- Letters

  - The Unifying Story

  The Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

  Satan and Spiritual Warfare

  Angels in The Bible

Inspiration of Scripture – What does it mean that the Bible is inspired by God?

The inspiration of Scripture is an essential doctrine to understand. Inspiration, in short, is the motivation of a person’s heart and desires and is usually the catalyst for or the fuel behind the accomplishment of a goal, task, or other endeavor. In the case of the Bible, though written by human authors over multiple generations, the inspiration came from God. God had a goal, and thus a motivation to speak to and through some of His devoted believers so that the rest of His creation throughout time could hear, read, and study His way, truth and life.

The Bible is God’s Word. It is His voice recorded on paper and manifested in our lives through our understanding of and obedience to it. The primary reason God inspired the writing of Scripture was to provide direction to the human race. Thus, the Bible is a passageway into the love and saving grace of God. This passageway shares the truth of the human story; walking us through our history, our fall from our Creator and His amazing way of redeeming us back to Himself through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ. In fact, Scripture describes Jesus as the Word of God. John 1:1-2 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.”

Some would like to argue that the Bible is simply a story; a fictitious idea conjured up centuries ago and then passed down through the ages while somehow picking up religious authority along the way. They would believe it to be only a book much like any other. However, this book is very much unlike any other. As Scripture teaches, the Word must be received with faith and then its saving and life changing power, through the Holy Spirit, is revealed in an individual’s life. A.W. Tozer teaches this:

“The truth received in power shifts the bases of life from Adam to Christ and a new set of motives goes to work within the soul. A new and different Spirit enters the personality and makes the believing man new in every department of his being. His interests shift from things external to things internal, from things on earth to things in heaven. He loses faith in the soundness of external values, he sees clearly the deceptiveness of outward appearances and his love for and confidence in the unseen and eternal world become stronger as his experience widens.” 1 

Inspiration of Scripture – What is the Support?

We can know the Bible is the inspired Word of God because of fulfilled prophecy. There are also the messianic prophecies the foretold Jesus Christ hundreds of years prior, telling of His virgin birth and how He would be rejected.

Archaeology supports the accuracy of the Bible from ancient ruins to cities mentioned in Scripture.

The Bible claims to be inspired. Typically, it would be difficult for someone or something under trial to defend itself or prove its own worth without some sort of outside support. However, Scripture is different. First, as the Word of God, it claims to be absolute truth (John 17:17) and thus, if true, it stands alone with no defense necessary. Second, Scripture teaches that it must be received by faith (Romans 1:17) and thus it proves itself through the obedience of its followers as what it says comes to life through their actions. Therefore, it is through its self-sustaining power and the faith of believers, both individually and corporately, that Scripture reveals its inspiration, its authenticity, its authority, and its power.

2 Timothy 3:14-17 says, “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

The book of Hebrews is one of the best places for a believer to study and understand the inspiration and truth of Scripture. In Chapter 11, one can study the importance faith has in this understanding. However, as one studies through this book, it first teaches and lays the foundation of Scriptures own self-sustaining power and authority; that it is what it says it is and came from who it says it came from. Hebrews 1:1-3 says, “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”

Then again in Hebrews 4:12-13 it says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

The Message, a modern English interpretation of the Bible, recounts Hebrews 4:12-13 in this way: “God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what.”

Inspiration of Scripture – Why is this important today?
John 20:24-29 says, “Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.’ A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’ Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’”

Present history is a time of doubts and skepticisms. It is a time of self-belief, a postmodern system that calls true anything but actual truth. Therefore, understanding the authority and inspiration of Scripture is of utmost importance for a people who must operate in faith as they pursue an invisible God.

Jesus said that, “blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe”. With the acceptation of maybe love (1 Corinthians 13:2), faith plays a role that is far and above the most important element within Christianity. Without faith, there is nothing, for God does not force Himself upon a people who will not trust Him at His Word. And since God operates in accordance with His timing, His people are left to wait upon Him to fulfill what he says He will fulfill.

God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:9). The limits of the human mind cannot grasp the depth of God’s character and personality. Yet, He is good (Psalm 34:8). Therefore, those who hope in Him and place their faith in the power, authority, and inspiration of His Word will renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31). For God says in Isaiah 55:10-11, “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

The inspiration of Scripture is simply the motivation of a loving creator to converse with His creation and lead them to His heart for salvation. This salvation comes through a faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, who is called the Word of God and who died upon the cross as an act of forgiveness and as a way to bridge the gap between sinful man and a Holy God. The Word of God stands upon its own authority and reveals its truth to a doubtful and skeptical world through the faithful obedience of those who have surrendered their life to the God who gave it to them.

 Footnote:
1 A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of Man.

 Genres of the Bible: One Story in Diverse Voices

Written by Subby Szterszky

    Focus On The Family

The Bible is a collection of 66 documents, written over 1,500 years on three continents and in three languages. Its human authors came from a diverse range of backgrounds that included kings, shepherds, tree farmers, royal officials, tax collectors, fishermen and physicians.Their writings vary in style and length and represent an eclectic array of literary genres: history, poetry, law codes and letters, among others.

It’s strange, therefore, how readers will often approach the Scriptures with a one-size-fits-all mentality. They treat the Bible as if it were a homogeneous unit, a sort of moral and spiritual instruction manual from which they can draw verses with little regard for historical or literary context.

Thankfully God, the ultimate author of Scripture, never designed his Word to be read that way. He didn’t use humans as robotic writing tools bereft of personality but spoke through their individual styles and experiences. To be sure, the 66 books tell God’s unified story of Creation, Fall, Redemption and Restoration. But they do so in a kaleidoscope of human voices that speak about God to the whole person – heart, mind and imagination.

Historical Narrative

For anyone who assumes the Bible is mostly a collection of religious precepts, it can be a shock to discover that the majority of it – Genesis, much of Exodus, Numbers, everything from Joshua to Esther, fair chunks of the prophets, plus the Gospels and Acts – is in the form of historical narrative. This isn’t dry academic historiography, either. Nor, to be fair, is it like modern narrative, what with its repetitions, digressions and long lists of people and places. But like all good history writing, it’s shaped and arranged in order to come alive for the reader, to imprint its message by appealing to the universal love of a good story.

As with any type of narrative, this massive tract of Scripture shouldn’t be approached piecemeal, combed over for hidden meanings in every verse and behind every detail. Rather, each account should be read first of all as an integral whole, allowed to flow where it will, with an eye toward its main theme or themes. What does this episode say about God in relation to his people? What does it reveal about his character? How does it fit into his larger narrative drama of redemption through his Son?

Law Codes

Although much of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament) is written as historical narrative, the rest of it contains a lengthy set of law codes, established in Exodus, expanded in Leviticus and developed in Deuteronomy. Beyond the Ten Commandments and other moral teachings, these law codes also include ancient civic and ceremonial duties that may seem alien to the modern reader.

This side of the Cross, it’s vital to read these laws from a New Testament perspective. Jesus said that he hadn’t come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. The Apostle Paul described the law as a tutor to lead us to Christ. And again, Jesus summed up the law as love for God and neighbour. This calls for discernment, to distinguish between ceremonial rules that foreshadowed Christ, civic duties reserved for ancient Israel, and universal moral principles that are still binding, not as means to earn favour with God but out of gratitude for his grace.

Wisdom Literature

This literary genre, popular in the Ancient Near East, is represented in the Old Testament by the books of Job, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. It blends poetry and prose, taking the form of dialogues, memoirs and collections of wise sayings that offer practical teaching on how to live well and how to understand the problems of the world in light of the divine.

It’s essential to recognize that wisdom literature provides no ironclad guarantees of blessing as a reward for virtue. It simply offers principles for wise living that hold true in general, though not necessarily in every specific case. Indeed, the genre grapples with deep existential questions about the meaning of life, the problem of suffering, and the fact that time, chance and death happen to everyone, wise and foolish alike. Its lyrical, reflective style invites readers to meditate on the sovereign power and wisdom of God, and to trust him in the midst of life’s perplexities.

Poetry and Song

Hebrew poetry isn’t built on rhyme or rhythm but on parallel structure. Verses are grouped in pairs, threes or fours to illustrate an idea by restating it in other terms, expanding upon it, or contrasting it with its opposite. The largest body of Hebrew poetry is found in the Psalms, along with Lamentations and the Song of Songs, as well as much of the prophets and the wisdom books. In the ancient world, poems were meant to be sung, and many of the Psalms indicate the original melodies and instruments that were to be used in their performance.

As with historical narrative, it won’t do to approach this major genre of Scripture by pulling it apart, straining for nuggets of meaning in each isolated verse. Before all else, poetry must be given room to build its cumulative effect by appealing to the ear and the emotions as well as to the intellect. It must be allowed to impart its truth on its own terms, through memorable imagery, heightened feeling and beautiful language. The reader’s first duty to any poem or song is not to analyze, but to experience.

Prophecy

The prophetic books – Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and the Twelve – account for a sizable portion of the Old Testament, with Revelation being the sole New Testament addition to the genre. The prophets combined poetry with prose to express oracles and visions they’d received from God, interleaving them with narrative passages that provided context for their prophecies. Their work is rich in metaphor and symbolism that can be difficult for moderns to decipher. They wrote passionately, at times using sharp satire and graphic imagery best reserved for mature readers.

Contrary to popular belief, the main concern of the prophets was not to foretell the future. Rather they were sent by God with messages of rebuke or encouragement for his people, as the occasion warranted. They invariably pointed to God’s redemptive purposes, often in veiled language. As with the law, reading the prophets requires discernment, together with a fair degree of humility in the face of mystery.

Biography and Gospel

Large swaths of historical narrative in the Old Testament could also be classified as biography, centring on the lives of men and women who played key roles in God’s story of redemption. Moreover, the books of Ezra, Nehemiah and Ecclesiastes can be considered autobiography, as can the writings of those prophets who wrote about themselves, albeit in the third person.

In the New Testament, the four Gospels are in essence biographies of Jesus, but also much more than that. They blend biography with teaching and narrative to proclaim the coming of the Messiah – specifically his life, death and resurrection – which the rest of Scripture had anticipated. As such, they form a unique genre of their own. Written for various audiences, the four books focus on different but complementary details and join to create a rounded portrait of the Lord. Among the Gospel writers, Luke and John explicitly state that they wrote so their readers might know the truth about Jesus and put their faith in him.

Letters

The letters of the New Testament were written by apostles, authorized by Jesus to expand and complete his teaching, which he had inaugurated while he was on earth. Although these documents follow the general framework of letter writing in the Greco-Roman world, they vary considerably in length, tone and content. This is to be expected, given they were written to diverse individuals, local churches and wider groups of believers to address the specific issues they were confronting.

When reading these letters, it’s vital to treat them as precisely what they are – letters, and not chapters in a textbook on theology or ethics. They may be rich in propositional truth, but they’re also personal, occasioned correspondence, revealing as much about the heart of their authors as about the people to whom they wrote and the situations they addressed. They not only tease out the full glorious implications of the Gospel, but also offer intimate snapshots of life in the 1st-century church.

The Unifying Story

According to Jesus, all of Scripture – law, prophets, psalms, everything – is about him. This is not to say every biblical passage contains the same concentration of clear spiritual truth. Nor is it an invitation to dig for hidden Gospel allegory behind every torch, horse, sword or city mentioned in the Old Testament. But it is to trace the unifying principle of Scripture – God’s epic storyline of Creation, Fall, Redemption and Restoration that he planned, unfolded and fulfilled in his beloved Son.

The Lord loves unity expressed through variety. This is evident in his created order as well as in his Word, and it echoes something of his own nature, as the one God who exists in three persons. To that end, he has chosen to reveal himself and his grand design via an eclectic blend of literary genres. Each of these genres speaks truth about him in ways the others do not, adding its own pieces to the mosaic of divine revelation.

God cares about the whole person, every human faculty of the women and men he created in his image and is redeeming through his Son. He calls them to love him with all their heart, soul, strength and mind. And he has arranged his Word to be an eminently suitable guide for pursuing that call.

Subby Szterszky is the managing editor of Focus on Faith and Culture, an e-newsletter produced by Focus on the Family Canada.

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