Sermon Cloud

The Doctrine of Scripture (Inspiration):

When we say that the Bible is inspired, we do not mean that:

…the authors had exception natural _______ or “___________.”

…the authors were merely ________________.

…God dynamically directed the __________, but not necessarily the ___________ of the author.

…the Bible ___________ the Word of God as we encounter it.

…the Bible was mechanically ___________ by God through writers as a typist uses a typewriter.

We mean that…

“God superintended the human authors so that in their words, using their individual personalities, the Scriptures are inspired fully to the very _________, and are without ________ in all that they affirm.”

- Daniel Akin, president of Southeastern Seminary

We are affirming a “verbal-plenary” inspiration of Scripture.

Extent: “Plenary” - ______ of it, every _________ of it is inspired.

2 Timothy 3:16

Degree: “Verbal” - the very ______ themselves of Scripture are inspired. Matthew 19:4-5; 22:31-32

What Does the Bible Say?

______ ________ claims that it is God’s Word.

The ______ ____________ views itself as inspired.

Jeremiah 30:4; Amos 3:1; Samuel 23:2

The ______ __________ views the Old Testament as inspired.

2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Hebrews 1:1-2

___________ view of the Scriptures.

Mt 5:17-18; 4:4; John 10:35; 17:17

He affirms the ___________ reliability of the Old Testament.

Mt 19:4-5; 24:37; John 8:56; Mt 12:40

Early ________ preaching assumed inspiration.

Acts 1:16; 4:25; 3:18, 21

Other examples: Mt 1:22; Mk 7:9-13; Lk 1:70; 24:25; John 5:45-47; Acts 2:16-17; 13:47; 28:25; Rom 1:2; 3:2; 9:17

The New Testament’s View of Itself

Jesus promised his disciples the ______ ______.

John 14:26

The New Testament assumes itself to be _______ _________.

_________ referred to Paul’s writing as Scripture.

2 Peter 3:15-16; 2 Peter 3:2

__________ refers to the Gospel of Luke as Scripture.

1 Timothy 5:18; Luke 10:7

________ considers his own writings to be on the level of Scripture.

1 Corinthians 7:10-12, 25; 2:13; 14:37; 1 Thessalonians 4:15

The Bible—the Old Testament and the New Testament—comes to us claiming to be the inspired, authoritative Word of God.

How Do We Come to Believe that This?

1. The Bible ___________ that it is God’s Word.

2. We are _____________ of the Bible's claims to be God's Words as we read it.

1 Corinthians 2:13-14; John 10:26-27

3. The Words of Scripture are _________-__________.

The inspiration of the Bible should gives us ______________ of having divine instruction and ______________ to study it.