A. The Bible is Unique in its Authorship.
** The Bible was written by more than 35 authors.
B. The Bible is Unique in its Chronology.
** The writing of the Bible spanned 40 generations over more than 1500 years.
C. The Bible is Unique in its Verifiability.
** There are more than 10,000 manuscripts verifying the consistency of the Bible.
Note: The next closest work is Homer’s, Iliad, with only 643 manuscripts.
D. The Bible is Unique in its Purpose.
** The Bible is the story of God’s redemptive work throughout human history.
Note: That’s why some things are left out. For example: Dinosaurs.
II. The Uniqueness of the Bible as Holy
Intent #1 - God uses the Bible as a guidebook to salvation.
2 Timothy 3:15 – “…from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”
Intent #2 - God endows the Bible with a distinctive nature.
2 Timothy 3:16 – “All scripture is inspired by God…”
** 4 Views of “Inspiration”
1. Limited or Natural: The Liberal View
** The “ideas” of the Bible are from God but not the words.
2. Transcendence: The Neo-Orthodox View
** There is nothing inherently unique about the words of the Bible, but the are inspired by God “sometimes” to meet circumstantial needs.
3. Dictation: The Fundamentalist View
** God literally told the writers each word to write. Authors were transcribers who wrote each word as God dictated.
4. Plenary (sometimes called, Verbal Inspiration): The Evangelical View
** Every word (not just the ideas) is God’s Word, though written with the personality within the context of the writer.
2 Peter 1:21 – “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
Norman Geisler and Ron Brooks, When Skeptics Ask – “The human writer is seen as one who has received a revelation and actively participates in its writing, while God gives the revelation and oversees the writing.”
Intent #3 - God designed the Bible to be transformative.
2 Timothy 3:16 – “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful…”
Point: The Bible is practical only WHEN we embrace and employ it.
III. The Uniqueness of the Bible for You
When We Engage the Bible…
Application #1 –We learn directly from God.
2 Timothy 3:16 – “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching…”
Application #2 – We learn to live righteously for God.
2 Timothy 3:16 – “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction…”
Application #3 - We become better prepared for life’s challenges.
2 Timothy 3:16 – “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…”
Application #4 – We are adept at fulfilling God’s purposes.
2 Timothy 3:17 – “so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.”
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