DRAWING NEAR
October 13
From the Mouth of God
"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching,
for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that
the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work" (2
Tim. 3:16-17).
God's Word is inspired.
Second Timothy 3:16 speaks of the inspiration of Scripture.
"Inspired" is the translation of a Greek word that literally means
"God-breathed." Every word of Scripture is from the mouth of God.
Theologians speak of inspiration as the mysterious process by which
God worked through the authors of Scripture to produce inerrant and
divinely authoritative writings. Inspiration is a mystery because
Scripture doesn't explain specifically how it occurred. The only
glimpse we have is this from 2 Peter: "Know this first of all, that
no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for
no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by
the Holy Spirit spoke from God" (vv. 20-21).
"Interpretation" speaks of origin. Scripture didn't originate on the
human level, but with the Holy Spirit, who moved upon the authors to
write it (v. 21). "Moved" is the translation of a nautical term that
describes the effects of wind upon a ship as it blows against its
sails and moves it through the water. Similarly, the Spirit moved on
the biblical writers to produce the Word of God in the language of
men.
The human authors of Scripture knew they were writing God's Word, and
did so with confidence and authority. Often they cited or alluded to
one another as authoritative agents of divine revelation (e.g., 2
Pet. 3:15-17).
On a personal level, inspiration guarantees that what Scripture says,
God says. It's His counsel to you, so you can study and obey it with
full assurance that it is true and will never lead you astray.
Suggestions for Prayer:
Praise the Lord for His inspired Word. Reaffirm your commitment to
live according to its principles today.
For Further Study:
Often the New Testament affirms the inspiration of the Old Testament
by attributing Old Testament quotations to God Himself. For example,
compare these Old Testament passages with their New Testament
counterparts: Genesis 2:24 with Matthew 19:4-5; Psalm 2:1-2 with Acts
4:25-26; Isaiah 55:3 with Acts 13:34; Psalm 16:10 with Acts 13:35;
Psalm 95:7-11 with Hebrews 3:7-11.
How might you respond to someone who says that the Bible is merely
the words of devout religious men?
Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
2 Peter 3:15-17
15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; as
also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him,
has written to you,
16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in
which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable
people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of
the Scriptures.
17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware
lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with
the error of the wicked
....
Genesis 2:24
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined
to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Matthew 19:4-5
4 And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who
made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,'
5 "and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and
mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one
flesh'?"
....
Psalm 2:1-2
2:1 Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel
together, Against the LORD and against His Anointed
Acts 4:25-26
25 "who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: 'Why did the
nations rage, And the people plot vain things?
26 The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were
gathered together Against the LORD and against His Christ.'
....
Isaiah 55:3
3 Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you; The sure mercies of
David.
Acts 13:34
34 And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to
corruption, He has spoken thus: "I will give you the sure mercies of
David."
....
Psalm 16:10
10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your
Holy One to see corruption.
Acts 13:35
35 "Therefore He also says in another Psalm: 'You will not allow
Your Holy One to see corruption.'
....
Psalm 95:7-11
7 For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the
sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice:
8 "Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, As in the day of
trial in the wilderness,
9 When your fathers tested Me; They tried Me, though they saw My
work.
10 For forty years I was grieved with that generation, And said, 'It
is a people who go astray in their hearts, And they do not know My
ways.'
11 So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest.'"
Hebrews 3:7-11
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you will hear His
voice,
8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial
in the wilderness,
9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, And saw My works forty
years.
10 Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, 'They
always go astray in their heart, And they have not known My ways.'
11 So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest.'"
~~~
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.
You can hear John MacArthur daily via the Internet by visiting:
http://www2.oneplace.com/Ministries/Grace_to_You/
and
http://www.gty.org.uk/
You may email John MacArthur in care of Grace to You at:
letters@gty.org
NOTE for those of you reading via newsgroups: If you wish to reach
me, please contact me via e-mail for quickest results.
In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase1@wideopenwest.com
STOP! Who do you think Jesus is?
http://www.gty.org/Gospel
http://www.gty.org/
http://www.nwbible.org/
To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and to discover that the prisoner was you. -Alistair Begg
.
|
