THE BIBLE IS INSPIRED!

Johnie Scaggs, Jr.

   There are many folks in this world who look upon the Bible as just one of many books which are to be read for our pleasure. They read its pages and find many of the stories to be inspirational, but they fail to realize that what they hold in their hand and read with their  eyes is the very WORD OF GOD.

   The Bible is God’s message to mankind. It is His means of communicating with man. Within the Bible, God reveals His will for man and thus offers man salvation. Without the Bible man could never come to know of the salvation God has offered. It is a great shame for man to make light of that which God has spoken.

   Paul stated: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for  correction,   for  instruction  in   righteousness:  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto  all  good  works”  (2 Tim.3:16-17).   The  word  “inspiration” comes from two, Greek words, (“Theos,” God, “pneo,” to breathe). Thus Paul is saying that the words in the Bible were breathed by God. Paul also said: “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1 Cor.2:4). He went on to say in this same book that: “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, 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” (1 Cor.2:12,13). In Gal.1:11,12, Paul informs us that the gospel which he preached did not come from man, but rather it came by the revelation of Jesus Christ. “But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Gal. 1:11-12). It is very hard to understand how anyone could read these verses in the Bible and still claim that the Bible is just a book written by man! Many would rather believe a lie, then to believe the truth which can save their soul!

   Those who would make light of or ridicule the Bible as being something which men wrote, know not what they speak of.

   Jesus in speaking to His apostles before He went back to the Father said: “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” (John 14:26). Jesus further stated: “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:12-14). Christ kept this promise and fulfilled it on the day of Pentecost Acts 2:1-36. When those who do not believe that the Bible is inspired, state this, they at the very same time claim that Jesus Christ is a liar and one who cannot keep His promises. If this is the case, then we are all hopelessly lost.

   Surely one who has the ability to read and reason things out can come to no other conclusion than to believe that the Bible (all of the Bible) is from God, thus inspired.