The Doctrine of the Scriptures - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

The Doctrine of the Scriptures

Inspiration, Inerrancy, Infallibility, Clarity, Sufficiency, And NecessitySlide2

Introduction

Authority and Inspiration of Scripture are directly tied together .

If the Scriptures are not inspired, then we have no reason to trust the Scriptures.

Circular reasoning argument: Look at the Board. Slide3

Inspiration of Scripture

To believe that the Bible affirms something false would be to disbelieve God himself. To disbelieve God himself is to place yourself as a higher authority with a deeper, more developed understanding on a topic or topics than God himself.

Thus, the authority of Scripture is tied to the inspiration of Scripture. Slide4

Inspiration of Scripture

Inspiration – The process by which God worked through the human authors of the Bible to communicate His revelation.

Or

In referring to the Scriptures, this is the work of the Holy Spirit in enabling human authors of the Bible to record what God desired to have written in the Scriptures

Key things to notice:

(1) Process – over thousands of years

(2) God – ultimate author

(3) His revelation – not man’s, but God’s Slide5

Inspiration of Scripture

As Christians we believe God was active in the process of communication of the Scriptures.

Paul talks about the inspiration of the Scriptures in 2 Tim. 3:16.

All Scriptures

What does Paul mean by all Scriptures? He uses the word “

graphe

”

Does mean the Old and New Testament?

Paul is referring to the Old Testament Scriptures

. Slide6

Inspiration of Scripture

God – breathed

Theopneustos

Metaphor for speaking the Words of Scripture

This is important to note because we are not saying man invented these words, but God, himself, breathed out these words. Slide7

Inspiration of Scriptures

Peter in 2 Peter 1:21,

Scripture does not come by impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoken from God.

Both Paul & Peter affirm the OT are God’s words. Slide8

Inspiration of Scripture

3 Views:

Dictation View – God dictated the words to human authors

Mechanical View – We are automatons (robots); the author is taken over by the Holy Spirit

Verbal-Plenary View – God’s superintendence of the writers of Scripture down to the very choice of words, not merely, to overarching themes, or concepts; Slide9

Inerrancy of Scripture

What is inerrancy?

Scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact or the Bible contains no falsehood.

In recent years, the inerrancy of Scripture has come under fire!

Those who opposed “inerrancy” said it was a poor term.

Others said it was too precise of a term to use for Scripture. Slide10

Inerrancy of Scripture

International Council of Biblical Inerrancy

Group of Evangelical Christians from all different denominations, met to affirm what compile of a set of affirmations and denials about Scripture.

In 1978, they met in Chicago and out of that came the “Chicago Statement of Inerrancy.”

Article(s) I, II, III, VI, VII, VIIISlide11

Inerrancy of Scripture

Inerrancy – does not err

No falsehood of any sort

Inerrancy does allow for literary devices, metaphors, hyperbole, round numbers, and other literary expressionsSlide12

Inerrancy of Scripture

Problems with Denying the Inerrancy of Scripture:

If we deny inerrancy

….

1. A serious Moral Problem Confronts Us: May we Imitate God and Intentionally Lie in small matters also?

2. We Begin to Wonder if we can really trust God in Anything he says

3. We Essentially make our own human minds a higher standard of truth than God’s Word itself

4. Then we must also say that the Bible is Wrong Not only in Minor details but in some of its doctrines as well. Slide13

Infallibility of Scripture

Infallibility – Cannot Err

The position that the Bible cannot err or make mistakes, and that the Bible “is completely trustworthy as a guide to salvation and the life of faith and will not fail to accomplish its purpose”

This doctrine is based on the perfection of the divine author, who cannot speak error. Slide14

Summary

If the Bible is inspired, it is infallible. If it is infallible, it is inerrant. If it is inerrant, then it is trustworthy. If it is trustworthy, it is authoritative. Slide15

Characteristics of Scripture: Clarity

Question: Can only Bible scholars understand the Bible rightly?

Can you, an 11

th

grader, open up the Scriptures and understand them?

Confession: not all parts of Scripture are able to be understood easily. 2 Peter 3:15-16 affirms this reality. Slide16

Characteristics of Scripture: Clarity

However, that does not mean we cannot understand the Scriptures, while some passages may be difficult to understand, that does not mean they are impossible to understand.

This is the truth of the clarity of Scripture. Slide17

The Bible affirms its own clarity

Deut. 6:6-7

The Character of Scripture is said to be such that even the ”simple” can understand it rightly and be made wise by it. Ps. 19:7; Ps. 119:130.

In the NT, Jesus never affirms that Scripture is not clear.

In fact, Jesus places the blame of misunderstanding of the Scriptures not on the Scriptures themselves but on those who misunderstand or fail to accept what is written. Slide18

The Bible affirms its own clarity

Scripture always interprets Scripture. And always let Scripture interpret difficult passages of Scripture.

It is important to realize that in many instances in the New Testament epistles were written to churches that had large proportions of Gentile Christians.

Importance: They had no previous background in any kind of Christian society and little to no prior understanding of history and culture of Israel. Slide19

The Moral and Spiritual Qualities Needed for Right Understanding

The NT writers frequently state that the ability of understanding the Scriptures relies not on intellectual ability but a moral and spiritual ability. (1 Cor. 2:14)

The NT writers affirm that the Bible in itself is written clearly. They also affirm that it will not be understood rightly by those who are unwilling to receive its teachings. Slide20

Definition of Clarity

The Clarity of Scripture means that the Bible is written in such a way that its teachings are able to be understood by all who will read it seeking God’s help and being willing to follow it. Slide21

Why Do People Misunderstand Scripture?

Sin

–

Sin blinds us to the truth of Scripture.

Lack of faith or hardness of heart

–

we simply don’t believe or want to believe it.

How can we properly understand the Scriptures?

Proper ”principles of interpretation”

Called Hermeneutics, it is defined as “the study of correct methods of interpretation”Slide22

Why Do People Misunderstand Scripture?

Another term used is “exegesis.” This term refers to the “process of interpreting a text of Scripture.”

In exegesis, we are drawing out the meaning of Scripture. This is contrary to eisegesis, which is we put meaning into the Scripture.

When disagreements about the meaning of Scripture throughout history happen, it reminds us that the clarity of Scripture does not imply or suggest that all believers will agree on all the teachers of Scripture. Slide23

Ten Common Mistakes In Reading the Bible

1. We assume that the Bible doesn’t need to be interpreted.

2. We assume that the Bible applies uniquely to us.

We make the mistake of individualizing the text. (You’re David and you slay your Giants, You’re Joshua and you can tell the walls of your

jericho

to be torn down)

3. We ignore passages that don’t fit our theology

We often try to ignore or explain away sections of the Bible that we don’t like or understand.

To fix this, we must come to the Scriptures making ourselves fit the Scriptures instead of the Scriptures fitting us. Slide24

Ten Common Mistakes in Reading the Bible

4. We Treat the Bible Allegorically

5. We feel our study is fruitless if we have not discovered a new truth.

Scripture exists to reveal the character and nature of God, not to make us feel smarter or better than others.

6. We focus on what the text “means to me.”

We have to understand what the text means, before we apply it to out lives

Interpretation always precedes ApplicationSlide25

Ten Common Mistakes in Reading the Bible

7. We assume the Bible isn’t relevant to us today.

8. We take the Bible out of context

We have to take note of where the Scripture falls in the passage and look at the context of the passage in order to see what the passage means.

What are some passages that are taken out of context?

9. We interpret the Bible based on contemporary moral standards

The Bible is eternally relevant and also historically particular

10. We try to make the Bible fit contemporary standards for political correctness

A text can never mean what it never meantSlide26

Ten Steps to Reading the Bible Well and Truly

1. Commit to reading the Bible and studying it.

What is your biggest obstacle in reading the Bible? Why?

2. Read the Bible in context

3. Choose a translation

Formal equivalence translation(s) (Word

–

for

–

Word from the Hebrew and Greek) Examples: KJV, NASB, ESV

Functional equivalence translation(s) (Thought

–

for

–

Thought) Examples: NIV, NRSV, NLT

Paraphrases. Example: The MessageSlide27

Ten Steps to Reading the Bible Well and Truly

4. Understand the genre.

Is it Narrative, Writings, Apocalyptic, Gospels? Each genre will require a better understanding.

5. Understand the context.

Both Historical (the cultural, societal, historical setting) and Literary context (what comes before and after the passage).

6. Understand the content.

A Commentary will help you in this matter. Slide28

Ten Steps to Reading the Bible Well and Truly

7. Look for relationships

8. Study words

Example: What does Paul mean by ”works of the law?” Or “grace” or “mercy”

9. Bring your experience to bear

10. Courageously pursue a response

A descriptive passage

–

a passage that describes specific events

A prescriptive passage

–

a passage that prescribes how we ought to think Slide29

Application

Journal what you are learning

Share what you are learning

Live what you are learning. Slide30

Why Do People Misunderstand the Scriptures?

However, the problem always lies with us and not the Scriptures.

The teachings of Scripture are clear and able to be able to be understood, but also recognize that people often (through their own shortcomings) misunderstand what is clearly written in ScripturesSlide31

Encouragement from this doctrine

In the case of doctrinal or ethical disagreement (i.e. over baptism or church government). There are two possible causes:

(1) we may be seeking to make affirmations where Scripture itself is silent

(2) it is possible we have made mistakes in our interpretation of Scripture.

However, in no case are we free to say that the teaching of the Bible on any subject is confusing or incapable of being understood correctly. Slide32

Encouragement in this doctrine

We can be encouraged that if there is a genuine concern for some such subject arises in our lives, we should seek God’s help and then go to the Scripture.

James 1:5

It should encourage us to read our Bibles daily.

It does not matter that you do not know Greek or Hebrew or have not been in Biblical studies classes for years, you can read the text of the Bible and understand it. Slide33

The Role of Scholars in the Clarity of Scripture

1. They can teach the Scripture clearly, communicating its content to others and thus fulfilling the office teaching.

2. They can explore new areas of understanding the teachings of Scripture.

3. They can defend the teachings of the Bible against attacks by other scholars or those with specialized technical training.

4. The can supplement the study of Scripture for the benefit of the church. Slide34

Characteristics of Scripture: Necessity

The Necessity of Scripture means that the Bible is necessary for knowing the Gospel, for maintaining spiritual life, and for knowing God’s will, but is not necessary for knowing that God exists or for knowing something about God’s character and moral laws. Slide35

The Bible is Necessary for the Knowledge of the Gospel

Romans 10:13-17.

(1) One must call upon the name of the Lord to be saved

(2) People can only call upon the name of Christ if they believe in him

(3) People cannot believe in Christ unless they have heard of him

(4) They cannot hear of Christ unless there is someone to tell them about Christ

(5) The conclusion is that saving faith comes by hearing and this the hearing of the gospel message comes about through the preaching of ChristSlide36

The Bible is Necessary for Knowledge of the Gospel

So, what about the innocent person in Africa who never hears about Christ? Do they go to heaven?

The Bible is necessary for salvation in one sense: either read the gospel message in the Bible for oneself or hear it from another person.

So if people can only be saved by faith in Christ, how were people in the Old Testament saved? Slide37

The Bible is Necessary for Knowledge of the Gospel

Those saved under the old covenant were also saved through trusting in Christ, even though their faith was a forward-looking faith based on God’s word of promise that a Messiah or Redeemer would come.