The weaknesses we see in the people of the Bible are the very weaknesses we ought to recognize in ourselves. Like Eve, who ate the forbidden fruit, we are vulnerable to temptation when we act on our own. Like Abraham, who lied about his wife to save his neck, we are vulnerable to temptation when we are scared. Like David, who slept with Bathsheba while his men were off to war, we are vulnerable to temptation when we are idle. Like Elijah, who wanted God to end his life, we are vulnerable to temptation when we are exhausted. Like Peter, who denied his Lord even after he promised to die for him, we are vulnerable to temptation when we are overconfident. In other words, we are vulnerable to temptation practically all the time.
Philip Graham Ryken

The Bible The Word Of God

The Bible The Word Of God

The Bible — The Word of God

I. THE BIBLE CLAIMS TO BE THE INSPIRED WORD OF GOD. See 2 Tim.

3:16,17.

16) All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
17) that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

“All scripture is inspired by God.” “Inspired” means that the Holy Spirit exerted His supernatural influence upon the writers of the Bible. Therefore, the Scriptures are God inspired word for word. By this is meant that every word, in the original, is fully and equally inspired in all of its teachings. The Bible does not just contain the Word of God, it is the Word of God.

2 Peter 1:21 — for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

2 Samuel 23:2 — “The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and His word was on my tongue.”

Psalms 119:89 — Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven.

Matthew 24:35 — “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away.”

II. THE BIBLE IS A DIFFICULT BOOK. See 1 Corinthians 2:14-16

14) But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 15) But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man.
16) For who has known the mind of the Lord, the he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.

The Bible is a difficult book because it came from the infinite to the finite — from the unlimited, all powerful God, to limited man. Therefore, you cannot understand the Bible as you would understand the writings of Plato or Socrates. You can study the great philosophers with the natural mind, and by diligent application, grasp their profound meanings. If the Bible could be understood by natural man, it would be a natural book, and could not be the Word of God. Since the Bible is from God, and therefore spiritual, before you can receive its teachings, you must be born of the Spirit and filled with the Spirit.

John 3:5,6 — Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

Ephesians 5:18-21 — And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of your Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

Always approach the Bible praying that the Spirit will be your teacher and will guide you to a better understanding of His Holy Word, or it will remain a difficult, closed book.

John 16:12-15 — “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said, that He takes of Mine, and will disclose it to you.”

III. THE BIBLE IS A BOOK OF ONENESS. See 2 Peter 1:21.

21) for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

The oneness or unity of the Bible is a miracle. It is a library of 66 books, written by over 35 different authors, in a period of approximately 1,500 years. Represented in the authors is a cross section of humanity, educated and uneducated, including kings, fishermen, public officials, farmers, teachers, and physicians. Included in the subjects are religion, history, law, science, poetry, drama, biography, and prophecy. Yet its various parts are as harmoniously united as the parts that make up the human body.

For 35 authors, with such varied backgrounds, to write on so many subjects over a period of approximately 1,500 years in absolute harmony, is a mathematical impossibility. It could not happen! The how do we account for the Bible? The only adequate explanation is: “… men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”

IV. THE BIBLE CLAIMS SPECIAL POWER. See Hebrews 4:12,13

12) For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

13) And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

(1) The Bible claims dividing power as a sword (above verse). The Bible will separate man from sin, or sin will separate man from the Bible.

Psalms 119:11 — Thy word have I treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee.

Isaiah 59:2 — But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.

(2) The Bible claims reflecting power as a mirror. In the Bible we see ourselves as God sees us — as sinners.

James 1:22-25 — But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does.

Romans 3:23-25 — for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;

(3) The Bible claims cleansing power as water. David prayed that God would wash him from iniquity and cleanse him from sin.

Ephesians 5:25,26 — Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

Psalms 51:1-4 — Be gracious to me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness; according to the greatness of Thy compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against Thee, Thee only, I have sinned, and done what is evil in Thy sight, so that Thou art justified when Thou dost speak, and blameless when Thou dost judge.

(4) The Bible claims reproductive power as seed. We are the children of God, because we have been born into the family of God by the imperishable seed of God. This is the new birth.

1 Peter 1:23 — for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God.

John 3:1-7 — Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Him by night, and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.'”

(5) The Bible claims nourishing power as food. The Bible is spiritual food for the soul. No Christian can remain strong in the Lord and not study the Word of God.

1 Peter 2:1-3 — Therefore, putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.

V. THE BIBLE COMMANDS THE BELIEVER TO STUDY THE SCRIPTURES. See

2 Timothy 2:15.

15) Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God” is a command. As you study the Bible, you will discover that it does not just contain the Word of God — it Is the Word of God. You must also keep in mind that the Word of God contains the words of God, as well as the words of Satan, demons, angels, and man — both good and bad. God is truth and cannot lie. Satan “… is a liar, and the father of lies.” Man is natural and is therefore limited, and does not always speak the truth.

John 8:42-47 — (Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees) Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me; for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies. But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”

Matthew 22:15-46 — Then the Pharisees went and counselled together how they might trap Him in what He said. And they sent their disciples to Him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any. Tell us therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus perceived their malice, and said, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the poll-tax.” And they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Then He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” And hearing this, they marveled, and leaving Him, they went away.

On that day some Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to Him and questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies, having no children, his brother as next of kin shall marry his wife, and raise up an offspring to his brother.’ Now there were seven brothers with us; and the first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother; so also the second, and the third, down to the seventh. And last of all, the woman died. In the resurrection therefore whose wife of the seven shall she be? For they all had her.” But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures, or the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read that which was spoken to you by God, saying, ‘I Am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

But when the Pharisees heard that He had put the Sadducees to silence, they gathered themselves together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, “Christ, whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.” He said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call him ‘Lord,’ saying ‘The Lord said to My Lord, “Sit at My right hand, until I put Thine enemies beneath Thy Feet”‘? If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?” And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.

In this portion of scripture, we have the words of Jesus, of the Pharisees, of the Herodians, and of the Sadducees. The Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees were trying to entangle Jesus in His teachings, that they might accuse Him of breaking God’s law. Their words were spoken with evil intent, revealing the thinking of the natural man, along with the words of God that came from the lips of Jesus.

As you study the Bible, ask yourself these questions:

  1. Who is speaking: God, demon, angel, or man?
  2. To whom is being spoken: to the nation Israel, to the Gentiles, to the Church, to men in general, or to some individual man or being?
  3. How can this Scripture be applied to my own life to make me a better Christian?