What’s So Special About the Bible? CLARITY

why Bible is so difficult to read?

spans so much time

native & foreign countries

under different kingdoms

written in foreign languages

many authors

if so difficult,

then why did Afshin Ziafat (raised Muslim) become follower of Jesus after reading NT?

read NT at 17

chose Jesus and disowned by dad

now pastor at Providence Church, Frisco, TX

so which is it?

Bible difficult to understand OR clear to understand???

What’s So Special About the Bible? CLARITY

authority established what is All Scripture and since God-breathed = obey/disobey Bible is obey/disobey God

now consider the clear message of the Bible

history and reason for doctrine which results in translations

pope great authority

then people arose that questioned that authority

pope higher than Bible???

church—Bible unclear and too difficult for regular people to understand or interpret

leave to professionals

sermons in Latin…when few understood Latin

Latin translation had misinterpretations that worked to church’s advantage

purpose was to keep Bible out of hand of laymen (regular people)

but not everyone agreed

then during the Protestant Reformation

conviction that Bible is inherently clear

God is able to communicate His message to ALL people

Islam teaches that the Koran (Qur’an) cannot be properly translated

God’s Word = the Bible

contains justification for translation

How We Got the Bible plug

NT authors frequently quote from Septuagint (LXX)—OT translation

thoroughly explain

this conviction changed history

John Wycliffe (1328/31-1384)

translated Bible from Latin to English

deemed heretic posthumously

remains exhumed, burned, scattered

William Tyndale (1494-1536)

translated from original Hebrew and Greek to English

challenged some of the church’s wrong stances in Latin translation

“do penance” now “repent”

cost him his life in 1536

strangled and burned

famous last words—“Lord, open the King of England’s eyes!”

Martin Luther (1483-1546)

translated Bible into German

had to spend nearly a year in hiding to translate

all of this because of a conviction that the Bible is clear and understandable

definition

the clarity of Scripture means that the Bible is written in such a way that it is clear and understandable

only come to this conclusion because believe Bible divine document (God-breathed)

if human document, then numerous conflicting meanings

plus each reader can determine own meaning

if divine document = 1 meaning because 1 Author

no new or unique interpretations

God’s Word is not just for you and your interpretations

but you have a “cloud of witnesses” (Heb 12:1)

denying the clarity of the Bible is dangerous

if think Bible is unclear on salvation

can think unaccountable & live as we please

God has spoken

to deny that does not make it true

Peter Adam “People prefer a God who does not speak because he makes less clear demands, asks no questions, makes no promises, and threatens no punishments.”

the Bible is clear because God says so

topical sermon (doctrine) vs. expository sermon (passage)

Deut 30:11-14 pew Bible # 203

Deut 6:6-7 pew Bible # 178

Psalm 1:2

blessed man

Psalm 19:7

simple—“the [morally] naive,” that is, the one who is young and still in the process of learning right from wrong and distinguishing wisdom from folly.

Psalm 119:130

Jesus never says that the OT is too hard to understand

blames misunderstanding on people, not Scripture

Paul didn’t write to church leaders, but to churches assuming hearers can understand

the Scriptures are communication from God who is able to communicate clearly to His people

if Bible not clear

then authority of Word is unreasonable

God would be asking us to obey something we cannot understand

the Bible is clear for the most important matters

who is God?

how is one saved?

Afshin Ziafat trusted Jesus by reading NT

but not clear in every matter

not all passages are equally clear

2 Peter 3:15-16

prior slide

why not clear? why disagreements?

interpreter (READER), not the Bible

finite people trying to fully comprehend the infinite God of the universe

Isaiah 55:8–9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

sin nature clouds our thinking…until given glorified body AND MIND

1 Corinthians 13:12 “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”

impossible w/o HS

1 Cor 2:14

impossible to unsaved person

possible with illumination of HS

at FCC, we choose to agree on the most clear parts of the Bible

theological triage

some things in the Bible are crystal clear

other things are not

hence need for theological triage

much grace for 3rd tier issues

tier one and tier 2 issues

part of our statement of belief

new members must agree

how we hold together with eclectic bunch

So what???

share the clear gospel

because it is clear in the Bible

there is real hope in Jesus

not just cloudy, wishy-washy, hopeful hope

evangelical = Jesus is only hope

support translations of the Bible into new languages

have you been blessed by your English translation?

glad you didn’t have to learn 2 (3) languages

even then it would not be in your native language (heart language)

there are many people groups that do not have even 1 translation

who we support?

Wycliffe Bible Translators

Joe and Donna Rider (Roger and Lynette Sanders’ son)

MAF (Mission Aviator Fellowship)

Terry and Laura Dewey

flying the Word in Indonesia

read your Bible

do you have a Bible???

if not, take pew Bible

ESV Study Bible can help with difficult verses

invest in iPhone

why not invest in good Bible?

if can’t, we will give you a copy

historical privilege

copy = 6 months wages

before Gutenberg printing press

own language

church leaders wanted to keep Bible in Latin

to prevent common people from reading…misinterpreting

men willing to die to get Bible in own vernacular

heart language

something we take for granted

The Unquenchable Flame

English reformation, 122

reason Christians promoted universal literacy

mamas and daddys wanted their children to be able to read the Bible

if you don’t read your Bible, why don’t you?

will you start today?

FCC Bible Reading Plan (NT)

strive to grow in your understanding of the Bible

Grudem, 2nd edition

help from HS

John 16:4b-15 pew Bible # 1,072

first applied to apostles (especially in writing NT)

principle applies to followers of Jesus

implies saved

only way to understand Bible is with indwelling HS

need illumination (spiritual opening of minds to understand)

time

understanding the Bible is a process that doesn’t happen all at once

commands to “meditate”

the Bible is meant to be understood

but not all at once

lifelong process

remember

finite trying to grasp infinite

how much time do you spend reading the Bible?

effort (study)

remember not all Bible is easy to understand

Ezra (priest) determined to study (Ezra 7:10)

things that are hard to understand take more effort on our part

remember

finite trying to grasp infinite

how much effort do you spend studying the Bible?

ordinary means

translation in your own language

good translation (word-for-word)

that you can understand

remember many do not have even 1 translation

teachers

small groups (fellowship of believers)

are you in a SMBS?

are you in a Life Group?

tools

concordances (words & where found)

lexicons (dictionary of Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic)

commentaries (scholars)

historical background

ESV Archaeology Study Bible

willingness to obey

not knowledge to play Jeopardy

James 1:22 “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

how much understanding do you think HS will give you if no desire to implement?

keep on sinning when know what God says

how will understanding grow if unwilling to obey what you already understand?

humility

clarity of the Bible is property of Bible, not readers

Bible able to be understood, not that it always will be

sin distorts our understanding

always growing in understanding

one level

understanding meaning of verse (words and phrases)

another level

understanding how one verse relates to other verses

then how to apply

humility means you know you always need to learn more

have a posture to learn

no matter how old you are (in the faith)

What’s So Special About the Bible? CLARITY