Articles
The Inspiration of the Bible
Some people attack the Bible today, claiming that it is no more than an old book full of men's opinions. Referring to it this way enables them to dismiss its teachings that conflict with their chosen lifestyle. Is this a proper view of the Bible? Is the Bible more than just the ideas of the men who wrote it? Consider the following as we look at the Bible's inspiration.
The Bible is inspired (2 Timothy 3:16-17), but what does it mean to say the Bible is inspired? The word translated in our English Bible "inspired" literally means "God breathed." Therefore, something inspired is something that has been issued, or sent, from God. All scripture has the breath of God on it, and is much more than just the ideas of the men who wrote it. It is as if God spoke them Himself. That should be our first understanding of the Bible.
However, simply knowing that God has spoken is not enough. Accepting that God has spoken implies a responsibility on our part. We can take comfort that what God has spoken is true. Titus 1:2 and Hebrews 6:18 states that God cannot lie. Notice that it does not say that God will not lie; rather, God cannot lie. It goes against His very nature and character. Whatever we find in scripture is the absolute truth, and we can rest assured that there is no error in it.
God has certain things He wants us to know and understand. The only way for us to know these things is for Him to tell us. We learn in 1 Corinthians 2:10-13 that the thoughts of God have been written down by men guided by the Holy Spirit, and we can read them today and know what God expects of us. Indeed, God has made known His very thoughts.
This discussion of God's inspired word would not be complete if we did not mention our responsibility. Hebrews 1:1-2 says how God has spoken to us today - through His Son Jesus Christ. Then, in Hebrews 2:1-3, we are encouraged to pay attention to what is spoken lest we are punished for not listening and obeying. Dear friends, our very souls depend on understanding God's word (1 Timothy 2:4).
