Intro.

1. 2 Tim. 3:16-17 – NT affirms all scripture is “God-breathed”.

a. Bible is not the product of man – 2 Pet. 1:21.

b. “Inspiration is, therefore, usually defined as a supernatural influence exerted on the sacred writers by the Spirit of God, by virtue of which their writings are given Divine trustworthiness” (B. B. Warfield, ISBE, III:1473).

2. How we view the inspiration of the Bible will have practical effects upon our faith: Faith, life and eternity – Rom. 10:17; Matt. 4:4; 2 Tim. 3:16-17.

3. Some present doctrines among us are undermining respect for the inspiration of the Bible.

I. THE CLAIM OF INSPIRATION - 2 Tim. 3:16.

A. Apostles Words and Writings – 1 Ths. 2:13; 1 Cor. 14:37.

1. “Thus says the Lord” or equivalent – Over 2,000 times in OT.

2. cf. Jer. 10:1-2; Ezek. 1:3; 1 Cor. 14:37 – Word, commandments

B. Received By Revelation – Gal. 1:12; Eph. 3:3-5 (1 Cor. 2:10).

II. THE NATURE OF INSPIRATION.

A. Divine – 2 Tim. 3:16; 1 Cor. 2:11-12.

1. 2 Pet. 1:20: “does not come ‘of private interpretation’; that is, it is not the result of human investigation into the nature of things, the product of its writers’ own thinking” (B.B. Warfield, ISBE, III:1474)].

2. 1 Pet. 1:10-12 (Instrumentality of man) - Prophets tried to understand their prophecies, but didn’t!

B. Verbal – Matt. 10:19-20; 1 Cor. 2:13.

1. God directed men to speak His will using words – Deut. 18:15-18.

2. Not merely concepts or ideas, leaving man to use his own insight, skill, and experiences to communicate God’s word and will – cf. 2 Pet. 3:15 (1:21).

3. God’s word - 2 Sam. 23:2 (Mk. 12:36); Jer. 1:9, 11. (God, thru Holy Spirit, directed choice of subject and words). {Zech. 7:12: Lord…His Spirit…prophets…law and words…Israel}

C. Plenary (Full, complete, extending to every part): All Scripture is Fully Inspired by God.

1. Jno. 10:35 – Cannot be broken (lose its integrity, undone, deprived of its binding authority).

2. 1 Pet. 1:22-25 – Word of God an incorruptible seed, abides forever.

3. Psa. 119:128 - God's word is right concerning all things.

4. Psa. 119:160, 138 – Sum of God’s word is truth and very faithful.

5. Matt. 5:18 – Down to smallest letter (jot, “Yod”) and stroke (tittle).

– Rom. 3:4 (2 Tim. 3:16; 1 Cor. 14:37).

A. Days of Creation in Genesis 1.

1. False doctrine: “Days” = “ages” in Genesis 1.

a. Attempt to fit Bible into current scientific theory about origins (15-20 billion years).

b. Should be the other way around! – Psa. 33:6, 9 (Rom. 3:4)

2. The Bible says:

a. Evening and morning – Gen. 1:5, 8, 13….

b. Jewish work week corresponds to creation week – Exo. 20:9-11.

B. Flood: Local or Global?

1. Gen. 6:13 (all flesh); 7:11 (all fountains and windows); 7:17-21 (all high hills under the whole heaven were covered)…Lk. 17:27 (destroyed all).

2. John Clayton; Hugh Ross said:

“I kind of read through the text and it seemed obvious to me that it had to be a local flood, not a global flood, and I was shocked to discover that there are all these Christians, and even Christian scholars, that held to a global flood. And I wanted to figure out, you know, how did this happen? You know, how did people get off track like this?” (1990). (RandR, 8/98, cited by Bert Thompson)

C. Miracles of Bible:

1. Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19; Lk. 17:29-32)?

2. Jonah and great fish? – Jonah 1:17; Matt. 12:39-40.

3. What’s next? Resurrection of Jesus?!

Conclusion

1. Divine inspiration secures the Bible’s authenticity, credibility and reliability (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

2. We must build and maintain trust in the verbally-inspired word of God! It has…

a. Power to save – Heb. 4:12; Rom. 1:16.

b. Power to protect – Eph. 6:17.

c. Power to defeat error – Jude 3 (Acts 6:10).

d. Power to give life – Matt. 4:4; Jno. 12:50.

3. Resist every infringement on the inspiration of the Bible!