Untitled Sermon

What is Christianity?

To answer the question we must first take a look into our view of Christianity and what it stands on, which is the Bible; from there, we can formulate our ideas of scripture and consequently, our faith.

What is your view on scripture? Is it divine and infallible? Or is it man-made and there is room for error? How is it divine yet written by man?

English Standard Version Chapter 3

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament θεόπνευστος

θεόπνευστος, -ον, (θεός and πνέω), inspired by God: γραφή, i.e. the contents of Scripture, 2 Tim. 3:16

theópnefstos

To the unbeliever, the claim of divine infallible scripture means nothing. That is why Christianity today is a life and death struggle with unbelief. The Church is much of the blame here. Denominations have created creeds and doctrines and they argue over topics. The world sees this and they want Jesus, but all they see is the confusion over different opinions of churches; but churches all agree that the Bible is consistent and trustworthy.

Can we still trust the Bible as a doctrinal guide, as an authoritative teacher of truth, or must we find a new basis for doctrine, and, consequently, develop a whole new system of theology?

Boettner, L. (1947). Studies in theology (p. 10). Grand Rapids, MI: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company.

Studies in Theology 1. The Nature of Scripture Inspiration

It is confessedly one book, yet it is made up of sixty-six different books, composed by not less than forty writers, spread over a period of not less than sixteen hundred years. The writers moved in widely separated spheres of life. Some were kings and scholars with the best education that their day afforded; others were herdsmen and fishermen with no formal education. It is impossible that there should have been collusion between the writers.

Studies in Theology 1. The Nature of Scripture Inspiration

The terms “plenary inspiration” and “verbal inspiration” as used here are practically synonymous.

Studies in Theology 1. The Nature of Scripture Inspiration

By “plenary inspiration” we mean that a full and sufficient influence of the Holy Spirit extended to all parts of Scripture, rendering it an authoritative revelation from God, so that while the revelations come to us through the minds and wills of men they are nevertheless in the strictest sense the word of God

Studies in Theology 1. The Nature of Scripture Inspiration

By “verbal inspiration” we mean that the Divine influence which surrounded the sacred writers extended not only to the general thoughts, but also to the very words they employed, so that the thoughts which God intended to reveal to us have been conveyed with infallible accuracy

When discussing “verbal inspiration,” we must also take into account not only the words of inspiration but the tone behind them as well. The writers when conveying the thoughts of the Creator would have to have his heart and emotion as well. The tone of the Scriptures is one tone by the author. The authors couldn’t be conveying 2 different tones in the same scripture.