The mantra of fundamental believers has been “God said it (in His Bible), I believe it, and that settles it.” In fact, fundamentalists say God said it, and that settles it” whether I believe or not. I have even made this statement myself; but the question remains, “Exactly how did God choose to say His Word?
- IF GOD WROTE THE BIBLE, WHY DOES PAUL write in Galatians 6:11 and Philemon 1:22 that he wrote “with my own hand,” and why did John conclude his gospel with these words, “This is the disciple who testifies (in writing) to these things and who wrote them down” (John 21:24)? On the other hand, the same Apostle Paul wrote these words in 2 Timothy 3:16, “ALL SCRIPTURE (66 books, 1118 chapters, 31,102 verses and 774,845 words) were “breathed out” (Theoneustes, means “God-breathed”) by God.” These words literally mean that the Scriptures were not merely inspired, but they were “expired” out of the mind of God into the minds of the biblical writers (all 40 of them). The great Presbyterian scholar, Dr. Benjamin Warfield, observed “The Holy Scriptures are not the product of the in-breathing” of God, but the product of His “out-breathing into the minds of men.” Literal translation, “God spoke or expired His Word into the mind of Moses, Paul, Peter, John, etc. who wrote down what He said. And the all-perfect God only “breathed out” that which is perfect. Two thousand years ago David wrote, “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul, the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” Numbers 23:19, “God is not man, that He should lie…” Psalms 12:6, “And the words of the Lord are flawless…purified seven times.” John 10:35, “The Scripture cannot be broken.”
- WHAT PART, IF ANY DID HUMAN KIND HAVE IN THE WRITING OF THE BIBLE? The Bible was written by 40 individuals whose backgrounds and personalities were different, and the personalities of the authors can be seen in their writings. Paul writes as a theologian; Peter is more common terms; John writes as a theologian; Mark was an average believer, etc. However, it must be noted that God so guided the thoughts of the biblical writers that they wrote what God “breathed” out to them and no error at all. “No Scripture has its origin in the will of man, but holy men wrote as they were moved (Pheromenoi, being borne literally) by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:21).
In Acts 27:27 this same word “moved” or “being borne” is used to describe the driving of a ship in a storm. In other words, the ship did not control its own move, wants, but it was borne along, carried, moved by the winds of the storm. In exactly the same fashion, the Holy Spirit moved fallible men – Moses, Samuel, Peter, John, and Paul – to write down his very words. Thus God both produced His Word and then chose men to write it down under His superintendence, an unparalleled miracle in human history.
Illus: A fierce debate raged in the SBC from 1979 to the present over two questions: “Is the Bible the Word” or “Does the Bible just contain the Word of God?” Fundamental believers say the “Bible is the Word of God in its entirety.” Dr. Adrian Rogers expressed this truth in memorable words, “God breathes out only pure air. He does not suffer from halitosis.”
- ANOTHER QUESTION REMAINS, HOW COULD GOD USE WEAK AND FALLIBLE HUMAN BEINGS TO PRODUCE A PERFECT BOOK? The answer lies in the over-riding wisdom, power, and sovereignty of our wonderful God revealed perfectly in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Perhaps an analogy will help us understand this miracle. The Virgin Mary was an imperfect woman, even a sinner according to her own testimony (Luke 1:47). Yet the Holy Spirit overshadowed her, writes Luke, the Medical Doctor, and produced in her womb the perfect God-Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, as described by the angel in Luke 1:35 in his words to Mary, who asked the angel how she, a virgin, who knew no man, could have a child: “And the angel answered her and said unto her, “Behold the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God.”
So just as the Holy Spirit brooded over the womb of an imperfect woman and produced a perfect Son (and Living Word, John 1:1; 14, 18), so the Holy Spirit brooded over the mind of 40 biblical writers to produce for us a perfect Book consisting of 66 books, an inerrant record of His absolute truth, His Word and will for all humanity.
- “Consider the similarities between the Christ (the Incarnate Word) and the Bible (the written Word.
- Both are eternal.
Of Christ we read, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).
Of the written word we read, “Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89).
- Both are conceived by the Holy Spirit.
Of Christ: “And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35).
Of the Scriptures: “No prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Peter 1:21).
- Both are human and yet without error.
Of Christ: “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
Of the Scriptures: “The Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35).
- Both have a unique authority.
Of Christ: “He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Mark 1:22 NKJV).
Of the Scriptures: “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 1:2 RSV).
No wonder Christ is called “The Word of God”! When He returns to earth, John describes Him: “He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood; and His name is called The Word of God” (Revelation 19:13). Just as it is difficult for us to explain the divine mystery of the Incarnation, even so it is difficult for us to explain the mystery of divine inspiration. In both instances God accommodated Himself to human beings; in both instances He has given us a revelation that is at once human and divine.”[1]
- 7 ENEMIES OF THE BIBLE: One Friend
It was my privilege to pastor the prominent evangelist, Dr. Angel Martinez, who memorized the entire New Testament, and often spoke intriguing truths in intensely interesting ways about the Word of God. Example: The 7 Enemies and 1 Friend of the Bible:
- Those who deny the Bible entirely – Atheists.
- Those who are ignorant of the Bible – Agnostics.
- Those who take away from the Bible – Liberal Protestants.
- Those who add to the Bible – Roman Catholics.
- Those who twist the Bible – the Cults.
- Those who say they believe the Bible but never read it – 50% of Professing Christians.
- Those who read regularly and obey occasionally – 15%
- Leaving only one friend of the Bible: Those who read it, memorize it, live it, share it – 8 to 10% – Sounds like guys who obey the 4 steps involved in “Internalizing the Word.”
[1] Erwin W. Lutzer, Seven Reasons Why You Can Trust the Bible, Chicago: Moody Press, 1998, pp25-26.