Roots of the Faith – The Inspiration of Scripture

Jon Beck

My sermon notes for Wednesday night, Oct 26th. Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon. They are provided as an outline each week for our Tabernacle Church family. Our study over the next few months will be “The Roots of the Faith.” This study will focus on key biblical truths that will transform our thinking and allow us to faithfully live out the Christian life. The church provides a live stream of the service each Wednesday at 6:30 on Facebook. We also provide the services through YouTube. You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, Prayer List, and other resources at our Church Website.

What do we mean by the inspiration of Scripture?

  • 2 Tim 3:16
  • 2 Peter 1:16-21
  • Scripture has God as its author
  • Scripture was written by human authors under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
  • The Spirit worked through human authors.
    • Real people with real personalities
    • They remembered the events as they wrote
    • Did interviews (Luke)
    • Thought through it. Planned it out (Organization)
    • Revealed their own frustrations and short comings (Paul)
  • All Scripture is inspired
    • All Scripture means all words
  • Because of inspiration, we know the Bible is totally true

All Scripture is God-breathed, because the Holy Spirit super intended the biblical authors as they composed their writings, the Word of God.

50 Core Truths of the Christian Faith – Gregg R. Allison 

This is what theologians are referring to when they talk about the “inspiration” of Scripture: the idea that God “breathed into” the biblical writers. He did this by His Spirit: “Spirit” being the Greek word pneuma, meaning “breath.” So when God “breathed into” the writers of Scripture in this way, God was ensuring that what they wrote was what He wanted to say—and nothing else.

https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/simply-put/the-inspiration-of-scripture

Key Theological Terms

  • plenary inspiration – all scripture
  • verbal inspiration – all the words of Scripture
  • concursive inspiration– the Spirit and the human authors wrote together

Evidence of inspiration in the Old Testament

  • Moses understood God had given him the Word- Deut. 1:3
  • All the prophets – “Thus saith the Lord”

Evidence of inspiration in the New Testament

Jesus promised the coming of future truth and knowledge (New Testament)

  • The Spirit will come (and do) – John 14:25-26, John 16:12-15
  • The Spirit came (and did) – 1 Cor. 2:6-10
  • Through the Lord – 1 Thess. 4:1-3

Peter considered the writings of Paul as from God

  • The other Scriptures – 2 Peter 3:15-26

What now?

  • Scripture is from God, so therefore it has a divine authority.
  • Therefore it has to be true
  • We must embrace, consume, and live out the Word
  • We should treat it as “God breathed” and inspired by the Holy Spirit
  • The same Spirit that inspired the Word now abides and fills each believer.

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