Scripture

Some Words…

1. Inspired – Means that God “breathed” into every word. This word in 2 Tim 3:16 is only used once in the Bible.

2. Inerrant – Means, without errors. The Bible does record errors of judgement, lies, and sin. The Bible does so without making an error in its report.

3. Infallible – Means, the Bible is always right. The record that we read is accurate and will always stand under scrutiny. This makes the Bible reliable. 

4. Verbally – Means the inspiration of Scripture is in the words chosen and they are the exactly right word in their original languages and autographs.

5. Plenary – Means even the ideas, though formulated by human authors, are so under the direction of the Holy Spirit that the ideas themselves are inerrant.

It’s About the Source – God is True

God Does not Lie - “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Numbers 23:19, ESV)

God Is Reliable - “For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself,” (Hebrews 6:13, ESV)

If There is Doubt, Pick God - “By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.”” (Romans 3:4, ESV)

Everything that God Says is True - “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17, ESV)

What Jesus Said…

64 times Jesus quotes of refers to the Old Testament

Jesus says the OT refers to Him - “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,” (John 5:39, ESV)

Jesus Says He Affirms the Scriptures - ““Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17, ESV)

Jesus Affirms the reality of Bible Events - “He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?” (Matthew 19:4–5, ESV)

… And Characters… - “from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation.” (Luke 11:51, ESV)

Questions:

1. Look up the verses in this week’s sermon and consider them in context. You might also review I Peter 1:19-21. What do these verses say about the authority of the Bible?

2. Where has the authority of the Bible improved your life? 

3. Are there places in your life where the Bible does not have authority? How do you change that?