The Gordon Mission

Sunday 7 December 2003

Theme:      The Bible, The Word of God

References:       Psalm 19:7-11; 2 Tim 3:14-4:5; 2 Peter 1:16-21.

1. The Bible, the Word of God,

2 Tim 3:14 - 4:5 & 2 Pet 1:19-21

Revealed:   revealed from God - God-breathed (1:20,21; 2 Tim 3:16).  It says exactly what God intended it to say.

Communicated:       communicated by the Holy Spirit through chosen people (1:21) (Note that God's Spirit hovered over creation, the prophetic word, Jesus, the Church, and God communicates His heart through each of these.)

Profitable:   useful for wisdom, salvation, teaching, rebuke, correction, training, thorough equipping, encouragement. (1:19 2 Tim 3:15-17)

Certain:       sound, trustworthy, reliable, true - not myth (e.g. abseiling - need for secure belay) (1:16,19)

Interpreted: needs care, humility in interpretation and teaching (n.b. allegory, literal, devotional) (1:20,21 - ref John 20:9)

Examples:

Pharisees statements about Jesus (Jn 8:48), the possessed man’s statements about Jesus (Lu 4:34), Job’s adviser’s (Eliphaz) advice, and God’s response (Job 4:3-9,17,18,27; Job 42:7).

2. How can we be sure that the Bible is from God?

Why believe this of the Bible, and not the Koran or more recent books and writings that some people claim are from God?

·      Because of Jesus  (1:17)

The teaching, life, death and resurrection of Jesus are the primary evidence. The whole Bible speaks of Him, directly or indirectly; He fulfilled what was spoken in the past; all those writings made after His life on earth were directly about His ministry and mission. In simple terms, because Jesus was raised from the dead we know that He is God’s Son. Because He is God’s Son then we know that the message which He proclaimed, destroying the works of the devil and saving those who come to Him, was true. Because His message was true, we know that the Old Testament Scriptures are from God, since Jesus confirmed their reliability, and because He fulfilled them. And because His message was true, we know that the New Testament writings are from God, because Jesus promised that the same Holy Spirit would remind His apostles of all that Jesus revealed to them and would lead them into all truth.

·      Because of God’s acts of power (2:5-8)

God has revealed Himself with acts of divine power. The Bible is not a theological treatise, a philosophical exploration of divinity. It is the record of God’s intervention in human lives, with acts of power that are part of the historical record. It is because God revealed Himself in ways that were undeniable that the Jews believed the written record of the Scriptures was the Word of God. God’s powerful acts and His word went hand in hand (Deut 6:20-25). The reality of the powerful hand of God confirmed and authenticated the revealed Word of God. I believe my great-grandfather existed, even though I never met him. I don’t believe this because I have written evidence, but because something he did many years ago means that I now exist. In a similar way, it is God’s acts of power, revealed in human history, with consequences we can see today, that enable us to trust His word. (1 Cor 2:2-5; Matt 22:29).

Consider the nation of Israel.

·      Because of our experience (1:18)

God reveals Himself to people today, including you and me, with power, confirming His word. He saves, He transforms, He fills with His love and grace.

3. How should I interpret and understand the Bible?

1.  Depending on the Holy Spirit

2.  Assured that it is the truth of God, to which we should pay attention. It is accurate, reliable, trustworthy, dependable.

3.  Aware that it contains many varied styles, expressed by many varied characters from many varied cultures.

4.  Seeking to understand the text as the writer and original reader understood it.

5.  Seeking to discover what God was revealing of Himself then, and what He wants to reveal of Himself to me today.

6.  With humility. It is deeply profound; we can never hope to fully understand it, but we can grow in understanding.