The Word for the World

Confidence in the Word

Examining the Bible's Testimony

To Sum Up

It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. So to summarise the main points of what we have attempted to convey through Examining the Bible's Testimony to itself - that the Bible is precisely what it claims to be, the living and active Word of God in written form - we offer three diagrams to show:

  • the ways in which God has revealed himself to humankind:

  • the implications of God breathing-out his Word to us through the Writers of Scripture: and

  • the dual witness of the Bible's writers and the Lord Jesus Christ to the veracity of Scripture.



God's Revelation

God reveals himself to humankind

through
 
Creation Jesus Christ The Bible

General revelation through the natural order

 the Living Word in human form - the Word of God incarnate the Living Word in written form - the Word of God enscripturated


God's Inspiration

God conveys his revelation in the Bible

by

breathing-out his Word, inspiring and moving the Writers by the Holy Spirit

so that all Scripture has
 
Authority Unity Perspicuity
so it is:-
  • infallible
  • inerrant
  • sufficient
so it is:-
  • consistent
  • self-confirmatory
  • "all of a piece"
so it is:-
  • unambigious
  • understandable
  • user-friendly
  • "speaks to me"


Two Witnesses to the Scriptures

The Writers The Lord Jesus Christ
are unanimous in affirming they were divinely guided in their writing. They include (together with others, some of whom are anonymous):-
  • Moses
  • David
  • Solomon
  • The Prophets
  • The Evangelists
  • The Apostles
frequently authenticated his statements by quoting Scripture as authoritative; in particular:-
  • Fulfilment of the law and prophets
  • Quoting the Scriptures as authoritative
  • Identifying himself with the Son of Man
  • Applying the Sign of Jonah
  • Making provision for the New Testament


And Now ...

... having examined, albeit briefly, some of the principal aspects of the Bible's testimony to itself, we now invite you to begin to experience the Bible's power - its remarkable capacity to inspire and inform the Christian's faith - by means of a number of practical exercises.

This is the purpose of our second main section, Experiencing the Bible's Power. By undertaking the exercises we offer, not only will your conviction that the Bible is the authoritative and  authentic Word of God be further enhanced, but you will also find that your confidence in your ability to read and understand the Scriptures begins to grow, so that your overall Confidence in the Word will be greatly increased.


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Jesus' Use of Scripture
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