The

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The Bibles Claim of Inspiration
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Believing That The Bible Is The Infallible Word
of God

• Fundamental To All Bible Study
• Foundation of all Bible Preaching

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First Question To Ask
?

• What does the Bible claim for itself?
• Does it claim to be from God?
• Does it claim that all of it is inspired?
• Does it claim to be complete?
• Does it claim to be infallible?
• Does it claim that every word is divine?
• Then we ask what evidence would sustain such a
  claim

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The Authority Inspiration of the Scriptures
Benjamin B. Warfield (1851-1921)
Christianity is often called a book-religion. It
would be more exact to say that it is a religion
which has a book. But he has chosen to found his
Church not directly by his own hands, speaking
the word of God, say for instance, in
thunder-tones from heaven but through the
instrumentality of a body of apostles, chosen and
trained by himself, endowed with gifts and graces
from the Holy Ghost, and sent forth into the
world as his authoritative agents for proclaiming
a gospel which he placed within their lips and
which is none the less his authoritative word,
that it is through them that he speaks it. It is
because the apostles were Christ's
representatives, that what they did and said and
wrote as such, comes to us with divine authority.
The authority of the Scriptures thus rests on the
simple fact that God's authoritative agents in
founding the Church gave them as authoritative to
the Church which they founded. All the authority
of the apostles stands behind the Scriptures, and
all the authority of Christ behind the apostles.
The Scriptures are simply the law-code which the
law-givers of the Church gave it.
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Apostolicity thus determines the authority of
Scripture and any book or body of books which
were given to the Church by the apostles as law
must always remain of divine authority in the
Church. God speaks to us now, in Scripture, not
only mediately through his representatives, but
directly through the Scriptures themselves as his
inspired word. The Scriptures thus become the
crystalization of God's authoritative will. But
God has caused his grace to abound to us in that
he not only published redemption through Christ
in the world, but gave this preachment
authoritative expression through the apostles,
and fixed it with infallible trustworthiness in
his inspired word. Thus in every age God speaks
directly to every Christian heart, and gives us
abounding safety to our feet and divine security
to our souls. And thus, instead of a mere record
of a revelation given in the past, we have the
ever-living word of God instead of a mere
tradition however guarded, we have what we have
all learned to call in a unique sense "the
Scriptures."
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Thus Saith the Lord
This expression or its equivalent is found 2000
times (plus)
Lord said 221
God said 46
Thus saith the Lord 414
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The Bibles Claim
It Is Inspired of God
It Is Inspired of God
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The Bibles Claim of Inspiration
I. The Old Testament Claim
II. The New Testament Claim
III. The Nature of Inspiration
IV. What Difference Does It Make?
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The Bibles Claim of Inspiration
I. The Old Testament Claim
II. The New Testament Claim
III. The Nature of Inspiration
IV. What Difference Does It Make?
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The Old Testament Claim

• Men of God claimed to speak as God directed them
• Law given by Moses was from God
• The NT says the OT was inspired

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David
2 Sam 231-2 Now these are the last words of
David.Thus says David the son of Jesse Thus says
the man raised up on high,The anointed of the God
of Jacob, And the sweet psalmist of Israel The
Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, And His word was
on my tongue.
Matt 2243-44 He said to them, "How then does
David in the Spirit call Him 'Lord,' saying The
LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, Till
I make Your enemies Your footstool" '?
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Isaiah
Isa 11-2 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz,
which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in
the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah,
kings of Judah. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O
earth! For the LORD has spoken "I have nourished
and brought up children, And they have rebelled
against Me
Isaiahs call to prophetic work Isaiah 6
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Jeremiah
Jer 101-2 Hear the word which the LORD speaks
to you, O house of Israel. Thus says the LORD Do
not learn the way of the Gentiles Do not be
dismayed at the signs of heaven, For the Gentiles
are dismayed at them.
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Jeremiah
Jer 14-9 4 Then the word of the LORD came to
me, saying 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I
knew you Before you were born I sanctified you
I ordained you a prophet to the nations." 6 Then
said I "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak,
for I am a youth." 7 But the LORD said to me
"Do not say, 'I am a youth,' For you shall go to
all to whom I send you, And whatever I command
you, you shall speak. 8 Do not be afraid of
their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,"
says the LORD. 9 Then the LORD put forth His
hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to
me "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.
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Ezekiel
Ezek 12-3 On the fifth day of the month, which
was in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's
captivity, the word of the LORD came expressly to
Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land
of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar and the
hand of the LORD was upon him there.
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Ezekiels call to prophetic work Ezek. 2-3
21 I will speak to you 22 Spirit entered
me and spoke to me 27 Speak my words to
them 34 Speak my words to them 310 Receive
into your heart all My words and I speak 322 I
will talk with you 327 But when I speak with
you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to
them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD.' He who hears, let
him hear and he who refuses, let him refuse for
they are a rebellious house.
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Zechariah
Zech 712 Yes, they made their hearts like
flint, refusing to hear the law and the words
which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit
through the former prophets. Thus great wrath
came from the LORD of hosts.
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Amos
Amos 714-17 Then Amos answered, and said to
Amaziah I was no prophet, Nor was I a son of a
prophet, But I was a sheepbreeder And a tender of
sycamore fruit. Then the LORD took me as I
followed the flock, And the LORD said to me, 'Go,
prophesy to My people Israel.' Now therefore,
hear the word of the LORD You say, 'Do not
prophesy against Israel, And do not spout against
the house of Isaac.' Therefore thus says the
LORD .
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Balaam
Numbers 22-24
Divine Protection of the Message
2218 Cannot go beyond the word of the
Lord 2238 Word God puts in my mouth I must
speak 235 Lord put a word in Balaams mouth
2316 Lord put a word in Balaams mouth 2413
What the Lord says I must speak cant speak
of my own mind.
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The Old Testament Claim

• Men of God claimed to speak as God directed them
• Law given by Moses was from God
• The NT says the OT was inspired

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Ex 201 And God spoke all these words, saying
Neh 81 Now all the people gathered together as
one man in the open square that was in front of
the Water Gate and they told Ezra the scribe to
bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the
LORD had commanded Israel.
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Neh 1029 these joined with their brethren,
their nobles, and entered into a curse and an
oath to walk in God's Law, which was given by
Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do
all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and
His ordinances and His statutes
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Ezra 76, 12 6. this Ezra came up from Babylon
and he was a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses,
which the LORD God of Israel had given. The king
granted him all his request, according to the
hand of the LORD his God upon him. 12.
Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, a
scribe of the Law of the God of heaven Perfect
peace, and so forth.
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Deut 51-6 1 And Moses called all Israel, and
said to them "Hear, O Israel, the statutes and
judgments which I speak in your hearing today,
that you may learn them and be careful to observe
them. 2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us
in Horeb. 3 The LORD did not make this covenant
with our fathers, but with us, those who are here
today, all of us who are alive. 4 The LORD
talked with you face to face on the mountain from
the midst of the fire. 5 I stood between the
LORD and you at that time, to declare to you the
word of the LORD for you were afraid because of
the fire, and you did not go up the mountain. He
said 6'I am the LORD your God who brought you
out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of
bondage.
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2 Chron 3414 Now when they brought out the
money that was brought into the house of the
LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the
Law of the LORD given by Moses.
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The Old Testament Claim

• Men of God claimed to speak as God directed them
• Law given by Moses was from God
• The NT says the OT was inspired

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New Testament
Old Testament
Inspired of God
2 Peter 120-21 20 knowing this first, that no
prophecy of Scripture is of any private
interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by
the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as
they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
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1 Peter 110-12 10 Of this salvation the
prophets have inquired and searched carefully,
who prophesied of the grace that would come to
you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time,
the Spirit of Christ who was in them was
indicating when He testified beforehand the
sufferings of Christ and the glories that would
follow. 12 To them it was revealed that, not to
themselves, but to us they were ministering the
things which now have been reported to you
through those who have preached the gospel to you
by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven--things which
angels desire to look into.
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New Testament
Old Testament
Inspired of God
Luke 222-23 22 Now when the days of her
purification according to the law of Moses were
completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to
present Him to the Lord 23(as it is written in
the law of the Lord, "Every male who opens the
womb shall be called holy to the LORD"),
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Word of God Scripture
God Said Scripture Said
Gen. 123 Gal. 38
Exo. 916 Rom. 917
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Scripture Word of God
Scripture Said God Said
Gen. 224 Matt. 194-5
Psa. 947 Heb. 37
Psa. 21 Acts 424-25
Isa. 553 Acts 1334
Psa. 1610 Acts 1335
Deut 3243 Heb. 15-6
Psa. 1044 Heb. 15-6
Psa. 957 Heb. 15-6
Psa. 10226 Heb. 15
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The Old Testament Claim

• Men of God claimed to speak as God directed them
• Law given by Moses was from God
• The NT says the OT was inspired

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The Bibles Claim of Inspiration
I. The Old Testament Claim
II. The New Testament Claim
III. The Nature of Inspiration
IV. What Difference Does It Make?
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The New Testament Claim

• Jesus spoke of the authority of the Scriptures
• Apostles NT writers claimed to speak from God
• Some main passages

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John 1035
If He called them gods, to whom the word of God
came (and the Scripture cannot be broken).

• Jesus quotes from Psa. 826
• Called it law (v. 34) and Scripture (v. 35)
• Cannot be broken cannot be loosed, undone
• Affirmation of the authority of Scripture
• If this most casual statement in the OT is
  authoritative, so is all the rest! (Warfield)

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Matt. 518
For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and
earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no
means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

• Jot smallest letter of Hebrew alphabet
• Tittle a projection from a letter to
  distinguish it
• Like our dot of the i and cross of a t
• Point Scriptures are true / reliable down to
  the smallest detail!

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Fulfillment of Scripture
Jesus spoke of the need for the Scriptures to be
fulfilled

• Mark 1449 the Scriptures must be fulfilled
• John 1318 that the Scriptures may be
  fulfilled
• John 1712 that the Scriptures might be
  fulfilled
• Matt. 2631 announces all will stumble for it
  is written
• Matt. 2654 had power to escape but how
  would the Scriptures be fulfilled?
• John 1525 that the word might be fulfilled
• John 1712 that the Scriptures might be
  fulfilled

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Endorsed OT Stories
Jesus believed what was recorded in the OT to be
FACT and not FICTION

• Creation (Matt. 194)
• Noah Flood (Matt. 2437-38)
• Sodoms Judgment (Matt. 1124)
• Lots Wife (Luke 1732)
• Jonah the Whale (Matt. 1240)

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The New Testament Claim

• Jesus spoke of the authority of the Scriptures
• Apostles NT writers claimed to speak from God
• Some main passages

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Apostles NT Writers Claimed To Speak By the
Inspiration of God

• 1 Tim. 41 Now the Spirit expressly says
• 2 Pet. 315-16 - Pauls writings called
  Scripture
• Eph. 33-5 Apostles prophets guided by
  Spirit
• We can read and understand it!
• Can have the same understanding as the writer!
• 1 Thess. 213 not word of men, but God
• John 1613 Spirit would guide apostles into
  all truth
• Gal. 111-12 Not receive gospel from man, but
  God
• 1 Cor. 1437 I write the commandments of Lord

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The New Testament Claim

• Jesus spoke of the authority of the Scriptures
• Apostles NT writers claimed to speak from God
• Some main passages

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2 Tim. 316-17
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.
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2 Tim. 316-17

• Scripture
• From graphe writings or oracles
• Includes OT NT (1 Tim. 518).

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1 Timothy 518
For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle an
ox while it treads out the grain," and, "The
laborer is worthy of his wages."
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2 Tim. 316-17

• Scripture
• From graphe writings or oracles
• Includes OT NT (1 Tim. 518).
• All
• Includes all leaves none out
• Both OT NT
• Inspired of God
• God breathed (A.T. Robertson)
• Not the effect it has on one who reads it.

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1 Cor. 29-14
v. 9 Man did not know the mind of God until it
was revealed v. 10 God has revealed them by the
Spirit v. 11 Illustration no one knows your
mind unless you reveal it vv. 12-13 Speak
words, not ofmans wisdom, but what the Holy
Spirit teaches
13 These things we also speak, not in words which
man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit
teaches, comparing spiritual things with
spiritual.
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2 Pet. 120-21
20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of
Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21
for prophecy never came by the will of man, but
holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the
Holy Spirit.

• Prophecy did not owe it origin to man
• Prophecy had it origin from God
• Use the instrumentality of human authors
• Moved borne along as a ship moved by the
  wind.
• Moved by the power of the Holy Spirit

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The New Testament Claim

• Jesus spoke of the authority of the Scriptures
• Apostles NT writers claimed to speak from God
• Some main passages

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The Bibles Claim of Inspiration
I. The Old Testament Claim
II. The New Testament Claim
III. The Nature of Inspiration
IV. What Difference Does It Make?
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The Nature of Inspiration

• Defined

The supernatural influence exerted on the sacred
writers by the Spirit of God, by virtue of which
their writings are given Divine
trustworthiness - Benjamin Warfield (ISBE,
III1473)
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The Nature of Inspiration

• Defined
• Plenary Inspiration

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Plenary Inspiration

• 2 Tim. 316-17 all Scripture
• Psa. 119128 all precepts are right
• 2 Pet. 120-21 What was true of one prophet
  was true of all
• Both OT NT
• One writer is just as inspired as another

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The Nature of Inspiration

• Defined
• Plenary Inspiration
• Verbal Inspiration

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Verbal Inspiration

• 1 Cor. 213 Words chosen by the Holy Spirit

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1 Cor. 213
These things we also speak, not in words which
man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit
teaches, comparing spiritual things with
spiritual.
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Verbal Inspiration

• 1 Cor. 213 Words chosen by the Holy Spirit
• Deut. 1818 - put words in
• Matt. 1019-20 God directed the apostles in
  what how to speak
• God chose every word that the writer wrote.

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The Nature of Inspiration

• Defined
• Plenary Inspiration
• Verbal Inspiration
• Misconceptions

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• Thought Inspiration
• God gave the idea or thought but left the
  writer to choose his words
• Means the writings are subject to error

Misconceptions about Inspiration
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• Thought Inspiration
• Dictation
• God dictated to each writer.
• Writers were mere stenographers
• Their writings are void of personal background
  and vocabulary
• Inspiration is Lost in Translation
• The Septuagint (LXX) was a translation of the
  OT (Hebrew) into Greek (about 285 BC)
• Jesus used quoted from the LXX
• Yet attributed the quotes to writers God

Misconceptions about Inspiration
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The Nature of Inspiration

• Defined
• Plenary Inspiration
• Verbal Inspiration
• Misconceptions
• Use of the writers background vocabulary

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Use of Writers Background Vocabulary
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Use of Writers Background Vocabulary

• Matthew Luke use different terms for needle
• Lukes medical terms (480)
• Luke 438 Peters mother-in-law had high fever
  (Matthew Mark fever)
• Luke 512 full of leprosy (Matthew Mark
  leper)
• Use of personal experiences
• 1 Cor. 1532
• Phil. 112-14

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The Nature of Inspiration

• Defined
• Plenary Inspiration
• Verbal Inspiration
• Misconceptions
• Use of the writers background vocabulary

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The Bibles Claim of Inspiration
I. The Old Testament Claim
II. The New Testament Claim
III. The Nature of Inspiration
IV. What Difference Does It Make?
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What Difference Does It Make?
If we accept Plenary Verbal Inspiration
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If we accept Plenary Verbal Inspiration

• Every part is equal
• James is equal with Matthew or Romans.
• Words in black are as important as those in red.
• Bible in inerrant / infallible
• Is without error trustworthy
• cf. John 1717 thy word is truth
• If not, throw whole Bible out what part is
  right?
• Careful translation is important
• Paraphrase, loose free translation does not
  respect inspiration.

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What Difference Does It Make?
If we accept Plenary Verbal Inspiration
If we reject Plenary or Verbal Inspiration
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If we reject Plenary or Verbal Inspiration

• Deny the literal interpretation of the Bible
• Creation
• Flood
• Serpent
• Explain words of the text as culturally derived

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Where Does It End?
?
?
Virgin Birth Jonah Whale All Miracles Homosexual
ity Eternal Hell Salvation Worship
Creation Flood Serpent
How Long Until
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If we reject Plenary or Verbal Inspiration

• Deny the literal interpretation of the Bible
• Creation
• Flood
• Serpent
• Explain words of the text as culturally derived
• An attack on the nature of God
• If His word is not infallible then neither is
  He!

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The Bibles Claim of Inspiration
I. The Old Testament Claim
II. The New Testament Claim
III. The Nature of Inspiration
IV. What Difference Does It Make?
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