Diligence
The Light and Glory of the Word
Afflictions Sanctified By the Word
If I But Read
Important comma
Chapter 11
Faith that Swims
Read the Bible
The Ticket
Translation Errors
Telescope
Toilet Paper
Famous Quotes
Tuned Out
Surgeon
Beyond Searching Out
Topic : Bible
Inspiration
IA. The main issues.
1B. Revelation.
2B. Inspiration.
3B. Canonization.
4B. Illumination.
5B. Interpretation.
6B. Application.
1C. First three issues deal with the Bible’s authority in our lives.
2C. Second three issues deal with the Bible’s impact upon our lives.
2A. Revelation: the problem of communication: Hebrews 1:1-2.
1B. Nature: Romans 1:20; Psalm 19:1-4.
2B. Miracles: II Kings 5:14-15.
3B. Christ: Hebrews 1:1-2; John 1:18.
4B. Bible: I John 5:9-13.
3A. Inspiration: the problem of accuracy: II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20-21.
Definition: Inspiration is the act of God by which He directly controlled the writers so that what was written (original autographs) was free from error.
1B. It refers to the writings, not the writers.
2B. It demands inerrancy (three reasons).
1C. Trustworthiness of God’s character: Romans 3:4.
2C. Consistency of the Holy Spirit: Acts 1:16 (cf. Psalm 41:9).
3C. Teaching of Christ: Matthew 5:18.
4A. Canonization: the problem of recognition.
1B. Criteria.
1C. Its own claim of divine authorship: Hebrews 1:1-2.
2C. Written by selected spokesmen: Ephesians 2:20, 3:5.
3C. Agrees with itself (cf. Romans 4:3,6; 9:6,0,15,17,25,27,29,33; 10:11,15,16,18,19,20,; 11:2,7-10,27).
4C. Universally accepted by believers: II Peter 3:15-18
5A. Illumination: the problem of understanding: I Corinthians 2:14; John 16:7-8,13.
6A. Interpretation: the problem of study:
— II Peter 1:20: “no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation.”
7A. Application: the problem of change:
— “Profitable” root: “to increase.” Comes to mean “making a profit” or “advantage.”
1B. Doctrine: teaching us what God says and wants us to do.
2B. Reproof: convicting us of sin and rebuking us when we are going the wrong way or believing the wrong thing.
3B. Correction: “to stand or set up straight.” Rebuilding and reconstructing our lives when we stumble and fall.
4B. Instruction in righteousness: discipling and educating us in what is right.
8A. Purpose.
1B. To be prepared: “complete.”
2B. To be effective: “thoroughly equipped.”
Diligence
Remember the wise words of Richard Baxter to the people of Kidderminster: “Were you but as willing to get the knowledge of God and heavenly things as you are to know how to work in your trade, you would have set yourself to it before this day, and you would have spared no cost or pains till you had got it. But you account seven years little enough to learn your trade and will not bestow one day in seven in diligent learning the matters of your salvation.”
The Light and Glory of the Word
The Spirit breathes upon the word,
And brings the truth to sight;
Precepts and promises afford
A sanctifying light.
A glory gilds the sacred page,
Majestic like the sun;
It gives a light to every age.
It gives, but borrows none.
The hand that gave it still supplies
The gracious light and heat;
His truths upon the nations rise,
They rise, but never set.
Let everlasting thanks be thine,
For such a bright display,
As makes a world of darkness shine
With beams of heavenly day.
My soul rejoices to pursue
The steps of Him I love,
Till glory break upon my view
In brighter worlds above.
Afflictions Sanctified By the Word
Oh how I love Thy holy Word,
Thy gracious covenant, O Lord!
It guides me in the peaceful way;
I think upon it all the day.
What are the mines of shining wealth,
The strength of youth, the bloom of health!
hat are all joys compared with those,
Thine everlasting Word bestows!
Long unafflicted, undismay’d,
In pleasure’s path secure I stray’d;
Thou mad’st me feel thy chast’ning rod,
And straight I turn’d unto my God.
What though it pierced my fainting heart,
I bless’d Thine hand that caused the smart:
It taught my tears awhile to flow,
But saved me from eternal woe.
Oh! hadst Thou left me unchastised,
Thy precepts I had still despised;
And still the snare in secret laid
Had my unwary feet betray’d.
I love thee, therefore, O my God,
And breathe towards Thy dear abode;
Where, in Thy presence fully blest,
Thy chosen saints for ever rest.
If I But Read
The Lord I love went on ahead
To make a home for me He said.
He would come back again, and He
Oh, Gracious Love He wrote to me!
He knew I was so weak and blind
And foolish, that I could not find
The road alone. He wrote me things
That all earth’s wisemen and its kings
Have never guessed but I foreknow.
For I read His letter and oh
The depths of love on every sheet
My soul is trembling at His feet
What would He have thought of me
I when I saw Him I should say
I was to busy everyday
To read the letter You wrote to me
I really hadn’t time for Thee.
In Brief
Admit God’s Word to be His message to you.
Submit to the authority of the Book.
Commit the words of the Scriptures to your memory.
Transmit the message to someone else.
Important comma
Maria Fedorovna, the empress of Russia and wife of Czar Alexander III, was known for her philanthropy. She once saved a prisoner from exile in Siberia by transposing a single comma in a warrant signed by Alexander. The czar had written: “Pardon impossible, to be sent to Siberia.” After Maria’s intervention, the note read: “Pardon, impossible to be sent to Siberia.” The prisoner was eventually released.
Chapter 11
When the preacher’s car broke down on a country road, he walked to a nearby roadhouse to use the phone. After calling for a tow truck, he spotted his old friend, Frank, drunk and shabbily dressed at the bar.
“What happened to you, Frank?” asked the good reverend. “You used to be rich.”
Frank told a sad tale of bad investments that had led to his downfall.
“Go home,” the preacher said. “Open your Bible at random, stick your finger on the page and there will be God’s answer.”
Some time later, the preacher bumped into Frank, who was wearing a Gucci suit, sporting a Rolex watch and had just stepped our of a Mercedes.
“Frank.” said the preacher, “I am glad to see things really turned around for you.”
“Yes, preacher, and I owe it all to you,” said Frank. “I opened my Bible, put my finger down on the page and there was the answer—Chapter 11.”
Faith that Swims
I would recommend you either believe God up to the hilt, or else not to believe at all. Believe this book of God, every letter of it, or else reject it. There is no logical standing place between the two. Be satisfied with nothing less than a faith that swims in the deeps of divine revelation; a faith that paddles about the edge of the water is poor faith at best. It is little better than a dry-land faith, and is not good for much. - C. H. Spurgeon
Read the Bible
George Mueller, who was known for his strong faith, confided. “The first 3 years after conversion, I neglected the Word of God. Since I began to search it diligently, the blessing has been wonderful. I have read the Bible through one hundred times and always with increasing delight!”
John Bunyan, who wrote Pilgrim’s Progress, testified, “Read the Bible, and read it again, and do not despair of help to understand something of the will and mind of God, though you think they are fast locked up from you. Neither trouble yourself, though you may not have commentaries and expositions; pray and read, and read and pray; for a little from God is better than a great deal from man.”
The Ticket
It seems that famed scientist Albert Einstein had more trouble finding his way home from work than he did finding the key to atomic power. One evening as Einstein sat deep in thought aboard the train that brought him home each night, the porter approached to collect his ticket. Einstein rummaged around in his coat, through his pockets, in his shirt, and everywhere else he could think of, growing alarmed at his inability to find the ticket.
“That’s okay, Dr. Einstein,” said the porter. “I know you ride this train every day. I can collect tomorrow.”
“That’s fine for you, young man,” Einstein replied, “but how am I supposed to get off the train without my ticket?”
Translation Errors
- CAMELS BIBLE In 1832 an edition had Rebekah leaving her tent to meet Isaac with a group of - not damsels - but camels.
- WIFE-HATER BIBLE An 1810 version read, “If any man come to me, and hate not … his own wife (instead of “life”), he cannot be my disciple.”
- “SIN ON” BIBLE. The first English-language Bible to be printed in Ireland, in 1716, encouraged its readers to “sin on more” rather than “sin no more.”
- A similar error in 1653 had declared: “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall inherit the kingdom of God?”
- THE WICKED BIBLE of 1631 reported the Seventh Commandment as “Thou shalt commit adultery,” a mistake that infuriated King Charles. He ordered all copies destroyed and fined all printers whose hands had touched the edition.
- MURDERER’S BIBLE. This 19th-century faux pas had Mark 7:27 as “Let the children be killed” instead of “filled.”
- PLACEMAKER BIBLE. a 16th Century printer had Jesus blessing the “place-makers” instead of “peacemakers.”
- An American printer later substituted the “Parable of the Vinegar” for the “Vineyard.”
- PRINTERS BIBLE. Perhaps King David was on target in a 1702 edition, which quoted him as saying “Printers (instead of “princes”) have persecuted me without cause.
Telescope
The Bible is like a telescope. If a man looks through his telescope he sees worlds beyond; but if he looks at his telescope, he does not see anything but that. The Bible is a thing to be looked through to see that which is beyond; but most people only look at it and so they see only the dead letter. - Phillip Brooks
Toilet Paper
In 1915, A Russian Armenian was reading his Bible when he was beheaded. I saw the Bible—large, thick, and well used. Inside was a reddish stain that permeated most of the book. The stain was the blood of this man, one of more than a million casualties of a religious and ethnic holocaust. About 70 years later a large shipment of bibles entered Romania from the West, and Ceausescu’s (dictator of Romania) lieutenants confiscated them, shredded them, and turned them into pulp. Then they had the pulp reconstituted into toilet paper and sold to the West.
Famous Quotes
- A Bible in the hand is worth two in the bookcase. - Author unknown
- Men do not reject the Bible because it contradicts itself, but because it contradicts them. - Author unknown
- The Bible is a window in this prison-world, through which we may look into eternity. - Timothy Dwight
- The inspiration of the Bible depends on the ignorance of the gentleman who reads it. - R. G. Ingersoll
- The New Testament is the very best book that was or ever will be known in the world. - Charles Dickens
- It is impossible to righteously govern the world without God and the Bible. - George Washington
- Within the covers of one single book, the Bible, are all the answers to all the problems that face us today—if only we would read and believe. - Ronald Reagan
- Never let good books take the place of the Bible. Drink from the Well, not from the streams that flow from the Well .- Amy Carmichael
- God is everywhere. However, He does not want you to reach out for Him everywhere but only in the Word. Reach out for it and you will grasp Him aright. Otherwise you are tempting God and setting up idolatry. That is why He has established a certain method for us. This teaches us how and where we are to look for Him and find Him, namely, in the Word. - Martin Luther
- I was never out of my Bible. - John Bunyan
- I am a man of one Book. - John Wesley
- Hold fast to the Bible as the sheet-anchor of your liberties. Write its precepts in your hearts, and practice them in your lives. - U. S. Grant
Tuned Out
A former park ranger at Yellowstone National Park tells the story of a ranger leading a group of hikers to a fire lookout. The ranger was so intent on telling the hikers about the flowers and animals that he considered the messages on his two-way radio distracting, so he switched it off. Nearing the tower, the ranger was met by a nearly breathless lookout, who asked why he hadn’t responded to the messages on his radio. A grizzly bear had been seen stalking the group, and the authorities were trying to warn them of the danger.
Any time we tune out the messages God has sent us, we put at peril not only ourselves, but also those around us. How important it is that we never turn off God’s saving communication!
Surgeon
My doctor had recommended surgery and referred me to a specialist. Arriving early for my appointment, I found the door unlocked and the young surgeon, deeply engrossed in reading, behind the receptionist’s desk. When he didn’t hear me come in, I cleared my throat. Startled, he closed the book, which I recognized as a Bible. “Does reading the Bible help you before or after an operation?” I asked. My fears were dispelled by his soft, one-word answer: “During.”
Beyond Searching Out
And how endlessly interesting these problem texts make the Bible! Joseph Parker well said, “When the last word has been said about the Bible it will no longer be the Word of God.” We never get to the end of the Bible. It is as wise in its reservations as in its revelations. Enough is reserved to give faith scope for development. Everything needful to salvation and godliness is written with such clarity that all the simple-hearted may understand; but there are other matters which, with wise divine purpose, are presented less lucidly, or even enigmatically, so as to challenge enquiry—matters fascinating, mysterious, or more intricate, but all yielding rich and sanctifying reward to devout exploration.
