The Divine Inspiration of the Bible

 

The Divine Inspiration of the Bible

We Believe... The KJV (King James Version) Bible is the canon of scripture, both old and new testaments are the word of God, the product of holy men who spoke and wrote being divinely inspired (divinely breathed) by (borne by the agency) of the Holy Spirit. (2 Tim. 3:16; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Pet. 1:21). It is my personal conviction that the KJV is the most accurate bible version to date, although I am not be legalistic regarding the rejection of other bible versions, so long as they do not contradict or leave out inspired scripture verses as found in the KJV. It is the Spirit of the Word of God that gives life, not being legalistic about the P’s and Q’s.


The doctrine of the inspiration of the Bible means that the Bible in the original documents is God-breathed, that it is a divine product, and, because it is divine, the original documents are inerrant.  The copies of those documents are not inspired.  We have copies of inspired documents.

2 Tim. 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." Paul who wrote this epistle was obviously referring to the entirety of the Old Testament as being inspired.  The word "inspired" is literally "God-breathed."  This is an interesting phrase, since it implies that the Scriptures are from the mouth of God. 

Likewise, Peter says in 2 Pet. 1:21, "for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." Notice that Peter is stating that prophecy is not the product of human will.  Instead, prophecy occurs by those moved by the Holy Spirit.

Furthermore, we can easily see that the Old Testament Scriptures are full of statements and phrases claiming to be the Word of God.

"Thus says the Lord" occurs 418 times in the NASB, 413 in the KJV

Exodus 4:22, "Then you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says the Lord, 'Israel is My son, My first-born.'"

1 Kings 11:31, "And he said to Jeroboam, 'Take for yourself ten pieces; for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and give you ten tribes.'"

Isaiah 7:7, "thus says the Lord God, 'It shall not stand nor shall it come to pass.'"

"God said" occurs 46 times in both the NASB and the KJV

Genesis 1:3, "Then God said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light."

Exodus 3:14, "And God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM'; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, I AM has sent me to you."

Exodus 6:2-3, "God spoke further to Moses and said to him, 'I am the Lord; and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, Lord, I did not make Myself known to them.'"

God spoke through prophets...

1 Kings 14:18, "And all Israel buried him and mourned for him, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke through His servant Ahijah the prophet."

2 Sam. 24:11-12, "When David arose in the morning, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, 12 'Go and speak to David, Thus the Lord says, "I am offering you three things; choose for yourself one of them, which I may do to you."

Zech. 7:7, "Are not these the words which the Lord proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous with its cities around it, and the Negev and the foothills were inhabited?"

The Spirit of the Lord spoke through people...

2 Sam. 23:2, "The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and His word was on my tongue."

1 Kings 22:24, "Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, 'How did the Spirit of the Lord pass from me to speak to you?'"

2 Chron. 20:14-15, "Then in the midst of the assembly the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite of the sons of Asaph; 15 and he said, 'Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the Lord to you, Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's.'"

As you can see, the Old Testament Scriptures are clearly full of statements showing the inspiration of God through the writers.  The Old Testament assumes and speaks from the perspective of divine inspiration. Should we do any less?

What about the New Testament?

We see that the Old Testament is repeatedly spoken of as being inspired via the numerous references cited above, but what about the New Testament?  Are the New Testament books inspired as well?

The Christian church has always considered the New Testament documents to be inspired.  Though in the early church there were some debates on which New Testament books to include in the Bible, God worked through the Christian church to recognize those inspired works.  Therefore we now have 27 inspired books for the New Testament.

In 1 Cor. 14:37 Paul said, "If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord's commandment."

In 2 Pet. 3:16 Peter said, "as also in all [Paul's] letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction."

Also, Jesus said in John 14:26, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you."
This means that the Lord has commissioned the apostles to accurately record what Jesus had said because the Holy Spirit would be working in them.

So, we can see that Jesus promised direction from the Holy Spirit, that Paul considered what he wrote to be the commands of God, and that Peter recognized Paul's writings as Scripture.  In addition, since the Christian Church recognizes the 27 books of the New Testament are inspired, and since we see internal claims of inspiration in the New Testament, we conclude that inspiration applies to the New Testament documents as well.

Objections?...

Does Inspiration Violate Free Will?

Inspiration does NOT violate free will.  What if the person through whom God is working has been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and desires to have the Lord speak through him?
Would this negate the ability of God to inerrantly speak through such a person?
Would it also mean that the person has no free will if he has voluntarily subjected his will to the will of God?
Certainly, God has the ability to work through individuals to bring them to a place where they can record inerrant statements.  Cannot God manifest himself to someone, deliver to him a verbal message, and have that person record it?
Would that statement not be inspired of God?

Prov. 21:1,"The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever He wishes."  This verse clearly states that God is able to work through an individual's "free will" to bring about what God desires.


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**The Timeless Legacy of the King James Version Bible: God's Inspired Word**

For centuries, the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible has stood as a beacon of truth, wisdom, and inspiration for millions of believers around the world. Its rich language, poetic beauty, and unparalleled historical significance have made it a cornerstone of the Christian faith. In this article, we will explore the historical and biblical evidence that affirms the authenticity and authority of the King James Version as the inspired Word of God, breathed out by the Holy Spirit for the edification of believers.

We Believe

We Believe International Ministries

"Where there is no [prophetic] vision [divine guidance, revelation] the people [nation] are unrestrained [morally corrupt, void of God's wisdom, spoiled] and perish: but blessed [free and prosperous pursuing God's ordained purpose] are they who keep God's laws." Prov 29:18

What We Believe...

We Believe The KJV (King James Version) Bible is the canon of scripture, both old and new testaments are the word of God, the product of holy men who spoke and wrote being divinely inspired (divinely breathed) by (borne by the agency) of the Holy Spirit. (2 Tim. 3:16; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Pet. 1:21). It is my personal conviction that the KJV is the most accurate bible version to date, although I am not be legalistic regarding the rejection of other bible versions, so long as they do not contradict or leave out inspired scripture verses as found in the KJV. It is the Spirit of the Word of God that gives life, not being legalistic about the P’s and Q’s.

We Believe Our God (Yahweh, Jehovah, Elohim) is one, but manifests in three persons (personifications) – namely the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, being co-equal in nature (Phil. 2:6; Matt. 28:19; 1John. 5:7). Not three God’s, but one God with personifications in unity and communication. God is one being constituted by three persons, not three separate and distinct persons in one God. The Trinity is three separate persons who are united in one essence or substance — in other words, one being. “one in substance” means one in being (essence or nature). In other words, the Trinity is three persons (three whos) who are one being (one what). 
The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet." Psalm 110:1

We Believe The Son of God is the “Word of God” incarnate (made flesh), who was and is and is to come, the “I AM”, the “Almighty God”, the “eternal existing Son of God”, “Creator” of all things, the “only begotten Son” who is the express image of the invisible God (John 1:1,2,14; Heb. 1:3; 13:8; Col. 1:15-17; Rev. chapter 1).

We Believe The Holy Spirit proceeds forth from both the Father and the Son, and is referred to in scripture as a holy, intelligent person as "he" who comforts, teaches, witnesses, guides, convicts and who also can be grieved (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:8-9; Rom. 8:14,26; Eph. 4:30).

We Believe That Man is a created being made in the likeness and image of God, and in innocence, but through Adams transgression and fall, imputed sin came into the world. (Rom 5:14; Tim. 3:10; Rom. 3:23; 1John 3:8; Luke 1:72; Heb 4:13; Rom. 14:12; Matt. 12:36)

We Believe that Salvation is the free gift of God by his grace towards man separate from the works of the law, or religious efforts. It is solely made operative by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and his shed blood for all our sin(s). Man is justified in the sight of God through faith in Christ apart from the works of the law. (Rom.3:28; Gal 3:11) This positional and initial salvation is evidenced and followed by the outworking of ones obtained salvation through works of faith (faith-works), of righteousness in Christ, and the fruit of the Spirit, (Eph 2:8-10; Phil 2:12; John 15:16; James 2:24). The new birth is necessary to all men in order to see the kingdom of God, and when experienced, produces eternal (everlasting) life. (1 John 5:11-12; John 3:3-5, 16) Man cannot save himself temporally or spiritually; Jehovah alone can save (Job 40:14; Psalm 33:16; 44:3,7; Hos 13:4,10). The temporal savior is the predominant idea in the Old Testament; the spiritual and eternal Savior of the whole man in the New Testament Israel's Savior, national and spiritual, finally (Isa 62:11; Rom11:25-26).

We Believe that the believers baptism is by full immersion in water, and is a direct commandment of our Lord for all believers who have put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. This ordinance is a symbol of the Christian’s identification with Christ in his death, burial and resurrection, and is part of the believers outworking of there salvation, i.e. the external public testimony of faith in Christ, identifying with Christ as his disciples (his followers) who are presently born again of his Spirit. (1Peter 3:21). The testimony of baptism shows that the old man, creature, creation, and nature who was identified with fallen Adam in sin has been judicially put to death through faith and the operation of the Spirit of God upon the cross with Christ (Matt 28:19; Rom 6: 4; Col 2:12; 3:12; Act 8:36-39; 1 Peter 3:21; John 14:17; Gal. 6:11-15; 2Cor 5:17) Baptism is done in the authority of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38; Acts 19:5…Lord Jesus), and is a token of our relational spiritual union with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Matt. 28:19) and so we baptize the believer in water in the authority of that name which is above every other name, into the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit, in spiritual union with the Godhead (Trinity - Tri-Unity).

We Believe in the ordinance of Communion (the Lord’s Super, Breaking of Bread) is also a commandment of the Lord Jesus that must be received consistently until His return. Only believers can come to the Table of the Lord, which consists of the bread and the cup. The bread speaks of His body, which was broken for us. The cup speaks of His blood that was shed for us. Both elements are witnesses of the New Covenant believers now enjoy while prophetically declaring His soon return. (Acts 2:42-46; 1Cor.11:17-30; Luke 22:7-20) Upon taking of the emblems of bread and wine, which are symbolic representations of the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, each individual should examine themselves as to whether they be in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5) Test yourselves to see if you are in/have the faith; examine yourselves) and so partake of the Communion in faith coupled with a pure conscience before God. (Acts 24:16)

We Believe in the Baptism of the Holy Ghost...Have Your Been Baptized In The Holy Ghost Since You Believed in Jesus? The Baptism of The Holy Spirit (Ghost) and fire, is a gift for all believers in this dispensation of grace, which can be received subsequent to the new birth experience. The evidence of this Baptism is the speaking in other or unknown tongues, prophesying and or magnifying the Lord, as the Spirit Himself gives utterance. "You will receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come UPON YOU, and you receive power to be witnesses for Jesus Christ…to the ends of the earth." The new birth gives you the indwelling Spirit of Christ, but the baptism of the Holy Ghost comes upon you to endow you with the power to witness and demonstrate the power of God...Acts 1:8 (not just “in you” as in John14:17, but “upon you”). Compare...(Luke 4:18; Matt 3:11; Luke 24:49; John 14:16,17; Acts 1:8, 9; Acts 2:4; Acts 4:38,39; Acts 19: 1-7 cf vs 2…did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?…vs 5 baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus…vs 6 when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied…1 Cor. 14-1; 1 Cor. 1:7; Eph 5:18 be continually filled with the Spirit...

We Believe God Heals, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Jesus died and was raised to life again so that we could be saved and healed. The word “saved” in the New Testament is synonymous with being “healed.” “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”(1Peter 2:24) The Greek word used frequently in the New Testament “saved” as in John 3:17 means to be delivered, saved, preserved and “healed”. “Sode'-zo” is the Greek word to save, that is, deliver or protect (literally or figuratively): - heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole. See also (Job 5:23; Isa. 53:4-5; Jer. 30:17; 1Peter 2:24; Matt. 8:16-17; Ps. 147:3; Luke 4:18; Mark 5:34; Acts 10:38)

We Believe In The Fivefold Ministry functions and offices of (male and female) apostles, prophets, evangelist, pastors and teachers, as the means by which the word of God is released in demonstration and proclamation of the Word of God. (Eph 4:11-14) See also (1Cor.12:28-29; 1Cor.14:29; Eph 2:20)

We Believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the manifestation of signs wonders and miracles accompanying the preaching of the word of God with power and demonstration of the Holy Spirits testimony of the risen Lord Jesus Christ, following those who believe as a testimony to the world in this present church age. (Eph 4:11-12; 1Cor 12:28; 1 Cor. 12:7-11; The gift of tongues is both known diverse languages as seen in Acts ch 2 as a new covenant testimony that God was now turning to the gentiles to make them fellow heirs of the promise of salvation through faith in Christ, through the preaching of the gospel in other tongues on the day of Pentecost, to the Gentiles as a witness. The gift of tongues also refers to a spiritual language spoken to God, not a known or learned earthly language which man can understand, but from ones spirit, praying in the Spirit or with the Spirit’s help during intercession 1 Cor 14:1-2… indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. ... For he that speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not unto men, but unto God. Ephesians 6:18 says, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayer and supplications. Romans 8:26…But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words ... Now likewise also, the Spirit joins to help us in weakness; for we do not know...But the Spirit intercedes along with our groans that cannot be expressed in words...See also (Rom. 12:6-8; Mk 16:15-18) God has not ceased dispensing the gifts of the Spirit to the church in this age since the day of Pentecost, and is undeniably the eternal immutable God and Savior “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever” (Mal 3:6; Heb 13:8) The Holy Spirit bearing testimony of the glorified Lord Jesus Christ to and through his church as a witness by manifesting and imparting the supernatural gifts of the Spirit as he wills for the common good…(1 Cor 12:7-11)

We Believe In The Resurrection of those who have fallen asleep (died, graduate to heaven) in Christ as believers and their translation together with those who are alive and presently remain unto the coming of the Lord. This is the imminent and blessed hope of the church. The resurrection is the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ to the church, revealing himself at his coming, “in the moment of a twinkling of an eye we shall behold him face to face and see him as he is” (1 Thess. 4:16-17; Titus 2:12; 1 Cor. 15:51,52; Rom.8: 23; 1John 3:2)

We Believe In The Revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ from Heaven and the salvation of national Israel and the millennial kingdom reign of Christ on earth. (2 Thess. 1:17; Rev 19: 11-14; Rom. 11: 26-27; Rev 20: 1-7) and that the Devil (Satan) and the fallen hosts, the beast, the false prophet, and who-ever are not found in the “Book of Life”, shall be consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake of fire and brimstone, which is the second death. (Rev.ch.19: 20; Rev. 20:10-15) and according to God’s promise, we look for new heavens, and a new earth wherein dwells eternal righteous.” (2 Peter 3:13; Rev 21:21)