If we cannot believe what the Bible says about itself, then we have no logical reason for believing what it says on any subject. Let us examine some of its claims.
1. Why can we base all morality on the Scriptures? (2 Timothy 3:16)
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2. What will the Scriptures do for the believer? (2 Timothy 3:17)
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3. What way did God reveal His thoughts to humanity? (2 Peter 1:21)
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Their yielded mental faculties were being led by the Spirit of God so that they wrote what He pleased.
4. How do we know that the Bible (Scriptures) is superior over all human philosophy?
(1 Corinthians 2:13)
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How to Test All Religious Teachings
1. What is the best way to judge all religious teachings? (Isaiah 8:20)
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Difficult Portions of the Bible
1. Will we always easily understand all that we read in the Bible? Explain.
(2 Peter 3:15-16)
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2. Did the disciples always understand the words of Jesus? Explain. (Luke 9:43-45)
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3. Jesus knew that He would not always be on earth. What promise did Jesus give His
disciples to help them understand His truths? (John 16:12-13)
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In What Sense is the Bible Inspired?
The word inspiration in 2 Timothy 3:16is defined as“God-breathed”or “filled with the breath of God.” It involves the breathing of God by the Holy Spirit into men, qualifying them to receive and record divine truth.
1. What could any inspired writer say? (2 Samuel 23:2)
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Let’s see what other Scripture writers said inspired them.
2. What did Jeremiah claim? (Jeremiah 1:9)
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3. What did Ezekiel claim? (Ezekiel 2:2)
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4. What did Joel claim to have received? (Joel 1:1)
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5. What did Amos tell the people to hear? (Amos 7:16)
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6. Even in the New Testament, where did Paul receive his wisdom in spiritual things?
(1 Corinthians 2:13)
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Divine inspiration is the work of the Holy Spirit. He so controlled the writers that the language they used conveyed the divine meaning and did not pervert it. Yet, this did not destroy the writers’ individuality or personal techniques. We have God’s Word in their style.
7. The following verses mention three purposes for which the Bible was given to us.
A. John 20:31 ________________________________________________________________________
B. Romans 15:4 ______________________________________________________________________
C. 1 Corinthians 10:11 ________________________________________________________________
Jesus Christ Confirms the Writings of the Old Testament
1. Who is spoken of throughout the Bible? (Luke 24:27)
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2. What did Jesus say about the three Jewish divisions of the Old Testament?
(Luke 24:44)
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3. Who did Jesus say the Scriptures testified of? (John 5:39)
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The only part of the Bible that Jesus had in His day was the Old Testament.
4. What did Jesus call the Old Testament? (Mark 7:13)
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5. Moses represents the writings of the Old Testament in the following verse. Is it
possible to believe in Jesus without accepting the Old Testament writings?
(John 5:46-47)
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The New Testament Writers Confirm the Old Testament
1. List the Old Testament persons that James mentions in his book.
A. James 2:21 ______________________ James 5:11 ______________________
B. James 2:25 ______________________ James 5:17 ______________________
2. The Apostle John believed the Old Testament and accepted it because he mentions
what story? (1 John 3:12)
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3. Paul mentions what two very important Old Testament names in his writings?
(Romans 5:14)
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4. In Hebrews 11, the writer refers to “main characters” from the Old Testament.
See if you can find them.
A. Hebrews 11:4 __________ _________
B. Hebrews 11:5 __________
C. Hebrews 11:7 __________
D. Hebrews 11:8 __________
E. Hebrews 11:9 __________ _________
F. Hebrews 11:11 __________
G. Hebrews 11:22 __________
H. Hebrews 11:23 __________
I. Hebrews 11: 32 S__________ D_________ S_________
5. What claim does the Word make that no other book or writing can make? (Ex.31:18)
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How Can We Know the True Word of God?
Many books claim to be inspired by God or added to God’s Word. Much has been said about The Lost Books of the Bible. How can we know the truth concerning God’s Word? God’s Word offers several tests, but this text will examine three of them.
1. What must happen, according to Deuteronomy 18:21-22?
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Remember, 800 years before Jesus was born, the prophet Micah said that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). It came to pass (Luke 2:1-7). His virgin birth, crucifixion, resurrection, and many other events were prophesied hundreds of years before they happened.
2. Psalm 119:160 states, “Thy Word is _________________ from the beginning.”
For years, man wondered whether the earth was round, flat, or rectangular. Years before man discovered that the earth was round, the Bible had already prophesied its shape.
3. What does the first part of Isaiah 40:22 say about the earth?
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4. The third test is found in Isaiah 55:11. What will God’s Word accomplish?
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God’s Word does for God what He has willed it to do.
The authority of the Bible is in the Bible. One of the most important evidences of authority is also the simplest because the Bible is its own proof. There is no higher authority. The Scriptures never need to be defended. The Bible defends itself. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit bear witness to the authority of the Bible. For instance, just as the Holy Spirit bears witness to all believers that they are children of God (Romans 8:16), He also bears witness that the Bible is the Word of God (2 Peter 1:20-21). Therefore, the final authority of our faith and practice (daily life) is the Word of God.
The teachings of Jesus are our highest authority in reference to the Bible. No word of criticism can be leveled against His integrity. Even Pilate said, “I find no fault (crime) in this man” (Luke 23:4). Jesus taught the Bible with authority (Matthew 7:29). If the authority of Jesus is denied at this point, then the entire foundation of God’s plan of redemption fails with the Son of God.
The Bible is the authoritative Word of God because God, the Son, Jesus Christ, has set His stamp of authority upon the entire Book.