One, Unique in Scripture

Oneness of Scripture series, will bring 5 lessons on the uniqueness the Bible presents to mankind. Christianity is Reality is demonstrated in it’s oneness. The world’s history, man’s dilemma, purpose of life, eternal destination, and life’s remedies are all uniquely solvable in scripture.

The Bible does indeed have a unique makeup. It is one of a kind – like no other book that has ever been written. There is nothing like it and it has no equal. This can be seen in a number of ways.

1. It Was Fifteen Hundred Years In The Making 2. The Bible Was Written By Many Authors With Many Occupations

3. Scripture Was Written In Different Literary Forms 4. It Was Written Upon Three Continents

5. Scripture Was Composed In Different Circumstances

6. Three Different Languages Were Employed In Scripture

7. There Are Many Different Subjects Covered In The Bible

8. Most Authors Did Not Know One Another

9. We Would Expect Chaos To Result From These Diverse Circumstances The Bible was written over a period of fifteen hundred years, by forty different human authors from various backgrounds who wrote in different languages, upon different continents, in different circumstances, upon different subjects, and in different literary forms. These authors, for the most part, did not know each other. With all these contrasts one would expect something chaotic and disjointed when their writings were assembled into one book.

10. There Is One Unfolding Story In The Bible

11. God Is The Source Of Scripture Therefore one of the remarkable features of the Bible is its magnificent continuity. This is because God Himself is the source of the Bible. Moses declared.

The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law (Deuteronomy 29:29).

Deuteronomy 29:29 ESV

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

The Holy Spirit is the Divine author of Scripture. Peter wrote.

Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of humans, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20,21).

2 Peter 1:20 ESV

knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation.

2 Peter 1:21 ESV

For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Summary The Bible has a unique makeup. It is different from any other book that has ever been composed. Over forty different authors wrote it over a period of fifteen hundred years. These authors came from all walks of life. They include fishermen, shepherds, a doctor, and a tax collector. The biblical authors lived on three different continents – Africa, Asia, and Europe. They also wrote under a number of different circumstances – including persecution and prison. The authors of Scripture wrote in three different languages – Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. The Bible was written in a number of different literary forms such as narrative, poetry, and law. The writers of the various books cover many different topics such as the existence of God, the creation and purpose of humankind, the explanation for the origin of evil and the coming of the Savior.

Although most of the writers did not personally know the other writers, they all speak on these topics with complete harmony and continuity. This marvelous feature of Scripture is a testimony to it being the Word of God – exactly what it claims to be.

Thesis: The quality of being without an equal. Scripture stresses the uniqueness of God and of the salvation that is available only from him. Jesus Christ is the unique mediator between God and humanity.

The uniqueness of God

Isaiah 40:25 ESV

To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One.

See also Ex 8:10; 1 Sa 2:2; Is 40:18; 1 Ti 1:17; 1 Ti 6:15–16; Jud 25

As a forgiver of sins

Mark 2:7 ESV

“Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

The uniqueness of the Trinity

The three persons are distinct

All use the first person singular pronoun:

Jn 12:28; Jn 17:4; Ac 13:2

1 Co 12:4–6; Eph 4:4–5

God is one

Deuteronomy 6:4 ESV

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

See also Is 44:6; Is 45:5–6; Eph 4:6; Jas 2:9

There is plurality in the Godhead

Ge 1:26–27; Ge 3:22; Ge 11:5–7; Is 6:8; Mt 28:20; 2 Co 13:14

2 Corinthians 13:14 ESV

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Genesis 1:26–27 ESV

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

The uniqueness of Jesus Christ

As God’s Son

Jn 3:16 NIV footnote “only begotten” indicates that Jesus Christ is the unique Son of God, in origin, eternity and nature.

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

See also Jn 1:18; Col 1:15; Heb 1:1–3; Heb 1:8; Heb 1:9

As the mediator between God and humanity

1 Timothy 2:5 ESV

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

See also Jn 1:14; Heb 8:6

As the sacrifice for sin

Hebrews 7:27 ESV

He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.

See also Ro 6:10; Heb 9:12; Heb 10:10; Heb 10:14; Heb 10:18

As the Saviour

Ac 4:12; Jn 14:6

Acts 4:12 ESV

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

John 14:6 ESV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

See also 1 Jn 5:12

As the foundation

1 Corinthians 3:11 ESV

For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

The uniqueness of Scripture

Jude 3 ESV

Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

See also 2 Ti 3:15–16; Heb 1:1–2; Re 22:18–19