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THE SUFFICIENCY OF SCRIPTURE PART #1

II TIMOTHY 3:16

Open to 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is from God. 3000 pages printed @60 seconds in America…but among the sea one is alone, unique…I hold it in my hands today!

The sufficiency of the Scripture is the statement of the incredible nature of this book: Divine—many books change mind, only this one changes your nature!

What does it mean? Bible sufficient to address every aspect of existence with supernatural transforming authority!

1. Life and its purpose: 2. Death Preparation 3. Marriage Secrets of Success 4. Children God Ordained Needs 5. Money: How To Use It 6. Pleasure: How To Enjoy It 7. Power: How To Get It

Deals with absolute authority in realm of attitudes, responses, how to cultivate graces, virtues-and on Scriptures deal directly and with finality on tough issues – • Death as in protracted • Disease as in epidemic • Disasters – even nuclear • Devastation – war • Depraved hearts God gives in it—

 Absolutes in a relativistic world.  Divine decrees in a man-centered society.  The last word to endless questions.  Hope in an era of hopelessness.  The promise of happiness as so many pursue fleeting thrills finding nothing.

We See –  Salvation in midst of a lost world.

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 Judgment Divine in midst of global  Heaven as our world decays  Eternal horror as we hear all ways to God.

So, what is it about this book? 1941, an English scholar, started work on a new translation of a great piece of literature. He got more than planned. Now familiar name, J.B. Phillips – The present translator who has closely studied these letters for several years is struck by two things. First, their surprising vitality. Without holding fundamentalist views on “inspiration”, he is continually struck by the living quality of the material on which he is working. Some will, no doubt, consider it merely superstitious reverence for “Holy Writ”, yet again and again the writer felt rather like an electrician rewiring an ancient house without being able to “turn the mains off”. He feels that this fact is worth recording. Secondly, he is struck by the extraordinary unanimity of the letters. The cynic may suggest that these men were all in a conspiracy together (though it is difficult to see what motive they could have for such a thing), yet the fact remains that in their different ways and from their different angles they are all talking about the same thing, and talking with such certainty as to bring a wondering envy into the modern heart. Perhaps this could be made clearer by taking four illustrations.

Concludes with maybe if we believed what they did it would effect us! IT CAN AND DOES.

I believe the Bible is true and all it claims to be and that it is thus SUFFICIENT for SEVEN SPECIFIC REASONS.

1. FIRST AND FOREMOST – JESUS TOLD US SO AND DEMONSTRATED IT. AND THAT IS THE ULTIMATE REASON.

God who invaded our prison-this time box revealed Himself and His truth for us in Bible the Holy Scriptures.

So Christ believed and taught the Bible is divinely true and authoritative. What other reasons?

2. The conviction of the Writers: Because writers said so. They were soundly convinced and thousands of times it was God’s Word they were writing, and they said so. 3. Unity – because incredible unity. 4. Endurance-because it has endured, lasting through ages. 5. Prophecy – because it was written history hundreds of years before the event takes place – or in other works fulfilled prophecy. 6. Scientific accuracy – because of incontestable self authentication. 7. Experience – because of transformed lives through the Holy Spirit.

So what’s that? Proof that our goal am/pm to see these Seven Proofs Why I Believe & You Should That Scripture Is Sufficient.

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First of all – because Christ did!

The ultimate argument and most convincing proof of the verbal (Word By Word) inspiration of Bible is Christ. The glaring reality is in every moment of His life – the Lord Jesus Christ looked up on and acted toward the Bible as divine.

He declared it the divine authority and the final Court of Appeals for every question.

Even how He used the Scriptures is obvious – “Have you never read?” “It is written…” “Search the Scriptures….”

W. A. Criswell well stated – “He sets his seal to its historicity and its revelation from God. He supplements it, but he never supplants it. He amplifies it, but he never nullifies it. He modifies it according to his own divine prerogative, he fulfils it according to his divine mission, but he never lessens its divine authority.” Why I Preach The Bible Literally True, Broadman, 1969

So, how did Jesus Christ view the Scriptures?

Often we label a person who reads, studies, and meditates on Word of God a “Person of the Word man/woman of the Word. That’s exactly what Christ was constantly.

 Secret/Private Life – Struggling with Satan’s temptations (Deut/Matt. 4)  Public Life – Teaching seaside-multitudes (Isa. 61:2/Matt. 5-7)  Family Life – Alone with disciples (Daniel and prophecy (Matt. 24)

*Always referring to Word of God.  Flowed from lips in prayer (Ps. 41:9/John 17:12)  Gasped strength from cross in death-echoes David Matt. 27:;46 “My God, My God” (Ps. 22) Luke 23:46 from Ps. 31 “Into Thy Hand”  Gently to seekers (comfort) resurrection morning  Chiding (corrects) walkers to Emaus

How Much Did He Use It?—

FOUR GOSPELS TODAY – Gospels total 3,779 verses Grahm Scroggie numbers 1,934 – “Christ’s Words – of these 180 quote Old Testament!! One of 10 words quote!!

Specifically, our Lord believed that the Old Testament was literally true as in – 1. Adam, Eve and Creation (Look at Matt. 19:4-6) 2. Abel’s Death (23:35) 3. Noah and flood (Look at 24:38) 4. Sodom and destruction (Luke 17:29) 5. Abraham (Look at John 8:56) 6. Moses and burning bush (Mark 12:26)

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7. David (Matt. 12:3) 8. Elijah and his ministry (Luke 4:25) 9. Daniel quoted Matt. 4:17 – Daniel 2:44 – KOH 10. Jonah and the fish (Look at Matt. 12:40-41)

*Look at Matt. (If I said Gen.-Rev..) and the martyrdom of the prophet Zechariah (Matt. 23:35). It is interesting to note that in this last reference, Christ spoke of “all the righteous blood shed on earth, from Abel to Zechariah!

So, how did that impact the ministry of Christ? He believed Scripture authority. Let’s look at His use of Scriptures. Jesus said they were authoritative: Read Matthew 5:17-18 John 10:35

ALSO

2. He USED Scriptures as if authoritative. We saw Matt. 4 Against Satan But, look Matt. 24 To Show Future Luke 24 To Confirm Faith

1. He followed them as His authority – Matt. 16:22 To respond to Peter Matt. 26:52-54 In Facing Cross Luke 10:25-26 As Facing Hostile Leaders

And interestingly enough, even when given trick questions: Mark 12:18-27 Remember? “Whose wife was she” Game One? Meant other six out of luck. None? A bit hard on all of them. All? Somehow doesn’t sound decent

NO, THE SCRIPTURES SAY:

2. Well, Christ stood against any who didn’t hold Scripture as authoritative.

There were two main groups in Christ’s day – Pharisees – Sadducees

 Christ opposed Pharisees because they added traditions.  Christ opposed Sadducees because they subtracted supernatural.  So, Christ said – You’re wrong because Pharisees add trad thusvoid.  Said Sadducees subtracted supernaturalignorant

Both Present Today: Add robes, rules, beads, saints, works, a co-mediatrix, Purgatory, Limbus Patrum, sacrificing Christ over & over again. And tradition=VOID

Subtract inspiration, Bib. Authority, historicity of Adam, Noah, Jonah, take out the empty tomb, the walking on water and refuse to speak of sin or the virgin-born Christ = ignorant and damned in sinful unbelief.

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What did Christ do in His life and ministry? Made Scriptures the judge of life, death and afterlife of forgiveness, salvation and hope of truth, peace and joy.

How? By what He said to them. By how He used them. Because how He followed them. Because stood against all who wouldn’t!!!

SUBMISSION TO WORD OF GOD IS REALLY SUBMISSION TO LORDSHIP OF CHRIST.

What’s the last aspect?

3. Christ made Scriptures the priority of His apostles.

Did they get message? John 14:26. Holy Spirit brings to memory words/action of Christ.