Description of the Holy Bible – Part 23

The Bible a Revelation cont.’
For example, when Satan, evil spirits, or men are recorded as speaking lies to deceive, inspiration only records What was actually said. It does not affirm what was said was truth: No lie can be truth, but inspiration can faithfully record both. Man’s ignorance regarding his origin, past, and eternal future; his lack of knowledge concerning God’s will; and the fact that all philosophers have failed to construct a complete, coherent, and adequate religion—these things make revelation absolutely necessary.

Inspiration Of Scripture
“All Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Tim. 3:16) (theopneustos), (Lat., divinitusinspirata). (i.e., a breathing into by God); that which God has breathed out, the product of His creative breathe. Paul’s point, then, is not that Scripture is inspiring to read or that the authors were inspired. What Paul means is that the Scripture is the very Word of God. For Paul and the writers of the Bible, the Scriptures are “the spoken words of God” (Rom. 3:2). When Scripture speaks, God speaks (Heb. 3:7; 10:15).

“Scripture” as used in 2 Tim 3:16 refers primarily to the OT writings (3:15). There is indication, however, that at about the time Paul wrote 2 Timothy some NT writings were already viewed as inspired and authoritative Scripture (1 Tim 5:18, which quotes Luke 10:7; 2 Pet 3:15-16). For us today, Scripture refers to the authoritative writings of both the OT and NT, i.e., “the Bible.” They are God’s original and only infallible revelation of Himself and His saving activity for all people.

Paul affirms that all Scripture is “given by inspiration of God” (Gktheopneustos, from two Greek words: theos, meaning “God,” and pne, meaning “to breathe”). Scripture is the very life and Word of God. Down to the very words of the original manuscripts, the Bible is without error, absolutely true, trustworthy and infallible. This is true not only when it speaks of salvation, ethical values and morality, but it is also without error on all subjects about which it speaks, including history and the cosmos (cf. 2 Pet 1:20-21; note also the attitude of the psalmist toward Scripture in Ps 119).

The Bible is divinely inspired because God concurrently worked with human authors to produce the very written message He desired. This classical view teaches the Holy Spirit superintended more than 40 authors from widely divergent backgrounds (shepherds, kings, prophets, fishermen, etc.), spanning a period of approximately a millennium and a half, to produce with supernatural congruity not just the thoughts, but also the very words of God to mankind.

God Himself wrote the Decalogue (Exod. 24:12; 31:18; 32:16), and the writers of Scripture occasionally wrote what God dictated (Exod. 34:27-28; Rev. 1:10-11). But normally, God used His chosen writers’ personalities, theological meditations, and literary styles.

The Holy Spirit saw to it that each biblical book actually has two authors, one human and one divine. Thus, the divine superintendence of Scripture guarantees its inerrancy.

What does the breath of God do?
“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” (Gen 2:7)

“He [Jesus] breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (Jn 20:22)
“God is Spirit” (Jn 4:24)

“It is the Spirit who gives life; “The Words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (Jn 6:63)
“For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy spirit” (2 Pet 1:21)
Email:mercyolumide2004@yahoo.co.uk www.thebiblicalwomanhood.com Mobile: +234 803 344 6614; +234 808 123 7987