Trusting the Inerrancy of Scripture: A Personal Journey

Devotional

Day 1: Perceiving God's Glory in Scripture

The glory of God is not only evident in the natural world but also in His Word. Just as Romans 1:20 explains that God's invisible attributes are clearly seen in creation, leaving humanity without excuse, the Scriptures also reveal His glory. This spiritual beauty is discerned through the heart, not through empirical testing. As believers, we are called to recognize and respond to this glory, which is a reflection of God's divine nature and His communication to us through the Bible. The expectation is that we will see and be transformed by this glory, allowing it to shape our understanding and relationship with God. [02:46]

"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse." (Romans 1:20, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you intentionally seek to perceive God's glory in your daily reading of Scripture this week?

Day 2: The Self-Authenticating Truth of Scripture

The Bible's truthfulness is self-authenticating, meaning it bears witness to its own divine origin and authority. Psalm 119:160 declares that the sum of God's Word is truth, and John 10:35 affirms that the Scriptures cannot be broken. This inherent truthfulness strengthens our conviction of the Bible's inerrancy. As we engage with the Scriptures, we experience the self-authenticating glory of God, which deepens our trust in His Word. This conviction is not merely an intellectual exercise but a spiritual experience that confirms the reliability and authority of the Bible in our lives. [06:56]

"The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever." (Psalm 119:160, ESV)

Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper trust in the self-authenticating nature of Scripture in your daily life?

Day 3: Witnessing the Glory of Jesus and Paul

Personal experiences with Jesus and Paul reinforce the trustworthiness of the Bible. The Gospels reveal the glory of Jesus as the Son from the Father, compelling us to trust His teachings and deeds. Similarly, the letters of Paul showcase a man whose authenticity and message are true, embodying the glory of God in unique ways. These personal encounters with Jesus and Paul serve as powerful testimonies to the reliability of the Scriptures, inviting us to trust in their witness and message. [08:29]

"For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty." (2 Peter 1:16, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a time when the teachings of Jesus or Paul have profoundly impacted your faith. How can you allow their witness to deepen your trust in the Bible today?

Day 4: The Divine Origin of the Bible

The divine origin of the Bible is as evident as the divine origin of the universe. This conviction is not merely intellectual but a deeply personal experience of God's glory through His Word. Just as the universe reflects God's creative power, the Scriptures reveal His divine nature and purpose. This understanding invites us to approach the Bible with reverence and awe, recognizing it as a sacred text that communicates God's will and truth to humanity. [10:00]

"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 recognizing the divine origin of the Bible change the way you approach reading and studying Scripture?

Day 5: The Inerrancy of Scripture

The belief in the Bible's inerrancy is rooted in its divine origin and self-authenticating nature. This conviction is supported by the glory of God revealed in both nature and His Word, as well as the compelling witness of Jesus and Paul. Understanding the Bible as inerrant means trusting that it is completely truthful and reliable in all it affirms. This belief shapes our approach to Scripture, encouraging us to rely on it as the ultimate authority in our lives and to allow it to guide our faith and practice. [09:46]

"Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him." (Proverbs 30:5, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you struggle to trust the inerrancy of Scripture? How can you seek God's help to strengthen your faith in His Word?

Sermon Summary

The trustworthiness of the Bible is a profound question that resonates deeply with me, especially after dedicating six weeks to writing a book on this very topic. My belief in the Bible's inerrancy, or its complete truthfulness, is rooted in several key aspects. First, the glory of God is revealed both in nature and in His Word. Just as God expects us to perceive His glory in the natural world, He also expects us to see His glory in the Scriptures. Romans 1:20 tells us that God's invisible attributes are clearly seen in creation, leaving humanity without excuse. Similarly, 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 speaks of the light of the gospel revealing the glory of Christ, which God enables us to see in our hearts.

The second aspect is the truthfulness of God's Word. Psalm 119:160 declares that the sum of God's Word is truth, and every word proves true. This conviction is further supported by the self-authenticating nature of the Scriptures, as seen in John 10:35, where it is stated that the Scriptures cannot be broken. This leads to a growing conviction of the Bible's inerrancy as one experiences the self-authenticating glory of God in His Word.

Finally, my personal experience with Jesus and Paul has been pivotal. The teachings and deeds of Jesus, as recorded in the Gospels, compel me to see His glory as the Son from the Father. Similarly, the letters of Paul reveal a man who is authentic and whose message is true. Both Jesus and Paul embody the glory of God in unique ways, reinforcing my trust in the Scriptures.

In summary, my belief in the Bible's inerrancy is grounded in the divine origin of the Bible, which is as evident as the divine origin of the universe. This conviction is not just an intellectual assent but a deeply personal experience of God's glory through His Word.

Key Takeaways

1. authenticating. Psalm 119:160 and John 10:35 affirm that God's Word is true and cannot be broken. This self-authenticating nature of the Scriptures strengthens our conviction of their inerrancy. [06:56]
3. Personal experience with Jesus and Paul reinforces the trustworthiness of the Bible. The glory of Jesus as the Son from the Father and the authenticity of Paul's message compel us to trust the Scriptures.

4. The divine origin of the Bible is as evident as the divine origin of the universe. This conviction is not merely intellectual but a deeply personal experience of God's glory through His Word.

5. The Bible's inerrancy is rooted in the divine origin and self-authenticating nature of the Scriptures. This belief is supported by the glory of God revealed in both nature and His Word, as well as the compelling witness of Jesus and Paul.

** [06:56]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:12] - Defining Inerrancy
[00:38] - The Importance of Trustworthiness
[01:17] - Three Key Aspects
[01:44] - Glory of God in Nature
[03:00] - Glory of God in His Word
[04:07] - Seeing the Light of the Gospel
[05:03] - Self-Authenticating Glory
[06:09] - God's Word is True
[06:42] - Witness of God's Word
[07:30] - Personal Experience with Jesus
[08:13] - Compelled by Jesus' Glory
[09:02] - Authenticity of Paul
[09:46] - Divine Origin of the Bible
[10:14] - Conclusion and Book Mention
[10:34] - How to Engage Further

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Romans 1:20
2 Corinthians 4:4-6
Psalm 119:160

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Observation Questions:

According to Romans 1:20, what are the invisible attributes of God that are clearly seen in creation? How does this relate to the expectation of seeing God's glory in the Scriptures? [01:44]
In 2 Corinthians 4:4-6, what does Paul say about the light of the gospel and the glory of Christ? How does this passage describe the process of seeing God's glory? [04:07]
Psalm 119:160 states that the sum of God's Word is truth. How does this verse support the idea of the Bible's inerrancy? [06:26]
How does John 10:35 contribute to the understanding of the self-authenticating nature of the Scriptures? [06:42]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the analogy of seeing God's glory in nature help us understand the expectation to see His glory in the Scriptures? What implications does this have for our approach to reading the Bible? [02:46]
What does it mean for the Scriptures to be self-authenticating, and how does this concept strengthen the belief in the Bible's inerrancy? [06:56]
How do personal experiences with Jesus and Paul, as described in the sermon, reinforce the trustworthiness of the Bible? What role do these experiences play in forming one's conviction about the Scriptures? [09:02]
The sermon mentions the divine origin of the Bible as being as evident as the divine origin of the universe. How does this perspective influence one's view of the Bible's authority and reliability? [10:00]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on a time when you have seen the glory of God in nature. How can this experience enhance your understanding and appreciation of the Scriptures? [02:46]
The sermon emphasizes the self-authenticating nature of the Bible. How can you cultivate a deeper conviction of the Bible's truthfulness in your daily life? [06:56]
Consider your personal experiences with the teachings of Jesus and the writings of Paul. How have these experiences shaped your trust in the Bible? [09:02]
The sermon suggests that the divine origin of the Bible is as evident as the universe's creation. How can this belief impact your approach to studying and applying the Bible in your life? [10:00]
How can you actively seek to perceive the glory of God in the Scriptures, similar to how you might perceive it in nature? What practical steps can you take to enhance your spiritual discernment? [03:00]
In what ways can you share your personal experiences of God's glory through His Word with others to encourage their faith? [09:46]
Identify a specific area in your life where you struggle to trust the Bible's authority. What actions can you take to address these doubts and strengthen your faith in the Scriptures? [10:00]

Sermon Clips

The answer to that question has many angles, and aspects people have come at this so many different ways so let me just mention three that seem most important to me and I'm going to jumble them all together so you'll you'll lose track of what the three are probably but but it has to do with uh the glory of God uh the nature of the word of God, and the claims of the scripture those would be the three and you can look for them in this jumble. [00:01:09]

God holds man accountable to see to be convinced by, to worship the spiritual beauty of God through the material universe just think of it he expects us to see it, and you can't put spiritual beauty glory of God in a test tube for empirical proof or testing you see it or you don't see it, and God holds us responsible to see it now that's all an analogy for me. [00:02:36]

If God puts a world out there and says know me through it how much more if he put if he put a word out there would he assume see me in it, know me through it and I think Paul points us in that direction namely that God holds us accountable for seeing the glory of God in his word the way he holds us accountable for seeing the glory of God in his world. [00:03:15]

The God of this world that Satan has blinded the minds of unbelievers to keep them from here's the phrase from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God so there's a there's a light of the gospel when the gospel is spoken there's a glory of Christ shining in it that we're to see. [00:04:07]

The God who said in his making of the world let light shine out of darkness has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ so God moves into our heart he removes the blinders and he enables us in the word the narrative the story of the gospel to see the glory of God so that we know this is God's gospel like we know this is God's world. [00:04:33]

Paul says when the story of the gospel the word is truly fully spoken it is the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God and from this I think Paul affirms that the glory of God is seen in the word of God for Paul the gospel is an articulable word and that glory is like light to the eye of the human heart. [00:05:09]

We see the glory of God and it is self-evident this is the glory of God and thus this is the glory of God's word in which it is shining this is God's word like that is God's world and and from that experience of mine with the word over the years and that conviction that God expects us to see him and his self-authenticating glory in his word. [00:05:36]

The sum of your word is truth psalm 119 60 every word it proves true so if this is God's word it is true it is inerrant and part of this is the the witness this is my third thing now part of this truth is the witness of God's word to itself that it cannot be broken John 10 35 the scriptures cannot be broken. [00:06:20]

As you move from this first broad stunning self-authenticating experience with the word of God whereby God says this is my word and this is my glory and you move from there to God speaks the truth and you move from there to God says things about his word your your s your sense and your conviction of the inerrancy of scripture grows. [00:06:52]

The more I have looked I'm 69 I've been reading the bible since I was five probably I I have looked at the more I've looked at the teachings and the deeds of Jesus over the years as they're given to us in the four gospels I am compelled like this is no big choice on my part I am compelled I have seen to say I have seen his glory his glory as of the son from the father. [00:08:00]

The more I read the letters of Paul the more I am compelled to say he's no fool he's no lunatic he's no charlatan he is more real than any fallen man any other fallen man he's not Jesus he's just more real than any other fallen man I have ever known he is authentic and so is his message so Jesus and Paul in their own unique ways are compelling embodiments of the glory of God in the face of Christ. [00:09:03]

In a sentence I believe in the inerrancy of the bible because of the divine origin of the bible and that divine origin is as evident as the divine origin of the universe. [00:10:00]

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Trusting the Inerrancy of Scripture: A Personal Journey

Devotional

Day 1: Perceiving God's Glory in Scripture

Day 2: The Self-Authenticating Truth of Scripture

Day 3: Witnessing the Glory of Jesus and Paul

Day 4: The Divine Origin of the Bible

Day 5: The Inerrancy of Scripture

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Trusting the Inerrancy of Scripture: A Personal Journey

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