Inspired, Inerrant, and Authoritative

 

All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

 

Either the Bible is the holy, inspired, inerrant Word of God, or it is a lie. As C. D. Cole stated, “It is utterly inconsistent to extol the Bible as a good book, and at the same time deny its infallibility.” But the fact that the Scriptures are God-breathed, perfectly inspired cannot be rationally denied by anyone.

 

The multitude of prophecies given in the Bible, that have been exactly fulfilled to the very letter, demand that honest people acknowledge the divine origin of the Bible. Prophecy is the foretelling of future events before they come to pass. This is the acid test of divine revelation. The Lord God himself appeals to fulfilled prophecy throughout the Bible (Deuteronomy 18:22; Isaiah 41:21-23; 2 Peter 1:19-21). Fortune tellers, palm readers, and other practitioners of witchcraft frequently make general predictions that astound men. The Word of God does not make vague, general predictions, but specific, precise predictions, and stakes its veracity upon their fulfillment.

 

The Lord Jesus Christ was, of course, the central theme of Old Testament prophecy (Psalm 22; Isaiah 53); but there were a multitude of specific prophetic statements made about him in the Old Testament that were exactly fulfilled (Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2; Acts 13:29). The prophecy concerning Josiah, the boy king of Judah, was made during the days of Jeroboam and fulfilled three hundred and fifty years later (1 Kings 13:2; 2 Kings 23:15-16). Numerous other fulfilled prophecies could be cited by anyone even casually familiar with Holy Scripture. These are facts which no one can refute.

 

            Let men cavil as they will; the Bible is the very Word of God. It simply cannot be explained in any other way. It is an open Book. Its truths are not written in the language of scholars, but in the common language of common men. The Bible is the Book for the people. It was delivered by God to his saints, not to the pope, not to priests, not to academics, not to the clergy, but to the saints of God. There is nothing hidden, nothing written in secret codes. Everything is open. If the gospel is veiled, it is not because there is a veil upon the Book of God, but because there is a veil upon the hearts of men (2 Corinthians 4:4).

 

Let us understand that the Bible’s inspiration and infallibility has very serious consequences. If the Bible is indeed the Word of God, its authority cannot be questioned. Its teachings cannot be disputed. All that it says must be received as true, submitted to, and obeyed. Its words must be candidly, honestly, and faithfully interpreted. There must be, on our part, a docility of spirit before God’s holy Word. We must bow before God, as he speaks in his Word, with hearts willing to be taught of God, crying saying with Samuel, “Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth” (1 Samuel 3:9).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don Fortner

 

 

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