THE WORD OF GOD (PART 2)
Welcome back beloved.
Today, we shall focus on the inspiration of the Word of God. This is not a dry academic topic; it is the very heartbeat of why we can open our Bibles with trembling confidence and say, “Thus says the Lord.”
The Bible is not a mere collection of wise human writings and as such, not a self-help book. But it is truly inspired (God-breathed); that's why every page carries the very voice of the living God, and is able to make us “wise for salvation” and equip us for every good work.
What Does “Inspiration” Actually Mean?
The English word “inspire” can mislead us in this regard as it often means “to motivate” or “to stir emotionally.” But the biblical term is far more powerful. In 2 Timothy 3:16–17, Paul declares:
“All Scripture is breathed out by God [Greek: theopneustos] and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
Theopneustos literally means “God-breathed” or “exhaled by God.” Scripture is not something God breathed into, rather it is something He breathed out. Just as my words right now are the product of my breath and mind, the Bible is the product of God’s breath and mind, yet miraculously written through human instruments.
“knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1: 20-21)
This refers to the fact that the Word of God did not originate in the human mind. It proclaims the manner in which the word of God was written and thereby given unto us.
Picture a sailing ship: the wind does not destroy the ship’s sails or captain; it fills them and moves the vessel exactly where the wind intends. The human authors were fully conscious, using their vocabularies, personalities, research (as in Luke 1:1–4), and even emotions, yet the Holy Spirit “carried them along” so that the final product was precisely what God wanted. This is called concursive operation; divine and human working together without one overriding the other.
There may be certain questions like the human styles and textual variations of the Bible. Yes, the human style is intentional. Paul will always sound like Paul; John like John. Yet the Spirit superintended so that even their personalities served God’s exact purpose. There may be apparent discrepancies like we have in the Synoptic gospels. Such situations are more of complementary perspectives than contradictions just as four eyewitnesses to a car accident can give different details and, yet one truth.
Notwithstanding the variations, the Bible maintains:
Unity: Imagine 40 authors writing from different locations over 1,500 years, but presenting one coherent redemption story. That is not ordinary.
Power: The word of God convicts, converts, and conforms millions across cultures to the image and intentions of God.
Fulfilled prophecy: The Bible is filled with many specific predictions and fulfilled prophecies as recorded in Micah 5:2, Isaiah 53, etc.
Transformative fruit: No other book has produced the global impact of the Gospel.
Going further, some specific actions are important in relation to the word of God. Because the Bible is God-breathed, you should:
Read it expectantly by seeing yourself as one hearing God’s voice from the written texts.
Obey it confidently. This enables the word to equip you completely.
Defend it lovingly with gentleness and respect, but never apologize for its claims.
The inspiration of the word of God is the trustworthy bridge that brings us to the foundation of Christianity which is Jesus. Remember that Jesus Christ is the central theme of the Bible.
May the same Spirit who carried along the writers now carry you along as you study, so that you become complete, equipped for every good work.
Let us pray:
Lord, thank You that Your Word is not the product of human will but of Your breath. Open my eyes to behold wondrous things from Your law. Amen.
God bless you richly!
© Moses Ota
Welcome back beloved.
Today, we shall focus on the inspiration of the Word of God. This is not a dry academic topic; it is the very heartbeat of why we can open our Bibles with trembling confidence and say, “Thus says the Lord.”
The Bible is not a mere collection of wise human writings and as such, not a self-help book. But it is truly inspired (God-breathed); that's why every page carries the very voice of the living God, and is able to make us “wise for salvation” and equip us for every good work.
What Does “Inspiration” Actually Mean?
The English word “inspire” can mislead us in this regard as it often means “to motivate” or “to stir emotionally.” But the biblical term is far more powerful. In 2 Timothy 3:16–17, Paul declares:
“All Scripture is breathed out by God [Greek: theopneustos] and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
Theopneustos literally means “God-breathed” or “exhaled by God.” Scripture is not something God breathed into, rather it is something He breathed out. Just as my words right now are the product of my breath and mind, the Bible is the product of God’s breath and mind, yet miraculously written through human instruments.
“knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1: 20-21)
This refers to the fact that the Word of God did not originate in the human mind. It proclaims the manner in which the word of God was written and thereby given unto us.
Picture a sailing ship: the wind does not destroy the ship’s sails or captain; it fills them and moves the vessel exactly where the wind intends. The human authors were fully conscious, using their vocabularies, personalities, research (as in Luke 1:1–4), and even emotions, yet the Holy Spirit “carried them along” so that the final product was precisely what God wanted. This is called concursive operation; divine and human working together without one overriding the other.
There may be certain questions like the human styles and textual variations of the Bible. Yes, the human style is intentional. Paul will always sound like Paul; John like John. Yet the Spirit superintended so that even their personalities served God’s exact purpose. There may be apparent discrepancies like we have in the Synoptic gospels. Such situations are more of complementary perspectives than contradictions just as four eyewitnesses to a car accident can give different details and, yet one truth.
Notwithstanding the variations, the Bible maintains:
Unity: Imagine 40 authors writing from different locations over 1,500 years, but presenting one coherent redemption story. That is not ordinary.
Power: The word of God convicts, converts, and conforms millions across cultures to the image and intentions of God.
Fulfilled prophecy: The Bible is filled with many specific predictions and fulfilled prophecies as recorded in Micah 5:2, Isaiah 53, etc.
Transformative fruit: No other book has produced the global impact of the Gospel.
Going further, some specific actions are important in relation to the word of God. Because the Bible is God-breathed, you should:
Read it expectantly by seeing yourself as one hearing God’s voice from the written texts.
Obey it confidently. This enables the word to equip you completely.
Defend it lovingly with gentleness and respect, but never apologize for its claims.
The inspiration of the word of God is the trustworthy bridge that brings us to the foundation of Christianity which is Jesus. Remember that Jesus Christ is the central theme of the Bible.
May the same Spirit who carried along the writers now carry you along as you study, so that you become complete, equipped for every good work.
Let us pray:
Lord, thank You that Your Word is not the product of human will but of Your breath. Open my eyes to behold wondrous things from Your law. Amen.
God bless you richly!
© Moses Ota
THE WORD OF GOD (PART 2)
Welcome back beloved.
Today, we shall focus on the inspiration of the Word of God. This is not a dry academic topic; it is the very heartbeat of why we can open our Bibles with trembling confidence and say, “Thus says the Lord.”
The Bible is not a mere collection of wise human writings and as such, not a self-help book. But it is truly inspired (God-breathed); that's why every page carries the very voice of the living God, and is able to make us “wise for salvation” and equip us for every good work.
What Does “Inspiration” Actually Mean?
The English word “inspire” can mislead us in this regard as it often means “to motivate” or “to stir emotionally.” But the biblical term is far more powerful. In 2 Timothy 3:16–17, Paul declares:
“All Scripture is breathed out by God [Greek: theopneustos] and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
Theopneustos literally means “God-breathed” or “exhaled by God.” Scripture is not something God breathed into, rather it is something He breathed out. Just as my words right now are the product of my breath and mind, the Bible is the product of God’s breath and mind, yet miraculously written through human instruments.
“knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1: 20-21)
This refers to the fact that the Word of God did not originate in the human mind. It proclaims the manner in which the word of God was written and thereby given unto us.
Picture a sailing ship: the wind does not destroy the ship’s sails or captain; it fills them and moves the vessel exactly where the wind intends. The human authors were fully conscious, using their vocabularies, personalities, research (as in Luke 1:1–4), and even emotions, yet the Holy Spirit “carried them along” so that the final product was precisely what God wanted. This is called concursive operation; divine and human working together without one overriding the other.
There may be certain questions like the human styles and textual variations of the Bible. Yes, the human style is intentional. Paul will always sound like Paul; John like John. Yet the Spirit superintended so that even their personalities served God’s exact purpose. There may be apparent discrepancies like we have in the Synoptic gospels. Such situations are more of complementary perspectives than contradictions just as four eyewitnesses to a car accident can give different details and, yet one truth.
Notwithstanding the variations, the Bible maintains:
👉 Unity: Imagine 40 authors writing from different locations over 1,500 years, but presenting one coherent redemption story. That is not ordinary.
👉 Power: The word of God convicts, converts, and conforms millions across cultures to the image and intentions of God.
👉 Fulfilled prophecy: The Bible is filled with many specific predictions and fulfilled prophecies as recorded in Micah 5:2, Isaiah 53, etc.
👉 Transformative fruit: No other book has produced the global impact of the Gospel.
Going further, some specific actions are important in relation to the word of God. Because the Bible is God-breathed, you should:
👉 Read it expectantly by seeing yourself as one hearing God’s voice from the written texts.
👉 Obey it confidently. This enables the word to equip you completely.
👉 Defend it lovingly with gentleness and respect, but never apologize for its claims.
The inspiration of the word of God is the trustworthy bridge that brings us to the foundation of Christianity which is Jesus. Remember that Jesus Christ is the central theme of the Bible.
May the same Spirit who carried along the writers now carry you along as you study, so that you become complete, equipped for every good work.
Let us pray:
Lord, thank You that Your Word is not the product of human will but of Your breath. Open my eyes to behold wondrous things from Your law. Amen.
God bless you richly!
© Moses Ota
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