TRINITY BIBLE CHURCH - 2-Minute Theology

Verbal-Plenary Inspiration of Scripture

7/4/2020

Trinity Bible Church · The Verbal-Plenary Inspiration of Scripture

There are many views on the inspiration of the Scriptures. The Biblical view of inspiration is known as verbal-plenary inspiration.

Verbal means that every word of Scripture is breathed out by God. In other words, God communicated not by thought or ideas, but accurately and precisely through words.

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. - 1 Corinthians 2:13

Verbal inspiration applies not only to the words themselves but to the letters and the parts of the letters.

For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. - Matthew 5:18

Plenary means that all Scripture, in all its parts, is equally from God. There is no part of Scripture that is more inspired than another part. The Law is just as inspired as the Gospels, and the Psalms are just as inspired as the Epistles. By teaching about Himself from the three parts of the Old Testament (i.e., the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms), Jesus affirmed that they were equally inspired.

Now He said to them, These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, - Luke 24:44-45

If only certain parts of Scripture are inspired, which parts are? If some portions of Scripture are more inspired than others, are the more inspired, more trustworthy?

The Holy Spirit's Superintendency of the Scriptures

7/4/2020

Trinity Bible Church · The Holy Spirit’s Superintendency of the Scriptures

The Scripture was breathed out by God and recorded by human writers. These human writers of Scripture were moved by the Holy Spirit.

for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. - 2 Peter 1:21

Moved by the Holy Spirit means that they were led, directed, or carried along by the Holy Spirit. This moving is what is known as the superintending or divine directing of the Holy Spirit.

Though there are portions, such as the Ten Commandments, which were dictated and recorded word-for-word, most of the Scriptures were not dictated. In other words, these holy men were not passive instruments or secretaries. God allowed their personalities and vocabularies to express His Words. This can be seen in the various writing styles of the Bible. John’s writings reflect the style of a fisherman — simple and straightforward. Luke’s writings reflect the style of a doctor — sophisticated and detailed. Paul’s writings reflect the style of a lawyer — philosophical and challenging.

Since the Holy Spirit superintended the human authorship, God’s Word was recorded without error in the original autographs. Autographs refer to the original documents of Scripture. While there are no known original documents in existence, we do have apographs or copies of the originals. It is essential to understand that inspiration only applies to the original writings or autographs.

The Authorship of Scripture

7/1/2020

Trinity Bible Church · The Authorship Of Scripture

The Scripture has a divine author — God.

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

Inspiration comes from two Greek terms theos meaning God and pneuma meaning breath. God did not breathe on the text to inspire it. Instead, He breathed the Scriptures, out of His mouth (Matthew 4:4).

But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. - Matthew 4:4

The Scriptures were penned by humans. When God breathed out His Word, He communicated His words to human writers, who in turn recored what was spoken by God. These men were not supernatural or inspired. Scripture was not the by-product of their logic or reasoning (1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21).

For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe. - 1 Thessalonians 2:13
for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. - 2 Peter 1:21

Rather than producing the Scriptures on their own, the human authors were moved by the Holy Spirit. Moved by the Holy Spirit means that they were led, directed, or carried along by the Holy Spirit. This moving is what is known as the superintending or divine directing of the Holy Spirit.

Progressive Revelation

6/29/2020

Trinity Bible Church · Progressive Revelation

The revelation of God through the Scriptures was progressive. God did not reveal all of Himself or His will in one moment. Instead, He revealed it to humanity, over a span of time. For example, God did not reveal everything about His redemptive plan through Jesus at once. God revealed to Adam and Eve that the Savior would come through the seed of the woman, but not which woman (Genesis 3:15).

And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel. - Genesis 3:15

God revealed the means of Jesus’ death to David (Psalm 22:1, 7-9, 16b-19).

My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning. [...] All who see me sneer at me; They separate with the lip, they wag the head, saying, Commit yourself to the Lord; let Him deliver him; Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him. [...] They pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me; They divide my garments among them, And for my clothing they cast lots. But You, O Lord, be not far off; O You my help, hasten to my assistance. - Psalm 22:1, 7-9, 16b-19

God revealed to Micah, where Jesus would be born (Micah 5:2).

But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity. - Micah 5:2

Progressive Revelation does not mean that older revelation is irrelevant or less Scriptural than newer revelation, since all Scripture is given by God. As R. C. Sproul states, “The Bible is to be regarded as a holistic book in which the Old Testament helps us understand the New Testament and the New Testament sheds significant light on the Old Testament.”1

ENDNOTES:
1. R. C. Sproul, Can I Trust the Bible?, vol. 2, The Crucial Questions Series (Lake Mary, FL: Reformation Trust Publishing, 2009), 17.

General and Special Revelation

6/26/2020

Trinity Bible Church · General and Special Revelation

The Bible is a revelation or uncovering of God and His ways to man. God has chosen to reveal Himself through two avenues: General Revelation and Special Revelation.

General Revelation is available to all. It reveals truths about God and points man to God. There are three types of general revelation: nature, providence, and conscience.

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen... so that they are without excuse. - Romans 1:20
living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them... and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons... - Acts 14:15b-17
For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law... show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness... - Romans 2:14-15

Special Revelation is that revelation that reveals truths about God that could not be known through General Revelation. Special Revelation comes through Jesus, the Living Word.

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son ... - Hebrews 1:1-2

Special Revelation also comes through the Scriptures, the Written Word.

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. - 2 Timothy 3:16-17

The Visible Return of Christ

6/24/2020

Trinity Bible Church · The Visible Return of Christ

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. - Matthew 24:29-31

The term rapture comes from the Latin term rapturo, meaning to be caught up. At the Rapture, Christ will literally descend from Heaven and meet His Bride, the Church, in the air. The Rapture of the Church will precede the Tribulation Period. Revelation 6:16 speaks of the Tribulation as the great day of wrath. 1 Thessalonians 1:10 states that believers will be saved from the wrath to come. At the Second Coming, Jesus will again return, physically descending from Heaven after the seven-year Tribulation period. He will then establish His Millennial Kingdom and judge the nations.

The Bodily Resurrection of Christ

6/22/2020

Trinity Bible Church · The Bodily Resurrection Of Christ

While they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst and said to them, Peace be to you. But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit. And He said to them, […] See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have. […] He said to them, Have you anything here to eat? They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish; and He took it and ate it before them. […] - Luke 24:36-47
…For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, […] and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. - 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, 14-15

Whereas death was the basis for salvation, the resurrection becomes the basis for one’s faith. Like death, the resurrection was also literal. It was seen by many and was stated to be a fact by the angels at the empty tomb. The resurrection assures the deity of Christ and His victory over death.

The Substitutionary Atonement of Christ

6/20/2020

Trinity Bible Church · The Substitutionary Atonement of Christ

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace […] But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. - Ephesians 1:7; 2:13
Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. - Acts 20:28
whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; […] Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. - Romans 3:25; 5:9
…through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. […] how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? - Hebrews 9:12-14

The death of Jesus Christ was literal. It was seen by those who crucified Him and by those who believed in Him. Christ’s death was voluntary in that He willingly went to the cross. Christ’s death was vicarious in that He took humanity’s place as the payment for sin. Christ’s death was victorious in that He defeated death and Satan.

When Christ died, He poured out His blood. Without death and the shed blood, there is no basis for humanity’s salvation. It is the shed blood of Christ that enables God to forgive sin. Christ’s shed blood can atone for all sins committed by all people throughout all time. However, the blood is only efficacious upon those who repent of their sins, place their faith in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection and submit to Him as Lord. As well, the blood of Christ cleanses the sinner, making them pure and fit to serve the Lord.

The Virgin Birth of Christ

6/19/2020

Trinity Bible Church · The Virgin Birth Of Jesus

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. - Isaiah 7:14
Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which translated means, God with us. - Matthew 1:23
to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. - Luke 1:27

Like the Father, Jesus is eternal with no beginning and no end. Jesus was with God at creation and was God at creation. In order for Christ to be the payment for the sins of humanity, He not only had to be wholly God, but He also had to be completely human. Within Mary’s womb, Jesus took on His human nature. Like any other person, He had flesh, bones, and blood. As well, Jesus experienced feelings such as hunger, sleep, and thirst.

Since the sin nature passed down through the male progenitor, Jesus had to be born of a virgin in order to be the sinless sacrifice for sins. Being a virgin, Mary had no relations with a man when she conceived the human body of Jesus. The Holy Spirit was the agent of conception. Thus, Jesus was born without a sin nature.

Jesus did not give up His deity, nor did He change His deity. He was and is one hundred percent deity while becoming one hundred percent flesh. The two natures of Christ have never mixed; they are distinct and will remain as such forever. Without Christ taking on flesh, He would never have tasted death for humanity and become the Savior.

The Deity of Christ

6/16/2020

Trinity Bible Church · The Deity Of Christ

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. - John 1:1
Thomas answered and said to Him, My Lord and my God! - John 20:28
But of the Son He says, Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, And the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness above Your companions. - Hebrews 1:8-9

Christ is the exact image or representation of God. As God, He possesses all the attributes of deity — eternality, omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence. In Christ dwells all the fullness or totality of the essence of God. Being God, it was and is impossible for Jesus to sin. If Christ were only a man and not the God-man, then He could not have died to save the lost.

WHY TWO MINUTES?

The Two-Minute Rule states “When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do.” The idea behind the rule is to make a habit easy to start.
One of the goals for 2-Minute Theology is to help believers develop a theological habit.
Another goal is to provide believers with a resource they can use to 'test the spirits' to see if they are from God.

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