The Bible is no mere piece of literature. It differs from all other written works in that it claims to be inspired by God Himself.
2 Timothy 3:16 says “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God…”
In the Greek, that means God Himself “breathe out” the Scriptures (“theopneustos“).
Therefore, you find phrases like “Thus says the Lord…” “God said,” “The Lord testified, saying…” “The Lord had spoken it” and so on used in the Bible. Such phrases appear about 2500 times in the Old Testament ALONE. They are divine qualifiers (they serve to identify direct quotations from God, i.e. what God said).
The New Testament also uses similar terminology:
For instance, Peter, in 2 Peter 1:20-21, says, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any PRIVATE INTERPRETATION (source), for prophecy NEVER came by THE WILL OF MAN, but holy men of God spoke as they were MOVED by the Holy Spirit.”
God’s authentication is behind what the prophets wrote. His Spirit is that authentication.
Similarly, John, in Revelation 2:11, says “He who has an ear, let him hear what THE SPIRIT SAYS to the churches…”
These words show that man is not the source of the Scriptures. The Spirit of God is speaking in those hallowed pages.
So, although God used men to write, He HIMSELF inspired what they wrote.
1 Corinthians 2:13 (NKJV)
13 These things we also speak, NOT IN WORDS WHICH MAN’S WISDOM TEACHES but which THE HOLY SPIRIT TEACHES, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
The teachings of the Apostles came from the Holy Spirit, not by man’s wisdom.
1 Corinthians 14 calls them the commandments of the Lord, “If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that THE THINGS WHICH I WRITE TO YOU ARE THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD” (vs. 37).
God ensured that what they wrote was free from error and when error was recorded, the Bible would let us know! (Get the sermon “God Gave Us A Book” by Pastor Josh for an explanation here).
The Bible can therefore be trusted, in its ENTIRETY, as God’s flawless revelation to mankind. It is to guide us in all we do.
Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a LAMP to MY FEET, and a LIGHT to MY PATH.” This means “Your Word directs me.” It leads me on where to go. God gave us a Book to know Him and to know His will—written through the agency of men, but divine nonetheless.
© Josh Banks Ministries. 2022.
