Foundations of the Faith

Lesson 1 – The Bible

The Bible

• What - Revelation

• How - Inspiration

• Result - Inerrancy and Infallibility

• Result - Authority

• Response – Application

The Bible is Revelation

• The Bible is God’s Word

• Definition of Revelation – The act of God by which He has made known what was otherwise unknowable

• Apokalupsis – to unveil, to uncover

• General – God’s witness to Himself through creation, history, and the conscience of man.

• Special – God’s disclosure of Himself in Salvation History (revelation in a person) and in the interpretive word of Scripture (revelation in proposition)

The Bible is Inspired

• 2 Timothy 3:16

– All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.

• Literally, all Scripture is God breathed. Every word, in the original, is fully and equally inspired in all of its teachings.

• God superintended/controlled the human authors of the 66 books of the bible so that using their own individual personalities they composed and recorded without error, His word to man.

• Testimony of Jesus

– Often quoted Scriptures as true and authoritative

– Quoted Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea and Zechariah. He referred to Moses, Isaac, Jacob, David, Solomon and Jonah.

• Fulfilled Prophecy

– 333 Prophecies about Christ

– 109 fulfilled at His first coming

– Remaining 224 to be fulfilled at His second coming.

• Sampling of fulfilled prophecies

– Virgin Birth (Is. 7:14; Matthew 1:18-23)

– Town of Messiah’s Birth (Micah 5:2; Luke 2:4-7)

– Description of Messiah’s Suffering (Is. 53:4-6; Matthew 8:17, 1 Peter 2:24)

– Description of Jesus’ Death (Ps 22:1, 16-18; Matt 27:46, John 19:33, Luke 23:34)

– Jesus’ Resurrection (Ps 16:10-11; 1 Cor. 15:4)

– Jesus’ Ministry (Is. 61:1; Luke 4:17-21)

• Unity of Bible

– Penned by approximately 40 men over a span of about 1500 years without discrepancy

– These writers were chosen by God (2 Peter 1:19-21). They represent different cultures, classes, ages, and professions. Among them we find prophets, priests, kings, governors, pastor, shepherds, peasants, fishermen, judges, tentmakers, and a tax collector, not one of whom knew he was writing part of the Bible. Probably many had no knowledge of what the others had written, yet when their writings are gathered together we have a single book with a single author, a single theme, and a single purpose.

• Author is 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.

• Central Figure is Jesus

– John 5:39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;

• The Purpose is to Lead us to Christ for Salvation

– Galatians 3:24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.

– Luke 24:25-27 And He said to them, "O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?" Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.

The Bible is Inerrant and Infallible

• Inerrant Without error

• Infallible Incapable of teaching non- truth or leading one astray

• This does not mean there are no problems in the study of Scripture. With proper interpretation and knowledge all problems can and will be solved. The nature of God is the basis for this confidence.

• Jesus’ Statement in John 17:17

– Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

• King David

– 2 Sam 7:28 Now, O Lord GOD, You are God, and Your words are truth . . .

– Ps 19:7-8 The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

• The Bible is infallible and inerrant because it is the Word of God which "cannot lie" (Titus 1:2), and "the living and abiding word of God…the word of God that abides forever" (I Peter 1:23,25).

• Everything the Bible says is to be received as the infallible word of the infallible God.

– For example, although the Bible does not purport to be a textbook of science, when it speaks to scientific matters it is 100% accurate.

• To assert biblical inerrancy and infallibility is to confess faith in (1) divine origin of the Bible, and (2) the truthfulness and trustworthiness of God. The Bible will never become outdated. Its truth will never change.

Jesus Christ

• Living Word

• 100% Human

• 100% Divine

• Without Sin

• Human Life

• A Person

• A Body

The Bible

• Written Word

• 100% Human

• 100% Divine

• Without Error

• Human Language

• Propositions

• A Book

The Bible is Authoritative

• Since scripture is infallible and inerrant, it can justifiably claim to be authoritative (binding on our lives). Jesus constantly attested to the authority of the Scripture. Jesus said that He came not "..to abolish the law or the prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the law, until all is accomplished."

• When Jesus mentions the "law" or "scriptures," He is referring to the Old Testament. We do not have the option of accepting the Jesus of the New Testament and rejecting the authority of the Old Testament, for if we deny Jesus' view of the Old Testament, we deny His authority and Lordship.

• In His teaching Jesus confirmed the authority of scripture; with His life He showed us how to submit to it.

• The three words He prefaced His responses to Satan with in Matthew 4:4, 7, 10 were “It is written . . . ”

• In Jesus' first response to Satan He quoted Deuteronomy 8:3, "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."

• The Bible was first written in 3 languages: Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek.

• The Christian world does not have any original manuscripts penned by the biblical writers. However, careful and dedicated scholars over the centuries have given us very ancient and completely dependable manuscripts. Very few words of the Bible are in question, and those that are make no difference to our faith or doctrine.

Comparison of Ancient Manuscripts

Work # Surviving

• Pliny the Younger (History) 7

• Plato (Tetralogies) 7

• Caesar (Gallic Wars) 10

• Tacitus (Annals) 20

• Aristotle 49

• Homer (Iliad) 643

• New Testament 24,633

The Bible is to be Applied

• Makes us aware of our sin (Rom 7:7)

• Judges our thoughts and intentions of our hearts (Heb 4:12)

• Gives us wisdom leading to salvation (2 Tim 3:15)

• Hear it

– Rom 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

• Read it

– 1 Tim 4:13 Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

• Study it

– 2 Tim 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

• What does it say about God?

• What has God done?

• What does it say about man? (Who am I with Christ? Without Christ?)

• What does God want me to do?

• Memorize it

– Ps 119:9-11 How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.

• Meditate on it

– Ps 119:97 Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.

– Ps 1:1-3 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.

• Live by it (Deut. 8:3)

• It will guide you (Ps 119:105)

Conclusion

• The Bible is the Word of God. The Scriptures are fully inspired by God. He has miraculously preserved His Word through the centuries so that we have the completely reliable and trustworthy Word of God. The Bible rightfully claims to be our authoritative rule and guide in every matter of faith and practice. It leads us to salvation through faith in Christ and instructs us how to live in obedience, pleasing to God. Let us truly treasure God's Word in our hearts, that we may not sin against Him.