BB Warfield Biography

Introduction

BB Warfield is a world-renowned theologian who was a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary in the 19th Century. He wrote “The Emotional Life of Our Lord,” and “The Inspiration and Authority of the BIble.”

He is considered, “The Theologian of the Inspiration of Scripture,” not because he created the doctrine, but because his is certainly the best and most fully articulated view of the inspiration of scripture of all time.

Warfield is a fascinating character. He is a native of Lexington, and his mother was a Cabell. Might be related to someone we know???

I want to share his story, because he was a tenacious man of faith who impacted the world greatly, and he was a wonderful husband who loved his wife well.

Explanation

Warfield was a defender of the faith.

Warfield was a theologian when people were denying the inerrancy and sufficiency of the Scriptures. They were also denying the deity of Jesus, and many theologians spent their times describing Jesus simply on naturalistic terms.

Warfield wrote the best articulated defense of the inerrancy and authority of Scripture. His theological teaching was the backbone for the best preachers of the age. Any good, Biblical preacher of the mid 1900s quotes Warfield.

He was a fierce fighter for the faith, and he dismantled many arguments of opponents who attempted to skew the word of God in any way.

Warfield was a contender for the faith.

Warfield was a tender, sacrificial husband.

Warfield was married in 1876 to Annie Kinhead, and they immediately went on a honeymoon in Germany. While walking together in the Hars mountains, Annie was struck by lightning, and permanently paralyzed. She was severely traumatized, and she spent the majority of her life as an invalid of sorts.

Warfield was a brilliant theologian, but he was also a loving husband and caregiver for 39 years.

Warfield lived on Princeton’s campus with his wife, and He was never more than two hours from His wife. Reports from his students would say that he was kind, caring, loving, and helpful to his wife.

Some of the most profound effects he had on his students came not from his teachings… they came from how he treated his wife.

Warfield intimately walked with Jesus.

Warfield contented for the truth of the Bible with his life, but his greatest work was his walk with Jesus. The greatest good is always the time we spend with our Lord.

His contemporaries who disbelieved the Bible and the supernatural Jesus were really losing out on a dynamic relationship with Jesus. Warfield didn’t want to miss out on Jesus.

His most known book is “The Inspiration and Authority of the Bible.” His greatest devotional work is, “The Emotional Life of Our Lord.”

Quote: “But Jesus burned with anger against the wrongs he met with in his journey through human life as truly as he melted with pity at the sight of the world’s misery: and it was out of these two emotions that his actual mercy proceeded.”

Application

2 Corinthians 4:1–6 “Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

Gentlemen, we are called to contend for the faith that we hold so dear. Some, like Warfield, contented with his entire life.

Gentlemen, we are called to walk intimately with the Lord.

Gentlemen, you are never greater than how you treat your wife. I don’t care what you do on a daily basis.