Intro to the Bible
— How to we view it? — Andrew Fountain: June 19, 2015
1. What do people think of the Bible?
- If you ask the average person in the street what they think of the Bible, what kind of responses do you think you would get?
- antiquated irrelevant old book?
- wise sayings mixed with myths?
- stories for children?
- What if you searched for the word “Bible” on youtube ?
- aliens and UFO’s
- Muslims trying to disprove it
- Atheists ridiculing it (e.g. 101 contradictions in the Bible)
- Christians responding (e.g. 101 contradictions refuted)
- People re-enacting the stories with Lego
- Here is what I found
- However, you also get some amazing stories of people’s lives being changed
- The Bible does have a supernatural power
- But not “magical” —you can’t keep a copy in your bag for good luck
- needs to be understood correctly
- One of the most well-knows verses in the New Testament about the Bible is 2 Timothy 3:16,17
2 Timothy 3:16,17
- “All Scripture is breathed out by God and useful
- for teaching,
- for reproof,
- for correction, and
- for training in righteousness,
- that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work.”
- This says that the Scriptures are “breathed out” by God
- That does not mean it was not written by people, in their own writing style, using their own language and idioms
- But it does mean that God worked behind the scenes through them to ensure that whatever they wrote
- communicated what he had revealed to them
Inspired
- Has no errors (what we mean by “no errors”)
- original manuscripts
- understood in context
- Our authority in everything it addresses
- Are the words of life
- Word and Spirit?
- The Word is written by the Spirit, you can’t say “Word and Spirit” as if they were different
- Like saying Canada and Ontario
Truth and the Spirit
- John 14:17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; but you know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
- John 14:25–26 These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
- John 15:26 But when the helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will testify of me.
Truth and the Spirit cont’d
- John 16:12–14 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak; and he will tell you things to come. “He will glorify me, for he will take of what is mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are mine. Therefore I said that he will take of mine and declare it to you.
- 1John 5:6 And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.
Updated on 2015-06-18 by Andrew Fountain