The Bible

Why we Believe what we Believe

(The Baptist Faith and Message)

(Message 2)

Handout

Introduction: Tonight we continue our series of studies into the foundations of our faith. We will be studying some of the foundational principles and teachings which guide our faith and practice.

One of the things most lacking among Christians today is a firm grasp of the doctrinal truths whereupon their faith should be built. Now, I know, when someone mentions the word doctrine, many things come to mind. For some the very word conjures up images of stuffy classrooms where men in bad tweed suits rant on endlessly about theological ideology. For others, doctrine is frightening because they feel that they are somehow academically inadequate to grasp the complexities of theology. And for others doctrine is well and good but to them it seems far removed from their everyday experience where they struggle to live out their faith in practical ways. But nothing could be further from the truth. Doctrine teaches us how to think and how we think always determines how we act. If we do not think right we cannot act right. Doctrine is the foundation whereupon our practice is built.

The Bible tells us that Jesus preached doctrinally.

Matthew 7:28 says that after Jesus finished preaching the Sermon on the Mount, that the people were astonished at His doctrine.

Doctrine, simply put, is nothing more than a systematic way of understanding scripture. Doctrinal studies give us a panoramic view of scripture, allowing us to gain a comprehensive understanding of scriptural teaching on any given subject.

In the original language the word translated “doctrine” literally means teaching, instruction or that which is taught. In the New Testament it also carries the idea of a more developed set of truths or practices which are to be learned and followed. This is the foundation of our understanding of what doctrine is.

We begin where all good theological studies should begin, with scripture itself.

If one were to look over the course of Church history one would notice that the first few centuries of the Church were preoccupied with the question: Who is Jesus? It was the council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. which settled that question, affirming both the humanity and divinity of the Lord. For more than a thousand years after this the question became: What is the Church? It was during this period that the Roman Catholic Church sought to be recognized as the only true church. Then the reformation came and in the early 16th century a renewed understanding of what makes one a member of God’s family was ushered in by Martin Luther who preached that we are saved by grace through faith and that our salvation could not be dependent upon anyone other than Jesus.

But since the reformation the questions have shifted from the Son of God and the Family of God, to the Word of God. The raging battle during the last several centuries has been over the nature and authority of scripture. What is scripture? How can we know it is God’s word? Is it reliable? What evidence is there that scripture is reliable and why did God give us His word?

Let’s begin by examining the nature of scripture, what is it. Then we’ll look at the witnesses to scripture and finally we’ll take a look at the purpose of scripture.

1. Nature of Scripture – Gods Word

The Baptist Faith and Message, states that:

“The Holy bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God’s revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the truth center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and religious opinions should be tried. All scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.” (The Baptist Faith and Message 2000)

A. The Bible is Divine revelation

Revelation is the direct divine influence which communicates truth from God to man.

There are two types of revelation: General revelation and special revelation. General revelation is where God reveals His nature and purpose through creation and through history. Psalm 19:1 says that the “Heaven’s declare the glory of God and the sky proclaims the work of His hands.”

Romans 1:20 assures us that, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,”

B. The Bible is Divinely Inspired -

When the bible says that all scripture is inspired by God, it is speaking about a special kind of inspiration. It’s not the kind of inspiration Mozart or Beethoven had when they composed musical masterpieces and it’s not the kind of inspiration you have when you see a sunset and are moved to write a poem. This is a different kind of inspiration; a unique type of inspiration.

In 2 Timothy 3:16 the Bible says All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

C. The Bible is a completed Canon -

You may have heard people speak to the Canon of scripture. What they are talking about is the completed record of God’s word. A canon is a list or a catalogue of books. As Christians we have inherited the Old Testament from the Jews and the New Testament from the apostolic age. One scholar describes the canon as, “the collection or list of Bible books that are recognized as genuine, inspired Holy Scripture. The collection is complete with thirty-nine Old testament books and twenty-seven New Testament books in the canon.” (Swindoll, Growing Deep in the Christian Life, Pg. 413)

Jude 3 says, Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

2. Witnesses to Scripture

A. Historical witness –

The first witness I would call to the stand would be the historical witness to scripture. History itself has proven that God’s word is true and can be trusted.

According to one scholar (G. Frederick Owen, the Thompson Chain Reference Study Bible, Archaeological Supplement) Archaeological investigations have been used to refute radical skepticism concerning the historical accuracy of the Bible. For example, it used to be alleged that the Hittites, mentioned over fifty times in the Old Testament, were an invention of biblical editors during a supposed lengthy evolution of various books of the Old Testament. Excavations of several Hittite cities and recovery of many of their written records demolished every one of the critic’s arguments. It used to be assumed that Sodom and Gomorrah were inventions of the biblical writers. But then archaeologists found the ruins of the ancient cities southeast of the Dead Sea in modern day Jordon. We haven’t time to list all the discoveries but they are numerous and all of them speak to the accuracy and veracity of scripture.

B. Scriptural witness -

Scripture clearly claims to be the timeless word of God and to be true without any mixture of fault or error.

In the Old Testament:

Psalm 19:7-9 says, The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; ⁸ The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; ⁹ The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

Psalm 119:89 says, Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.

Psalm 119:160, The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.

C. Human Experience -

But there is a third witness I would call to the stand, and that would be the witness of human experience. While all human experience must be measured by biblical truth, we have but to look behind us, around us and within us to see that God’s word is true and can be trusted.  What have some of the great men of our country said of the Bible?

George Washington, the first president of the United States said, “It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible. Of all the dispositions and habits that lead to political prosperity, our religion and morality are indispensable supporters. Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that our national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”

3. Purpose of Scripture – Revelation toward application

It is true that the Bible is the bestselling book in America and yet remains one of the least read books. Some polls estimate that only ten percent of Americans read their bible every day. It would not do for us to have a show of hands to see which of you are among that ten percent. Remember that God did not give us His word to fill our heads; He gave us His word to change our hearts. That having been said we must understand that God gave us the Bible so that we can apply it, so that we can practice what it instructs us to do.

Consider three things then which will help as we seek to apply the Scripture to our everyday lives.

A. Know it –

God expects for us, as His children, to know His word. The man who will not read his bible is no better off than the man who has no bible to read. How can a person claim to be born again, to be filled with the Spirit of God who inspired the very words of scripture and have no appetite for the word of God? How can a person claim to have Jesus on the throne of their heart and have no desire to receive instruction from the One they claim is their Master? It doesn’t add up. If you have no desire for the word of God, you need to take a long hard look to see if you are a child of God.

B. Understand it –

Many people read the scripture like literature, but fail to understand the spiritual significance of what they read. But such should not be the case for Christians.

Jesus promises us in John 14:26 that the Holy Spirit will, “…teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.”

In 1 Corinthians 2:14-16 says, But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵ But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. ¹⁶ For "who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

So as Christians who have the Holy Spirit, we should be able to see clearly into the spiritual truths of scripture.

C. Practice it –

Somewhere along the way we got the idea that all we had to do with the bible was to study it and understand it. We substituted knowing for doing, illumination for application. But the purpose of scripture, at the end of the day, is action oriented. It was given so that we can do it.

James 1:22 says, But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.