(Guidelines) Inspiration I
The Bible is a God-breathed book that is both human and divine, and is a reliable and authoritative guide for our lives.
In this sermon, the speaker discusses the concept of inspiration in relation to the Bible. He emphasizes that the scriptures are given by the inspiration of God and are profitable for various purposes. The speaker explains that inspiration means that the words of the Bible are God-breathed and that the thoughts are wedded to the words. He also highlights that the Bible is both a human book and a God book, as God used human writers without destroying their free will or expression. The speaker references passages from 2 Timothy and 2 Peter to support his points.
Full Transcript
And I want today to move on to this matter of inspiration, for inspiration guarantees the revelation of God. And that's exactly what this book says. And two men, Paul writing to Timothy, and Peter writing his last epistle, and 2 Timothy is Paul's last epistle, they had something pretty definite to say about the Bible.
It's all scriptures given by inspiration of God. It's profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, instruction, and righteousness that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. That is 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17.
All scriptures given by inspiration. The word inspiration means it's God breathed. God said through these men, as He said here through Paul, exactly what He wanted to say.
He hasn't anything else to add. And the way Peter expresses it, he says in 2 Peter 1, 21, for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. Now that's very important to see, that these men were moved.
They were, as it were, carried along by the Holy Spirit of God. It was Bishop Westcott, he says the thoughts are wedded to words as necessarily as the soul is to the body. And Dr. Kuyper said you can as easily have music without notes, or mathematics without figures, as thoughts without words.
It's not the thoughts inspired, it's the words that are inspired. Satan was not inspired to tell a lie, but the Bible records he told a lie. It's the words that are inspired.
And the Lord Jesus said it is written. It's what the word of God said. And these men are giving out what God has to say.
It's a perfectly human book, but it's an absolute God book. Not any more human because it is a God book, and it's not any less being a God book because it's a human book. God used these human writers without destroying their free will, their expression and style.
They were not fountain pens that he turned upside down and wrote with them. They are expressing their thought. The Gospels and the word of God present that which is the living word of God.
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Sermon Outline
- Inspiration Guarantees Revelation
- The Bible is God-breathed
- The Bible is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction
Key Quotes
“It's not the thoughts inspired, it's the words that are inspired.” — J. Vernon McGee
“It's a perfectly human book, but it's an absolute God book.” — J. Vernon McGee
“They were not fountain pens that he turned upside down and wrote with them.” — J. Vernon McGee
Application Points
- We can trust the Bible as a reliable and authoritative guide for our lives because it is God-breathed.
- The Bible is a human book, but it is also a divine book that contains the words and ideas of God.
- We should approach the Bible with an open heart and mind, recognizing its authority and inspiration.