Christ's Authority and the Inerrancy of Scripture

Devotional

Day 1: Confidence in Christ's Authority Reflects in Scripture's Inerrancy

The authority of Scripture is deeply intertwined with Christology, emphasizing that our confidence in the Bible mirrors our confidence in Christ's truthfulness and authority. If we question the Bible's inerrancy, we indirectly question Christ's authority. This connection was notably highlighted during a historic convention in 1978, where scholars from around the world gathered to discuss the inerrancy of the Bible. The central theme that emerged was that the authority of the Bible is intrinsically linked to the authority of Christ. The question is not merely about our confidence in the Bible but about the confidence we have in the truthfulness and authority of Christ himself. [01:56]

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways does your confidence in the Bible reflect your confidence in Christ's authority? How can you strengthen this connection in your daily life?

Day 2: Historical Reliability as a Foundation for Faith

The historical reliability of the Bible is crucial for understanding Jesus' teachings. Despite skepticism, the New Testament, particularly the Gospels, has undergone rigorous scrutiny and is considered historically reliable. This reliability forms the basis for our faith in Jesus' words. Understanding the historical context and reliability of the Scriptures helps us to grasp the depth of Jesus' teachings and the truth they convey. The New Testament's historical reliability is not just an academic concern but a foundation for our faith in the words and actions of Jesus. [11:33]

"For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." (Romans 15:4, ESV)

Reflection: How does understanding the historical reliability of the Bible impact your faith in Jesus' teachings? What steps can you take to deepen your understanding of the historical context of Scripture?

Day 3: Jesus' Affirmation of Scripture's Inerrancy

Jesus affirmed the inerrancy of Scripture, emphasizing its divine inspiration down to the smallest details. His teachings highlight the importance of every word, reinforcing the Bible's authority. Jesus' view of Scripture was not just a general affirmation but extended to the smallest details, emphasizing the importance of every word. This perspective reinforces the Bible's authority and underscores the significance of understanding and adhering to its teachings. [19:35]

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness." (2 Timothy 3:16, ESV)

Reflection: How does Jesus' affirmation of Scripture's inerrancy influence your view of the Bible? What practical steps can you take to align your life with the teachings of Scripture?

Day 4: The Challenge of Jesus' Sinlessness and Knowledge

Some modern theologians argue that Jesus, in his human nature, could have been mistaken about the nature of Scripture. However, this perspective challenges the sinlessness of Christ, as claiming to teach erroneous information would be a sin. The authority of Christ is paramount, and defending the inerrancy of Scripture is essential because it upholds the authority, lordship, and saviorhood of Christ. The stakes are not just about biblical figures but about Christ's supreme authority over the church. [23:26]

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15, ESV)

Reflection: How does the belief in Jesus' sinlessness and perfect knowledge affect your understanding of His teachings? What areas of your life need to be more fully submitted to His authority?

Day 5: Upholding Christ's Authority Through Scripture's Inerrancy

Defending the inerrancy of Scripture is essential to uphold the authority, lordship, and saviorhood of Christ. The stakes are not just about biblical figures but about Christ's supreme authority over the church. Upholding the inerrancy of Scripture is not merely an academic exercise but a vital aspect of maintaining the integrity of Christ's authority and teachings. It is through Scripture that Christ exercises His lordship, and without a reliable vehicle for His commands, His lordship becomes abstract. [26:35]

"Therefore, we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it." (Hebrews 2:1, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you actively defend the inerrancy of Scripture in your daily life? How does this defense strengthen your relationship with Christ and His authority over your life?

Sermon Summary

In our exploration of the authority of Scripture, we delve into the profound connection between the inerrancy of the Bible and Christology. This relationship was highlighted during a historic convention in 1978, where scholars from around the world gathered to discuss the inerrancy of the Bible. The central theme that emerged was that the authority of the Bible is intrinsically linked to the authority of Christ. The question is not merely about our confidence in the Bible but about the confidence we have in the truthfulness and authority of Christ himself.

A personal story illustrates this point. A close college friend, once a firm believer in the inerrancy of Scripture, returned from the mission field and theological studies with a changed perspective. He no longer believed in the inerrancy of Scripture but still professed Jesus as his Lord. This raises a critical question: How does Christ exercise lordship if not through Scripture? The dilemma is that without a reliable vehicle for Christ's commands, his lordship becomes abstract.

The discussion then turns to the historical reliability of the Bible. Despite skepticism, the New Testament, particularly the Gospels, has undergone rigorous scrutiny and is considered historically reliable. This reliability is crucial because it forms the basis for understanding Jesus' teachings about Scripture. Jesus affirmed the prevailing Jewish view of Scripture as the Word of God, inspired and infallible. His teachings were not just general affirmations but extended to the smallest details, emphasizing the importance of every word.

However, some modern theologians argue that Jesus, in his human nature, could have been mistaken about the nature of Scripture. They suggest that his limited human knowledge might have led him to hold an outdated view. Yet, this perspective challenges the sinlessness of Christ, as claiming to teach erroneous information would be a sin. The authority of Christ is paramount, and defending the inerrancy of Scripture is essential because it upholds the authority, lordship, and saviorhood of Christ.

Key Takeaways

1. The authority of Scripture is deeply connected to Christology. Our confidence in the Bible reflects our confidence in Christ's truthfulness and authority. If we question the Bible's inerrancy, we indirectly question Christ's authority. [01:56]
2. The historical reliability of the Bible is crucial for understanding Jesus' teachings. Despite skepticism, the New Testament has been rigorously scrutinized and found reliable, forming the basis for our faith in Jesus' words. [11:33]
3. Jesus affirmed the inerrancy of Scripture, emphasizing its divine inspiration down to the smallest details. His teachings highlight the importance of every word, reinforcing the Bible's authority. [19:35]
4. Some theologians argue that Jesus, in his human nature, could have been mistaken about Scripture. However, this challenges his sinlessness, as teaching erroneous information would be a sin. [23:26]
5. Defending the inerrancy of Scripture is essential to uphold the authority, lordship, and saviorhood of Christ. The stakes are not just about biblical figures but about Christ's supreme authority over the church. [26:35]
** [26:35]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:12] - Historic Convention on Inerrancy
[00:33] - Ligonier Conference
[00:50] - Scholars' Consensus
[01:27] - Christology and Authority
[02:17] - Personal Story in Philadelphia
[03:27] - Friend's Changed Belief
[04:08] - Questioning Lordship
[05:04] - The Church's Role
[06:10] - Jesus' View on Scripture
[07:05] - Hypothetical Scenario with Jesus
[08:46] - 20th Century Church Challenges
[09:07] - Discovering Jesus' View
[10:27] - Historical Reliability of the Bible
[11:33] - Scientific Scrutiny of Scripture
[14:27] - Luke as a Historian
[16:22] - Jesus as a Prophet
[18:33] - Jesus' Teaching on the Bible
[20:08] - Theological Justifications
[23:26] - Jesus' Sinlessness and Knowledge
[26:14] - Defending Christ's Authority

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What was the main theme discussed at the historic convention in 1978 regarding the authority of Scripture? [01:27]
How did the personal story of the pastor's college friend illustrate the connection between Christ's lordship and the authority of Scripture? [04:08]
What is the significance of Jesus affirming the inerrancy of Scripture according to the sermon? [19:35]
How do some modern theologians challenge Jesus' view of Scripture, and what implications does this have on his sinlessness? [23:26]

Interpretation Questions

How does the historical reliability of the New Testament support our understanding of Jesus' teachings about Scripture? [11:33]
In what ways does questioning the inerrancy of Scripture indirectly question Christ's authority, as discussed in the sermon? [01:56]
How does the sermon address the dilemma of Jesus' human nature potentially leading to errors in his teachings about Scripture? [23:26]
What role does the authority of Christ play in defending the inerrancy of Scripture, according to the sermon? [26:35]

Application Questions

Reflect on your own confidence in the truthfulness and authority of Christ. How does this influence your view of the Bible's inerrancy? [01:56]
Consider a time when you faced skepticism about the Bible's reliability. How did you respond, and what steps can you take to strengthen your understanding of its historical accuracy? [11:33]
How do you reconcile the teachings of Jesus with modern theological perspectives that challenge the inerrancy of Scripture? [23:26]
In what ways can you actively defend the authority of Scripture in your daily life and conversations with others? [26:35]
Think about a specific command of Christ that you find challenging to follow. How does your belief in the authority of Scripture impact your willingness to obey that command? [05:04]
Identify a situation where you might have questioned the authority of Scripture. How can you seek guidance from trusted church leaders or resources to address your doubts? [05:22]
How can you ensure that your understanding of Christ's lordship is not abstract but grounded in the teachings of Scripture? [06:10]

Sermon Clips

The issue was not so much in the final analysis do we put our confidence in the Bible but what kind of confidence do we have of the truthfulness and the authority of Christ himself. [00:02:04]

I said well the Lord is somebody who issues commands I said how does Christ command or rule your life it's not that the scripture where do you hear the marching orders of your Lord and he thought for a minute he said well I hear the word of God I hear what you're saying is I hear that in the teaching of the church. [00:05:06]

If Jesus walked in this room tonight ladies and gentlemen said to you friends the Bible's a good historical book but it's certainly not an arrant that's just an exaggerated view of Orthodox people, I was certainly abandoned inerrancy in a heartbeat if Jesus came in here and told me that it wasn't so. [00:06:52]

There is no book from the ancient world no literary source from the ancient world that has been suggested mitad to the most rigorous scientific scrutiny and analysis as the New Testament and the Old Testament have been exposed. [00:11:40]

There is no work from the ancient world that is within one ten thousandth of careful research as the New Testament has been. We have many writings from the ancient world that has survived. [00:12:04]

Secular religious people have concluded that Luke is the finest historian of the ancient world. I'm laboring that point for a reason I think it'd be utterly irresponsible to say in light of the evidence of history and of science that as hist history the new testament is basically unreliable. [00:14:44]

It's very clear that Jesus of Nazareth accepted embraced and taught the prevailing view of the Bible that was held among the Jews namely that it was the Word of God that it was inspired of God that it was infallible. [00:18:41]

Jesus settled his theological disputes with his contemporaries by an appeal to a single word in Scripture he said that man doesn't live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. [00:19:07]

Jesus view of inspiration could be called jot and tiddle inspiration down to the commas the periods the crossing the T's and the dotting of the i's and again among those who dispute the doctrine of inerrancy they do not dispute that that's what Jesus taught. [00:19:52]

Theologians acknowledged what every Protestant theologian should acknowledge the touching his human nature Jesus was not omniscient he didn't know everything omniscience the knowledge of everything beloved is an attribute of God it's an attribute of the divine nature. [00:22:18]

The issue of the authority of Christ it is because we are convinced and persuaded that Christ is the lord of the church the teacher par excellence the supreme authority in head over the church that we so vociferously fight for and defend the claims of Scripture to be the Word of God. [00:26:14]

What is at stake here is not the reputation of Isaiah or Jeremiah but nothing less than the authority the lordship and the savior hood of Christ. [00:26:38]

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