Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Becoming a theologian: Why we use the Bible

As we continue our study to become a theologian, I want to look today at why we can use the Bible as our starting point. The Bible as we know it has four characteristics:

  1. Authority
  2. Clarity
  3. Necessity
  4. Sufficiency

Let's look at what each of these mean.

Authority

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

2 Timothy 3:16

  • If Scripture is God-breathed (inspired by God), can we trust what it says about God?
  • Who knows God better than God Himself? nobody
  • If God inspired all of Scripture, then the Scripture itself has authority to tell us about God

Clarity

6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.


Deuteronomy 6:6-7

  • Some of Scripture may be hard to understand, but for the most part, it is clear and easy to understand.
  • Would we be commanded to teach it to our children if it couldn't be understood clearly?
  • Would we be commanded to talk about it in different situations to different people if nobody could undertand it clearly?

Necessity

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Matthew 4:4

  • We know we need to eat to live. Jesus tells us that we need God's Word to live.
  • If Jesus tells us we need God's Word to live, do you think we need it?

Sufficiency

16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

  • Scripture equips us to do every good work.
  • Are there things we should do that Scripture does not help us with? No
  • You may also recall from our study of Psalm 119 that Scripture is useful for many things.
  • Is there any thing else that we can take as having authority, clarity, and necessity? no

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