1-The Bible - NAS

1. The Bible Is Inspired by God.
2 Peter 1:21 For no _prophecy_ was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy _Spirit_ spoke from God.

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for _correction_, for training in _righteousness_;

2. The Bible, As God's Word, Is True and Dependable.
Psalms 119:160 The sum of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous _ordinances_ is _everlasting_.

Psalms 12:6-7 The words of the LORD are pure words; As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times. [7] You, O LORD, will keep them; You will _preserve_ him from this _generation_ forever.

3. God's Word Is Eternal.
Matthew 24:35 "_Heaven_ and earth will pass away, but My _words_ will not pass away.

4. God Gives Us the Scriptures for Various Reasons.
Romans 15:4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through _perseverance_ and the _encouragement_ of the Scriptures we might have hope.

2 Timothy 3:15 And that from _childhood_ you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to _salvation_ through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

5. The Scriptures Point to Jesus.
John 5:39 "You search the _Scriptures_ because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that _testify_ about Me;

6. The Holy Spirit Will Help Us to Understand.
John 16:13 "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own _initiative_, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will _disclose_ to you what is to come.

7. Our Hearts Must Be Open to Spiritual Things.
1 Corinthians 2:13 Which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, _combining_ spiritual _thoughts_ with spiritual words.

8. We Must Compare Scripture with Scripture.
Isaiah 28:9-10 "To whom would He teach _knowledge_, And to whom would He _interpret_ the _message_? Those just weaned from milk? Those just taken from the breast? [10] "For He says, 'Order on order, order on order, Line on line, line on line, A little here, a little there.' "

9. Truth Comes to Open Minds.
John 17:17 "_Sanctify_ them in the truth; Your _word_ is truth.

John 7:17 "If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the _teaching_, whether it is of God or whether I speak from _Myself_.

10. Important Characteristics of the Bible.
(1) Its unity: The Bible at first sight appears to be merely a collection of ancient literature. However, considering that it was written by approximately forty authors over a period of nearly sixteen hundred years, its unity is amazing. The plan of salvation is revealed progressively from Genesis to Revelation. There is unity in its theme: The Messiah is promised throughout the Old Testament and declared in every New Testament book to have come in the person of Jesus Christ. And there is complete harmony of teaching: The doctrines of the Old and New Testament are the same.

(2) The history it portrays: The Old Testament embodies the oldest history of any people in the world. William F. Albright, the greatest archaeologist of the twentieth century, wrote, "hebrew national tradition excels all other in its clear picture of tribal and family origins. In Egypt and Babylonia, in Assyria and Phoenicia, in Greece and Rome, we look in vain for anything comparable. There is nothing like it in the tradition of the Germanic peoples. Neither India nor China can produce anything similar. "-The Biblical Period From Abraham to Ezra (new York: Harper, Torch Book, 1963), p. 27.

(3) Its survival: The Bible, compared with other ancient writings, has more manuscript evidence than any other piece of classical literature-in spite of early attempts by Roman emperors to destroy it. For example, there are more than five thousand known Greek manuscripts of the New Testament in existence. Homer's Iliad is second with only 643 manuscripts that have survived.

The reason for this phenomenon is the Holy Spirit, the real author of God's Word. He inspired all the human authors and ensured that the biblical historians presented an accurate picture. He watched over the history and preservation of the Bible.

Contributed by: Gerard Pfandl, Associate Director of the Biblical Research Institute of the General Conference. Taken from "the Prophetic Gift", Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide, December 31, 2008.

Next Bible Study: 2-Who God Is

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