lesson 3


The Authority of Scripture

Where does Scripture get its authority? 

     - The words of Scripture are the very words of God.

         How can we know this? 

         Scripture proves itself when we look at it in its entirety.

         Throughout the Old Testament we see the repeated phrase

         "And the word of the Lord..." in various forms. The prophets

         who spoke were under strict obligation to speak the words

         which were being given them from God. They were fearful

         to preface their statements and proclamations as words that

         had come from God.

          

         Do your homework!

           *research the Old Testament- search to see how many times 

             you can find this phrase, and look at it in the context

             it is presented. Is the author aware that God is speaking

             through him?

         Some passages that we looked at in the Old Testament included:

     Num. 22:38, Deut. 18:18, Jer. 1:9, Zech 7:17, 2Kings 9:36,

  1 Sam 10:8, Ex. 24:7, Deut. 29:21, Josh 24:26, 1 Sam 10:25

 

        When we continue on to the New Testament we can see that the 

        NT authors we in complete agreement that the OT had come from 

        the Lord, and they themselves wrote with the same agreeable authority.

        In their writings you will find them quoting the OT as well as giving 

        acknowledgement to the working of the Holy Spirit in their life

        to train them, and give them the words they were scribing.

             Acts 3:18 "but what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets that his Christ

                                would suffer, he thus fulfilled."

        The author of Acts is reflecting and thus calling to our attention that the prophets spake

        from the word of God... he knows that God was speaking through the prophets,

        and surely it must have been God instructing them, because who can know 

        time and future and events but for God...and all that the prophets spoke, came to pass.

Romans 15:4 "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."

Paul saw all of the Scriptures as a source of hope, endurance and instruction 

including the prophetic words of the Old Testament.

       Luke 24:25-27 "Oh foolish ones and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets

                                    have spoken."

         Even Jesus proclaims her the validity of what the Old Testament prophets

         spoke...He so far as calls those foolish who do not believe every word.

        Furthermore...the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) are

        comprised of the retelling of Jesus' life and work on the earth. The authors

        were given special recollection from the Holy Spirit in order

        to remember all that He had done and said. Those who walked with Him

        recorded His very words and conversations, making the gospels most 

        profoundly the very words of God in the form of His son as a human 

        speaking.

        Our conclusion- 

        the words of Scripture, in its entirety are the very words of God. 

 

 

     - Therefore to disbelieve or disobey any word of 

      Scripture  is to disobey or disbelieve God. 

           

           It seems that Scripture holds a divine weight over our lives because the

           Creator of the Universe and the Author of our Salvation is the One who

           saw fit to compose it as our guide. If all the words in the book are directly 

           from Him and the commands are all seen as applicable to our lives, then 

           it is fitting to believe that to neglect it, to misuse it and to dishonor it

           through disbelief and or disobedience is to directly disobey and disbelieve Him.

           Therefore it is of utmost importance that we become students of it and surrender

           to it. We must recognize its value and the ultimate authority that is possesses. 

           This recognition comes when we are fully aware that Scripture IS the VERY WORD
           OF GOD. It is alive and full of power that is available each day for our use in 

           instruction, correction, reproof, godliness, guidance, comfort, wisdom, peace

           and fulfillment.

lesson 4 

The Inerrancy of Scripture

 

Inerrant

definition: Scripture does not affirm anything contrary to fact. Simply put: the Bible always tells the truth concerning everything it talks about. It is without error and without conflict or contradiction that cannot be resolved.

Scripture is Truthful

Proof:

• It is against God's character to ever lie. 

Titus 1:2 "Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, ² in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago"

• He is immutable- unchanging- If He is unchanging then He cannot deny His words, change His mind or rearrange what has already been spoken. Making His words- and Scripture- perfect.

Hebrews 6:18 "so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us."

 

Proverbs 30:5 "Every word of God is tested;
He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him"

 

Psalm 119:89 "Forever, O LORD,
Your word is settled in heaven" 

 

Matthew 24:35  "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away."

• His words (the Bible) are the ultimate standard for truth- truth does not and cannot exist outside of God's Word.

John 17:17 "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth."

• Nothing new will ever be discovered that has not already been covered in the Word of God. No new standard of truth will ever arise that will have power to override or contradict God's Word. 

Again, we must note the necessity to claim a final authority for truth, to do so we must first believe that truth exists and that truth is capable of having a final end... a once and for all... an only standard.

* There are 2 common themes in our world's system of belief that we will find ourselves combating: the ideas that truth is relative and that it simply does not exist at all.  The first is pluralism- this world view sets a standard for no one, it is the thought that every man determines his own truth and whatever he believes therefore is true. The second is 

post-modernism- this world view says that truth does not exist at all.

Friends... truth MUST exist! Let us be prayer warriors and instruments of the Lord to 

bring about an understanding and knowledge of truth to our lost world. Truth exists and 

it exists in the Word of God. 

 

 Sources:

Bible Doctrine by Wayne Grudem

                                                                                  The Bible (New American Standard Version)