It comes down to one word. If that word is true, then the Bible ought to matter more than all else in life. Paul wrote, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Timothy 3:16). The word “inspiration” translates θεοπνευστος (THEOPNEUSTOS), a Greek word occurring only once in the New Testament. Its meaning, literally, is “God-breathed.” Such is the claim the Bible makes for itself—that its origin traces to God, who is responsible for the words of Scripture (1 Corinthians 2:13). Or, as Peter put it, the Holy Spirit “moved” Bible writers to take pen in hand and write down divine prophecies (2 Peter 1:21). There are so many evidences of the Bible’s inspiration that an article can scarcely begin to touch on the subject. For example...
Read MoreRobert Milligan, while President of The College of the Bible in Kentucky University, wrote a book in 1867 titled Reason and Revelation. In the Introduction, Milligan wrote,
It is painful to see the popular indifference that is everywhere manifested for the Word of God. I do not mean to say, with some, that this indifference is increasing; or that it is even as great now as it was a hundred years ago. I am fully persuaded that it is not. Indeed, I feel entirely confident, that the Holy Scriptures had never before so great an influence over the masses of mankind as they have at present. But, nevertheless, their influence is very little in comparison with what it ought to be. Very few persons seem to believe the Bible with their whole hearts. And hence but few tremble at its solemn precepts and warnings. . . . (xi, emp. added)
While discussing the qualifications of the Bible student, Milligan states that the first moral qualification of the Bible student is “a profound reverence for the Bible. . . . [I]n all cases, and under all circumstances, we should approach the Bible as we would approach its Divine Author” (382).
Read MoreDown through the centuries men have tried to destroy the Bible but it is still here—in larger numbers than ever before.
Jehoiakim, the ill-fated king of Judah, cut the roll of the prophecy of Jeremiah to pieces with a pen knife and committed them to the flames of the brazier in his winter house. He did not like the stern warnings and the fearful predictions of the prophet. Jeremiah predicted captivity in Babylon, if the nation did not repent. Jehoiakim treated the message of the prophet with utter contempt. But two things should be remembered: the words of the ancient prophet remained and heavy doom fell upon the self-willed and irreverent king. He died or was murdered and his unburied body was drawn and cast out beyond the gates of Jerusalem—as the prophet said, he was given “the burial of an ass.” God will not hold him guiltless who deals lightly with his word.
Read MoreAfter examining the Setting of 2 Timothy 3:14-17, we approach this pericope of Scripture as follows: (1) The Surety of powerful Revelation (2 Timothy 3:14), (2) The Scope of powerful Revelation (2 Timothy 3:15), (3) The Source of powerful revelation (2 Timothy 3:16a), (4) The Supply of powerful revelation (2 Timothy 3:16b), and (5) The Sufficiency of powerful revelation (2 Timothy 3:17). [These five points of alliteration were suggested by Charles C. Pugh III].
Read MoreIn Isaiah chapter 40 and verse 31, we read, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” The obvious import and spiritual truth imparted by the passage is that strength and aid would provided to those who fear and follow God. But why is there an illustration about eagles included here? How does such a statement have application in this context?
Read MoreNo other book has been so attacked throughout history as has the Bible. Countless are the men who have sought to eradicate it—to do away with the Word of God once and for all, never to see it again. However,as mere men, they are powerless to accomplish such a feat.
Read MoreRecently the Barna Group published a graphic ("America's Most and Least Bible-Minded Cities"). The chart ranked ninety-six American cities, according to the percent of population who were "Bible-minded." The results were based on 42,855 interviews conducted from 2005 through 2012.
Read MoreCampbell stresses his belief in the need for controversy when he states: "There can be no improvement without controversy." On the face of it, this statement may seem too strong to be in harmony with Bible teaching. But, after clarifying what Campbell meant by change and controversy, it will be the purpose of this section to consider whether his view of such, is in harmony with New Testament teaching.
Read MoreThere are at least two basic attitudes, held by religious people, toward controversy: (1) that it is not Christlike (and, therefore, is unchristian) to engage in controversy about religious matters and (2) that for the effort of local churches (and thus, that of the individual Christian involved) to be in proper balance, there must be, not only the proclamation of the positive message of the gospel but also the willingness to defend that gospel against various challenges which may be offered against it.
Read MoreThe first book of the Bible is aptly named, Genesis. The late Rex A. Turner says that “Genesis defies the imagination and mental capacity of any mere uninspired man” (101).
The late James D. Bales summarizes the value and importance of the book of “Genesis as an ancient book which sets forth truths and events which are far more ancient than the book itself. If the truths, which include the events and their meaning, are out of date, man is out of date. If Genesis is not relevant, man is irrelevant, since with the destruction of Genesis and its truths, man destroys his own birthright as a human being with dignity and value. (Bales 1977 13)
Read MoreTwo fundamental reasons why I believe in God are: Nature and the Bible.
My reasons for believing in God because of nature are the four well-known traditional arguments: The Cosmological, The Teleological, The Anthropological, and The Ontological.
My reason for believing in God because of the Bible is simply this:
A nation is a lot like a person. It is born. It lives. It grows old. It dies.
Many great nations have arisen during the history of the world. Some of them experienced a pattern somewhat like this: they began with strong spiritual, moral conviction; followed by the growth and eventual dominance of materialism, eventually to be destroyed by moral decay, apathy and anarchy.
Read MoreAngola Prison is, as you might expect, not a very pleasant place; some would have characterized it as the worst of the worst. Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola is the bloodiest and biggest maximum-security prison in the country covering 18,000 acres (28 sq. miles). Eighty-six percent of Angola's 5,108 inmates are violent criminals serving an average sentence of 88 years; 3,712 of the prisoners are serving life sentences. Ninety-three percent of Angola's inmates will die there.
Read MoreThe Bible has a self-evidencing nature to the effect that it consists not of merely “passing or temporary enactments, but eternal laws” (Rawlinson 112). The indestructibility of the Bible, as evidenced from history, sustains the biblical claim, and the experience of those who, as the Psalmist, can say, “I have known of old that You have founded them [Your testimonies] forever” (Ps. 119:152).
Read MoreThe Da Vinci Code (book and movie) stirred interest in such Gnostic gospels as the Gospel of Thomas and others. Some even seem to think that these non-canonical, heterodox (i.e. contrary to the acknowledged standard of the New Testament) works should be given a prominence equal to, or greater than, the New Testament.
Read MoreDuring a trip to Pittsburgh for the purpose of receiving treatment at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, I had occasion to browse through some rare books in a bookstore located in an older section of the city. I came across a book, The Bible in New York, published in 1948. The terrorist attacks in New York, and the military response to those attacks, make the material in the aforementioned book extremely relevant and interesting.
Read MorePresident Ronald Reagan, on October 4, 1982, as authorized and requested by a Joint Resolution of the 97th Congress of the United States of America, held at the City of Washington, designated 1983 as the national “Year of the Bible.” The Resolution, Public Law 97-280, declared:
Read MoreA visit to a used book store uncovered a book lover's treasure (viz. a delightful volume published more than a quarter of a century ago and filled with thought-provoking anecdotes and capsules of wisdom). One tidbit of value was a story about an old preacher who, on foot, set out after the evening service to find his way along the edge of a dangerous cliff to the cottage where he was to spend the night.
Read MoreMany years ago, an annual used book sale in Parkersburg, WV, yielded a rare treasure. There, on a shelf surrounded by thousands of books on various and sundry topics, was An Examination of the Alleged Discrepancies of the Bible published in 1874 by John W. Haley. I quickly opened the book to see the price. Twenty-five cents!!!! SOLD! I felt like a little boy with his special toy on Christmas morning.
Read MoreLife is filled with fallacies; i.e. things not true. These untruths may be in the realm of education, parenting, religion, God, etc. Consider some fallacies relating to the will of God.
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