All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Tim 3:16-17)They tell me that Scripture isn't actually God's Word. They tell me the Bible doesn't support the claim. They tell me maybe it contains God's Word or that it's actually just a man-made idea. They tell me it has some good things to say, but absolutely must not be taken at face value. It's too difficult, too complicated, too nuanced to be understood that way. It certainly should not be regarded as inerrant or infallible. That's just crazy. But ... I would argue that the Bible argues that Scripture is the God-breathed truth ... God's Word.
Most translations say it is "inspired." That's fine ... except, like so many words, our English has shifted "inspired" to a warm feeling. We think of "inspired" as emotionally moving. The word is theopneustos, where theos refers to God and pneustos means specifically "to breathe out." They didn't write it because it felt inspired; they wrote it because it came from God directly. Our "inspired" means "they had a creative spark" (man-centered) and this term is God-centered. If it came from God it can't be in error.
If that's where it stopped, it should be sufficient, but the text goes on to expand on it. Scripture is "profitable." In what sense? First, "for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness." That is, it gives us truth (teaching), tells us where we're wrong (reproof), tells us how to correct it (correction), and continues to lead us on the right path (training in righteousness). Nothing but the divine can accomplish that. And that's still not the end of it. The profit is "so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." That is a huge claim. It makes believers "complete." And it makes them "equipped." Not only "equipped," but "equipped for every good work. That is not a natural document. It's not a man-made thing. Scirpture is entirely sufficient. And it's not trivial. Scripture declares itself "God-breathed" and tells of its efficacy. It's supernatural and it is God's work. His Word is truth (John 17:17). We cannot afford to ignore or minimize it.
3 comments:
Every time I hear someone say that the Bible is inspired I want to correct them that it is in fact expired. Unfortunately, we no longer have any grasp of the origins of word meanings so it would only lead to confusion to say it that way. If the Bible is not inerrant, then it is of no more use to me than any other religious text, and Christianity is false, and we have no means of knowing anything about God expect what is revealed in nature. You remove inerrancy, you remove the only way to know anything of eternal value.
Stan, you wrote, “I would argue that the Bible argues that Scripture is the God-breathed truth ... God's Word.”
Many years ago, as a new Christian, I was told by an ardent unbeliever that my assertion to him along the lines of “the Bible is God’s Word because the Bible claims it is God’s Word” is essentially “circular reasoning”--“a logical fallacy where the premise of an argument assumes the truth of its own conclusion, resulting in a loop rather than providing supporting evidence” (as per AI Overview). (You actually confirmed this at your 9/10/13 post titled, “The Bible Speaks,” and at other posts, of course.)
Since those days, I have come to see that claim proven over and over, so that I don’t feel that argument is illogical but fully reasonable and trustworthy. I believe that a trusting acceptance of the Bible as “the God-breathed truth” is part of the faith that God gives the believer (whereas the ardent unbeliever was faithless)--a spiritual gift bestowed by the Holy Spirit upon the elect, who will profit as they are supernaturally “equipped for every good work.” Only those who trust will benefit this way.
As an aside, I observe that followers of the world’s religions and the quasi-Christian cults also hold a trusting acceptance of their sacred texts and traditions--a form of true faith in their “higher power and authority.” The difference is that their faith is not from the Holy Spirit but from an unholy spirit set against the Truth of God and His living Word.
As you pointed out, Lorna, it IS a circular argument, but there are those who argue "The Bible doesn't say it's God's Word." So skeptics argue from both directions. There are, as you indicate, lots of good reasons to argue reasonably and logically that the Bible is the inerrant, infallible Word of God. I was just trying to offer a few from that one, simple, very clear passage.
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