Table of Contents
“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 with Acts 4:24-25; Isaiah 55:3 with Acts 13:34; Psalm 16:10 with Acts 13:35; Psalm 95:7 with Hebrews 3:7.
- How might you respond to someone who says that the Bible is merely the words of devout religious men?
Note from Site Editor: Ask yourself why would you need to convince anyone that something from an almighty, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent and infallible deity would need a book to communicate with his subjects?
1. In what country or place
In what country or place, does the leader not communicate directly with the people regarding laws, policies or guidelines? Announcements are made. News is broadcast. Speeches are given. Policies are enacted and they’re announced. The leaders always have communication with the citizenry, whether that communication be judged as good or bad.
Since we’re specifically discussing Christianity, the question then becomes why would someone believe a book that has caused so much confusion, hatred, violence, enslavement, genocide, and immoral behavior?
2. Christians will claim
Christians will claim that the Bible is all about love, peace, joy, happiness, forgiveness, hope, and other attributes that humans would view as positive. However, when we view the Bible, as it is written in complete form, from cover to cover, we see that it is a book that was not inspired by any deity in any way.
It’s a collection of books. Christianity picks and selects various sentences, phrases and passages to support whatever claim the Christian wants to support. We can have a book of the Bible that talks about slaughtering the Amalekites, and then watch as Christians take a verse from that very book to talk about victory. The Amalekites, who never really existed in the first place, are never viewed as human beings by Christianity. They’re viewed as the “natural” enemy to the Jews.
3. Why? Christian theologians
Why? Christian theologians try to explain away the inconsistencies and claims made by simply making up excuses or blatantly ignoring what is written down. The vast majority don’t even know the story of the Amalekites but rather view them as an enemy of the Jews that were killed. Nothing more. Nothing less.
So unless you can rewrite factual history and create actual evidence to support the claims made in that book, then there’s nothing you can do. Atheists, on the subject of a deity (yours included), require truth. We want factual, verifiable, unfalsifiable, valid, testable evidence of any deity. There should be absolutely no qualms or fears about this request.
Truth doesn’t fear inspection. Truth fears nothing.
