Posts Tagged ‘inspiration’
Indwelling
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2003/12/Indwelling.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Psalm 139 I. The concept of indwelling, specifically the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, is interesting because there are so many misconceptions given that a simple answer is commonly rejected. II. Who is the Holy Spirit? A. The religious world holds many ideas regarding the Spirit of God 1. Some…
Read MoreCan inspiration of the Bible be proven?
Question: I know II Timothy 3:16: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” I had a discussion with a person who is not a member of the Church of Christ and, therefore, not a Christian. I was referring to the Scriptures…
Read MoreIf the Bible Was Human in Origin
by Terry Wane Benton If God was just made up, and the records of the Israelites that gave us the Old Testament were totally made up by them, then they were not very smart. They predicted their own demise and their rejection of their Messiah, making themselves look ridiculous. Who makes up a story about…
Read MoreJesus Believed in Inspiration
by Perry Hall “Inspiration,” how it happens, what it means, and why it is important are all questions, some of which have more straightforward answers than others. As far as how it happens, I don’t have all the answers other than the personality of each writer is apparently intact, which I do not find incompatible…
Read MoreAs the Holy Spirit Says
by Terry Wane Benton When the topic of “inspiration” (breathed of God) is brought up, some will argue that we don’t know how the Scriptures are “breathed of God,” but we do know that the words of the Scriptures were delivered from God’s mind to the mind of the writers of the holy Scriptures. Whenever…
Read MoreDo commentaries contain God’s words?
Question: In these dark days of political upheaval, financial uncertainty, and more, Christians and non-Christians alike have been asking many questions! Deep spiritual questions. I have questions, and I am not the only one in our Bible study groups! l think you will agree that men of God have written Bible commentary and claim that…
Read MoreBiblical Infallibility
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Biblical Infallibility: Can We Trust the Bible? Biblical Infallibility: The Bible’s Claims for Itself Biblical Infallibility: Arguments Against the Bible
Read MoreThe Unusual Style of the Bible
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/The-Unusual-Style-of-the-Bible.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Peter 1:16-21 I. When we talk about the Bible, a major point made in its defense is to point out the unusual unity it displays despite being written by about 40 writers over a 1,500 year period. A. The authors lived in different regions, had different occupations. B. The writings…
Read MoreI think Adam and Eve sinned simultaneously
Question: Dear Minister: Adam and Eve Sinned Simultaneously. In “How Long Is A Day?” you said, “If Eve was not the first to sin, then what do we do with Paul’s proof in I Timothy 2:14?” First, consider the source (Saul|Paul, aka 18 verses in Acts 22:24-29; 22:30; 23:1-5; 23:6-11). Paul’s argument started from the wrong…
Read MoreSpiritual Thoughts, Spiritual Words
by Matthew W. Bassford The fundamental question of our faith is whether the Bible is the inspired word of God. If it is, we can rely on its contents. If it isn’t, everything we believe in, from the creation to the resurrection, is built on a foundation of sand instead of rock. Not surprisingly, then,…
Read MoreThe Nature of the Apostles’ Inspiration
by Clarence Johnson Sentry Magazine, September 1999 When Jesus sent the apostles out on what is sometimes called the limited commission to preach to the lost sheep of Israel. He told them, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware…
Read MoreThe Inspiration and Preservation of Scripture
by George P. Estes Sentry Magazine, December 1999 That Scripture is the word of God is accepted by all who believe in God and in Jesus. This includes the sixty-six books we call the Bible. ln this age, some nineteen hundred years from the apostles of Christ, we need proof of what we have. And…
Read MoreHow Do We KNOW the Bible Is True?
by Jefferson David Tant Introduction For thousands of years, a book has influenced the world. Eastern and Western civilizations have had their laws, customs, and culture molded by the teachings of this ancient document. Kingdoms have risen and fallen in keeping with prophetical statements contained within its pages. In the 550 years since Johannes Gutenberg…
Read MoreForeshadowing
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Foreshadowing.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Genesis 22:1-14 I. A mark of a good writer is his use of foreshadows to give the reader a hint of what is to come later in the story A. It gives a sense of unity to a book, but it is difficult to do well. Small details must be…
Read MoreHomer Sometimes Nodded
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Homer-Sometimes-Nodded.mp3 Text: Numbers 23:18-19 I. Horace (65 – 8 B.C.), a Latin poet, wrote “Sometimes even the noble Homer nods” A. Homer was a blind Greek poet of the eight century B.C. Know for the Illiad and the Odyssey. B. As accomplished as Homer was, he sometimes erred with reference to the facts of the incidents that…
Read MoreBiblical Infallibility: Arguments Against the Bible
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Arguments-Against-the-Bible.mp3 Text: I Peter 1:22-25 I. The arguments have not changed much over the years. Same given today as hundreds of years ago. II. All or Nothing A. Do we have to insist on total infallibility of the Scriptures? B. Some fear that one error would overthrow all of Christianity. C. However, if the writers of the Bible were…
Read MoreBecause the Bible doesn’t mention the Western Hemisphere, does that mean the Bible is uninspired?
Question: When reading the Bible all the revelations seem to only be to people in the east, on continents like Asia and Africa. But what about civilizations in the west in north and South America? Did they not get the revelations? Also, it seems they say “the whole earth” when referring to the eastern continents,…
Read MoreI think Paul changed his mind as he got older
Question: I note that you comment a lot from Apostle Paul’s epistles, but the apostle Paul changes his mind on subjects as he ages. Food for one. I understand that he didn’t want to put a burden on the Gentiles, especially when literacy rates were probably so low in that era. Now, literacy is high…
Read MoreHow did prophets know what God wanted them to say?
Question: So you know that Moses who wrote some of the books of the Bible and other people also wrote books. How did they know what God wanted and what He didn’t want? Or did God really have a voice that reached from the heavens to earth and told them what to write back then?…
Read MoreLocation
Location (1)Location (2) by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalm 119:153-160 I. The Bible doesn’t contain fillers. Every word exists in its text for a reason – I Corinthians 2:11-13 A. That doesn’t mean we are always aware of the reason but we should acknowledge that God does know His purpose B. The four gospels only mention 25…
Read MoreHow could Peter say that God has given us everything through the Bible prior to the Bible’s completion?
Question: Was the New Testament written prior to A.D. 70? I realize scholars claim the book of revelation was written around A.D. 95, but if that were so, does it pertain to life and godliness? I Peter 1:3 says, “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and…
Read MoreGod never speaks to us in verbal language
Question: Peace be with you; We’re dealing with God’s word, not conversation between two people, so God never speak to us in verbal language. Best wishes. Answer: I left this note as it was sent. I have to admit, I’m puzzled because there are so many wrong concepts presented in so few words. The Bible…
Read MoreThe Resurrection of Christ and the Inspiration of the Scriptures
by Robert H. Farish via Gospel Guardian, April 14, 1960 The evidence by which the resurrection of Christ is proved is the testimony of the apostles. This testimony was originally given orally and later put into writing by the apostles. This testimony asserts not only the miracle of the resurrection (I Corinthians 15:20) but also…
Read MoreDoes John 14:26 apply to Christians today?
Question: Hi Jeff, Does John 14:26 apply to Christians today? If not, why? Thanks. Answer: “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that…
Read MoreYou can’t cite Paul’s testimony regarding himself. He could be a liar
Question: How can you justify Paul’s claim as being an apostle if he is a liar, who spends a lot of time claiming he isn’t a liar? Shouldn’t one use other sources to substantiate a person’s claims? If I used my wife or children as an alibi, the police would look for someone outside my…
Read MoreDoes Inspiration Change a Man?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/DoesInspirationChangeAMan.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Samuel 6:1-12 I. A common teaching among the denominations is that a person cannot come to know God unless the Spirit of God enters in to change his outlook. A. It comes from a basic belief that man is born corrupt from the sin of Adam. He needs God…
Read MoreOur Changing Attitude Toward the Bible
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/OurChangingAttitudeTowardTheBible.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Peter 1:22-25 I. A new translation of the Bible came out last month, called “As Good as New: A Radical Retelling of the Scriptures.” A. Actually, “translation” is not a good description of it. As my wife commented, it doesn’t even make a good paraphrase. B. Several examples were given…
Read MoreIs the Bible fallible because it was written in human languages?
Question: Dear Jeffrey, I am sorry that I have to turn to you for help, but this is why I am currently studying to be a preacher because people like you and many others inspire me to be able to teach. Unfortunately, I have wasted away much of my life after vain things, such as…
Read MoreLed by the Spirit
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/LedByTheSpirit.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Romans 8:1-17 I. We have spoken at length in the past about the exactly who is the Holy Spirit A. We have shown that he is a being who is a part of the Godhead, just as the Father and the Son. B. He is made more mysterious by men because of…
Read MoreAre the Gospel Writers Credible?
by Wayne Jackson The writers of the Gospel accounts — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John — quite definitely affirm that Jesus Christ claimed to be the Son of God and that he performed miracles to authenticate that affirmation. Further, they allege that even though Jesus was put to death on the cross, after three days…
Read MoreBiblical Infallibility: The Bible’s Claims for Itself
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/BiblesClaimsForItself.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Deuteronomy 31:24-29 I. A. When talking about whether we can trust the Bible or not, it may seem strange to turn to the very book we are considering. B. We want to show that it is not a optional belief. C. The Bible claims to be infallible. If it is not in…
Read MoreValidating the Good News
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/ValidatingTheGoodNews.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Isaiah 41:21-29 I. How do I know that the Bible is inspired? How can I be really certain that it comes from God? A. There are various ways to show that the Bible must have came from God. B. Today we will use methods that the Bible itself suggests. II. If the…
Read MoreThe Wondrous Book of God
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/WondrousBookOfGod.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalm 119:17-24 I. Eulogy of the Bible Many years ago, I entered the wonderful temple of God’s revelation. I entered the portico of Genesis and walked down through the Old Testament Art Gallery where the pictures of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, and Daniel hung…
Read MoreGod Told Me
by Doy Moyer Years ago, my dad (Forrest Moyer) was on live radio teaching Scripture. A man called in and said, “God spoke to me and told me to play my guitar in church.” Dad responded, “Really? Well God told me not to.” The man quickly responded, “Oh no He didn’t.” Hmm. I was having a Bible…
Read MoreI had wondered why I wasn’t hearing God’s voice as other people claimed
Question: Hello Jeff, I don’t know if you will read this or not because I notice that you have a very busy schedule with all the work that keeping the website implies. I just wanted to thank you for your comments on the answer to Should I have faith in God getting this girl to like…
Read MoreWhy do you use the non-inspired NKJV?
Question: Love your site! But why do you use the non-inspired version that has changed scriptures and missing words? I also notice that some of the NKJV have a 666 crest that looks like a trinity circle on them. Very deceptive — just like the fish sign for Dagod! Thanks for your thoughts. Answer: There is…
Read MoreIf the Bible is inspired then why does it say the earth is round and in other spots speak as if it is flat?
Question: If the author of the Bible is God through people, why in some places does it say the earth is a circle, like a phrase where it says we are like grasshoppers and God is watching over us and then there is another one where a tree is described and it says that everyone…
Read MoreProphetic Proof
Prophetic Proof – Part 1Prophetic Proof Part 2 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Deuteronomy 18:18-22 I. Throughout history there have been people claiming to know what others do not A. They claim to know mind of God and the future B. If you hint at questioning the truth of their claim, they get upset. C. Yet, Moses told…
Read MoreHow do I answer the claim that the Scriptures have some truth but can’t be infallible because men were involved in its writing?
Question: I was talking about the inspiration of Scripture with a friend. He claimed that the Scriptures had some truth and were inspired by God, but were not infallible because men had to have messed it up in our fallibility. He also said that there was no way God forced men to have written the…
Read MoreHow May We Know the Bible is of God?
by Abraham Smith Can you trust your Bible? Is the Bible a book of God or a book of man? If we doubt the Bible’s trustworthiness, we lose it as: an infallible standard of truth; an authoritative basis for obedience or hope; “living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12); and as a…
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