God inspired Scripture so perfectly that it is perfect.
Paul wrote to Timothy, "All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God's will, both publicly and privately--behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17, AMP 2015). I like how the Amplified expands on what Scripture accomplishes, but the two main points are (a) all Scripture is from God, and (b) Scripture is sufficient to equip us for every good work. Is it exhaustive of all knowledge? No; for example, it won't substitute for an auto mechanic's manual, nor is it even a complete record of everything Jesus did, as John directly states (John 21:25). It won't teach me how to troubleshoot my WiFi, but it will teach me what attitude to take while doing so. What the verses are saying is that the book we call the Bible can fully counsel us on how to relate to others, worship God, or handle any dilemma, with Godly character. Whatever we're facing, there's hope, direction, encouragement, discipline, or guidance for us somewhere in its pages.
Rabbit trail alert: Some months ago I was asked how we know the Bible is true. Well, it's not unlike how we know God is God. If anything outside of God needed to verify God, then would God be God? No--that other thing, that verifying party or accrediting body, would be God. In a group I was in, someone once asked, in all seriousness, "Who made God?" But it's a nonsensical question. If someone made God, then that maker is the real God, and if someone made that maker, then that maker is the real God, and...you see the issue. God is self-existent because by definition He has to be. Similarly with His word, which is an extension of Him. But didn't men write the Bible? Yes, as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). But didn't some committee decide which books (and authors) belonged and which didn't? Yes, but if the Holy Spirit can inspire the writings in the first place, and then decide not to inspire the compiling of the canon, does that make any sense? No; what's operating here is our sneaking lack of faith that says this time, for sure, God dropped the ball. Besides, since the OT was established before Jesus' day, we have the Messiah signing off on that portion, and since Peter calls Paul's writings Scripture as early as 64-66 AD (2 Peter 3:16), that covers the majority of the NT epistles as well.
Let me veer back to my point. If the Holy Spirit inspired select human writers so well that they wrote God's word perfectly in the original languages, if these men had such a personal relationship with the Father, either knowing Jesus (NT) or looking ahead to Jesus (OT), that they could be carried along by the Holy Spirit to the point they were pure, clear vessels in His hand, nothing more and nothing less--what does that mean for us? If we pursue our relationship with Jesus to the uttermost, how much closer can we come to doing works for Him that are undistorted? To getting out of our own way and His, becoming nothing but that dedicated instrument, so that what's produced is all Him? And, since He's the one doing it through us, completely in His will for us? To me, that sounds a lot like losing your life to save it. What if we pray, "Lord, bring me to a place where I can be carried along by the Holy Spirit to complete Your assignment with undistorted results"?
I'm going to. Join me?
No comments:
Post a Comment