God’s Word is True in 2022- 2 Tim 3:16,17
Intro: The Bible is the Most important book in all the world and in all of history. It is Unique- none other like it- there never has been and never will be. It is Unique in its Continuity. It is One book made up of 66 books- written over a period of 1600 years- by over 40 authors from almost every walk of life: historians, doctors, shepherds, tax collectors, cupbearers, military generals, philosophers, kings, and prophets. It was written in prisons, dungeons, synagogues, palaces, desert places, on hillsides near the temple, on river banks, and even on an island. It was Written on Three Continents: Europe, Asia, & Africa and in three languages: Hebrew, Greek, some Aramaic. It covers hundreds of controversial subjects and deals with all the details of human life, YET has NO contradictions. It is Unique in its Circulation. It was the first book printed on the printing press. It was the first book translated into another language, when the OT Scriptures were translated from Hebrew to Greek in about 250 BC. It has been translated into over 1000 languages, has had more copies published than any other book, and has been the consistent best selling book throughout the years. The Bible truly is a Wonderful Book! I. The Word of God is True in 2022 because it is Divine. Text- ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God. (God Breathed) 1 Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Plenary Inspiration- Fully inspired- complete & entire- not partial. The Bible does not “contain” the Word of God; it IS THE Word of God. Every book, every chapter, every verse and every word. Verbal Inspiration- the very words, not just the subjects or the thoughts are inspired by God. YES, God did use men to speak and to write his word. He used their distinctive personality and style but HE inspired their thoughts and the words they spoke and wrote. God’s Word is Divine. Therefore, it carries Divine Authority. It takes precedence over every other book, over every teaching, over every opinion, over every belief and over every piece of advice ever given. John tells of the Beginning from an eternal perspective in John 1:1,2- In the beginning was the Word; and the Word was with God and the Word was God, the same was in the beginning with God. Vs 14 then states- The Word became flesh and dwelt among us an we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth. Jesus Christ himself- the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, the Triune Godhead- the Divine Son of God is called the WORD- Jesus was the Living Word; and he was the source of the Written Word- What he spoke was divine- What he taught was Divine 1 Thess. 2:13- For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. II. The Word of God is True in 2022 because it is Dependable. Since God’s Word is Divine- since it came from God himself- since it was inspired by the Holy Ghost- it is absolutely dependable and trustworthy. There are no lies, no errors, no wrong directions, no false instructions, no bad advice. It is Good for all nations- all races- all languages- all cultures- all customs- all men- all women- all boys and all girls. It is Good for all situations- all circumstances- all matters. The Psalmist cried out- Forever O Lord, thy Word is settled in Heaven! Prophecy in the Bible is one of the undeniable proofs of its Divinity and Dependability. 1) It Foretold the rise and fall of the World empires of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome hundreds of years before they existed. 2) Isaiah named King Cyrus 300 years before he was born. (Is. 44:28; 45:1) 3) There were over 300 prophecies concerning Jesus Christ alone and every one was fulfilled. Dr. Peter Stoner wrote in Science Speaks concerning the law of prophetic probability- He said that the mathematical probability of only 8 (eight) prophecies being fulfilled in the life of any one person is Ten to the 17th power! He further illustrated what that meant: You would cover the state of Texas with silver dollars two feet deep- one silver dollar would be marked and mixed with the others- a man would be blindfolded and sent out to pick the marked silver dollar- the probability that he will pick up the marked dollar on his first try is the same as the probability of 8 prophecies being fulfilled in any one person’s life. God’s Word is Divine and it is Dependable! Pro 8:8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them. Pro 4:20-22 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. III. The Word of God is True in 2022 because it is Dynamic. Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. The Gospel of Christ is Power over Satan- power over demons- power over Sin- power over the flesh- power over Sickness. Jer 23:28,29 ...he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully...29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? You’ve probably heard the Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty. Rebellious sailors mutinied, took over the Bounty and put Capt. Bligh and his few loyal men adrift on the open sea in a small boat. Nine of the white sailors along with the native wives they had taken from a South Sea Island and 6 more native men sailed to another island and sank the ship. They soon learned how to make whiskey from a native plant and drunkenness and debauchery ruled in the island colony. In just a few years, murder and disease had taken the lives of all the native men and all but one of the original sailors. His name was Alexander Smith and he was left alone on the island with a few of the native women and a number of children. One day, Smith found a Bible in an old abandoned trunk. He began to read it and became a Christian. He then started having regular Bible studies for everyone on the island. In 1808 the US Topaz landed at the island, known as Pitcairn, and found a thriving and prosperous community. The people were living in decency, harmony and peace. There was no whiskey, no crime, no jail, no immorality and no disease. The Bible, The Wonderful Word of God had changed the lives of everyone on the island. The Bible is Dynamic! Rev. Thomas Dalington worked with the China Inland Mission for over 20 years and told this story: one day rebel bandits attacked the town where he was working and had built up a Christian congregation. To show that they would stand no resistance they killed a number of children who were playing in the street. They proclaimed martial law and decreed that no one was to leave his house. That night Rev. Dalington went to the church, threw open the doors and invited the bandits to come in. They came in with threats and cursing; he stilled them and began to read in their dialect the story of the Passion and death of Jesus Christ. They had never heard it before and sat spell bound in complete silence. When he finished, he closed the Bible, invited them to come again tomorrow night and left. The next night the same thing took place and this continued each night through the week. After five nights, Rev. Dalington felt impressed by the Holy Ghost to give an altar call for these bandits and he asked those who wished to accept the Christ of this story as their own Savior to come forward and kneel down. Thirteen (13) of those men (all of them murderers and most of them cannibals as well) came forward and with tears in their eyes prayed to be saved. God’s Word is Dynamic! It is God’s Word that works in our Conviction, and in our Conversion. It is God’s Word that works in our Salvation & in our Sanctification; In our Faith & in our Faithfulness. 1 Peter 1:23- Being born again, not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible, by the Word of God which liveth and abideth forever. IV. The Word of God is True in 2022 because it is Durable. 1 Pet. 1:23 leads us to our final point- “the Word which liveth (dynamic) and abideth for ever (durable). Jesus said in Luke 21:33- Heaven & earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. Everything around us is Perishable: houses, cars clothes, furniture, gadgets, LIFE itself, but the True Word of God is durable. Is. 40:8- The grass withereth the flower fadeth but the Word of our God shall stand for ever 1 Pet. 1:25- but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever The French sceptic Voltaire made the boast, “I will go through the forest of the Scriptures & cut down all the trees so that in 100 years Christianity will be but a vanishing memory” Later, his very room was purchased by the British and Foreign Bible Society and packed from floor to ceiling with Bibles. You and I can trust in the Word of God! It is Divine. It is Dependable. It is Dynamic. It is Durable.
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Bro. Dwain GaliherPastor of JHPC Archives
November 2024
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