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19AUGUST2012BODYOFCHRISTNEWSx1cAllScriptureisgivenbyinspirationofGodandisprofitablefordoctrineforreproofforcorrectionforinstructioninrighteousness.x1dx132Timothy316TheBibleisthebasisthestandardandthefoundationbywhichweclaimafaithinGodhisworkofandincreationandinthelivesofthosehecreated.ItrevealstheincarnationmeaningGodcomingtorevealhimselfinthefleshinthepersonofourLordandSaviourJesusChristthenewbirthexperiencewherebywestakeourclaimtoeternallifeandtheresurrectionandourhopeofeternallife.ThereforewithallthisatstakewemustbelieveandknowthattheBibleistheveryWordofGod.Itrevealstheessenceofhischaractertheoutflowofhismindandhisexpressionofloveanddestinyforallcreation.ForthatreasonwecometothebarofjusticebeforethecourtofpublicopiniontomakeACaseforChristianitytopresentthecaseforourfaithinGodandsalvationthroughhisSonJesusChrist.Weacceptthechallengeasitisdeclaredin1Peter315x1c...sanctifytheLordGodinyourheartsandalwaysbereadytogiveadefensetoeveryonewhoasksyouareasonforthehopethatisinyouwithmeeknessandfear.x1dInoursocietyandparticularlyforourcurrentyoungergenerationthelinesbetweenrightandwrongbetweentruthanderrorbetweenChristianinfluenceandculturalaccommodationarebecomingincreasinglyblurred.Forsometherearenoabsolutestandardsnomorallawsandnospiritualvaluesbywhichwearetobegoverned.Everypersonmaydecideforhimselforherselfwhatisright.WhenitcomestotalkingaboutGodrightandwronggoodandevilandsalvationallisrelative.AlthoughGodallowsusthefreedomtodecidehowwewillliveourliveswiththatkindofrelativethinkingmoralitybecomesanon-issueandalmosteverykindofdeviantbehaviourbecomesacceptable.Howeveronecannotliveoutrelativismbecausealloflifeultimatelycon-sistsofonetrue-falsejudgementafteranother.Eventuallyonehastocommitoneselftosome-thingastrueanditsoppositeasfalse.ThereforewithoutarealandtruewordfromheavenastandardfromGodpeoplearelostinaseaofhumanopinionandmoralweakness.HavingsaidthatletusbeginwiththeconsiderationoftheBibletheWordofGod.WhatdoweknowoftheBibleItIstheSelf-ProclaimedInspiredWordofGod2Timothy316.DirectcommunicationfromGodiscalledrevelation.Therevelationisoftypicallyoftwotypesgeneralandspecial.ThephysicalevidenceofGodasseeninHiscreationisusuallycalledgen-eralrevelation.TherevelationgivenusinhisWordtheBibleisgenerallycalledspecialrevelation.GodandhisWordareinextricablytiedmeaningyoucannottalkofoneapartfromtheother.InthetextbeforeustheapostlePauladmonishesTimothythatx1callscriptureisgivenbyinspirationofGod.x1dByinspirationwemeanthattheHolySpiritexertedHissupernaturalinfluenceuponthewritersoftheBible.InthecontextoftheScripturesthewordx1cinspirationx1dsimplymeansx1cGod-breathed.x1dJ.W.McGarveyafamousRestorationpreacherofacenturyagocomparedinspirationtodrivingawell-trainedhorse.Youpulltheropetotheleftorrightasyouseethehorseneedsguidanceyouslowhimdownwhenhegoestoofastyouspeedhimupwhenhegoestooslowbutmostofthetimeyoujustlethimgoonhisway.Yourhandisalwaysontheropeandthehorsealwaysfeelsthepressureofyourhand.AstheauthorsoftheBiblewrotetheyfeltthepressureofGodx19sdirectionhisinspirationontheirlives.Godusedmenintheirtotalactivityandyetheworkeduponthempowerfullybeing100percentincontrol.Godx19shandwasuponthewritersofScripturetoleadthemincertaindirectionswhileatthesametimeallowingthemtoutilizetheirper-sonalitiesandwritewithinthecontextoftheircul-turalsettings.TheresultwasthattheBiblesauthorswroteasnoordinarypeoplewrotebutastheyweremovedbytheHolySpirit2Peter121.Likemostspiritualtruththisviewinvolvesmystery.ButitisawonderfulmysteryandithasgivenusaninerrantBible.ItHasASelf-ProclaimedPurpose.TheBibleclearlyguidesusonhowtoreceiveandlivelifetothefullestbothnowandforalleternity.InitspurposePauldeclaresofthescripturesthatitx1cisprofitablefordoctrineforreproofforcorrectionforinstructioninrighteousness...x1d2Timothy316c-eDoctrineorteachingfocus-esonthebibleasgivingusinstructiontolivelife.Thebibleprovidesuswiththecontentofourfaith.Reprooforrebuk-ingsoundskindofharshbutreallyitjustmeansconfrontingourwrongideasaboutlife.Thebibleprovidesuswithconvictionwhenwegoastrayfromthefaith.Correctionissimilartorebukingbutitfocusesinonbehaviourinsteadofbeliefs.Thebibleprovidesuswithguidanceastohowwemightcorrectourmistakes.Instructioninrighteousness-focusesonthebiblex19sroleinhelpinguslivethekindoflivesthatpleasegod.ThebibleprovidesuswithprinciplestoapplytolifesothatwemightdevelopChrist-likecharacter.ItHasManyAuthorsButIsOneBook2Peter120-21.WhenGodspoketopeopleinearlytimesitwasanoralverbalspecialrevelation.AsfarasweknowtherewasnowritinguntilaftertheFlood.Godx19soralrevelationhoweverwasjustasspecialandinspiredashislatterwrittenwords.ThewordsthemselvesaretrulyGodswordsinspiredbytheHolySpirit.TheBibleisacompilationof66differentbookswrittenby40differentauthorsfrom3differentcontinentsin3differentlanguagesHebrewLatinandGreekandwrittenoveraperiodof1500years.Thereare66booksoftheBible39intheOldTestamentand27intheNewTestament.TheOldTestamentiswrittenprimarilyinHebrewwithalit-tleAramaicandtheNewTestamentiswrittenexclu-sivelyinGreek.Thesebooksformwhatisknownasthecanontheruleoflawx1dandcontaindifferentliteraryformsorgenressuchashistorypoetryACaseforChristianityWhatAbouttheBibleSERMONByRev.WilliamT.GolsonJr.Rev.WilliamT.GolsonJr.ContinuedonPage22Particularlyforourcurrentyoungergenerationthelinesbetweenrightandwrongbetweentruthanderror...arebecomingincreasinglyblurred.