Inspiration And Preservation

Temple Baptist Church - 4-3-2011

I Peter 1:18-25

Introduction:

Happy Birthday KJV: 400 years you've stood the test, Converted lost souls and often blessed! While others sought an easier read, You've met my every spiritual need! You gave me faith when my soul was lost, You calmed my fears when my ship was tossed! You've led me step by step each day, You kept my heart from going astray! I can't express what you mean to me, Happy Birthday KJV -- poem by David Panther


A. Last week, we saw “The Imperative Word” or “Why we need an inerrant, infallible Bible.”

1. Everything that we know and believe about God, Jesus Christ, sin, salvation, heaven and hell, and godly living come from the Bible. If the Bible is flawed then our thinking and belief is flawed because the foundation is weakened.

2. We must have a final authority! How can I base my faith on the teachings of a man when that man is flawed? Every cult and schism would then be as authoritative as the true Bible believers. The Bible is an anchor in the shifting sands of human theology!

B. Why do men not accept the Bible as God’s Word?

1. These words ring in my ears when one undercuts the Bible: “We will not have this man to reign over us!”

2. In the Book of Judges (just before the coming of the king in 1 Samuel) we find these words given twice: “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (The problem is this: if the Bible is God’s Word and the final authority then man must bow to that authority and man wants no authority other than his own.)

3. Four things can be your authority in the religious realm:

a) The Church – Catholicism

b) Personal Experience – Pentecostalism

c) Human Reason – Intellectualism

d) The Bible - Fundamentalism

C. The saved, spiritual man allows the Word of God to correct his goings while the lost or carnal man corrects the Word of God and justifies his goings. The problem with the Bible continues to be an authority problem. The word “Laodicea” means “the rights of the people” and that IS THE PROBLEM!

D. This week, I want to look at what we believe about the King James Bible and why we believe and stand where we stand. If you get your Bible stand from this pastor alone, you will eventually be “blown about by every wind of doctrine.” I want you to follow me as I follow Christ but I also want to study the Word of God and anchor your faith there.

E. The Bible says:

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

1. Bible Students Are Not Ashamed – They are neither ashamed nor do they cause shame! The Holy Ghost leads the Bible student into “all truth!”

2. Bible Students Are Not Confused – They both know what they believe and why they believe!

3. Bible Students Can Share Their Faith - 1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

F. Many will ridicule us for simply believing what the Bible says about the Bible. If this is God’s Word and—it says that it is—and we believe that it is, then we should believe what it says! Is that not simple enough? I have been asked why I stand where I stand on the Bible and the answer is that the Bible declares itself to be the perfect Word of God.

G. Let me also say that there is no place in Scripture where it says that any minute part of the Word of God will either pass away or fail. If so, then why do the vast majority of so-called Bible scholars believe that it is no longer inerrant and infallible? Many will even agree to our terminology and yet still correct and belittle its authority.

H. The Bible is a supernatural Book and is like no other that has ever existed, either secular or sacred. And not even the greatest of religious books can come close to the Bible! Although a few other religious writings, such as the Koran and the Book of Mormon, make claim to being special revelation from God, it will be found in every case that they lack the credentials, which authenticate the Bible as the true record of God's revelation.

I. The claim to be the true revelation of God is not of human origin, but rather it is the claim the Bible makes for itself. Over and over again it states that the words are from God Himself: "Thus saith the Lord." Other books may contain some measure of truth but cannot claim either inerrancy or infallibility.

J. The book that is the true revelation of God must in fact be infallible and without error in all matters of history, science, medicine, etc., as well as theology and morals. Thus the inspiration of the Bible is a supernatural miracle. Consider the following statements:

John 10:35b . . .the scripture cannot be broken.

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God. . .

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 Ghost.

1. Human Penmanship - "holy men of God spake"

2. Divine Authorship - "moved by the Holy Ghost"

K. I believe that the Word of God teaches that it is the inerrant, infallible, verbally and plenarily inspired, preserved, and absolutely perfect Word of God! (A statement like that makes even some of the strong-hearted faint. Many will declare that the King James Version is the preserved Word of God for the English-speaking people, but will shy away from inspiration because of the false teaching of double inspiration. There was only one act of inspiration with a continuing act of preservation that kept the inspiration intact.)

L. Now, we need to biblically define out terms. What I believe about the Bible is what the Bible says about the Bible! That makes sense doesn’t it? Let God’s Word speak for itself and the let God be true and every man a liar! (I want to reiterate the words “biblically define!”) I will use both Scripture and Webster’s 1828 Dictionary to define these terms in order to get them into the simplest form.

OUR TERMINOLOGY DEFINED

1. Inerrant Defined: INERRABIL'ITY, n. [from inerrable.] Exemption from error or from the possibility of erring. This means the message was written down accurately and without error, whether it be the words of God, man or Satan. Heb 6:18b; Titus 1:2c; John 10:35 (Inspiration does not change lies into truth and certainly not truth into lies!)

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 Ghost.

Jeremiah 36:4 Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD, which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book. (Mechanical Dictation? I believe that these passages make it perfectly clear that these men wrote the exact words of God and nothing else. Where I come from, that is called dictation! The word “MECHANICAL” has been supplied by those who try to discredit Bible believers.)

2. Infallible Defined: INFAL'LIBLE, a. [L. fallo.] Not fallible; not capable of erring; entirely exempt from liability to mistake; applied to persons. No man is infallible; to be infallible is the prerogative of God only. Not liable to fail, or to deceive confidence; This means the Bible is without error in it’s teaching. It cannot teach deception.

Psalms 19:7-8 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

3. Inspiration Defined: INSPI'RED, pp. Breathed in; inhaled; infused.

1. Informed or directed by the Holy Spirit. By Inspiration we mean that the Holy Spirit moved the human writers of the Bible in such a way that they recorded the very words of God. From this people get the phrase God Breathed.

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (This verse has nothing to do with original manuscripts as the liberal scholar would have you believe but, rather, with the copies or translation that Timothy had as a child. This is verified by verse 15 and anyone who interprets vs. 16 as the originals is either ignorant or deceitful!)

a. Verbal Defined: VERB'AL, a. [L. verbalis.] Minutely exact in words, or attending to words only; as a verbal critic. Literal; having word answering to word; as a verbal translation. This means "word for word." It is abundantly clear that the Holy Spirit supernaturally directed the authors as they either dictated or wrote their portion of the Scriptures.

Psalms 12:6 The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

Proverbs 30:5a "Every word of God is pure: v 6 Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar."

b. Plenary Defined: PLE'NARY, a. [L. plenus.] Full; entire; complete. This meaning is two-fold: it means both extending to all parts alike and complete." Our Bible is both completely inspired and completely finished. 2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God…

Hebrews 1:1-2a God, Who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son. . . (Note the inference here that the writings of the Old Testament prophets have the same infallibility as the New Testament message of Christ Himself! We are dealing with a supernatural, God-breathed Book!)

4. Preserved Defined: PRESERV'ED, pp. Saved from injury, destruction or decay; kept or defended from evil.

Psalms 12:6-7 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. (We need to understand that Bible preservation is a work of God, not man. Sinful man could not keep the Word of God for one generation much less to each generation and forever. It is hard enough to get two to agree on anything!)

1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

Psalms 105:8 He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word [which] he commanded to a thousand generations.

Psalms 119:89 LAMED. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

Psalms 119:160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.

Matthew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. (“Jot” is the word “iota” or the 8th letter of the Greek Alphabet. In our day, we refer to it as the “dotting of an i) while a “tittle” is a horn like apex of a Hebrew letter which changes the inflection of a word. In our day, we refer to it as the “crossing of the t. Combined, “jot and tittle” means the smallest change or variation.)

1 Peter 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

5. Perfect Defined: PER'FECT, a. [L. perfectus, perficio, to complete; per and facio, to do or make through, to carry to the end.]

Psalms 119:140 Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.

Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. (If it is God’s Word, it is pure. If it is not pure, it is not God’s Word!)

1 Corinthians 13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. (Finished; complete; consummate; not defective; brought to its end, finished; wanting nothing necessary to completeness; the last in any succession or series.)


I believe that the Word of God teaches that it is the inerrant, infallible, verbally and plenarily inspired, preserved, and absolutely perfect Word of God! Why? Because God said so!


Evidences Of Inspiration

A. Internal Evidences

1. Details of Events Beyond Human Knowledge - The Bible records details about Creation, reveals what is in the heart of certain people, the words of Satan, etc., which no human could possibly know about. For example, Moses is the human author of Genesis, and he did not have personal knowledge of many of the details recorded there. Scientists continue to postulate theories but the Bible sets forth the creation as fact, not theory!

2. The Unity of the Book - The Bible is a Book authored by some 40 human writers and compiled over 1,600 years -- yet it has an incredible doctrinal and structural unity! There is one theme; and no conflict! No other piece of literature, sacred or secular, has anything approaching this. Not one mistake or contradiction by any of those whom God used to write this wonderful book.


“The Book of God, Not of Men!”

The Holy Bible must have been

Inspired of God and not of men.

I could not, if I would, believe

That good men wrote it to deceive;

And bad men could not, if they would,

And surely would not, if they could,

Proceed to write a book so good.

And certainly no crazy

Could e’er conceive its wondrous plan.

And pray, what other kinds of men

Than do these three groups comprehend?

Hence it must be that God inspired

The Word which souls of prophets fired.


3. The Supernatural Doctrines it Contains - For example:

a. The Doctrine of God -- Compare the triune, infinite, sovereign, holy, and loving God of the Bible with the various "deities" concocted by men. Man could not have invented the God of the Bible, for He altogether transcends our finite intellect. We could not have known God at all if He had not revealed Himself to us through His Word, both written and "made flesh."

b. The Doctrine of Man -- The painfully honest presentation of man as base, corrupt, vile, and helplessly depraved would never have been written so by natural man. Even the hideous sins of David, "man after God's own heart," are revealed!

c. The Doctrine of Sin -- Natural man minimizes sin and extols man's "innate goodness." The Bible does the opposite. And, of course, the natural man could never accept the fact of a literal hell as the just punishment of sinful, unrepentant mankind.

d. The Doctrine of Salvation -- Man, universally and innately, seeks salvation through his own efforts. Thus, if the Bible were a human book, works would obtain salvation. BUT, the Bible clearly presents salvation ONLY through the shed blood of the Son of God!

4. Fulfilled Prophecy - A major portion of the Bible was prophetic at the time of its writing, and much of this has already been fulfilled in the minutest detail! This is one of the strongest internal proofs of Inspiration. For example, over 300 prophecies about the birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ have already been fulfilled. In the 24-hr period of the crucifixion, some 21 different prophecies were fulfilled. The odds of this being mere chance are staggering! The Bible alone predicts the future with 100 % accuracy! It has never been proven to be wrong. As the prophecies concerning the 1st coming of Christ have been 100 % accurate, those concerning the 2nd coming of Christ will also surely come to pass.

B. External Evidences

1. The Bible's Credibility - This has to do with its truthfulness, its inerrancy -- Psalms 119:160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.

2. Scientific Trustworthiness - Although the Bible does not claim to be a book of science, it is correct wherever it addresses scientific matters. It has never had to be revised to harmonize with established scientific facts!!! (And NEVER will!)

a) "Every-day" Scientific Facts -- such as Human anatomy, Botany, Geography and Astronomy are always correct in the Bible and were stated long before scientists “discovered” them.

b) The Importance Of The Blood - Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. (As late as the 18th Century, doctors still treated certain sicknesses with blood letting.)

c) The Earth’s Position In Space - Job 26:7 He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing. (Not on a turtle’s back or held up by Hercules!)

d) The Existence Of Jet Streams - Ecclesiastes 1:6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.

e) The Fact That Air Has Weight - Job 28:25 To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.

f) The Hydrologic Cycle - Ecclesiastes 1:6-7 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. (7) All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.

g) The Fact That The Earth Was Round - Isaiah 40:22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

Ecclesiastes 1:5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.

h) That The Stars Were Innumerable - Jeremiah 33:22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me. (The universe may glitter with far more stars than even Carl Sagan imagined when he rhapsodized about billions upon billions. A new study suggests there are a mind-blowing 300 sextillion of them, or three times as many as scientists previously calculated. That is a 3 followed by 23 zeros. Or 3 trillion times 100 billion.)

i) That There Is An Empty Place Over The North - Job 26:7 He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing. (The universe has a huge hole in it that dwarfs anything else of its kind. The discovery caught astronomers by surprise. It is not a black hole, which is a small sphere of densely packed matter. Rather, this one is mostly devoid of stars, gas and other normal matter, and it's also strangely empty of the mysterious "dark matter" that permeates the cosmos. Other space voids have been found before, but nothing on this scale. This "gap" is in the Northern Hemisphere, lying in the general direction of the constellation Bootes. This "hole in space" is a 300 million light year gap in the distribution of galaxies, has taken cosmologists by surprise, not because it exists, but because it is so big. Indeed, He stretches out the north over the empty place.)

j) That Man Could Be Put To Sleep In Order To Perform Surgery - Genesis 2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

k) That The Woman Also Has A “seed of life” - Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (This verse reveals that the female possesses the "seed of life." This was not the common knowledge until a few centuries ago. It was widely believed that the male only possessed the "seed of life" and that the woman’s womb was simply an incubator.)

l) The Fact That All Men Have The Same Blood - Acts 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; (Until recent times, it was believed there was significant differences in the blood of various human races. However statistical divisions of humanity based on different kinds of genetic data do not group people consistently into races. Blood is separated by type, not race.)

m) The List could go on but I think that the accuracy of the Bible in matters of space, medicine, and general health—prior to discovery by others—is conclusive that this is God’s Word.

3. Archaeological Trustworthiness - This is perhaps the greatest of external proofs -- no archaeological discovery has ever contradicted the Word of God!

a) Topographical & Geographical—The hills, valleys, plains, deserts and mountains are all where the Bible says they are.

b) Ethnological—The family tree of the nations in Genesis 10, and the various migrations mentioned in the Bible have been verified. (Contrasted by the embarrassing situation with the Book of Mormon!) E.g., the ancestry of the Hebrews from Mesopotamia through Abraham has been verified. Excavations at Ur reveal it to be the idolatrous pagan city so stated in Joshua 24:2.

c) Chronological—All the pertinent evidence uncovered has supported the record and order of Biblical events and the circumstances involved.

d) Historical—The collapse of the Jericho walls, the presence of Hebrews in Egypt, and a number of other startling archaeological discoveries have confirmed the historical trustworthiness of the Word of God.

4. The Bible's Transforming Results - Not only has the Bible changed the course of nations, but also the most heathen of cultures have been literally transformed by its life-changing power! No other piece of literature in the history of mankind has even come close! Education, philosophy and social programs have all been a dismal failure in comparison to the effect that the Bible has had on the human heart. It has the power to take the most base persons of society and transform them from the inside out! Drunks have been made sober, harlots made chaste and lives ruined by sin have been made whole again.

5. The Bible's Inexhaustible Treasures - How many books have you read twice or three times? Can you think of how many sermons by Bible-believing preachers are preached out of this book each week? How many doctrinally sound books have been written about it in the last decade?!!? Psalm 119:162 I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.

Psalms 19:7-11 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. (8) The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. (9) The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. (10) More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. (11) Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

6. The Bible's Honored Promises - Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. (Whoever follows what the Bible says receives what the Bible promises. The Bible works!)

7. The Bible's Mystery to Unregenerate Minds - 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: (4) In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (The unsaved can understand “natural” books and put the knowledge that they find in them to use but the Bible remains a mystery to the unregenerated.)

8. The Bible's Standards - Holy, but Workable - The Ten Commandments used to be the basis of British and U. S. law. (Still are, technically, in the U.S.) But whenever man has sought to make laws contrary to the Bible, it has brought tragic and destructive consequences! (Example: doing away with the death penalty)