Dr. Michael D. Halsey
Chapter 2
THE INSPIRATION OF SCRIPTURE
INTRODUCTION
The problem is, what do we mean by the word, "inspiration?" Because of this, it’s important to be as precise as we can. "I believe in the inspiration of the Bible" this is a statement that’s too vague in view of the different ideas about the meaning of the word.
Our ultimate reference point for understanding inspiration is the Bible itself, that is, what it says about itself. Here’s the Bible’s testimony about itself.
II Timothy 3:16 in this verse, the Bible makes three statements about itself.
The entire Bible is inspired and profitable. This speaks as to the extent of inspiration. It’s not that some parts are inspired and others aren’t. The word "Scripture" in the Bible refers to the Old Testament and sometimes to parts of the New Testament. (Luke 24:45; John 10:35. Luke 4:21, I Tim. 5:18 and II Peter 3:16)
The entire Bible is God breathed. This speaks of? of inspiration. The Bible is the result of God’s breath. God breathed out the Scripture.
The entire Bible is profitable. This tells us the purpose of inspiration. Its purpose is to correct, restore and train; therefore, we don’t put the Bible in a glass case to be admired.
In II Peter 1:21 we find the one verse in Scripture that tells us more than any other about how God produced the Bible. The Holy Spirit moved the authors along. The word for "moved" is a word for how the wind takes control of a ship and directs it. The human authors played their part, but their wills didn’t direct the writing of the Bible. The "prophecy" was not by the will of man, that is, human initiative didn’t produce the Bible. God is the source of the Bible.
I Corinthians 2:13 points out that the Bible came to us in words. The actual words of the Bible are inspired.
So, what is "inspiration?" God carried men along so that what they wrote was what God wanted them to write in the Bible. That is, God superintended the human authors of the Bible so that they composed and recorded without error His message to man in the words of their original writings.
"Superintended" means God was guiding the writers so they wrote accurately. "Composed" means they weren’t stenographers. Without error points to John 17:17. And remember inspiration applies and can be said only of the original writings, not copies or translations.
CONCLUSION
There’s no other book like the Bible. God breathed it, men wrote it and we possess it.