BIBLE SOURCE OF THE BIBLE HOW DID WE GET THE BIBLE? BIBLE READING: 2 Peter 1:12-21 KEY BIBLE VERSE: Above all, you must understand that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophets themselves or because they wanted to prophesy. It was the Holy Spirit who moved the prophets to speak from God. (2 Peter 1:20-21) GOD GAVE US THE BIBLE THROUGH PEOPLE. It was the Holy Spirit who moved the prophets to speak from God” means that the Scripture did not come from the creative work of the prophets’ own invention or interpretation. God inspired the writers, so their message is authentic and reliable. God used the talents, education, and cultural background of each writer (they were not mindless robots); and God cooperated with the writers in such a way to insure that the message he intended was faithfully communicated in the very words they wrote. BIBLE READING: 2 Timothy 3:10-17 KEY BIBLE VERSE: All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. (2 Timothy 3:16) GOD IS THE SOURCE OF THE BIBLE. The Bible is not a collection of stories, fables, myths, or merely human ideas about God. It is not a mere human book. Through the Holy Spirit, God revealed his person and plan to certain believers, who wrote down his message for his people (2 Peter 1:20-21). This process is known as inspiration. The writers wrote from their own personal, historical, and cultural contexts. Although they used their own mind, talents, language, and style, they wrote what God wanted them to write. Scripture is completely trustworthy because God was in control of its writing. Its words are entirely authoritative for our faith and lives. The Bible is “God-breathed.” Read it, and use it to guide your conduct. PURPOSE OF THE BIBLE WHY WAS THE BIBLE GIVEN TO US? BIBLE READING: Psalm 119:1-176 KEY BIBLE VERSE: I am but a foreigner here on earth; I need the guidance of your commands. Don’t hide them from me! (Psalm 119:19) THE BIBLE IS A MAP TO GUIDE US. The psalmist says that he is a “foreigner here on earth,” and so he needed guidance. Almost any long trip requires a map or guide. As we travel through life, the Bible should be our road map, pointing out safe routes, obstacles to avoid, and our final destination. We must recognize ourselves as pilgrims, travelers here on earth who need to study God’s map to learn the way. If we ignore the map, we will wander aimlessly through life and risk missing our real destination. BIBLE READING: 2 Timothy 3:10-17 KEY BIBLE VERSE: It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do. (2 Timothy 3:17) THE BIBLE IS BASIC EQUIPMENT. In our zeal for the truth of Scripture, we must never forget its purpose-to equip us to do good. We should not study God’s Word simply to increase our knowledge or to prepare us to win arguments. We should study the Bible so that we will know how to do Christ’s work in the world. Our knowledge of God’s Word is not useful unless it strengthens our faith and leads us to good works. MESSAGE OF THE BIBLE WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TELL US? BIBLE READING: Matthew 5:17-20 KEY BIBLE VERSE: I assure you, until heaven and earth disappear, even the smallest detail of God’s law will remain until its purpose is achieved. (Matthew 5:18) THE BIBLE GIVES US GOD’S COMMANDS. If Jesus did not come to abolish the law, does that mean all the Old Testament laws still apply to us today? In the Old Testament, there were three categories of law: ceremonial, civil, and moral. (1) The ceremonial law related specifically to Israel’s worship (see Leviticus 1:2-3, for example). Its primary purpose was to point forward to Jesus Christ; these laws, therefore, were no longer necessary after Jesus’ death and resurrection. While we are no longer bound by ceremonial laws, the principles behind them-to worship and love a holy God-still apply. Jesus was often accused by the Pharisees of violating ceremonial law. (2) The civil law applied to daily living in Israel (see Deuteronomy 24:10-11, for example). Because modern society and culture are so radically different from that time and setting, all of these guidelines cannot be followed specifically. But the principles behind the commands are timeless and should guide our conduct. Jesus demonstrated these principles by example. (3) The moral law (such as the Ten Commandments) is the direct command of God, and it requires strict obedience (see Exodus 20:13, for example). The moral law reveals the nature and will of God, and it still applies today. Jesus obeyed the moral law completely. BIBLE READING: Luke 24:1-12 KEY BIBLE VERSE: He isn’t here! He has risen from the dead! Don’t you remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again the third day? (Luke 24:6-7) THE BIBLE REVEALS THE LIVING GOD TO US. The two angels (appearing as men “clothed in dazzling robes) asked the women why they were looking in a tomb for someone who was alive. Often we run into people who are looking for God among the dead. They study the Bible as a mere historical document and go to church as if going to a memorial service. But Jesus is not among the dead-he lives! He reigns in the hearts of Christians, and he is the head of his church. Do you look for Jesus among the living? Do you expect him to be active in the world and in the church? Look for signs of his power-they are all around you. BIBLE READING: Hebrews 1:1-3 KEY BIBLE VERSE: Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. But now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he made the universe and everything in it. (Hebrews 1:1-2) THE BIBLE INTRODUCES US TO JESUS CHRIST. The book of Hebrews describes in detail how Jesus Christ not only fulfills the promises and prophecies of the Old Testament, but Jesus Christ is better than everything in the Jewish system of thought. The Jews believed in the Old Testament, but most of them rejected Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. The recipients of this letter seem to have been Jewish Christians. They were well-versed in Scripture, and they had professed faith in Christ. Whether through doubt, persecution, or false teaching, however, they may have been in danger of giving up their Christian faith and returning to Judaism. God used many approaches to send his messages to people in Old Testament times. He spoke to Isaiah in visions (Isaiah 6), to Jacob in a dream (Genesis 28:10-22), and to Abraham and Moses personally (Genesis 18; Exodus 31:18). Jewish people familiar with these stories would not have found it hard to believe that God was still revealing his will, but it was astonishing for them to think that God had revealed himself by speaking through his Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the fulfillment and culmination of God’s revelation through the centuries. When we know him, we have all we need to be saved from our sin and to have a perfect relationship with God.
Posted on: Tue, 15 Oct 2013 01:15:29 +0000
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