[By Ron Halbrook, adapted from Evidences for God and His Creation]
• Introduction
1.
The Bible: inspired of God
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,
for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect,
throughly furnished unto all good works.
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• Introduction
1.
The Bible: inspired of God
“All scripture:” Old & New Testaments

Young Timothy learned
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
Young Timothy learned
14 But continue thou in the things
which thou hast learned and hast been assured of,
knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 And that from a child
thou hast known the holy scriptures,
which are able to make thee wise unto salvation
through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
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• Introduction
1.
The Bible: inspired of God
“All scripture:” Old & New Testaments

Timothy preached the gospel
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
Timothy preached the gospel
1 I charge thee therefore before God,
and the Lord Jesus Christ,
who shall judge the quick and the dead
at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word;
be instant in season, out of season;
reprove, rebuke, exhort
with all longsuffering and doctrine.
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• Introduction
1.
The Bible: inspired of God
“All scripture:” Old & New Testaments

&
Scripture includes
8

Scripture includes
&
18 For the scripture saith,
Thou shalt not muzzle the ox
that treadeth out the corn.
And,
The labourer is worthy
of his reward.
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• Introduction
1.
The Bible: inspired of God
“All scripture:” Old & New Testaments

all scripture
God protects
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
God protects
all scripture
24 For all flesh is as grass,
and all the glory of man as the flower of grass.
The grass withereth,
and the flower thereof falleth away:
25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever.
And this is the word which by the gospel
is preached unto you.
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• Introduction
1.
The Bible: inspired of God
“All scripture:” Old & New Testaments

Scripture includes
writings of O. T. prophets & N. T. Apostles
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
Scripture includes
writings of O. T. prophets & N. T. Apostles
1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you;
in both which I stir up your pure minds
by way of remembrance:
2 That ye may be mindful of the words
which were spoken before by the holy prophets,
and of the commandment of us the apostles
of the Lord and Saviour:
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
Scripture includes
writings of O. T. prophets & N. T. Apostles
15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord
is salvation;
even as our beloved brother Paul also
according to the wisdom given unto him
hath written unto you;
16 As also in all his epistles,
speaking in them of these things;
in which are some things hard to be understood,
which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest,
as they do also the other scriptures,
unto their own destruction.
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• Introduction
1.
The Bible: inspired of God
“Inspiration of God:” given, spoken by God
 Inspiration: Greek theopneustos from
theos (God) + pneo (breathed) = God-breathed,
i.e., God spoke
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• Introduction
2. How man knows God
God revealed Himself
in the beginning
16
God revealed Himself
in the beginning
15 And the LORD God took the man,
and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it
and to keep it.
16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying,
Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,
thou shalt not eat of it:
for in the day that thou eatest thereof
thou shalt surely die.
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• Introduction
2. How man knows God
The creation confirms
God’s existence & care,
but men reject Him & fall into darkness
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The creation confirms God’s existence
& care, but men reject Him & fall into darkness
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation
of the world are clearly seen,
being understood by the things that are made,
even his eternal power and Godhead;
so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God,
they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful;
but became vain in their imaginations,
and their foolish heart was darkened.
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The creation confirms God’s existence
& care, but men reject Him & fall into darkness
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God
into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds,
and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness
through the lusts of their own hearts,
to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie,
and worshipped and served the creature
more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
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• Introduction
2. How man knows God
God’s glory proclaimed
in creation & Scripture

Creation: evidence God exists
1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
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• Introduction
2. How man knows God
God’s glory proclaimed
in creation & Scripture

Scripture: reveals His will
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Scripture: reveals His will
7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
converting the soul:
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple.
8 The statutes of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart:
the commandment of the LORD is pure,
enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is clean,
enduring for ever:
the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous
altogether.
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• Introduction
3. God inspired & preserved Scripture
to reveal Himself fully
False theories VS true inspiration of God
God protects & preserves His inspired Word
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I. False Theories VS True Inspiration of God
A. “Natural Inspiration,” A False Theory
Talented thinkers & writers are said to be
“inspired” & “inspiring”—natural talent
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I. False Theories VS True Inspiration of God
A. “Natural Inspiration,” A False Theory
Poets
 William Shakespeare (1564-1616): Bard of Avon
wrote Merchant of Venice, Hamlet, Macbeth
 John Milton (1608-1674): Paradise Lost
 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882):
Paul Revere’s Ride, The Song of Hiawatha,
Evangeline
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I. False Theories VS True Inspiration of God
A. “Natural Inspiration,” A False Theory
“A divine spark expressed in human genius:”
God-given talent, not miraculous guidance
True inspiration: not mere talent
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart of man,
the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
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I. False Theories VS True Inspiration of God
B. “Thought Inspiration,” A False Theory
Noematical (Greek noema: thought, a thought)
inspiration
God gave an idea, man developed it
& chose words to express it as best he could
Allows error in memory, concept, & word choice
Claim errors in history, geography, science, etc.
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I. False Theories VS True Inspiration of God
B. “Thought Inspiration,” A False Theory
Claim some Bible miracles pious exaggerations,
cultural misconceptions, etc. (crossing Red Sea)
True inspiration:
every word true
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True inspiration:
every word true
9 The fear of the LORD is clean,
enduring for ever:
the judgments of the LORD are true
and righteous altogether.
160 Thy word is true from the beginning:
and every one of thy righteous judgments
endureth for ever.
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I. False Theories VS True Inspiration of God
B. “Thought Inspiration,” A False Theory
True inspiration: every word
protected from memory lapse
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True inspiration: every word
protected from memory lapse
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost,
whom the Father will send in my name,
he shall teach you all things,
and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you.
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I. False Theories VS True Inspiration of God
C. “Mechanical Inspiration,” A False Theory
Verbal dictation: God dictated every word
to each writer
Theory eliminates writer’s style, vocabulary, etc.
 David: sweet psalmist of Israel
 Luke: physician
 Paul: educated in Jewish & Greek cultures
 John: his style & themes in Jn., 1-3 Jn., & Rev.
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I. False Theories VS True Inspiration of God
C. “Mechanical Inspiration,” A False Theory
True inspiration: God guarded writers from error,
but they wrote things known w/o dictation

Paul knew his own name,
his apostleship, & Sosthenes as a brother

Paul knew Chloe sent a report

Paul knew he signed the letter

Paul knew Tertius wrote for him
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I. False Theories VS True Inspiration of God
D. Verbal-Plenary Inspiration: True Inspiration
Verbal (words) + plenary (all): God by miracle
guided & guarded every word to be true
David guided by inspiration
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David guided by inspiration
1 Now these be the last words of David.
David the son of Jesse said,
and the man who was raised up on high,
the anointed of the God of Jacob,
and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,
2 The Spirit of the LORD spake by me,
and his word was in my tongue.
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I. False Theories VS True Inspiration of God
D. Verbal-Plenary Inspiration: True Inspiration
Paul guided by inspiration
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Paul guided by inspiration
9 But as it is written,
Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart of man,
the things which God hath prepared
for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit:
for the Spirit searcheth all things,
yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man,
save the spirit of man which is in him?
even so the things of God knoweth no man,
but the Spirit of God.
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Paul guided by inspiration
12 Now we have received,
not the spirit of the world,
but the spirit which is of God;
that we might know the things
that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak,
not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth,
but which the Holy Ghost teacheth;
comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
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I. False Theories VS True Inspiration of God
D. Verbal-Plenary Inspiration: True Inspiration
All scripture inspired of God
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,
for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect,
throughly furnished unto all good works.
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I. False Theories VS True Inspiration of God
D. Verbal-Plenary Inspiration: True Inspiration
God’s Word: infallible
7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
converting the soul:
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple.
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I. False Theories VS True Inspiration of God
D. Verbal-Plenary Inspiration: True Inspiration
God’s Word: immutable,
unchangeable
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God’s Word: immutable,
unchangeable
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven,
preach any other gospel unto you
than that which we have preached unto you,
let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again,
If any man preach any other gospel unto you
than that ye have received,
let him be accursed.
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I. False Theories VS True Inspiration of God
D. Verbal-Plenary Inspiration: True Inspiration
God’s Word: indestructible
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away,
but my words shall not pass away.
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I. False Theories VS True Inspiration of God
D. Verbal-Plenary Inspiration: True Inspiration
God’s Word: all-sufficient
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us
all things that pertain unto life and godliness,
through the knowledge of him that hath called us
to glory and virtue:
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II. God Protects & Preserves His Inspired Word
A. God Answers Questions & Doubts
Is our Bible the same as the original Bible?
Have books been added or lost?
Has the Bible been corrupted through the ages
by errors, mistakes, & contradictions?
Was the Bible changed by copies & translations?
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II. God Protects & Preserves His Inspired Word
A. God Answers Questions & Doubts
God promised
to protect & preserve His Word
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away,
but my words shall not pass away.
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God promised
to protect & preserve His Word
24 For all flesh is as grass,
and all the glory of man as the flower of grass.
The grass withereth,
and the flower thereof falleth away:
25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever.
And this is the word which by the gospel
is preached unto you.
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II. God Protects & Preserves His Inspired Word
B. God Fulfilled His Promise to Protect His Word
History of ancient Bible manuscripts
 Old Testament translated to Greek 250 B.C.
 Hebrew O.T. copied by Essenes of Masada
200-100 B.C.: Dead Sea Scrolls found 1947
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II. God Protects & Preserves His Inspired Word
B. God Fulfilled His Promise to Protect His Word
History of ancient Bible manuscripts
 Hebrew O.T. copied by Massoretes
with strict rules for accuracy
(count verses, words, & letters)
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II. God Protects & Preserves His Inspired Word
B. God Fulfilled His Promise to Protect His Word
History of ancient Bible manuscripts
Over 5,000 copies of N.T. Greek manuscripts
(Jn. 18:31-33, 37-38 dated A.D. 120;
Siniaticus Ms. A.D. 350)
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II. God Protects & Preserves His Inspired Word
B. God Fulfilled His Promise to Protect His Word
History of ancient Bible manuscripts
 Early versions translated A.D. 150-300:
Latin, Coptic, Syriac
 N.T. quoted by church fathers A.D. 100-400
 Early lists of N.T. books A.D. 100’s-300’s
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II. God Protects & Preserves His Inspired Word
C. Scripture Was Preserved & Translated
History of Bible translation
 Resources: Hebrew & Greek manuscripts,
early versions (Latin, Coptic, Syriaic)
 English translations: Wycliffe 1380,
Tyndale 1525, King James Version 1611
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II. God Protects & Preserves His Inspired Word
C. Scripture Was Preserved & Translated
History of Bible translation
 Good English translations:
King James Version, New King James Version,
American Standard Version,
New American Standard Bible,
New International Version,
English Standard Version
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II. God Protects & Preserves His Inspired Word
C. Scripture Was Preserved & Translated
History of Bible translation
 Use paraphrase Bibles with caution
(The Living Bible, The Message),
reject special agenda translations
(New World Translation)
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• Invitation
1.
The Bible: inspired of God
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,
for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect,
throughly furnished unto all good works.
65
• Invitation
2. God inspired & preserved Scripture
to reveal Himself fully
False theories VS true inspiration of God
God protects & preserves His inspired Word
66
• Invitation
3. God’s Word offers salvation through Christ!
Repent & be baptized
38 Then Peter said unto them,
Repent, and be baptized every one of you
in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins,
and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
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