Goodlow Evangelical Free Church
January 25, 2015
One God – One Word
Biblical
Inspiration
Births
LifeEverlasting
Be
InformedBefore
Leaving Earth
While the majority of churchgoers desire to
honour Christ with their lives and even profess to think on biblical truths, a recent study found few
actually engage in personal reading and
study of the Scriptures.
Survey Topic Response
Read the Bible at least once a week
14%
Read the Bible either seldom or never
67%
Strongly agree the Bible is the word of God
18%
Agree that the Bible has irreconcilable contradictions
69% Cdns.50% Christians
Bible Engagement in Canada, 2013
Sponsored by the Canadian Bible Forum and theEvangelical Fellowship of Canada
Survey Topic Response
Agree that the Bible is relevant to modern life
13% Cdns.23% Christians
Reflect on the meaning of the Bible for their lives at least a few times a week
11% Cdns.21% Christians
Agree that the scriptures of all major world religions teach essentially the same things
64% Cdns.60% Christians
Talk to others about the Bible outside of religious services at least once a week
6% Cdns.11% Christians
Bible Engagement in Canada, 2013
Sponsored by the Canadian Bible Forum and theEvangelical Fellowship of Canada
"You can follow Christ and see
Christianity as your source of truth.
"You can follow Christ and see
Christianity as your source of truth.
But if that truth does not permeate
your thoughts, aspirations and
actions, you are not fully engaging
the truth.“E. Stetzer
LifeWay Research
We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments,
through the words of human authors.
As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original
writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate
authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it
teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and
trusted in all that it promises.
“God has worked by His Holy Spirit through the instrumentality of the whole
personality, life experiences and literary talents of human authors to produce the very words
that God desired to be written to reveal Himself and His purposes to human beings.
Peter describes this process as men speaking from God, ‘...as they were carried
along by the Spirit.’ (2 Peter 1:20-210)”
Gospel Truths: EFCC; 2011
LIFE AFTER BAPTISMWe are to live “dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus”• not continuing our previous way of living• living so that sin is not the ruler of our
lives
Baptism?16 All Scripture is
given by inspiration of God…
1 Timothy 3:16
The Bible is: • verbally inspired • without error in the original writings
Integrity of The Old Testament• The scrolls of Isaiah and Daniel found in Qumran date from approximately 1700 BC
• The earliest extant Old Testament texts dated from 980 AD
Integrity of The Old Testament• Comparison of these texts revealed (for Chapter 53 of the book of Isaiah):• 10 letters – spelling differences• 4 letters – stylistic changes• 3 letters – the word “light” was
added• 17 letters – no affect on Biblical
teaching
There are, of course, critical scholars who, despite the evidence, continue to argue
against the authenticity of Daniel and other biblical books. Yet, the Qumran texts have
provided compelling evidence that buttresses our faith in the integrity of the manuscripts on which our translations are
based.
It is now up to Bible believers to allow these texts to direct our attention to divine
concerns and become the people God intends us to be.
G. BrantleyApologetics Press
Integrity of The New Testament• We have far better evidence for the integrity of the New Testament text than any other book from the ancient world
Integrity of The New Testament• We have far better evidence for the integrity of the New Testament text than any other book from the ancient world• Caesar’s Gallic Wars – earliest manuscript is 950 years after the actual writing
Integrity of The New Testament• Manuscripts of the New Testament
– the earliest fragment is 35 years after the writing
Integrity of The New Testament• Manuscripts of the New Testament
– the earliest fragment is 35 years after the writing
• Variances between manuscripts are mainly spelling or transcription in nature and do not alter the meaning of the text
LIFE AFTER BAPTISMWe are to live “dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus”• not continuing our previous way of living• living so that sin is not the ruler of our
lives
Baptism?32 Assuredly, I say to you,
this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words
will by no means pass away.
Luke 21:32-33
The Bible is: • verbally inspired • without error in the original writings • the complete revelation of His will
Complete Revelation:• God has spoken all we need to know for
Christian faith and life – for both doctrine and duty
LIFE AFTER BAPTISMWe are to live “dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus”• not continuing our previous way of living• living so that sin is not the ruler of our
lives
Baptism?God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by
the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He
made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His
person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself
purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of
the Majesty on high,
Hebrews 1:1-3
LIFE AFTER BAPTISMWe are to live “dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus”• not continuing our previous way of living• living so that sin is not the ruler of our
lives
Baptism?Therefore we also, since we are
surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race
that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author
and finisher of our faith…
Hebrews 12:1-2
Complete Revelation:• God has spoken all we need to know for
Christian faith and life – for both doctrine and duty
• The saving grace of God is revealed in the Bible
Complete Revelation:• Neither general revelation nor conscience
alone is able to bring us to a saving knowledge of God
Complete Revelation:• Neither general revelation nor conscience
alone is able to bring us to a saving knowledge of God
• Nothing can be added to Christ’s redemptive work revealed in the Bible
LIFE AFTER BAPTISMWe are to live “dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus”• not continuing our previous way of living• living so that sin is not the ruler of our
lives
Baptism?14 I know that whatever God does,
it shall be forever.Nothing can be added to it,and nothing taken from it.
God does it, that men should fear before Him.
Ecclesiastes 3:14
The Bible is: • verbally inspired • without error in the original writings • the complete revelation of His will • the ultimate authority
The authority of the Bible embraces both belief and behaviour...all knowledge,
from whatever source, must be in service of the word of God, and that word provides the necessary norms by which to assess
all other knowledge.
“Where stands it written?” became the watchword
for all faith and practice. We stand strongly on that tradition.
Gospel Truths: EFCC; 2011
Because the Bible is the word of God:• it is to be believed
What Next?
Because the Bible is the word of God:• it is to be believed• it is to be obeyed
What Next?
Because the Bible is the word of God:• it is to be believed• it is to be obeyed • it is to be trusted
What Next?
LIFE AFTER BAPTISMWe are to live “dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus”• not continuing our previous way of living• living so that sin is not the ruler of our
lives
Baptism?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 complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
1 Timothy 3:16-17
LIFE AFTER BAPTISMWe are to live “dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus”• not continuing our previous way of living• living so that sin is not the ruler of our
lives
Baptism?18 …by two immutable things, in which it
is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled
for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. 19 This hope we have as an
anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast…
Hebrews 618-19
Last eve I passed beside
a blacksmith’s door,
And heard the anvil ring
the vesper chime;
Then, looking in, I saw
upon the floor
Old hammers, worn
with beating years of
time.
“How many anvils have
you had,” said I,
“To wear and batter
all these hammers so?”
“Just one,” said he, and
then with twinkling eye,
“The anvil wears the
hammers out, you know.”
And so, thought I, the
anvil of God’s Word,
For ages skeptic blows
have beat upon;
Yet, though the noise of
falling blows was heard,
The anvil is unharmed –
the hammers - gone.Author Unknown
What Next?
Our study found that it is important for people to believe that:
• the Bible is the word of God, • it is reliable and trustworthy, and • it has unique teachings.
What Next?
Given that large swaths of the church lack confidence in the Bible and rarely participate in conversations about the
Bible, there is work to do.
What Next?
Churches should create opportunities for people to talk about the meaning of the
Bible for their lives…By talking about the meaning of the
Bible, you teach people to have confidence in the Bible because the very conversation communicates that there is meaning to be found in their lives.