His, Mine, and Ours: God's Word

Bolivia Driving—flashing headlights

Toilets, internet, and driving practices

Early experiences of driving in Bolivia

[Take them to the back seat of the car and the experience of driving with no lights.]

Successful navigation require steady light.

In 1992, Michael Boulton of Surry, England, went missing. A massive manhunt commenced for this 16-year-old who police thought to have been kidnapped. After months of searching with no results, they called off the search.

Over a year later, spelunkers exploring a cave near Michael’s house found his body in a narrow passage only 300 feet from the mouth of the cave.

Scout. Developing caver.

Found with no light.

Successful navigation require steady light.

C.S. Lewis once wrote:

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it—I see everything else.”

For our purposes this morning, I want to adapt Lewis:

“We believe in God’s Word as we believe that the sun has risen: not only because we see it, but because by it—we see everything else.”

As we continue our series on His, Mine, & , Ours we have the privilege of exploring God’s Word.

As we’ll see, God’s Word is light for us, so Lewis’s quote is very appropriate.

Like any good explorer of God’s Word as His, Mine, & Ours, we first need to find our starting point.

Two Starting Points

What comes to mind when you hear God’s Word?

What makes exploring God’s Word different that exploring other Christian topics?

A: Other Topics—Bible is primary source, Bible—Bible; fundamental problem?

#1 Basic Beliefs—EVERYONE has them

What are some basic beliefs must we hold before we can begin to explore what “God’s Word” or the “Word of God” means?

The key word is basic, foundational, fundamental. I’m going to press you to go to the foundation of your beliefs.

Break it apart: God’s Word

Basic Beliefs for Exploring God’s Word

There is God & not god

Personal God

Reveals knowledge

Sufficient knowledge is attainable

Others?

“Faith Seeking Understanding” (fides quaerens intellectum)

Why is it important to embrace these beliefs?

“I believe so that I may understand.” (Credo ut intelligam)

“I do not seek to understand in order that I may believe, but rather, I believe in order that I may understand.” —Anselm of Canterbury (11th century)

Exploring God’s Word or seeking to know about God’s Word is pointless if we believe . . .

. . . there is no God

. . . there is no me/us

. . . God is not personal

. . . God doesn’t reveal things

. . . what He reveals cannot be grasped in some measure

#2 Crash Course on Divine Revelation

Definition of Divine Revelation

How do you define “revelation?”

Revelation (def.): “to unveil, uncover, bring to light, disclose, and/or make known that which was previously hidden, veiled, and/or unknown.” Feinberg, Light in a Dark Place, 38

Divine Revelation (def.): “a disclosure made by God or by one of his creatures for him.” Feinberg, Light in a Dark Place, 38

Content of Divine Revelation

What types of things does God reveal?

Himself—immanent

Ourselves/others

History and future

Path of salvation

Categories of Divine Revelation

In what ways does God reveal?

Actions: Creation, history (providence), theophanies

Words: Holy Scripture

Incarnation—the Word made flesh

Hang on to this phrase:

God reveals through the world, the Word, and the Word in the world.

Key Biblical Evidence

Genesis 1:1–3 “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.”

The world comes into existence by God’s spoken word.

Colossians 1:15-18 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.”

The world comes into existence by the Son of God, the Word in the world.

John 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

The Son of God, Jesus Christ, is God’s Word.

John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

The Son is God’s Word in the world.

Hebrews 1:1-4 “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”

God’s spoken word is Jesus Christ, the Word in the world.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

The written Word (Scripture) is God’s Word.

Summary: When we think of “God’s Word,” we must think of all the ways God discloses that which was previously hidden.

The World. The Word. The Word in the World.

That’s a lot. Let’s stop there for questions and comments.

With that Starting Point we can focus on the meaning of God‘s Word most familiar to us—Holy Scripture. The Bible.

“We believe in God’s Word as we believe that the sun has risen: not only because we see it, but because by it we see everything else.”

His, Mine, & Ours

God’s Word is His Light

Psalm 119:130 “The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.”

“We see the light of God’s Word . . .”

Exploring the NATURE of Scripture

God-Breathed, human written

What God Says

2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

2 Peter 1:20-21 “knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 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.”

Looking for more? 1 Co 2:12–13; Ro 3:1–2; 2 Pe 3:15–16, Jesus’s testimony about Scripture; NT views about the OT

What It Means

Every word of Scripture is simultaneously God‘s words through the words of human authors.

Related Topics and Terms: inspiration, concursus, the Princeton Theologians

Why It Matters

Contemporary Challenge: The Bible is just a religious book of religious people.

Christian Commitment: Scripture reflects the nature, will, heartbeat of the divine Author.

Truthful

What God Says

John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”

Proverbs 30:5 “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.”

Looking for more? Ps 18:30; Ps 33:4

What It Means

Scripture is perfectly accurate with the way things really are, with reality.

Related Topics and Terms: inerrancy, infallibility, history of biblical interpretation, Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy

Why It Matters

Why is Scripture’s truthfulness continually a debated issue, even among Christians?

Contemporary Challenge: Scripture contains errors.

Christian Commitment: Champion Scripture’s truthfulness; embrace humility when interpreting it

Authoritative

What God Says

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Acts 2:42 “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

Looking for more? Dt 8:3; Jn 10:35; Mk 13:31, Mt 4:4

What It Means

By being God’s very Word, Scripture can legitimately and effectively command trust and obedience.

Related Topics and Terms: sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), ontological authority vs. functional authority, internal vs. external authority

Why It Matters

Contemporary Challenge: Authority of any kind stinks; biblical authority comes from its function.

Christian Commitment: Scripture authority comes from the God who spoke it and its truthfulness.

Enduring

What God Says

Matthew 24:35 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”

Psalm 12:6–7 “The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times. You, O Lord, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever.”

Looking for more? Mt 5:17–18; Is 40:8; Ps 119:89, 160; Lk 16:17; 1 Pt 1:23–25

What It Means

Scripture remains truthful, effective, applicable, and accessible for all time and across all cultures.

Related Topics and Terms: preservation (of Scripture), textual criticism, Center for the Preservation of New Testament Manuscripts

Why It Matters

Contemporary Challenge: We don’t have the Bible that was actually written. Even if we did, it doesn’t apply to the modern/post-modern world.

Christian Commitment: God’s unchangeable nature applies to His words, the bearer to truth.

With some Basic Beliefs and Crash Course on Divine Revelation in hand, let’s spend some time looking at God’s written Word. This

The light a lantern produces is effective to the degree that one uses it to light one’s path. REPEAT

The light of God’s Word is effective to the degree that you and I use it for guidance in this life.

God’s Word is My Lamp

Ps 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

“. . . by the light of God’s Word, we see everything else.”

Exploring the RELEVANCE of Scripture

Applicable

What God Says

Psalm 119:33 “Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end.”

Matthew 7:24 ““Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

Looking for more? 1 Co 2:14–15; Ro 5:12; Ja 1:22; Ps 119:12, 18, 108

What It Means

Only through the Holy Spirit’s ministry can believers understand and apply Scripture.

Related Topics and Terms: illumination, “testimony of the Holy Spirit,” sanctification

Why It Matters

Contemporary Challenge: We unlock the Bible’s mysteries simply by applying a method. Then, we simply apply it.

Christian Commitment: Relying on the Holy Spirit for understanding and apply Scripture must be actively embraced.

Clear

What God Says

Deuteronomy 29:29 ““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.”

Psalm:119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

Looking for more? Pr 6:20–24 ; Ps 19:7–8; Mt 28:18–20; Ps 119:130

What It Means

All people, regardless of education, can sufficiently understanding, believe, and apply the Scripture.

Related Topics and Terms: Reformation, biblical interpretation, Analogy of Faith

Why It Matters

Contemporary Challenge: You have to have a seminary degree to understand the Bible, so why try?

Christian Commitment: Understanding Scripture, even when it’s difficult, is a worthy pursuit and requires the community of God

Sufficient

What God Says

2 Timothy 3:16–17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

Isaiah 55:11 “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.”

Looking for more? Ps 119:9, He 4:12

What It Means

God communicates through Scripture all that humanity needs to trust and obey Him.

Related Topics and Terms: Reformation, canonicity, science and biblical interpretation

Why It Matters

Contemporary Challenge: Saying more than the Bible says (vaccines) or not applying applicable areas (LGBTQ+).

Christian Commitment: Allow Scripture—the topics it address—to shape the priorities of our walk with the Lord.

God’s Word is Our Legacy

Continuity in God’s Story of Scripture

With all the differences in cultures, time periods, technologies, geographies, etc. there is continuity in God’s story of Scripture.

Looking back

Anticipating what lies ahead

What implications are there for us as a community, a church?

Walk-Aways

What qualities of Scripture help me trust and worship God more this week?

What single quality of Scripture is most difficult for me to believe and act on? Why?