- Oct 27, 2017
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Here is what I believe about the 66 Books of Scripture contained in the Bible. Please challenge me with Scriptures, if you believe I have erred. Feel free to also share Scriptures you believe support what I have said.
Let's not make it mean-spirited. Just share, please. I'm not demanding your agreement. Please don't be offended if I don't argue with you. If I ask questions, I am only looking for clarity. You are free to believe what you want to believe about the Scriptures; but this is what I believe, as of today (I labeled with a number so you could share Scriptures specific to that number). Thank you, in advance.
1. I believe that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God,” by which I understand the whole Bible is inspired in the sense that holy men of God “were moved by the Holy Spirit” to write the very words of Scripture.
2. I believe that this divine inspiration extends equally and fully to all parts of the writings—historical, poetical, doctrinal, and prophetical—as appeared in the original manuscripts. I also believe that God does not lie. I also believe that, as the omnipotent Absolute Sovereign over all, He has the ability to keep His Word. As He promises to be faithful to His Word, His Word will never return void. Therefore, we can trust in Him to bring His Word to pass.
3. Therefore, I believe the Scriptures included in what we call the Bible are the reliable, true, honest, and perfectly consistent Testimony of God regarding the human matters He chose to speak to us about.
4. I believe that the whole Bible in the originals is therefore without error and perfectly consistent. However, The Bible is not what is referred to in 1 Cor 13:10 as “that which is perfect”.
5. I do not believe it is appropriate to call the Testimony of God (that we have in The Scriptures we call The Bible) “The Word of God”, because it confuses people into thinking that they can use things that were said by people other than God as if they are true. While it is true that these things were said, according to the inerrant Testimony of God, what people said is not necessarily true and therefore shouldn’t be quoted as if it was. (For example: Job’s three friends said a lot about God who said they didn’t speak correctly about Him; so, to quote those three friends as if what they said was true would be using the inerrant Scriptures errantly. In Jesus’ run-ins with the pharisees, they often said things that weren’t true. To quote them, as if it was, would be an errant use of the Scriptures. God makes errant words obvious.
6. I also believe in transcendant inspiration whereby God carries the Life of His Word forward through translations, in spite of translational errors (which I believe all translations have). I believe God will bring an indwelt believer into all Truth regardless of translational error, if the believer will listen to Him over men and their traditions. God is neither constrained by missing words nor extra words nor wrong words. God chooses to be constrained by an individual’s genuine response to Him. If this were not true, I would not have been able to be woken up by God through an NIV audio Bible while in a hotel room by myself, in spite of my “church’s” lack of belief in being born again.
7. I believe God watches over His Word to perform it (Jer 1:12), I believe that God’s Word never returns void, but accomplishes that which God pleases and that His Word will succeed in the thing for which He sent His Word. (Isa 55:11) I believe the Word of God is living and active (Heb 4:12) and I believe faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Rom 10:17).
8. I believe in the Theocentricity, as opposed to the Christocentricity, of the Scriptures. Within that bigger context, I believe the Scriptures in what we call the Old and New Testaments of the Bible speak extensively of the Person and Work of our One and only True Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
9. I also believe that all the Scriptures were given for much more than simple practical instruction. Jesus said “My Words are Spirit and they are Life”. (Mark 12:26, 36; 13:11; Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39; Acts 1:16; 17:2–3; 18:28; 26:22–23; 28:23; Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 2:13; 10:11; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21).
Let's not make it mean-spirited. Just share, please. I'm not demanding your agreement. Please don't be offended if I don't argue with you. If I ask questions, I am only looking for clarity. You are free to believe what you want to believe about the Scriptures; but this is what I believe, as of today (I labeled with a number so you could share Scriptures specific to that number). Thank you, in advance.
1. I believe that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God,” by which I understand the whole Bible is inspired in the sense that holy men of God “were moved by the Holy Spirit” to write the very words of Scripture.
2. I believe that this divine inspiration extends equally and fully to all parts of the writings—historical, poetical, doctrinal, and prophetical—as appeared in the original manuscripts. I also believe that God does not lie. I also believe that, as the omnipotent Absolute Sovereign over all, He has the ability to keep His Word. As He promises to be faithful to His Word, His Word will never return void. Therefore, we can trust in Him to bring His Word to pass.
3. Therefore, I believe the Scriptures included in what we call the Bible are the reliable, true, honest, and perfectly consistent Testimony of God regarding the human matters He chose to speak to us about.
4. I believe that the whole Bible in the originals is therefore without error and perfectly consistent. However, The Bible is not what is referred to in 1 Cor 13:10 as “that which is perfect”.
5. I do not believe it is appropriate to call the Testimony of God (that we have in The Scriptures we call The Bible) “The Word of God”, because it confuses people into thinking that they can use things that were said by people other than God as if they are true. While it is true that these things were said, according to the inerrant Testimony of God, what people said is not necessarily true and therefore shouldn’t be quoted as if it was. (For example: Job’s three friends said a lot about God who said they didn’t speak correctly about Him; so, to quote those three friends as if what they said was true would be using the inerrant Scriptures errantly. In Jesus’ run-ins with the pharisees, they often said things that weren’t true. To quote them, as if it was, would be an errant use of the Scriptures. God makes errant words obvious.
6. I also believe in transcendant inspiration whereby God carries the Life of His Word forward through translations, in spite of translational errors (which I believe all translations have). I believe God will bring an indwelt believer into all Truth regardless of translational error, if the believer will listen to Him over men and their traditions. God is neither constrained by missing words nor extra words nor wrong words. God chooses to be constrained by an individual’s genuine response to Him. If this were not true, I would not have been able to be woken up by God through an NIV audio Bible while in a hotel room by myself, in spite of my “church’s” lack of belief in being born again.
7. I believe God watches over His Word to perform it (Jer 1:12), I believe that God’s Word never returns void, but accomplishes that which God pleases and that His Word will succeed in the thing for which He sent His Word. (Isa 55:11) I believe the Word of God is living and active (Heb 4:12) and I believe faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Rom 10:17).
8. I believe in the Theocentricity, as opposed to the Christocentricity, of the Scriptures. Within that bigger context, I believe the Scriptures in what we call the Old and New Testaments of the Bible speak extensively of the Person and Work of our One and only True Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
9. I also believe that all the Scriptures were given for much more than simple practical instruction. Jesus said “My Words are Spirit and they are Life”. (Mark 12:26, 36; 13:11; Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39; Acts 1:16; 17:2–3; 18:28; 26:22–23; 28:23; Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 2:13; 10:11; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21).
