Dr. Jack L.

Arnold Bibliology Lesson 2

THE BIBLE IS INSPIRED BY GOD

I. INTRODUCTION A. Once a person has de er!ined ha "od has disclosed #i!sel$ o !en in special re%ela ion hro&gh he Bible' he ne( !a)or *&es ions are' +#o, can I r&s he Bible i$ i ,as ,ri en by !en-. +Is he Bible inspired o$ "od and are he ,ri en ,ords o$ he Bible a& hori a i%e-. B. Liberals ,o&ld like &s o hink ha belie$ in an in$allibly inspired Bible in his scien i$ic age is in ellec &al s&icide. /e i is he liberals ,ho ha%e co!!i ed spiri &al s&icide' $or all ha ,e kno, abo& Chris is $o&nd in he Bible' and' i$ he Bible is $illed ,i h errors and o ally &n r&s ,or hy' hen ,e can ha%e no ass&rance abo& any hing he Bible says and ,e are $orced o re)ec he eachings o$ Chris . To re)ec he eachings o$ Chris is o re)ec Chris iani y' $or Chris iani y is Chris . T#0 01AN"0LICAL 2O3ITION ON IN32IRATION A. The his oric %ie, o$ inspira ion held by he Ch&rch in general has been ha he Bible' in i s original !an&scrip s' ,as %erbally 4,ords5 and plenerily 4$&lly5 inspired by "od in an ob)ec i%e $or!. NOT06 This posi ion ,as ne%er e%en serio&sly challenged &n il he age o$ cri icis! 4789:;7<=:5 ,hen !en' ena!ored ,i h in ellec &alis! and e(ci ed abo& science' se o& o *&es ion he %alidi y o$ scrip &re. "rea scholars ha%e held o %erbal;plenary inspira ion s&ch as A&g&s ine' L& her' >,ingli' Cal%in' "a&ssen' ?achen' @ar$ield' e c.' and his %ie, is held oday in he !ain by hose ,ho call he!sel%es e%angelicals or $&nda!en alis s. B. 0%angelicals belie%e ha "od so s&perna &rally direc ed he !inds o$ he ,ri ers o$ scrip &re ha ,i ho& ,ai%ing heir in elligence' li erary s yle or personal $eelings' or any o her h&!an $ac or' ha #is co!ple e and coheren !essage o !an ,as recorded ,i h per$ec acc&racy' he %ery ,ords o$ he original !an&scrip s bearing he a& hori y o$ Di%ine a& horship. NOT06 The Bible is a prod&c o$ bo h "od and !an. "od kep he a& hors $ro! error ,hen ,ri ing. Inspira ion g&aran ees ha he $inal prod&c ' ,ri en re%ela ion' ,as ,i ho& error. T#0 ?AJOR 10R303 ON IN32IRATION A. 2 Ti!o hy =679;7A6 All scripture is given by inspir ti!n !" G!#$%4NA3B5 This !eans ha all and e%ery scrip &re is "od;brea hed. The ,ord +inspira ion. speaks o$ a spring or spira ion. The ho&gh is ha scrip &res origina ed ,i h "od beca&se hey are brea hed o& or spring o& $ro! "od. 3crip &res are no a prod&c o$ "od and !an 4!an coopera es5' nor "od in !an 4an inspired !an5' b& "od hro&gh !an. The $inished prod&c ' no he !an' is inspired. @e ha%e' here$ore' inspired scrip &re' no inspired !en. NOT06 The inspired Bible is pro$i able $or doc rine 4 eaching is basic o all spiri &al gro, h5' reproo$ 4 he @ord brings con%ic ion o he indi%id&al so&l5' correc ion 4 he @ord is able o se s raigh one ,ho has $allen in o sin5' and ins r&c ion in righ eo&sness 4 he @ord rains and disciplines he belie%er as a child o$ "od5. NOT06 The p&rpose o$ he inspired @ord is o bring he Chris ian o !a &ri y 4per$ec 5 and o e*&ip hi! o do good ,orks. B. 2 2e er 762:;27 7. The origina ion o$ 3crip &re6 N! pr!p&ecy !" scripture is !" ny priv te interpret ti!n 4co!es o& o$ pri%a e &n$olding5..4NA3B5 2e er is no alking abo& in erpre a ion o$ scrip &re b& origina ion o$ i . 3crip &re has a di%ine origin. This sec ion is pri!arily alking abo& oral prophecy gi%en by he Old Tes a!en prophe s. B& i does no ha%e o be li!i ed o oral re%ela ion. 3o!e prophecies ,ere ,ri en. There$ore his applies o all ,ri en scrip &re. 2. 3crip &re does no origina e in !an6 '!r t&e pr!p&ecy c (e n!t in t&e !l# ti(e by

II.

III.

t&e )ill !" ( n$% ?an did no hink &p his scrip &re hi!sel$ b& "od re%ealed o !an ,ha #e ,an ed o say in he Bible. =. The !e hod o$ inspira ion6 But &!ly (en !" G!# sp *e s t&ey )ere (!ve# by t&e H!ly G&!st$% These ,ri ers o$ scrip &re ,ere borne along or carried along by he #oly 3piri so ha he e(ac hings "od ,an ed ,ri en ,ere ,ri en. NOT06 @ri ers o$ scrip &re ,ere all belie%ers b& beca&se o$ a sin na &re ,ere able o sin. #o,e%er' beca&se he #oly 3piri so%ereignly con rolled he!' hey ,ere able o gi%e re%ela ion in ,ri en $or! ha ,as inspired' a& hori a i%e and ,i ho& error. The #oly 3piri is he agen o$ scrip &reB here$ore ,e ha%e an in$allible Bible. There are no in$allible in erpre ers b& here is an in$allible Bible. C. Concl&sion6 @hile 2 Ti!o hy and 2 2e er 7 are re$erences o he inspira ion o$ he Old Tes a!en seeing here ,as no Ne, Tes a!en a ha i!e' hese por ions o$ scrip &re can be direc ly applied o he Ne, Tes a!en as ,ell. There are !any clai!s o he inspira ion o$ he Ne, Tes a!en 4?a . 2C6=9B John 78678B 7A67=B 2 2e . =67AB 7 Thess. 9678;7<B 267=B 7 Cor. 7C6=8B 26D;7=B 2 2e . =62B 7 2e . 762C;29B 7 Ti!. C6A'77'7AB 7 Thess. C679B Re%. 2762=B 226AB "al. 76<;D5. I1. BIBLICAL AR"U?0NT3 EOR IN32IRATION A. @ri ers @ere Conscio&s o$ @ri ing "odFs @ord6 Old Tes a!en 6 ?ore han ='::: phrases in he Old Tes a!en ,i h s&ch ,ords as +Th&s sai h Jeho%ah'. or + he @ord o$ Jeho%ah ca!e saying'. or +This is he & erance o$ Jeho%ah.. Ne, Tes a!en 6 47 Cor. 267=B 7 Thess. 267=5. B. @ri ers @ro e a he Co!!and o$ "od6 Old Tes a!en 6 40(. 7867CB =C628B Jer. =:67B =A6lb;2B =A628;2<5. Ne, Tes a!en 47 Cor. 7C6=8B Re%. 767:;775. NOT06 These %erses e!phasiGe he ,ri ing o$ ,ords. @e canno escape he %erbal charac er o$ re%ela ion as !odern heology seeks o do. C. @ri ers Clai! Absol& e A& hori y and 2er$ec ion o$ Their @ri ings6 Old Tes a!en 4De& . 2<69<;9DB Isa. <67D;2:B 2sa. 7D68;D5. Ne, Tes a!en 4"al. 762:B 76A;<B Re%. 2267<;7DB 2769B 226A5. D. @ri ers Clai! he A& hori y o$ O her @ri ers. Old Tes a!en 4Josh. 76<B Neh. <67B Dan. D62B D677'7=B >ech. 86725. Ne, Tes a!en 4Ac s 767AB 2<629b;28B ?a . 2679B 7 Ti!. 967<B 2 2e . =679;7A5. 0. @ri ers Clai! he #oly 3piri is he A& hor. This is seen !ainly in he in rod&c ory $or!&las 4Ac s 2<629;28B 767A5. E. 0*&a ion o$ 3crip &re ,i h "od 4Ro!. D678 c$. 0(. D67AB "al. =6< c$. "en. 7267;=5. "od and 3crip &re are p& on he sa!e plane' ". 2ro!ise o$ he #oly 3piri 4John 7C62AB 7A67=;7C5. The #oly 3piri ,o&ld each he disciples and bring o re!e!brance hings he disciples ,ere o re!e!ber abo& Chris . This ,as a s&perna &ral s irring o$ he !e!ory. #. Chris Fs Use o$ he Old Tes a!en . Chris clai!ed ha e%ery )o and i le o$ he La, 4Old Tes a!en 5 ,o&ld co!e o pass 4?a . 9678;7<5 and ha scrip &re canno be broken 4John 7:6=C;=95. #e &sed he scrip &res cons an ly in #is o,n !inis ry 4L&ke 2C628'CC;C95. Chris p& he Old Tes a!en scrip &re on he sa!e plane ,i h #is o,n ,ords 4John 96C85. Chris said o$ #is o,n ,ords ha hea%en and ear h shall pass a,ay b& #is ,ords ,ill ne%er pass a,ay 4?a . 2C6=95. NOT06 I$ ,e accep he a& hori y o$ Chris ' ,e !&s accep he a& hori y o$ he ,hole Bible. I$ Chris a&gh an inerran scrip &re' hen ,e can r&s #is clai!s o$ dei y' $or "od co&ld no lie or err. B& i$ scrip &re is sho hro&gh ,i h holes 4errors5 as liberals clai!' hen here is no reason o belie%e ha Chris Fs ,ords can be r&s ed in any real!. I. Concl&sion6 @e can see han ha here is a reasonable basis o belie%e in he inspira ion o$ scrip &re. 2a&l Li le says' There are' hen' a n&!ber o$ pieces o$ e%idence on ,hich one can reasonably base his belie$ ha he Bible is he @ord o$ "od. As help$&l as hese e%idences are' he es i!ony o$ he #oly 3piri is ,ha $inally !akes one belie%e ha he Bible is he @ord o$ "od. As he s&r%eys he e%idence and as he reads he Bible' +i da,ns on hi!'. o &se "ordon ClarkFs phrase' ha he Bible is he @ord o$ "od. This realiGa ion is he ,ork o$

he #oly 3piri . B& he ,ork o$ he 3piri is al,ays o,ard so!e p&rpose. This in%ol%es he gi%ing o$ reasons $or belie$ and he e(plana ion o$ he 3crip &re !essage i sel$. 4Know Why You Believe5 1. LIB0RAL 2O3ITION3 ON IN32IRATION A. ?odernis! 4Liberalis!56 The Bible ,as ,ri en by sin$&l !en and here$ore $&ll o$ errors e%en in he original !an&scrip s and is no reliable in !a ers o$ $ai h and prac ice. I is he $ines book e%er ,ri en b& i is )&s ano her book. The Bible gi%es people a good se o$ e hics o li%e by' b& so do o her grea religio&s books. The Bible is inspired in ha inspired !en ,ro e i Hinspired in he sense ha any grea book' sec&lar or religio&s' is ,ri en by inspired a& hors. B. Neo;or hodo(y6 The Bible ,as ,ri en by sin$&l !en and has errors in he original !an&scrip s. I is no reliable in so!e hings b& i is s ill he @ord o$ "od beca&se i is "odFs @ord. Tha ,hich he #oly 3piri eaches a person is he @ord o$ "od o ha person alone. In o her er!s' he Bible beco!es he @ord o$ "od ,hen he #oly 3piri eaches he person he ho&gh s o$ 3crip &re. The Bible is a h&!an prod&c $&ll o$ errors' b& ,hen "od &ses i o o%erpo,er he reader' i beco!es he @ord o &s. 01AN"0LICAL 2O3ITION ON 0RROR3 IN T#0 BIBL0 A. 0%angelicals speak o$ inspired scrip &re in he original !an&scrip s. 0%angelicals ad!i proble!s and di$$ic&l ies in rans!ission o$ he e( b& no hing ,arran s hro,ing o& he concep o$ inspira ion in he original !an&scrip s. They ad!i he possibili y o$ error in rans!ission o$ he e( and see in a $e, cases apparen con radic ions' b& he proble! is no ,i h "odFs inspired @ord b& ,i h o&r li!i ed kno,ledge. Daily Biblical cri icis! and archeology are hro,ing ne, ligh on he reliabili y o$ he @ord. 2a&l Li le says' There are so!e o her proble!s ,hich as ye do no yield a ready e(plana ion. @e !&s $reely ad!i his' re!e!bering ha !any i!es' in he pas ' proble!s resol%ed he!sel%es ,hen !ore da a beca!e a%ail; able. The logical posi ion' hen' ,o&ld see! o be ha ,here here are areas o$ apparen con$lic ' ,e !&s hold he proble! in abeyance' ad!i ing o&r presen inabili y o e(plain b& a,ai ing he possibili y o$ ne, da a. The presence o$ proble!s does no pre%en o&r accep ing he Bible as he s&perna &ral @ord o$ "od. 4Know Why You Believe5 B. 3ince here are so!e corr&p ions o$ he original e( in rans!ission o$ he Bible' Chris ians hro&gh lo,er cri icis! sho&ld ,ork %ery hard o res ore he r&e e( . NOT06 3o!e ask ,hy i is necessary o arg&e abo& inerrancy o$ he original !an&scrip s ,hen ,e do no ha%e any e(is ing original !an&scrip s oday. The ans,er is ha he $o&nda ion $or belie%ing in inspira ion is so&nd ,hen one belie%es in an errorless Bible in he original !an&scrip s and oday ,e can prac ically recons r&c he Ne, Tes a!en and !&ch o$ he Old Tes a!en . NOT06 There is no corr&p ion or apparen con radic ion ha has any e$$ec &pon any !a)or Chris ian doc rine' so he proble! is no as se%ere as !any liberals ,o&ld like &s o belie%e. 1II. CONCLU3ION A. Eor an e%angelical he iss&e o$ %erbal;plenary inspira ion is a !a er o$ li$e and dea h $or he Chris ian Eai h. Liberals o$ en resor o slander ,hen hey canno in ellec &ally p& do,n a learned e%angelical and call hi! a +Bible; h&!per. or +Bibliola or'. and clai! ha e%angelicals are g&il y o$ ,orshipping a paper pope. B. /e he e%angelical kno,s ha ; he Chris o$ his ory is in i!a ely bo&nd &p in he Chris o$ scrip &re. Tha is' one can kno, no !ore abo& Chris han ,ha he scrip &res each. C. 1erbal;plenary inspira ion is essen ial o ha%e an a& hori a i%e Bible' $or' i$ he Bible is $&ll or errors' hen no !an can be s&re ha he Bible can be r&s ed in any par . To lea%e %erbal inspira ion is he $irs s ep o,ards liberalis! beca&se he a& hori y o$ scrip &re is ,eakened. D. The e%angelical clearly sees ha behind he iss&e o$ inspira ion lies he possibili y o$ denying he so%ereign y o$ "od and s&perna &ralis!. I$ "od is "od' hen #e ,o&ld ha%e no ro&ble ,ri ing he Bible in he originals in a per$ec $or!. 0d,ard J. /o&ng says'

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I$ he 3crip &ral doc rine o$ inspira ion ,ere be er kno,n' he ne,er %ie,s ,o&ld ha%e !ore di$$ic&l y lodging he!sel%es in he !odern Ch&rch. I ,ill be necessary here$ore o e(a!ine in !ore de ail ,ha hy Bible i sel$ eaches concerning inspira ion. I$ ,ha ,e ha%e been saying' in he preceding' chap er is r&e' he grea iss&e be$ore he Ch&rch oday is ,he her o lis en o he %oice o$ "od or o$ !an. Tha e(presses i sel$' ,e ha%e seen' in he *&es ion ,he her one !ay any longer regard he Bible as a r&s ,or hy eacher o$ doc rine. Thro&gho& he co&rse o$ Ch&rch #is ory he Ch&rch has deri%ed her doc rines $ro!. he Bible. Is she no,' a long las ' ,hen so !any al erna i%es and s&bs i & es are being proposed' o re)ec he es i!ony ,hich he Bible gi%es concerning i sel$- 3ince he Bible is "odFs @ord' o re)ec ,ha he Bible has o say abo& i sel$ is o re)ec he %oice o$ "od #i!sel$. @ha lies be$ore he Ch&rch a he presen i!e is he old iss&e o$ s&perna &ral %ers&s !an;!ade religion. 4Thy Word is Truth5 0. I$ he Bible is no %erbally inspired' hen ,e can no longer say' +Jes&s lo%es !e' his I kno,' $or he Bible ells !e so..