THE BIBLE
 VARIOUS SCRIPTURES

“CHURCHES NEED AN ATMOSPHERE WHERE QUESTIONS AND QUERIES ABOUT TRUTHFULNESS ARE ENCOURAGED AND TO TAKE THE QUESTIONS OF THE BIBLE SERIOUSLY BELIEVING THAT CHRISTIANITY THRIVES UNDER HONEST INVESTIGATION.”
GERRY BRESHEARS

IS THE CHURCH BECOMING ILLITERATE?

“BOOKS IN WAYS THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN VISUAL ART, MUSIC, THE RADIO, OR EVEN LOVE, FORCE US TO WALK THROUGH ANOTHER’S THOUGHTS, ONE WORD AT TIME, OVER HOURS AND DAYS. WE SHARE OUR MINDS FOR THAT TIME WITH THE WRITER’S. THERE IS A SLOWNESS, A FORCED REFLECTION REQUIRED BY THE MEDIUM THAT IS UNIQUE. BOOKS RECREATE SOMEONE ELSE’S THOUGHTS INSIDE OUR OWN MINDS, AND MAYBE IT IS THIS ONE-TO-ONE MAPPING OF SOMEONE ELSE’S WORDS, ON THEIR OWN, WITHOUT EXTERNAL STIMULI THAT GIVES BOOKS THEIR POWER. BOOKS FORCE US TO LET SOMEONE ELSE’S THOUGHTS INHABIT OUR MINDS COMPLETELY.”
HUGH McGUIRE, WHY CAN’T WE READ ANYMORE?

HOW DO WE KNOW THE BIBLE IS RELIABLE?
4 WORDS;

   REVELATION – GOD REVEALING HIMSELF TO THE AUTHOR’S MIND – “THE WORD OF THE LORD”

   INSPIRATION – FROM THE AUTHOR’S MIND TO THE PAGE
2 TIM.3:14-17

      VERBAL – ALL THE WORDS
      PLENARY – ALL THE PARTS

   ILLUMINATION – THE READER ENLIGHTENED TO THE TEXT

   CANONICITY – DOES NOT MAKE WRITINGS BIBLICAL, IT RECOGNIZES BIBLICAL WRITINGS …

JESUS AND THE BIBLE (LUKE 24:44-45)

BECAUSE WE ARE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS, IT IS OUR AIM AND GOAL TO HAVE THE SAME KIND OF RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BIBLE THAT JESUS HAD.

   HEAVENS RESOURCES WERE AVAILABLE TO HIM,
MATT.26:52-56

   3 TIMES JESUS WAS TEMPTED AND 3 TIMES JESUS USES THE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE TO OVERCOME: “IT IS WRITTEN”

   GOD’S WORD IS SUFFICIENT, MATT.4:3-4
MARK 12:24

   GOD’S WORD IS COHERENT, MATT.4:5-7

   GOD’S WORD IS AUTHORITATIVE, MATT.4:8-11


APPLICATION:
2 ERRORS TO AVOID:

FIRST, BECOMING COLD HEARTED BIBLE NERDS

SECOND, READING THE BIBLE WITHOUT ENGAGING THE BIBLE

JESUS IS THE CENTERPIECE OF THE BIBLE, JOHN 5:39-40