B iblical I nspiration B irths L ife E verlasting.

Goodlow Evangelical Free Church

January 25, 2015

One God – One Word

Biblical

Inspiration

Births

LifeEverlasting

Be

InformedBefore

Leaving Earth

While the majority of churchgoers desire to

honour Christ with their lives and even profess to think on biblical truths, a recent study found few

actually engage in personal reading and

study of the Scriptures.

Survey Topic Response

Read the Bible at least once a week

14%

Read the Bible either seldom or never

67%

Strongly agree the Bible is the word of God

18%

Agree that the Bible has irreconcilable contradictions

69% Cdns.50% Christians

Bible Engagement in Canada, 2013

Sponsored by the Canadian Bible Forum and theEvangelical Fellowship of Canada

Survey Topic Response

Agree that the Bible is relevant to modern life


Reflect on the meaning of the Bible for their lives at least a few times a week


Agree that the scriptures of all major world religions teach essentially the same things


Talk to others about the Bible outside of religious services at least once a week


Bible Engagement in Canada, 2013

Sponsored by the Canadian Bible Forum and theEvangelical Fellowship of Canada

"You can follow Christ and see

Christianity as your source of truth.

http://www.twu.ca/efcc/efcc.htm

"You can follow Christ and see

Christianity as your source of truth.

But if that truth does not permeate

your thoughts, aspirations and

actions, you are not fully engaging

the truth.“E. Stetzer

LifeWay Research


2. God’s gospel is authoritatively revealed

in the Scriptures


We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments,

through the words of human authors.


As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original

writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate

authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it

teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and

trusted in all that it promises.


The Bible is: • verbally inspired


“God has worked by His Holy Spirit through the instrumentality of the whole

personality, life experiences and literary talents of human authors to produce the very words

that God desired to be written to reveal Himself and His purposes to human beings.

Peter describes this process as men speaking from God, ‘...as they were carried

along by the Spirit.’ (2 Peter 1:20-210)”

Gospel Truths: EFCC; 2011


LIFE AFTER BAPTISMWe are to live “dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus”• not continuing our previous way of living• living so that sin is not the ruler of our

lives

Baptism?16 All Scripture is

given by inspiration of God…

1 Timothy 3:16

The Bible is: • verbally inspired • without error in the original writings


Integrity of The Old Testament• The scrolls of Isaiah and Daniel found in Qumran date from approximately 1700 BC

• The earliest extant Old Testament texts dated from 980 AD

Integrity of The Old Testament• Comparison of these texts revealed (for Chapter 53 of the book of Isaiah):• 10 letters – spelling differences• 4 letters – stylistic changes• 3 letters – the word “light” was

added• 17 letters – no affect on Biblical

teaching

There are, of course, critical scholars who, despite the evidence, continue to argue

against the authenticity of Daniel and other biblical books. Yet, the Qumran texts have

provided compelling evidence that buttresses our faith in the integrity of the manuscripts on which our translations are

based.


It is now up to Bible believers to allow these texts to direct our attention to divine

concerns and become the people God intends us to be.

G. BrantleyApologetics Press


Integrity of The New Testament• We have far better evidence for the integrity of the New Testament text than any other book from the ancient world

Integrity of The New Testament• We have far better evidence for the integrity of the New Testament text than any other book from the ancient world• Caesar’s Gallic Wars – earliest manuscript is 950 years after the actual writing

Integrity of The New Testament• Manuscripts of the New Testament

– the earliest fragment is 35 years after the writing

Integrity of The New Testament• Manuscripts of the New Testament

– the earliest fragment is 35 years after the writing

• Variances between manuscripts are mainly spelling or transcription in nature and do not alter the meaning of the text


lives

Baptism?32 Assuredly, I say to you,

this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words

will by no means pass away.

Luke 21:32-33

The Bible is: • verbally inspired • without error in the original writings • the complete revelation of His will


Complete Revelation:• God has spoken all we need to know for

Christian faith and life – for both doctrine and duty



lives

Baptism?God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by

the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He

made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His

person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself

purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of

the Majesty on high,

Hebrews 1:1-3


lives

Baptism?Therefore we also, since we are

surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race

that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author

and finisher of our faith…

Hebrews 12:1-2

Complete Revelation:• God has spoken all we need to know for

Christian faith and life – for both doctrine and duty

• The saving grace of God is revealed in the Bible


Complete Revelation:• Neither general revelation nor conscience

alone is able to bring us to a saving knowledge of God


Complete Revelation:• Neither general revelation nor conscience

alone is able to bring us to a saving knowledge of God

• Nothing can be added to Christ’s redemptive work revealed in the Bible



lives

Baptism?14 I know that whatever God does,

it shall be forever.Nothing can be added to it,and nothing taken from it.

God does it, that men should fear before Him.

Ecclesiastes 3:14

The Bible is: • verbally inspired • without error in the original writings • the complete revelation of His will • the ultimate authority


The authority of the Bible embraces both belief and behaviour...all knowledge,

from whatever source, must be in service of the word of God, and that word provides the necessary norms by which to assess

all other knowledge.


“Where stands it written?” became the watchword

for all faith and practice. We stand strongly on that tradition.

Gospel Truths: EFCC; 2011


Because the Bible is the word of God:• it is to be believed

What Next?


Because the Bible is the word of God:• it is to be believed• it is to be obeyed

What Next?


Because the Bible is the word of God:• it is to be believed• it is to be obeyed • it is to be trusted

What Next?



lives

Baptism?16 All Scripture is given by inspiration

of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God

may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

1 Timothy 3:16-17


lives

Baptism?18 …by two immutable things, in which it

is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled

for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. 19 This hope we have as an

anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast…

Hebrews 618-19

Last eve I passed beside

a blacksmith’s door,

And heard the anvil ring

the vesper chime;

Then, looking in, I saw

upon the floor

Old hammers, worn

with beating years of

time.

“How many anvils have

you had,” said I,

“To wear and batter

all these hammers so?”

“Just one,” said he, and

then with twinkling eye,

“The anvil wears the

hammers out, you know.”

And so, thought I, the

anvil of God’s Word,

For ages skeptic blows

have beat upon;

Yet, though the noise of

falling blows was heard,

The anvil is unharmed –

the hammers - gone.Author Unknown

What Next?

Our study found that it is important for people to believe that:

• the Bible is the word of God, • it is reliable and trustworthy, and • it has unique teachings.


What Next?

Given that large swaths of the church lack confidence in the Bible and rarely participate in conversations about the

Bible, there is work to do.


What Next?

Churches should create opportunities for people to talk about the meaning of the

Bible for their lives…By talking about the meaning of the

Bible, you teach people to have confidence in the Bible because the very conversation communicates that there is meaning to be found in their lives.


B iblical I nspiration B irths L ife E verlasting.

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