Back to the School of Faith, Pt1: The Bible

September 2, 2018                                 NOTES NOT EDITED

Back to the School of Faith, Pt1:  The Bible

2Pet 1, et. al.

SIS  The most fundamental (not necessarily, most important) doctrine in the Bible is the doctrine of the Bible itself, for by it we know all other doctrine.

The Bible is an amazing book.  The Bible is truly a “living book” like no other.  No matter how many times you read it, there is always more to each story than one sees at first.  Consider the story of Jesus walking on the water. Peter got so excited, he walked on the water, too—until he began to look at things in a worldly way.  Then, he quickly sank.  I love that story.  But, I never stopped to ask, “Why was Jesus walking on the water in the first place?”  The Bible does not say.  This week, I was reading a story that shed new light on the story of Jesus walking on the water.  A preacher had finally saved enough money for a trip to the Holy Land.  Though it was very expensive, it was a dream come true.  One of his first sites to visit was the Sea of Galilee.  He found a boatman who said he could take the preacher to the exact spot Jesus walked on the water.  “I don’t have much money; how much would it cost,” the preacher asked.  “Nothing. It is free,” the boatman answered.  Excited, the man got into the boat.  Shortly, the boatman stopped the boats motor.  “This is it.  The exact spot Jesus walked on the water.”  The preacher was spellbound and silent, overtaken by the thought of what had taken place in this spot so long ago.  “OK.  We can go back now,” the preacher said after a few moments of meditation.”  The boatman replied, “OK.  That will be $100.”  The preacher was indignant and grunted, “I thought you said you would take me out for free.”  The boatman replied with a sly grin, “I did. The trip out is free.  The trip back is $100!”  The preacher was furious and nearly lost his sanctification when he retorted, “No wonder Jesus got out and walked!”

In all my years of college and seminary, no one ever told me why Jesus was walking on the water in the first place.  Now, I still don’t think I know.

That story may not be true, but the Bible is absolutely true—true in regard to every detail.  The Bible is the well-spring of both truth and life—eternal life. 

Today, we will fly over the majestic peaks and expansive valleys of what the Bible teaches about Itself—the doctrine of the Bible.  We can only glance in amazement at the great panorama we call, the Bible, but we can still come to appreciate “the great and precious promises” of God that the Bible contains.  We will use as our guide a logical outline supported by the text we find in 2Pet. 1.  [READ]

The first characteristic of the Bible we will examine is

1.  It’s NECESSITY

The fuel that drives the engine of human progress is “knowledge.” What is it really that propels a human from infancy to adulthood in only a relatively short span of perhaps 12 years?  It is knowledge.  The passage into adulthood, in every culture, has to do with some “trial” or “rite of passage” in which one demonstrates that he (or she) has the requisite knowledge and skills to enter the adult world.  These “rites” are different in every culture, but are ubiquitous.

To state it more philosophically, the essence of human growth is the acquisition of knowledge—one has to learn things, things that can be applied as skills whether it be farming or pharmaceuticals. 

One person stated the necessity of a written language this way:  “For the rest of us, writing is essential. ... I would say written language is incredibly important, as it is a fundamental way of communicating, and doing so indirectly and over time. It is a main way civilizations accrue and record their technology, educate their citizens, and keep a historical record” (Internet)  Writing allows communication over distance and time.

That seems like an accurate summary of why written records are necessary.  The same necessity applies to is spirituality—more so than any area of life.  But, where can one gain spiritual knowledge becomes a foundational question?  As we learned last week, if we want to know anything about God, there are only a few sources.  1) God can tell us Himself.  2) We can get our information from others.  3)  We can get it from the Bible.  4) We can make it up ourselves by gathering info and tossing it together like a salad.

Such an important matter as eternal salvation cannot be based upon “unreliable information.”  Without a reliable source of information, salvation is not possible.  Romans 10:17 tells us:

So faith comes from what is heard,  and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.

I do not discount that God CAN, God HAS, and God DOES speak directly to men and women.  I do not discount that others can be helpful in assisting us as we learn.  Both these sources of knowledge involve finite and sinful man in the process and therefore the information—apart from some objective source for verification—cannot be relied upon for matters of great importance, and especially matters of eternal importance. For sure, I discount any source of truth that originates from sinful man however cleverly that information might be gathered and presented.  This leaves only one reliable source—the Bible.  In order for one to have any “certainty” about matters, especially matters of eternal importance, one needs a reliable source.  Look at 2Pet. 1:10-11

Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; ¹¹ for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Therefore, the only question that needs to be answered is:  is the Bible a supernaturally reliable source of information by which we can “make our call and election sure?”  Let’s consider further the characteristics of the Bible to answer this important question.

2.  The Bible’s AUTHORITY (V3)

From where, or Whom, do all the “great and precious promises necessary for life and godliness come?”  Verses 3-4 tells us,

³ His divine power  has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called  us by  His own glory and goodness. ⁴ By these He has given us very great and precious promises,  so that through them you may share in the divine nature,  escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires.

The source of the Biblical record is nothing less than God, Himself. 2Tim. 3:16 declares that the Scriptures, the Bible, are the very “breath of God.” 

¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2Pet. 1:  ²⁰ First of all, you should know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation, ²¹ because no prophecy ever came by the will of man;  instead, men spoke from God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Evidence for the supernatural nature of the Bible is too vast to cover in a sermon.  Indeed, whole library sections are dedicated to that evidence.  The Bible is “authoritative” because God is the Author.  All that God is, is reflected in the nature of the Bible because it is actually a part of God’s very nature—it is His breath.

The Bible is no mere book.  Many great books, helpful for one’s growth have been written, some with seemingly heavenly inspiration, but only one book is truly inspired—truly the very breath of God.

Therefore, the Bible is not offered for our consideration, but for our absolute obedience.  God’s commands are not suggestions.  They carry the very authority of God, Himself. 

3.  The Bible’s RELIABILITY (16-17, 19)

Recall what we read earlier in verse 10, “confirm your calling and election.”  The word, “confirm” actually translates two words in the Greek.  Literally it says, “you, yourself, make sure where you are standing is firm and secure.”  A useful paraphrase of this verse could be:  “you, personally, investigate what you believe in order to make sure it is reliable.”  One’s eternal destiny rests on what one believes about Jesus Christ as taught in the Bible.  Miss this, and you miss everything!  So, we must know without a reasonable doubt that the Bible is reliable in order to “confirm, or make sure, our calling and election.”  Is the Bible we hold in our hands a reliable transmission of the testimonies and testaments of the early church?  The answer is:  absolutely.  The Bible, as a written record is more reliable historically than any other ancient writing ever discovered, when applying the same science used to assess the reliability of ancient texts.
Volumes of books have been written showing the reliability of the Bible’s message.  Last week, we learned of one great book, Evidence Demands a Verdict, by Josh McDowell.  This is just one of many.  McDowell states the common conclusion of both secular and sacred historians, “If one discards the Bible as being unreliable, then one must discard almost all literature of antiquity.”  In summary, we can know nothing about anything from ancient history.

Peter goes on to tell us that we do not have to rely on the ever-shifting subjective views of men, but that the Bible’s reliability can be objectively evaluated because it does not change with the changing times, fashions and fads as do “cleverly devised myths and legends.”  2Pet. 1:16-17 tells us:

¹⁶ For we did not follow cleverly contrived [sophisticated] myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ;  instead, we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.  ¹⁷ For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, a voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory:  This is My beloved Son.

I take delight in Him!   Then verse 19:  So we have the prophetic word strongly confirmed. 

Unlike myths and legends of other religions based upon subjective philosophies, the Bible’s story is set in the concrete of human experience and validated by the miracle of the resurrection.  It can be judged and evaluated using the same forensic sciences and skills that a crime scene investigator uses. 

As Peter says, we can “confirm our calling and election” because the Bible is reliable.

4.  The Bible’s DIGESTIBILITY (1Cor. 3:1-2, 2Pet. 1:19)

What do I mean in regard to the “DIGESTIBILITY” of the Bible?  Has anyone ever said to you, or perhaps you have said it yourself,  “That so-and-so that I ate the other night didn’t agree with me?”  In other words, something you ate was hard to digest.  A couple weeks ago my granddaughter, Cara, came was talking to her grandma and I and she said, “You know, I think I discovered what my problem is . . . I’m lactose intolerant.”  There’s a story that goes with this but you get the idea.

There are more than a few parts of the Bible that I would say, “don’t agree with me.”  It’s not because I can’t understand them, but quite the opposite—because I understand them completely and they just don’t agree with how I want to live my life.  I’m “holiness intolerant.” 

That’s not what I mean about digestibility, however.  The fact that God’s call to holiness does not agree with my penchant for worldliness is another matter.

What I mean be “DIGESTIBILITY” is that the Bible’s message can be understood by everyone from inquisitive children to sophisticated scholars.  As someone has said, “The Bible is shallow enough for children to wade in safely, but deep enough to float the largest ships.”

If a person wants to understand the Bible, a person can understand the Bible.  The problem isn’t the DIGESTIBILITY of the Bible, but the carnality of our mind.  Keep your place and slide over to 1Cor. 3:1

Brothers, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ.  ² I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, because you were not yet ready for it. In fact, you are still not ready, ³ because you are still fleshly (that is, carnal). 

There are parts of the Bible that are harder to chew than others.  There are parts of the Bible that, frankly, even scholars don’t fully understand.  But, by and large, the Bible is accessible to anyone and everyone that has a desire and the discipline to read it faithfully.  Look back at 2Pet. 1:19b again,

You will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dismal place,  until the day dawns  and the morning star  rises in your hearts.

The Bible is readily digestible for anyone willing to spend the time and effort in prayer and study in hopes of truth “dawning in your heart.”  You CAN understand it, if you study it in faith.

5.  The Bible’s UTILITY (5-9)

⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, ⁶ knowledge with self-control,  self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, ⁷ godliness with brotherly affection,  and brotherly affection with love. ⁸ For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful  in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ The person who lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten the cleansing from his past sins.

Utility is defined as, “the state of being useful, profitable, or beneficial.”  Peter tells us that without adding to our faith the qualities the Bible describes—goodness, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, brotherly affection, and love—and adding these in “increasing quantities,” then we are “useless and unfruitful” in God’s Kingdom, like “blind people stumbling in the dismal streets of ungodliness.” 

Are you growing in your knowledge of the Bible in “increasing measure?”  Are you becoming more increasingly “useful and fruitful” to the Kingdom of God through the Church? 

Too many Christians are like “garnish” on a plate:  it’s there, but it is pretty much useless.  I read this week an interesting story about Irving S. Olds, former chairman of U.S. Steel Corporation.  A powerful man in industry.  When Irving S. Olds was chairman of the U.S. Steel Corporation from 1940-1952.  These were high times for the steel industry.  On one occasion, he arrived for a stockholders' meeting.  One woman, new on the Board, confronted him when he walked in and said,  "Exactly who are you and what do you do?" Without batting an eye, Olds replied, "I am your chairman. Of course, you know the duties of a chairman--that's someone who is roughly the equivalent of parsley on a platter of fish."

Too many Christians are as useless as “parsley on a platter of fish.” They bear little or no fruit for the Kingdom of God because they are impassionate about the Word of God.  The utility of the Bible is evidenced in its ability to create, “workman who need not be ashamed” because they are being useful and fruitful.

In our flyover of the majestic mountains and valleys of the Bible we see the Bible’s NECESSITY, AUTHORITY, RELIABILITY, DIGESTIBILITY, and UTILITY.  The crowning peak we see in the flyover of the doctrine of the Bible is

6.  the Bible’s PERPETUITY (4, 11)

Let me put two verses together from our text that describe the principle of the Bible’s PERPETUITY.  First, Verse 4:

⁴ He has given us very great and precious promises,  so that through them you may share in the divine nature,  escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires.  Then in Verse 11:  For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly supplied to you.

How important is the Bible?  How important is it to “escape the corruption leading to hell” and “gain entry into the eternal Kingdom?”  The Bible’s truth is “eternal” truth.  The Bible is not a book of this world, but a book about how to escape this world and live forever.  It is an eternal book—it is a perpetual book.

Perpetuity means, “the quality or state of being everylasting.”  Isaiah 40:8 tells us:  The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God remains forever.

When we talk about the Bible, we are talking about eternal truth that creates perpetual results.  All books written by men have a final chapter.  The Bible has no final chapter—that is in regard to its message, not its text.  The Bible will continue to unfold in our hearts for all eternity.  It’s text will live and grow as the Spirit continues to illuminate its truth to our hearts.  What a glorious unfolding that will be when our learning will no longer be hindered by our sinful, flesh-encased mind. 

Like a sunflower opens widely as it turns to the sun, so shall our hearts and minds blossom when we finally look upon the Face of the Son.  We will be forever learning about Jesus, “the Word of God.”

When we study the Bible, we are studying for eternity.  The less we learn, like the salvation we share, is perpetual—it is everlasting.

Why would we not want to spend as much time immersed in the pages of this Great Book?  Why would we not seek after it as a hungry man seeks bread or a thirsty woman seeks water? 

The Bible is fundamental for by it we know all other doctrine.

Over the last 40 plus years, I’ve seen the time given to Bible study in all its various forms cut shorter and shorter with each passing generation, until now, the Bible is more like a bikini than a pair of pants in most churches.

A few years ago, a poor church wanted to bless their pastor so they bought him a new pair of dress pants.  They fit perfectly, except they were two inches too long.  He asked his wife to hem them on Saturday night but she said she was too busy with everything she needed to do to get ready for church the next week.  The family, including 8 children went to bed.  The pastor could not sleep.  He wanted to wear his new pants on Sunday.  So, he got up and whacked off two inches of trouser leg and went back to sleep.  Later, the wife felt guilty, got out of bed and cut off two more inches; then crawled back into bed.  The eldest daughter had heard the discussion the day before and felt bad for her father.  She got up, made her way to her parents room and in the dark shortened the pants two more inches.  The preacher had three more grown daughters, and so there is really no need to discuss the rest of the story.

So, this is why I say the Bible has become more like a bikini than a pair of pants in the church today to the great detriment and pending demise of so many churches.

Everything eventually comes down to the Bible.  It is the fundamental (not necessarily, most important) doctrine in the Bible for by it we know all other doctrine.

Let’s never cut the Bible’s time and place in our lives too short.