...led to the writing of the Bible. The word inspiration is derived from the word inspire which in Greek is theopneustos meaning God-breathed. We have Scripture because God spoke the words. The Holy Spirit moved the writers to record the word of God. Inspiration is receiving the word of God. In a supernatural way the Holy Spirit used man to write the words of God. The Bible was the result of these writings. It is a product of the inspiration given to the writers. God inspired the writers leading them speak and write his words. The Bible is error free as the words are God infallible. It is Gods way of communicating his will for his people. The Bible is the authoritative word of God. Erickson states that there are five types of theories of inspiration. Intuition theory in which the writers possessed a high degree of insight. They were great religious and philosophical geniuses that had great insight on the moral of man. Illumination theory states the Holy Spirit influence the writers of the Scripture. With the help of the Holy Spirit the people will understand the word of God. Dynamic theory combines the divine and human elements of the writing if the word of God. The Holy Spirit directed the thoughts and of the writer. Verbal theory the Holy Spirit not only directed their thoughts but also the words used to deliver the word of God. Lastly, dictation theory states that God spoke the Bible to the writers. The Bible is an inspired instruction from a Great God. What does inerrancy...
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...Inspiration and Inerrancy of the Bible I n today’s society many people question the authority and inerrancy of the Bible. They want concrete proof of the inerrancy of the Bible and they question the inspiration and ability of the writers. When we say the Bible has authority, we must also show where the authority comes from. “Authority is the right and power to command, enforce laws, exact obedience, determine or judge”. Many people do not understand how much authority a book written thousands of years ago actually commands. The authority comes from God because the Bible is the Word of God. “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” We know God is truth and the Bible is His word. This knowledge leads us to conclude that the Bible is authoritative and true. The Bible is the inspired Word of God given to the writers of the scripture. “The content of the Bible teaches that it was given by the process of inspiration of God so that the words were God’s Word and that they are accurate and reliable, hence they are authoritative”. We read in the Bible how the prophets did not use their words, but were moved by the Spirit to speak God’s Words. We also see that the Spirit led them to write what God wanted to be written. The Bible is inspired, or “God-breathed”. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”. The question of the Bible being the inerrant word of God is always being discussed...
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...THEO 201 Essay on Topic Short Essay on Inerrancy and Inspiration As a Christian I read the bible to grow closer to God, to understand who he is and what he is about. But understanding what the bible says is not the only thing that is important for a Christian, we must understand why we believe it. Understanding why we believe it comes from understanding its authority, its inerrancy, and its inspiration. First we must understand what gives the bible its authority. According to Merriam-Webster authority is the power to give orders or make decisions: the power or right to direct or control someone or something. The bible receives its authority because it is the revelation of God to us. “The authority of the Bible is established by its own claims. It is the word of God.” (Elwell, 2001). The Bible receives its authority because it is the word of God. Second we must understand the inspiration of the Bible. The Bible was written by many different men so we must see how this fits together. I believe that while the Bible was written by multiple men the ideas were all from God. I believe this because of the scriptures and what they say. For example 2 Peter 3:15-16 And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him. The Bible tells us that the scriptures inspiration is God, and while it was written by multiple men the one inspiration is the same. Third thing we must understand...
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...define the central doctrines of their faith and without equivocation embrace the authority of God's word for what it is. The eternal battle as to the inerrancy and infallibility between orthodoxy and orthopraxy demands significant attention and largely determines the positions on which a person will side. In my view, biblical inerrancy of the Bible is at the core of the Christian Doctrine is, and rightfully so. The attestation of the authority of the Bible as the Word of God requires an understanding of the belief in its inspiration, inerrancy, and authority of the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16 calls the Bible is the "breath of God" and that all scripture was given under the inspiration of God. The Christian doctrine is like every other religion without the truth that the Bible is the inerrant, infallible, authoritative Word of God.” The close central biblical doctrine to inspiration and inerrancy of scripture is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 1 Timothy 3:15 refers to the church as the pillar of truth because of the inspired and inerrant word of God, "if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth." We cannot talk about inspiration and inerrancy without establishing that Bible is the revelation of God himself to humanity. The fact must clearly accept that the Bible is the Word of God by ascribing God’s revelatory message to it. The term revelation has to do with...
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...uncertain whether they should believe in the Bible as an authoritative book or just another “good book” or “fairy tale.” Since my salvation, it has been a passion of mine to learn as much as I can about the Bible so I can help others see and understand the importance and the authoritative message in Scripture. There are a few things that I would address to help individuals see the big picture of Scripture when it comes to being the authoritative Word of God. We first need to understand when picking up the Bible that it is not an ordinary book, but a book claimed to be written by God through 44 men over a 1500-1600 year span. Then we must ask, is the Bible authoritative? Authority is the right and power to command, enforce laws, exact obedience, determine or judge (American Heritage Dictionary 1979, 89). The Scriptures speak many times about the Bible having authority. We can first look at Jesus who taught with authority that was bestowed upon Him. Matthew 21:23 says, and when He entered the temple the chief priest and the elders of the people came up to Him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Also Jesus commands with “authority and power” to the unclean spirits, and they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” Who gives Jesus this authority? God the Father is the one who bestows this authority...
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...the Bible and use it for our worship of the Lord, instructions on how to live a moral life, and for guidance. Most people are naturally curious about why the Bible was written and who it was written by. People wonder if we can trust the words of the Bible since God didn’t actually put pen to paper and write the book. The Bible was written by authors who were inspired to write by God. One question that a lot of people ask is how do we know the Bible whether or not the Bible is true and from God. What does it mean to say that the Bible has authority, and from where does the authority of the Bible come from? To put it simply if the Bible is the word of God, then the Bible must be true. So the Bible has authority in all cases because it is the word of God. “For in him all authority is finally located. And he is his own authority for there is nothing outside him on which his authority is founded. Thus, in making his promise to Abraham, he pledged his own name since he had no greater by whom to swear” (Heb. 6:13). There are many different authors and books in the Bible. From the Old Testament to the New Testament there are different stories, lessons, and writing styles that make up the 66 books of the Bible. Sometimes the question of why these books were written may be asked. It is believed that the authors of the Bible were inspired by God to write their testimonies. Biblical inspiration is the belief that God inspired the words of the Bible.2 "All Scripture is inspired by God and...
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...is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (KJV). It says all scripture is given by inspiration of GOD. According to the Biblical Argument we should believe in inerrancy because the Bible teaches it own inerrancy. We should accept the Bible’s claim about itself. So the Bible’s authority comes from the inspiration of GOD, because God is the author of the Bible. Biblical Authority must begin with God himself. For in him all authority is located. God is his own authority, for there is nothing outside of Him on which his authority was founded. So the Bible is GOD’s word and if there was nothing before GOD to base the Bible on then GOD is his own authority as well as His word. When it comes to the Bible inspiration is the guidance or influence of the Holy Spirit on human writers of Scripture so that GOD controlled them in such a way that what they wrote was exactly what GOD wanted to say without error. Whatever GOD wanted to say in the scripture, His Holy Spirit inspired the writer of the scripture to write exactly what GOD wanted, how GOD wanted it, and the way GOD wanted it written without error or human flaw. Isaiah 55:8 says “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.” This is why the Bible is without error. If we say that there is not inerrancy of the Bible, then we are saying GOD is a liar, and that He and his Word are not perfect. My definition...
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...Essay # 1 Short Essay on Bibliography Bibliology from the Greek word βιβλιογραφία, bibliographia, is book writing. On its own it simply means the study of the bible. With it come the ideas of inspirations and inerrancy. The Bible is both and can be seen in its content. Being a once three time born-again Catholic, did all the steps while living with my parents, I can relate to having to be confident that what the bible says is true to its nature. The authority of the Bible comes from the Bible itself. We must begin with the beginning. Like it says in the Bible the beginning of all is with God. So with this we must begin with God himself. This is evident in Exodus 4:22 (New American Standard Bible), ‘…Thus says the Lord,’ and many other verses just like it. This happens numerous times in the bible that no one can take away anything different than that. Also, it says in Hebrews 6:13, ‘for when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself.’ This is what makes God authority over everything. This direct quote explains who God really is and where he gets his authority from. Thus the Bible being the spoken words of God this also makes the Bible have authority. Inspiration as defined by Towns(Theology for Today, 897) is, ‘the supernatural guidance of the writers of Scripture by the Spirit of God, whereby what they wrote became the divine Word of God, transcribed accurately, reliably and without error in the original manuscripts...
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...The Bible is the most important book in all of history. It is written by God and filled with true stories. It covers the entire history of the world, from creation to the end of time. A Christian’s life should be based on the Bible’s teachings and how it says life should be lived. In Matthew 5:8, Jesus taught, “Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.”(NKJV). Not all people see the Bible as it is, but as just another religious rule book that Christians have to follow. People doubt the value of the Bible and question if it is true. This makes it the most controversial book in the world. Despite the controversy, the Bible is the inspired word of God, it is proven to be true and written to glorify God and His creation. Although the Bible may not have as much authority in today’s world as in the past, its importance cannot be ignored(Little 31). People often question if the Bible was actually written by God or by people. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.”(KJV) or...
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...Bibliology: Is the Bible credible? By Matt Massey Professor Ted Marvin Theology 3305 – Lectures in Systematic theology Outline I. Definition of Bibliology II. Importance of the Bible III. Reasons to trust the Bible A. The “A Priori Argument” B. The revelation of Jesus Christ C. Fulfilled prophecy of Scripture D. The suffering of the apostles E. The power of the message of the Bible F. The inexhaustible infinity of revelation G. Unity of the Bible H. Transcultural Appeal I. The honesty of the Scriptures J. The superiority and influence of the Bible K. The test of personal experience and the inward witness of the Spirit L. The indestructibility of the Bible M. History and archaeology gives credibility to the Bible N. The completeness and timelessness of the Bible O. The claims of the Scriptures themselves IV. Closing Bibliology is simply “the study of the Bible.” For Christians, the Bible is the most sacred of books and on it hinges the entire religion of Christianity. Were the Bible to ever collapse, Christianity would have no foundation on which to rest and it too would follow suit shortly thereafter. For the skeptic, the Bible is a book in which good ideas, morality, fables, myths, and oftentimes blatant lies are contained. It is the express purpose of this paper to examine the evidences which give rise to the credibility of the Biblical text. There are a great many different aspects of...
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...stunned whenever I see people who call themselves "Christians" and yet believe that The Bible was just made by mere human beings. "The Bible was just made by man." Such unwise words. Whatever Christian denomination you belong to, your leaders will always tell you that the Bible is HOLY. It is the basis, it is the root of the Christian faith. During the mass, a priest raises the Bible. Before any sermon, a priest/pastor reads the Bible. It just goes to show that the Bible is the authority of the Christian faith. If you are going to claim that the Bible is not holy then you shouldn't call yourself a Christian at all. The Bible is considered holy for it contains the WORD OF GOD. It is holier than the pope, it is holier than those graven images, it is holier than your holy water. It is holier than anything else existing in the entire cosmos. Spiritually speaking, The MOST POWERFUL thing in this world that we have right now is the word of God. "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." -Hebrews 4:12 "Is not my word like FIRE," declares the LORD, "and like a HAMMER that BREAKS a rock in pieces? -Jeremiah 23:29 "to make her holy, CLEANSING her by the washing with water through the WORD" -Ephesians 5:26 The Word Of God can divide the soul and spirit and at the same time cleanse. Can you name other objects...
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...Institute for Christian Teaching THE BIBLE: REVELATION AND AUTHORITY Richard M. Davidson 402-00 Institute for Christian Teaching 12501 Old Columbia Pike Silver Spring, MD 20904 USA Symposium on the Bible and Adventist Scholarship Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic March 19-26, 2000 Page 1 of 33THE BIBLE: REVELATION AND AUTHORITY 3/2/2014http://fae.adventist.org/essays/26Bcc_017 -055.htm Introduction I have not always held the view of Scriptural revelation and authority that I now maintain. Having journeyed through a different perspective on the revelation/authority of Scripture and then returning to the position that I now hold, I am convinced that this issue is basic to all other issues in the church. The destiny of our church depends on how its members regard the revelation and authority of the Bible. In the following pages I have summarized the biblical self-testimony on its revelation and authority. The major focus of the paper is biblical authority, but a short statement concerning revelation-inspiration-illumination introduces the subject, and other biblical testimony on the nature of revelation is subsumed under the discussion of biblical authority. The paper also includes a brief historical treatment of the Enlightenment and post-Enlightenment understandings of biblical revelation/authority and an analysis and critique of their basic presuppositions in light of Scripture. Following the conclusion, a selected bibliography of sources cited and other...
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...THEO201_D01_201240 Short Essay 1 Authority, Inspiration, and Inerrancy The word of God has been a book that has touched the lives of many, whether leading to professions of belief or unfortunate rejections of faith. In all of its glory, the Bible has complete authority, inspiration, and inerrancy from God because it is God. These three attributes go hand in hand to the overall divine nature of the scriptures while having their own impact in the argument of Christianity. Since “authority is the right and power to command, enforce laws, exact obedience, determine or judge,”[1] to say that the Bible has its own authority is a simple, but faith-demanding concept. The Bible is authoritative in that its information can be trusted and is completely valid. This is mainly due to the fact that the author sends that authority. The Lord and creator of the universe gives His word evidence simply because He is truth and portrays accuracy. As God’s word the Bible reveals God’s authority. In reference to the Bible, inspiration simply means that God is the author of all scripture. I believe this way because in His authority He says: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”[2] I am fully confident that every word in the Bible comes divinely from the creator of the universe, not only because that is what His word says, but because it gives explanation to so many questions that otherwise...
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...have my daily Bible study. However, on this day, my time at the park did not go according to routine as normal. A jogger that regularly runs through the park suddenly approached me. He told me his name, but the next words that came out of his mouth were: “How do you sit there morning after morning and read that Bible. What drives you to do it, and what do Christians find so authoritative about it?” I didn’t respond right away, but after taking a few seconds, I concluded: The term ‘authority,’ when applied to the Bible, also has an application to words spoken or written whose accuracy has been established and whose information can consequently be trusted (McDonald). To say the Bible has authority means that these words have the power and right to command. This authority comes from God and we are meant to give our lives over to this supreme authority. Hence, we worship the God of these words, and not the words themselves. John 5:23 states, “He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.” This evidences that Jesus and God are equal. Since Jesus and God are one, this means that Jesus has this authority as well. Biblical inspiration is a super-natural influence of the Holy Spirit upon divinely chosen agents in consequence of which their writings became trustworthy and authoritative. In II Timothy 3:16, the scripture is referred to as “God-breathed.” This explains that while man wrote the physical inscription, the words were given to man from God, and are wholly...
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...Question: "Why should we read the Bible / study the Bible?" Answer: We should read and study the Bible because it is God's Word to us. The Bible is literally "God-breathed" (2 Timothy 3:16). In other words, it is God's very words to us. There are so many questions that philosophers have asked that God answers for us in Scripture. What is the purpose to life? Where did I come from? Is there life after death? How do I get to heaven? Why is the world full of evil? Why do I struggle to do good? In addition to these "big" questions, the Bible gives much practical advice in areas such as: What do I look for in a mate? How can I have a successful marriage? How can I be a good friend? How can I be a good parent? What is success and how do I achieve it? How can I change? What really matters in life? How can I live so that I do not look back with regret? How can I handle the unfair circumstances and bad events of life victoriously? We should read and study the Bible because it is totally reliable and without error. The Bible is unique among so-called "holy" books in that it does not merely give moral teaching and say, "Trust me." Rather, we have the ability to test it by checking the hundreds of detailed prophecies that it makes, by checking the historical accounts it records, and by checking the scientific facts it relates. Those who say the Bible has errors have their ears closed to the truth. Jesus once asked which is easier to say, "Your sins are forgiven you," or "Rise, take...
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