Foundationsof The Faith

Our Challenge: The Bible is a big book. 1,100 chapters 30,000 verses How can we get a handle on all that?

Organize and examine the teachings of the Bible by topic The Systematic Approach

All Scriptures on Prayer A. Purpose of Prayer B. Effectiveness of Prayer C. Attitude of Prayer Gen. 20:17 Matt. 6:5 Eph. 6:18

Getting a handle on the overall teaching of the Bible by topic gives: Confidence: Ground your faith on understanding. Competence: Give an answer to those who ask. Clarity: Guard your faith against false teaching.

Revelation: Why did God initiate communication? Inspiration: How did God give us His word? Canonicity: What books were from God? Transmission: Do we still have what was originally written? Translation: Is my English Bible reliable? How did we get the Bible?

Revelation God Initiated Communication General Revelation: Creation and Conscience Romans 1:20-3:20 Romans 2:15 Romans 1:20-3:20 Romans 2:15 Special Revelation: The teachings of Jesus and the Prophets recorded and preserved in the Bible Revelation God took the initiative to disclose or reveal Himself to mankind (Heb. 1:1). The vehicles varied; sometimes it was through the created order, at other times through visions/dreams or speaking prophets. However, the most complete and understandable self-disclosures were through the propositions of Scripture (1 Cor. 2:6–16). The revealed and written Word of God is unique in that it is the only revelation of God that is complete and that so clearly declares man’s sinfulness and God’s provision of the Savior. Romans 1:20-3:20 “ God’s invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” … 3:9 “What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God” Romans 3:21-22 “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe”

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God...” (2 Tim. 3:16) makes the claim. Peter explains the process, “... knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:20,21). By this means, the Word of God was protected from human error in its original record by the ministry of the Holy Spirit (cf. Deut. 18:18; Matt. 1:22). A section of Zech. 7:12 describes it most clearly, “... the law and the words which the L ORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets.” This ministry of the Spirit extended to both the part (the words) and to the whole in the original writings. Inspiration The Bible is the Product God’s Special Revelation captured in writing ” 2 Timothy 3:16 “all Scripture is God breathed” Inspiration is the Process The Holy Spirit directed men to write what He wanted. 2 Peter 1:20-21 “no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” s

“We believe the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men, and the Divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life.” -AIC Statement of Faith Implications of Inspiration -Inerrancy -Authority -Clarity -Necessity -Sufficiency Implications of Inspiration -Inerrancy -Authority -Clarity -Necessity -Sufficiency

Canonicity: What is in, what is out? Canonicity: What is in, what is out? Three Principles 1) Authorship: Prophet or Apostle 2) Consistency: No disagreement with previous revelation 3) Acceptance: The churches recognized it as inspired recognized not decided 2 Peter 3:15–16 “just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.” (65 AD mid-career) 1 Timothy 5:18 (67 AD) “For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” (Duet 25:4) and, “The laborer deserves his wages.” (Luke 10:7 (61 AD)) Finished by 96 AD

Transmission: Do we still have what was written? Transmission: Do we still have what was written? Textual criticism: comparing the many copies Old Testament (Hebrew) - Masoretic text (10 th Century AD), Trust the Jews :-) -Septuagint (200 BC), Dead Sea Scrolls (200 BC) New Testament (Greek) - over 5,000 manuscripts (whole or part) -some within a lifetime of original writing 99.9% sure what the original said 99.9% sure what the original said

Transmission: Do we still have what was written? Transmission: Do we still have what was written? Textual criticism: comparing the many copies Old Testament (Hebrew) Old Testament (Hebrew) Biblica Hebraica Stuttgartensia - Masoretic text (10 th Century AD), Trust the Jews :-) -Septuagint (200 BC), Dead Sea Scrolls (200 BC) New Testament (Greek) New Testament (Greek) Nestle-Aland Greek NT - over 5,000 manuscripts (whole or part) -some within a lifetime of original writing 99.99% sure what the original said 99.99% sure what the original said Video at

Translation: Is my English Bible reliable? Translation: Is my English Bible reliable? Old Testament (Hebrew) Old Testament (Hebrew) Biblica Hebraica Stuttgartensia New Testament (Greek) New Testament (Greek) Nestle-Aland Greek NT Best Translations: English Standard Version New International Version New American Standard Bible How close is your translation? 5

Revelation: Why did God initiate communication? Inspiration: How did God give us His word? Canonicity: What books were from God? Transmission: Do we still have what was originally written? Translation: Is my English Bible reliable? How did we get the Bible?

Homework 1)Review and Go Deeper: -Look over “How we got the Bible” handout -Browse 2) Prepare: -Read Grudem Chapter 1 “What is the Bible”? -Write short answers to the questions