitude of sins (Prov.
· How beautiful are the feet of them that preach
the gospel (Isa. 52:7; Rom.
This was the
view of the New Testament writers concerning the New Testament.
·
Peter’s
testimony (2 Pet. 3:2).
·
Paul’s
testimony (1 Cor. 2:4, 13; 15:3; 1 Thess.
·
John’s
testimony (Rev. 22:18, 19).
·
James’
testimony (Jas.
·
Jude’s
testimony (Jude 3).
Certainly the Lord Jesus
Christ believed the Old Testament was the Word of God.
·
Our Lord
began his ministry by quoting from the Old Testament. Compare Matthew 4:4, 7,
10 with Deuteronomy 8:3;
· Our Lord ended his ministry by quoting from the
Old Testament. Five of his last seven statements on the cross were lifted from
the pages of the Old Testament. Compare:
q
Luke
q
Luke
q
Matthew 27:
46 with Psalms 22:1
q
John 19: 28
with Psalms 69:21
q
Luke 23: 46
with Psalms 31:5
· Our Lord preached one of his first public
messages from an Old Testament text. Luke
4:16-19 And he came to
· Our Lord informed the Pharisees they erred, “not knowing the scriptures.” Matthew
22:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures,
nor the power of God.
· Our Lord justified his own actions by referring
to the Old Testament:
q
When he ate
on the Sabbath (Matt. 12:1-8).
q
When he
healed on the Sabbath (Matt.
q
When he
cleansed the
q
When he
accepted the praise of the crowds at his triumphal entry (Matt.
· Our Lord believed in the history of the Old
Testament. He referred to—
q Creation (Mark 10:6).
q Noah’s ark (Matt. 24:38).
q
q Destruction of
q Jonah and the fish (Matt.
q The Queen of
q The repentance of
q Naaman the leper (Luke
q Elijah and the widow (Luke
q
Moses and
the serpent (John
q
The first
marriage (Matt. 19:5-7).
q
The blood of
Abel (Luke
q
Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob (Matt.
q
The burning
bush (Luke
q
The
wilderness manna (John
q
The murder
of Zacharias (Matt.
Our Lord said the law would be fulfilled (Matt.
~*~
Quiz
How the Bible Came into
Being
Chapter 4
Different Views of the Bible
1.
What view did
Answer.
2. Why did the early church hold councils?
Answer.
3. What is the view of agnosticism in regards to the Bible?
Answer.
4. What view does the liberal theologian have with respect to the Bible?
Answer.
5. Describe the view of the cults towards the Bible.
Answer.
6. How does the church of Rome treat the Scriptures?
Answer.
7. Describe the view of Mysticism in relationship to the Bible.
Answer.
8. What is the position of Neo-Orthodoxy in regard to Scripture?
Answer.
9. Is the view of neo-evangelicalism progressive in its gospel expression?
Answer.
10. Is the orthodox position of the Scriptures the most conservative of all the views?
Answer.
11. About how many times in the does the Bible refer to itself as the Word of God?
Answer.
A
Analogies of the Bible
Chapter 5
What the Bible is Like
The
Bible is called a mirror because it reflects the mind of God and the true
condition of man.
·
James 1:23-25 For if any be a hearer of the word,
and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what
manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and
continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this
man shall be blessed in his deed.
The
Bible is called a seed because, once properly planted, it brings forth life,
growth, and fruit.
·
1 Peter
1:2 3 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but
of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
·
James
·
Matthew
13:18-23 “Hear ye therefore the
parable of the sower. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and
understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which
was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he
that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word,
and anon with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for
a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by
and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that
heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches,
choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the
good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also
beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some
thirty.”
The Bible
is called water because of its cleansing, quenching, and refreshing
qualities.
·
Psalms 42:1 As the hart
panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
·
Psalms 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man
cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to
thy word.
·
Proverbs 25:25 As cold
waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.
·
Isaiah 55:10 For as the rain cometh down, and the
snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh
it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the
eater.
·
Ephesians 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, even
as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might
sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might
present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any
such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
·
Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart
in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil
conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
·
Revelation 22:17 And the
Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him
that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life
freely.
The
Bible is called a lamp because it
shows us where we are now, it guides us in the next step, and it keeps us from
falling.
· Psalm
119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
· Proverbs
6:23 “For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of
instruction are the way of life.”
· 2 Peter
1:19. “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye
take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn,
and the day star arise in your hearts.”
The
Bible is called a sword because of
its piercing ability, operating with equal; effectiveness upon sinners, saints,
and Satan. Of the various armor pieces mentioned in Ephesians 6:11-17, all to
be worn by the believer, the only offensive piece is the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
·
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and
powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing
asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of
the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12).
·
Ephesians 6:17 “And take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
The Bible is referred
to as precious metals because of its desirability, its preciousness, its
beauty, and its value.
·
Psalm 119:27 “Therefore I love thy commandments
above gold; yea above fine gold.”
·
Psalm 12:6 “The words of the Lord are pure words:
as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.”
The Bible is referred to as nourishing food because of the
strength it imparts.
The Bible is like Milk
1 Peter 2:2 “As newborn babes,
desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”
The Bible is like Meat
Hebrews 5:12-14 “For when for the time ye
ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first
principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and
not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of
righteousness; for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of
full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to
discern both good and evil.”
The Bible is like Bread
John 6:51 “I am the living
bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live
forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the
life of the world.”
The Bible is like Honey
Psalm 19:10 “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold:
sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.”
The
Bible is Like a Hammer
The
Bible is referred to as a hammer because of its ability to both tear down and
build up.
·
Jeremiah 23:29 Is not my word like as a fire?
Saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
·
Acts 9:4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a
voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
·
Jude 20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves
on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.
~*~
Quiz
Analogies of the Bible
Chapter 5
What the Bible is Like
1.
Why is the Bible like a mirror?
Answer.
2.
In what way
is the Bible like a seed?
Answer.
3.
Why is the Bible called water? D
Answer.
4.
How is the Bible like a lamp?
Answer.
5.
In what way
is the Bible like a sword?
Answer.
6.
Why is the Bible likened to precious metals?
Answer.
7.
How is the Bible like nourishing food?
Answer.
8.
How is the
bible like a hammer.
Answer.
~*~
The Bible Invites the
Use of Human Reason
Chapter 6
God gave us our minds
and desires that we should use them! This is seen in two classic passages, one
directed to the unsaved, the other to the saved. Isaiah 1:18 says, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith
the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Paul said in Romans 12:1,2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to
this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may
prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
However,
there are times when God desires us to submit our human reasoning to Him. Note
the following admonition in Proverbs 3:5-7. “Trust
in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In
all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in
thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.”
Often our reasoning is as the thinking of Naaman,
who when asked to take a sevenfold bath in Jordan’s muddy waters, angrily
replied, “Behold, I thought, He will
surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and
strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper” (2 Kings 5:11).
But
Elisha did not do so. Often God’s ways are different from our ways. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher
than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your
thoughts” (Isa. 55:8, 9).
Christ: The Head of the Church
The
New Testament abounds with passages
that declare Christ the Head of the Church.
·
Ephesians 1:22 And hath put all things under his
feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
·
Ephesians 2:19-20 Now therefore ye are no more
strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the
household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
·
Ephesians 4:15-16 But speaking the truth in love,
may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From
whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every
joint supplieth, according to the effectual working
in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of
itself in love.
·
Ephesians 5:23-30 For the husband is the head of
the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of
the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives
be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as
Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might
sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might
present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any
such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to
love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it,
even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and
of his bones.
·
Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body,
the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all
things he might have the preeminence.
·
Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the
fullness of the Godhead bodily.
The Savior, it must be remembered, gave birth
to the Church, and not the other way around (Matt. 16:18). Therefore the
Christian must look to the Bible and
not to any earthly religious structure for final instruction. Sometimes even
those local churches mentioned in the Bible
itself were grievously wrong. Note the following description of New Testament churches, some of which
were started by Paul himself.
The Church at Ephesus. “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee,
because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art
fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee
quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent”
(Rev. 2:4, 5).
The
Church at Pergamos. “But I have a few things against thee,
because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac
to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things
sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that
hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I
will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my
mouth” (Rev. 2:14-16).
The Church at Thyatira. “Notwithstanding I have a few things against
thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a
prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to
eat things sacrificed unto idols” (Rev. 2:20).
The
Church at Sardis. “And unto the angel of the church in Sardis
write: These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven
stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: For
I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast
received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not
watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will
come upon thee” (Rev. 3:1-3).
The Church at Laodicea. “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou say