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Beacon-Ministries
Presents
What Everyone Needs to
Know About the Bible
Introduction
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The BIBLE IS God's love letter
written to us.
The Bible tells us who we are, how
we were made, how we were lost,
and how we were purchased back.
When we spend time reading and
thinking about the things which are
written in the Bible, we change.
Introduction
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The Bible is living.
God gave us His inerrant, verbally
inspired word, which is of absolute
authority and He recorded,
preserved, translated, and
transmitted it in written form, called
the Bible and/ or Holy Scriptures.
• But what does all this mean?
Terms to Understand
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To understand the importance of the
Bible we need to understand some
terms used to describe it.
These terms are useful to know
because they explain the importance
of the Bible to all believers.
Terms
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INERRANT – free from error of any kind
(including historical, chronological, genealogical
and scientific error), no errors, totally and
completely exempt from errors, absolutely true,
no mistakes, no flaws, no contradictions, no
discrepancies, no inconsistencies, no
inaccuracies, no disagreements, no
imperfections, no defects, no deceptions, no
blunders, no lies (Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18), no
falsity, no misconceptions, no false impressions,
the TRUTH, the whole TRUTH, and nothing but
the TRUTH (John 17:17; Psalm 119:160).
Terms
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INFALLIBLE – not liable to error (hence a
synonym for inerrant); incapable of being
wrong or mistaken or inaccurate or
misleading; absolutely trustworthy and
sure. The term is sometimes used of
persons. For example, it has been claimed
by some that the Pope is infallible. No
POPE or PRIEST or PASTOR or PERSON is
infallible, but God is infallible and thus His
Word is infallible (John 10:35). People
may err, but not the Bible (Matthew
22:29).
Terms
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AUTHORITATIVE – the Bible has absolute
authority (power, dominion, rule, control) over
me so that I must bow before the authority of the
Word (Isa. 66:2; Ezra 9:4; 1 Sam. 3:9-10)
without doubting it, debating it, questioning it
(Gen. 3:1), contradicting it (Gen. 3:4),
disbelieving it, changing it, redefining it, adding
to it, subtracting from it (Rev. 22:18-19); or
objecting to it ("but look what science says," "but
that's old fashioned," "but I don't like that
verse"). The Serpent (Devil) wants people to
think that YOU CAN'T BE SURE (convinced,
confident, positive, certain, settled, dogmatic,
decided) ABOUT WHAT GOD SAYS. This is why
the unbeliever give the constant objection, "BUT
THAT'S JUST YOUR INTERPRETATION."
Terms
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INSPIRED – the word is defined in 2 Timothy 3:16. The
Greek word is theopneustos which literally means "GODBREATHED." To say that "all Scripture is God-breathed" is
to say that all Scripture is breathed out from the mouth of
God, as if God were actually speaking the very words.
[Technically it might be more correct to speak of
"expiration" rather than "inspiration."] Thus, in Psalm 33:6,
according to Hebrew parallelism, the expression "the breath
of His mouth" is equivalent to the expression "the Word of
the Lord." Whenever we speak, we are breathing out
words. To say that we are breathing out words is another
way of saying that we are speaking. The Bible is GOD
SPEAKING! God has breathed out the Scriptures and the
whole Bible is from the MOUTH OF GOD! All Scripture is
God's Word. After every verse in the Bible we could rightly
say, "THE MOUTH OF THE LORD HAS SPOKEN IT!" Thus, to
say that there are errors in the Bible is to say that God has
ERRED in what HE HAS SAID. How blasphemous!
Terms
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PLENARY INSPIRATION – the Bible is fully and
completely inspired (2 Tim. 3:16 – "ALL Scripture"), not
just some parts (or the parts you like best). This would
include Genesis chapters 1-11, the historical sections, the
numerical listings, the chronological details, the genealogies
and every other part of the Bible.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 declares that "ALL SCRIPTURE...is
profitable for doctrine (teaching)." In other words, this
passage teaches that the entire Bible relates to matters of
faith and practice–that's why God gave it. Thus, all
Scripture is "revelational" and all Scripture must be
inerrant. Let no man dare to decide which parts of the Bible
are true! What folly for a mere man to choose what parts
he will accept and what parts he will reject! How wise is
that man who gladly receives ALL the Bible as God's truth!
Terms
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VERBAL INSPIRATION – Even the very
WORDS (not just the ideas) are inspired
(Psalm 12:6; Prov. 30:6), as recorded in
the original manuscripts (autographs) as
penned by the Bible writers. Though we
do not possess the original copies of
Scripture, the manuscripts which we do
have are of such quality and completeness
and abundance that we can know with
great accuracy what the original text of
Scripture said.
Terms
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JOT AND TITTLE INSPIRATION –
A jot is the smallest letter in the
Hebrew alphabet and a tittle is a tiny
mark which enables one to
distinguish between two Hebrew
letters which look very similar (see
next slide):
Terms
Terms
Terms
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Every jot and title is inspired and will be
fulfilled (Matthew 5:18; Luke 16:17). Or
as we might say in English, every dotting
of the "i" and crossing of the "t" is
important in God's Word. Thus, inspiration
extends even to the smallest details of the
sacred text as originally given when "Holy
men of God spoke (and wrote) as they
were moved by the holy Spirit" (2 Peter
1:21).
Inspiration
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II Tim.3:16 All scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is profitable
for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in
righteousness:
Inspiration
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II Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came
not in old time by the will of man:
but holy men of God spoke as they
were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Inspiration
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Acts 1:16 Men and brethren, this
scripture must essentially have been
fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by
the mouth of David spoke before
concerning Judas, which was guide
to them that took Jesus.
Inspiration
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The very words uttered by the Bible
writers are Spirit filled words.
John 6:63 It is the spirit that gives
life; the flesh profits nothing: the
words that I speak to you, they
are spirit, and they are life.
Inspiration
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Because the words are the Spirit’s words,
they are God’s words and not man’s.
Every word of the Bible is God’s words
given to man.
Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It
is written, Man shall not live by bread
alone, but by every word that
proceeds out of the mouth of God.
Inspiration
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We are to live our lives by these God
breathed words.
I Tim. 6:3 If any man teach
otherwise, and consent not to
wholesome words, even the words
of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to
the doctrine which is according to
godliness;
Inspiration
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God gave to the writers of Scripture
the very words He wanted to be
communicated.
God put His words in the mouth of
the prophet.
The words the prophet spoke or
wrote, are God’s words.
Inspiration
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Jeremiah 1:4-9
• 1:4 Then the word of YAHWEH came to me, saying,
• 1:5 Before I formed you in the belly I knew you; and
before you came forth out of the womb I sanctified you,
and I ordained you a prophet to the nations.
• 1:6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak:
for I am a child.
• 1:7 But YAHWEH said to me, Say not, I am a child: for
you shall go to all that I shall send you, and
whatsoever I command you, you shall speak.
• 1:8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with you to
deliver you, says YAHWEH.
• 1:9 Then YAHWEH put forth his hand, and touched my
mouth. And YAHWEH said to me, Behold, I have put
my words in your mouth.
Inspiration
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Jesus Claimed His Words Are the
Words of God.
• John 5:56-47
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5:46 For had all of you believed Moses, all
of you would have believed me; for he
wrote of me.
5:47 But if all of you believe not his
writings, how shall all of you believe my
words?
Inspiration
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Jesus Claimed His Words Are the Words of
God.
• John 6:63 It is the spirit that gives life; the
flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak
to you, they are spirit, and they are life.
• John 14:10 Believe you not that I am in the
Father, and the Father in me? the words that
I speak to you I speak not of myself: but the
Father that dwells in me, he does the
works.
Inspiration
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Warnings Against Tampering With
the Words.
• Proverbs 30:5-6
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30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a
shield to them that put their trust in him.
30:6 Add you not to his words, lest he
reprove you, and you be found a liar.
Inspiration
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Proverbs clearly shows we are not to
add to God’s word.
• To add to God’s word is to put ideas,
thoughts, words, or phrases to God’s
word.
• An example of this is the Roman
Catholic Bible which adds the
Apocrypha, and extra chapters and
verses to some of the books.
Inspiration
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It is just as bas to subtract things
from God’s word.
• Revelation 22:19 And if any man shall
take away from the words of the book
of this prophecy, God shall take away
his part out of the book of life, and out
of the holy city, and from the things
which are written in this book.
Inspiration
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Examples of subtracting things from
God’s word are many modern Bible
Versions leaving Bible verses out.
Many newer versions leave out
verses like 1 John 5:7, the last nine
verses of Mark etc.
• There are however, many good newer
translations that do not subtract, or add
to God’s word.
Progressive Revelation
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What is progressive revelation, and
why is it important to understand it?
We are a very blessed generation to
live in this present administration
(dispensation, or economy) of grace.
We have the completed written
record God gave to man – the Bible!
But sometimes we forget that the
Bible was not given all at once.
Progressive Revelation
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We sometimes have the idea that
everybody had the Bible like we do.
What we need to understand is that
the Bible was progressively revealed
– a little bit at a time.
There is great truth in that there are
only three reasons that God ever
gave new revelation at any time.
They are as follows:
Progressive Revelation
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To further explain a revelation. Think back to
when God first gave the law to Moses at the
beginning of the wilderness wanderings. God
took Moses up to the mountain, gave him the
law, Moses then brought it back down, even
though the people had already broken it by that
time. Thirty-nine or forty years later, God gave
the law to Moses again - Why? Because Israel
had wandered about for forty years and new
situations had arose, and the new generation of
Israelites needed to hear the anew. This is why
we have the Book of Deuteronomy; it is the
second giving of the law. It is a further
explanation of things found in the original
giving of the law.
Progressive Revelation
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To modify a previous revelation.
To replace previous revelation, or to
supersede it.
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There are really two kinds of progressive
revelation. The first one is progression within
the dispensation (administration, or
economy).
within a dispensation, God progresses and
adds new things to the things that were
already there. Galatians 3:17 says, “And this
I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed
before of God in Christ…” What covenant is
this?
Progressive Revelation
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It is the promise, the original
covenant that God made with
Abraham. Paul says, “And this I say,
that the covenant, which was
confirmed before of God in Christ,
the Law, which was four hundred and
thirty years after, cannot disannul,
that it should make the promise of
none effect.”
Progressive Revelation
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.” In other words, Paul is saying,
here is a progression. You still have
the basic promise, but to it God
added the law. Why? Verse 19 tells
us it was added because of
transgressions. This is progression
within a dispensation.
Progressive Revelation
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Second, you have progression to a
new dispensation.
Sometimes a new revelation
supersedes previous revelation.
• Examples:
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God, through the Lord Jesus Christ, told the
twelve apostles to go into all the world and
teach all nations, baptizing them. The
majority of Christians go back to that
passage of Scripture for their “marching
orders,” their “commission.”
Progressive Revelation
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But what we need to understand is
that sometimes-new revelation
supersedes former revelation and
replaces it.
• . As we read in I Corinthians 1:17, Paul
says “For Christ sent me not to baptize,
but to preach the good news.” Here is
new revelation, superseding the old
revelation.
Progressive Revelation
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Does that mean we doubt whether that old
revelation was true?
No, it was true; we do not doubt that at all.
It was true for the generation that He specifically
spoke to, but God superseded it with new
revelation.
There are no ordinances in this present
dispensation of grace. According to the book of
Colossians, the Bible says that in this present
age, God has blotted out the handwriting of
ordinances that was against us (Col.2:14).
Progressive Revelation
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That statement (Col.2:14) supersedes or
overshadows previous revelation.
For this reason, we do not have
ordinances any more.
God also gave new revelation concerning
salvation through the pen of the Apostle
Paul. Salvation today has nothing to do
with you, and everything to do with Jesus
Christ.
Today salvation is granted to all men by
the work Jesus Christ performed on the
cross (I Tim.4:10).