God’s Commitment to His Word

Can We Trust the Bible? God’s Commitment to His Word 1. God Speaks His Word • God speaks through creation • God speaks through conscience • God speaks in the Bible God Speaks through Creation He spoke the world into existence And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. Genesis 1:3ff God Speaks through Creation He declares his glory in creation The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Psalm 19:1ff God Speaks through Creation His speech makes us accountable For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. Romans 1:20 God Speaks through Conscience The conscience bears witness against us For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their con icting thoughts accuse or even excuse them. fl Romans 2:14–15 God Speaks in the Bible All Scripture is by God’s breath All Scripture is breathed out by God and pro table for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness… fi 2 Timothy 3:16 God Speaks in the Bible God spoke through OT prophets Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets Hebrews 1:1 God Speaks in the Bible Jesus promised to teach his disciples more “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” John 16:12–15 God Speaks in the Bible Paul says the Spirit taught them this truth And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. 1 Corinthians 2:13 God Speaks in the Bible We are accountable for hearing these words of the Son but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son…how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? Hebrews 1:2, 2:3 2. God Con fi fi fi • Internal con rmation of the Old Testament • Internal con rmation of the New Testament Internal Con The NT writers believed all the OT is Scripture. But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be ful lled.” Then all the disciples left him and ed. Matthew 26:56 fi fl fi Law (30x), Prophets (31x), Writings (23x) in Matthew alone! Internal Con The NT writers believed all the OT is Scripture. Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, All Scripture is breathed out by God and pro table for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, Romans 1:1–2, 2 Timothy 3:16 fi fi Paul believed the OT was “holy writing…breathed out by God” Internal Con The NT writers believed all the OT is Scripture. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a Isaiah cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders Psalms rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of o ense.” They stumble because they Isaiah disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his Deuteronomy own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him Exodus who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light 1 Peter 2:6–9 ff fi Peter calls the prophets, writings, and law “Scripture” Internal Con Jesus believed all the OT is Scripture. And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. fi fi Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be ful lled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, Luke 24:27, 44–45 Internal Con The OT anticipates the NT Scriptures …in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted… Titus 1:1–3 (cf. 1 Timothy 1:8–11) fi The NT aligns with the OT Scriptures Internal Con The OT anticipates the NT Scriptures In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the rst one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. (Hebrews 8:13) Jeremiah 31:31–33; Hebrews 8:7–13; 10:16–18 fi fi The OT predicts the NT in the New Covenant Internal Con The OT anticipates the NT Scriptures …I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth. (Isa 49:6) Genesis 12:3; Luke 24:44–48; Psalm 2:8, Isaiah 2:2–3; 49:6 fi The salvation of the Gentiles is fulfilled in the NT Internal Con The NT is set next to the OT as “Scripture” Deuteronomy & 1 Corinthians (1 Tim 5:18) Isaiah & Romans (1 Peter 2:6) fi All Paul and “other Scriptures” (2 Peter 3:16) 3. God Preserves His Word • What God says about preserving His Word • What God doesn’t say about preserving His Word What God says about preserving His Word God’s Word will endure forever Forever, O LORD, your word is rmly xed in the heavens. fi fi Psalm 119:89 What God says about preserving His Word God’s Word will endure forever Long have I known from your testimonies that you have founded them forever. The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever. Psalm 119:152, 160 What God says about preserving His Word God’s Word will endure forever The grass withers, the ower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. fl Isaiah 40:8 What God says about preserving His Word God’s Word will always prove true Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Proverbs 30:5 What God says about preserving His Word God’s Word will always prove true “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven…so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. …until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Isaiah 55:10–11; Matthew 5:17–18 What God says about preserving His Word God’s Word will always prove true If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. John 10:35; 17:17 What God doesn’t say about preserving His Word How he will preserve his Word Can We Trust the Bible? God’s Commitment to His Word for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. Psalm 138:2