Articles
God's Very Own Words
We often hear in sermons and read about the Bible being 'inspired'. I'm sometimes guilty of missing some big - little words. What does it mean when we say the Bible is inspired?
You know, the works of William Shakespeare were inspired. Most books are inspired. Preachers are often inspired to preach a particular sermon. Inspiration is good, and anybody can be inspired, so what makes the Bible author's inspiration different?
In short, the Bible was given “by inspiration of God” (2 Tim. 3:16). The authors of the Scriptures were “moved (carried or conveyed) by the Holy Spirit” and not something simply from their own motivation or personal interpretations” (2 Pet. 1:20–21).
God states why He gave His guided direction to the writers: 2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,...”
Paul uses the words "God breathed" in the NIV. One version puts it this way, “…the breath of the Almighty….” These writers were putting the very words into scripture that God put upon them, that's why the scriptures are perfect, they don't contradict each other, and they reveal (through His power) "everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him..." (2 Peter 1:3) knowledge by the way that comes from only one source, the inspired Word of God.
Our Bible is the infallible (impossible to be false) Word of God because the divine Holy Spirit's inspiration upon these writers is likewise infallible, 100% true, and much much more than ordinary human inspiration. Knowing this, we can be assured that what we read is true, complete, and the very thoughts and heart of our God.
