02.01 - Chapter 10 - The Scriptures

Part II BIBLIOLOGY: THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE65

Chapter 10 THE SCRIPTURES "Heaven and earth shall pass away But my Words shall not pass away." Mark 13:31 A Confession of Faith

"The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience. Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable, yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and His will which is necessary unto salvation. Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and in divers manners to reveal Himself, and to declare that His will unto His Church; and afterward for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan, and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing; which maketh the Holy Scriptures to be most necessary, those former ways of God’s revealing His will unto His people being now ceased....” (The Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689, Chapter 1, Section 1; study 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Isaiah 8:20; Luke 16:29, Luke 16:31; Ephesians 2:20; Romans 1:19-21; Romans 2:14-15; Psalms 19:1-3; Hebrews 1:1; Proverbs 22:19-21; Romans 15:4; 2 Peter 1:19-20)

"We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the Church of God to an high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scriptures; and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, and the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man’s salvation, and many other incomparable excellencies, and entire perfections thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God; yet not withstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth, and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts." (The Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689, Chapter 1, Section 5; study John 16:13-14; 1 Corinthians 2:10-12; 1 John 2:20, 1 John 2:27) A Definition of Bibliology

Bibliology refers to the study of the Scriptures of the Old and the New Testaments. Since the Scriptures are the main source of Christian belief, what a person believes about the Bible is extremely important. Two basic positions are taken regarding the Bible. One position states that the Scriptures are only ordinary human literature. The other position maintains that the Scriptures are the actual words of God, that they are inspired and authoritative because they are of Divine revelation, and that they have been received by God’s people. A young theological student in a certain liberal school went to visit his aging grandmother during his vacation. He said to her, "Grandmother, you know the Bible that you say you believe was written in the Hebrew and the Greek languages. It had to be translated by great scholars into our language. How do you know that those who translated it, got it right?" "Ah, Jamie lad," replied grandmother. "Never mind the great men; I have translated a few of those promises myself." The Books of the Bible

"Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testament, which are these: OF THE OLD TESTAMENT Genesis 1 Kings Ecclesiastes Obadiah Exodus 2 Kings Song of Solomon Jonah Leviticus 1 Chronicles Isaiah Micah Numbers 2 Chronicles Jeremiah Nahum Deuteronomy Ezra Lamentation Habakkuk Joshua Nehemiah Ezekiel Zephaniah Judges Esther Daniel Haggai Ruth Job Hosea Zechariah 1 Samuel Psalms Joel 2 Samuel Proverbs Amos OF THE NEW TESTAMENT Matthew Galatians Hebrews Revelation Mark Ephesians James Luke Philippians 1 Peter John Colossians 2 Peter Acts 1 Thessalonians 1 John Romans 2 Thessalonians 2 John 1 Corinthians 1 Timothy 3 John 2 Corinthians 2 Timothy Jude

"All of which are given by inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life. The books called Apocrypha, not being of Divine inspiration, are no part of the canon or rule of the Scripture, and therefore are of no authority to the Church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved or made use of than other human writings" (The Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689, Chapter 1, Section 2; study 2 Timothy 3:16). A Revelation from God To believe in Divine revelation does not mean to believe that everything in the Bible has been supernaturally revealed to the mind of men. Much information in the Bible was collected from human records and personal observation and did not require supernatural revelation. In the Old Testament reference is made to various writings that are no longer available (note Num. 221:14; Joshua 10:13; 1 Chronicles 29:29; 1 Kings 11:41). Nehemiah and Ezra provides genealogies, letters of Persian kings and other documents. Turning to the New Testament a similar situation exists. There are references to extra biblical sources (Acts 17:28; 1 Corinthians 10:33; Titus 1:2).

However, belief in Divine revelation insists that the entire gathering of data was supervised by the God the Holy Spirit in order to be presented as God’s message to man in word without error and without change. "One of the best evidences that the Bible is a revelation from God, is that it is a revelation of God" (Francis L. Patton). The revelation of God is the revelation of what God is like. The Bible tells us that God is good. "O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is that man that trusteth in him." (Psalms 34:8) The regenerated heart agrees, God is good. The goodness of God is manifested by the fact that He draws close to His creation; He could do not less. "As it is natural for a loving father to reveal himself to his children, so it is natural that the God who is good and loving would make Himself known to the children He has created in His own image." (David Clark) As it is natural for a father to desire fellowship with his children, so it is also natural for the children to seek fellowship with their father. The Bible teaches that man is seeking after God "If haply they may feel after him and find him" (Acts 17:27). In an African tribe, a native’s first question on meeting a white man was: "Have you any news from above?" Despite the presence of sin and the darkness of man’s mind, there is still an irrepressible inclination in the human race to search after God in hope that there is a revelation of Him. In the Bible, in the Book of all books, there is that revelation. The Bible: A Book That Can Be Believed

It is not wrong to honestly ask whether or not the Bible can be believed. Based upon objective observations, the conclusion is that the Bible can be trusted for a number of reasons.

• The Bible provides the answers to the ultimate questions of life. It solves the lonely mystery of existence as an alternative to atheism and agnosticism. And most of all, the Bible tells men how to live forever.

• The Bible tells of God’s remedy for sin by showing the way of salvation. At the World’s Fair at Chicago in 1893 religious leaders from many faiths gathered together in a lovely building set aside for spiritual activities. One by one, leading men arose and spoke for Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism and the faith of Islam. Finally, Joseph Cook arose to address the gathering and to say something on behalf of Christ and Christianity. Holding out his hand, he asked the rhetorical question of Lady McBeth: "Who will wash white my red right hand?" Joseph Cook went on to press personal application by asking. "Can Confucianism wash white my sinful heart stained with the blood of Christ at Calvary? Can Hinduism, Mohammedanism, or Buddhism? They do not even claim to do so! But it is a known fact that Christianity claims to do that very thing and does it!”

How wonderful it is to know that, “The blood of Jesus Christ His [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7) "Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18). No matter what the sin may be, there is healing to be found in Christ so that no one is without hope. Young or old, rich or poor, educated or un-educated can find in the Bible a message of salvation. It can be believed.

Great Belief is not Bibliolatry

"Evangelical Christians are not, or ought not to be, what we are sometimes accused of being, namely, ’bibliolaters,’ worshipers of the Bible. We do not worship the Bible; we worship the Christ of the Bible. Here is a young man who is in love. He has a girlfriend who has captured his heart. As a result he carries a photograph of his beloved in his wallet because it reminds him of her when she is far away. Sometimes, when nobody is looking, he might even take the photograph out and give it a surreptitious kiss. But kissing the photograph is a poor substitute for the real thing. And so it is with the Bible. We love it only because we love Him of whom it speaks" (John R. W. Stott).68 A Day of Divine Discovery

If God in His mercy, on this day, has opened your heart to this truth so that you have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior (Acts 16:31), and have received from Him forgiveness of sins and life everlasting (John 3:16), please write to the publishers and let them know. They would like to encourage you in your Christian faith and send some free literature to help you in your Christian growth. The Harmony of the Bible In the study of the Bible a wonderful harmony is soon discovered among its many different authors. This harmony speaks of a supernatural outcome for it is very difficult to get any group of people to tell the same story without wide disagreement. The more elaborate the narrative, the more difficulty it is to arrange the different perspectives and arrive at the truth. The Bible has no problem with veracity or truthfulness. Here is a Book with a consistent story despite being written by forty different men, from different occupations to include kings, statesmen, scribes, nomads, scholars, peasants, herdsmen, fruit vendors, warriors, chiefs, fishermen, publican, tradesmen, physician, and scholars. Even more amazing is the fact that these individuals lived at different times over a time span of 1500 years. Most of the writers never met, nor even communicated with each other thereby having no possibility of collusion. And yet, the holy authors produced a harmonious work. The Bible Record Reveals one Story • There is one account of God.

• There is one account of the human race.

• There is one account of the human heart.

• There is one account of sin.

• There is one account of the way of salvation.

• There is one account of the destiny of the world and of men.

• There is one account of human duty and obligation. The Essential Unity in the Scriptural Narrative • Genesis tells of sin in the beginning Revelation shows salvation in the end • Genesis shows man driven out Revelation shows man brought back • Genesis shows a closed gate Revelation a city open on all sides • Genesis shows exclusion from Revelation shows admission to the the tree of life tree of life • Genesis gives us the promise Revelation shows the fulfilled • Genesis shows the curse on sin Revelation the victory over it • Genesis shows the first step Revelation the last step in the process of redemption

• In Genesis we hear the first sob and In Revelation we read that, "God see the first teardrop shall wipe away all tears." The Centrality of Christ

Jesus Christ is the central theme of the Bible from beginning to end. He who in Genesis is promised as the seed of the woman, is seen in Revelation sitting on the great white throne judging all the races of men. The covenants of the Old Testament culminate in the covenant of the New as per Hebrews 8:1-13. The history of the ancient times was selected as a prelude to the history of the Son of Man. The sacrifices were types of the great sacrifice of Calvary. The prophets spoke of Him; the psalmists sang of him; the hopes of the saints reached out to His coming. “The Bible is a supernatural witness to a supernatural Person who was to come and who did come to save the world from sin and death.” The Transforming Power of the Bible

There is something else. “The Bible has transformed all of life and sanctified the fallen nature. It has kept mankind sensible of the distance and difference between him and God thereby keeping him humble. But it has also raised his aspirations and made him a helper of his brother.” In addition, ”The Word of God has created the difference between the Christian and the savage. It has taught him that he is a citizen of a heavenly country, while he is a pilgrim here below. While he pursues his earthly journey, he is looking away with the eye of faith to the city that hath foundation whose builder and make is God. The Christian is not overwhelmed when calamity overtakes him and earthly things dissolve and disappear. In the evanescence (temporal nature) of all earthly things, the Bible leads souls to rests upon the abiding and eternal Saviour. The faith that the Bible generates is worth more to moral man than all worldly possessions and human learning. Its words are the sweetest that pen has written or tongue has spoken. Its principles are the loftiest that the world has known. In its influence on man, the Bible transcends all other agencies ever employed for his benefit. The Bible has hallowed homes, sanctified hearts, soothed away sorrows, dried up tears, cheered the sick, strengthened the weak, upheld the faithful, inspired devotion, re-kindled hope, conquered fears, induced joys, inspired songs, comforted the dying, and given victory over death for a thousand generations that have believed its truth and trusted its promises. Its promises have been proven to be true by the experiences of faithful generations that lived in its glorious light and died in the faith that it proclaims. Millions upon million love the sacred Book “ (David Clark) I love the sacred Book of God, No other can its place supply;

It points me to the saint’s abode, And bids me from destruction fly.

Sweet Book! In thee my eyes discern The image of my absent Lord; From thy instructive page I learn The joys His presence will afford. But while I’m here thou shall supply His place, and tell me of His love;

I’ll read with faith’s discerning eye, And thus partake of joys above.

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Thomas Kelly "Some books are for our inspiration; the Bible is for our transformation."

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Unknown Liberal Theology and the Lord of Glory In more recent years much modern Liberal Theology has undermined the authority of the Bible by contending that the Bible is not a revelation from God and therefore it is not supernaturally given.

♦ The argument is made that the origin of the Scriptures is subjective, not supernatural or, as is sometimes said, “It came from within, not from above.” This is not the view that the Bible takes of itself, since it repeatedly declares, “Thus saith the Lord.” The Bible claim to be supernaturally inspired. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God." (2 Timothy 3:16)

♦ Liberal Theology insists that the Bible has no more authority than any other human literature. In contrast, Jesus said, "Till heaven and earth pass one jot and one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled," (Matthew 5:18) and, "The Scripture cannot be broken." (John 10:35)

♦ Liberal Theology teaches that the Bible is essentially a record of human experience which expresses the convictions men have entertained, in various ages, on the religious questions that concerned them. In certain portions, the Bible is not even historical (Genesis 1:1-31, Genesis 2:1-25, Genesis 3:1-24, Genesis 4:1-26, Genesis 5:1-32, Genesis 6:1-22, Genesis 7:1-24, Genesis 8:1-22, Genesis 9:1-29, Genesis 10:1-32, Genesis 11:1-32); it only transmits the stories which the ancient Hebrew mind has developed concerning certain events, or explanations which the ancients gave to particular natural phenomena. "But this has not been the official view of the Church through the ages, nor of the multitude of simple devout believers who have accepted the teachings of the Scriptures and trusted its promises as the Word of God." (David Clark)

♦ Liberal Theology insists that the Bible has no consistency. However, that does not matter for this reason: what seemed true to men of one age, is out of date and superseded by the convictions of another age. According to Liberal Theology, the Bible is mainly a witness to the progress of human beliefs. Religious beliefs are said to have advanced for men have grown wiser by past spiritual experiences. The Bible may be valuable as a history of religious thought, but is not to be taken as expressing authoritative and unchanging truth. In light of the cultic and the occultic practices so prevalent in modern society, it is hard to conceive how it can be argued that men have advanced and grown wiser by their spiritual experiences when they have not turned to Christ and when they reject the divine revelation of the Bible.

♦ Perhaps the worst assault by Liberal Theology is when it says that the Bible is not an infallible rule of faith and practice though many good things may be found in the Scriptures, which commend themselves to human judgment. That is absurd. If the Bible is only a series of tall tales told by idiots who have lied about receiving their messages from God, it is not to be commended to human judgment or anything else. It is to be condemned. The Bible is not a good book, if Liberal Theology is true, but the worst fraud that has ever been fostered upon the human race.

Responding to the Rationalists

Because of its open assault upon the Word of God, and the God of the Word, no Christian can accept Liberal Theology. Liberal Theology as a system of thought has never given proper consideration to the reasonableness of biblical cosmology [worldview]; to the correspondence of type and anti-type; to the fulfillment of predictive prophecy; and to the authority of Jesus Christ. When Liberal Theology is challenged concerning the authority of the Bible, it counters intelligent opposition by asserting that the Scriptures are not essential to Christianity because true Christianity is ultimately demands a life of service rather than a set of beliefs. This concept has led some Liberal theologians to suggest that the Scriptures should be set aside as a basis for Christianity. Why? Because certain Scriptural concepts which are a burden to belief and a hindrance to personal progress! “There is too much that is negative,” says the Liberal theologian. “There is too much attention paid to sin!” What is needed is the power of positive thinking! “We are here to worship success,” declared one well-known advocate of Liberal Theology who hates sin but loves self-esteem concepts. And so it is that the reality of sin and the need for a Saviour is set aside. The bankrupt ideas of Liberal Theology should be understood, rejected, and then resisted as Paul withstood the vain philosophies of his day. The Bible tells Christians to, "earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." (Jude 1:3 b) The fact that the Bible still stands, in spite of the intense opposition of its enemies through the years is a tribute to the providence of God in preserving His Word. John Clifford wrote of this very thing in a poetic tribute to the precious Book. "I passed last eve beside the blacksmith’s door," he wrote, " and heard the anvil ring, the vespers chime and looking in, I saw upon the floor old hammers worn with beating years of time. ’How many anvils have you had,’ said I, ’To wear and batter all these hammers so?’ ’Just one,’ said he, and then with twinkling eye, ’The anvil wears the hammers out, you know.’ And so, thought I, the anvil is God’s Word, for ages skeptics’ blows have beat upon -- but, though the noise of falling blows was heard, the anvil is unchanged; the hammers gone!"

There it Stands Century follows century--There it stands.

Empires rise and fall and are forgotten--There it stands.

Dynasty succeeds dynasty--There it stands.

Kings are crowned and uncrowned--There it stands.

Emperors decree its extermination--There it stands.

Atheists rail against it--There it stands.

Agnostics smile cynically--There it stands.

Profane prayerless punsters caricature it--There it stands.

Unbelief abandons it--There it stands.

Higher critics deny its claim to inspiration--There it stands. The flames are kindled about it--There it stands. The tooth of time gnaws but makes no dent in it--There it stands.

Infidels predict its abandonment--There it stands.

Modernism tries to explain it away--There it stands.

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A. Z. Conrad73