“Ownself praise ownself” π€
Introduction to the Bible Episode 5
The other day, I got a call from the “UOB bank” alerting me that there are issues with my account. Here’s the thing, I don’t have a UOB account! We all know about deep fake. We are disappointed when people we trust say one thing but do another.
π To say “the Bible proves itself” is an bold claim. It is like what locals call “ownself praise ownself” (blowing our own horn) or “ownself check ownself” (biased self checks instead of allowing a neutral third party to do the audits).
Doctor Luke wrote his gospel account for Theophilus who was probably a high ranking government official and a new follower of Jesus. He opens up the gospel (Luke 1:1-4) by explaining why he was writing. If I may re-tell what he said in my own words:
Many have undertaken to compile from eyewitness accounts a narrative of the events (about Jesus) that have transpired. I have been following everything closely for some time. It seems good to me to write an orderly account so that you may be sure about the things you have been taught. (my paraphrase)
From my journalism mentor-teacher Sandy Fairservice I learned this: A journalist presents the facts without embellishing or altering the data. We respectfully allow the reader to wrestle with the evidence and to come to their own conclusion. I have put many hours into my research and hope it helps you wherever you may be in your search.
What scriptures says about scripture.
Where does the authority of scripture come from? 2 Peter 1:20-21
knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Does God’s word have an expiry date? 1 Peter 1:24
βAll flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord remains forever.β
How potent is God’s word? Isaiah 55:10-11
βFor as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
How is the word of God described? 2 Tim 2:15
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
How is God’s word like a sword? Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
How can we acquire faith? Romans 10:17
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
How does the scripture give us new life (rebirth)? 1 Peter 1:23
…since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;
What are 6 things scripture does for us? 2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is breathed out by God 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.
What are the benefits if we let God’s word feed and train us? Hebrews 5:12-14
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
What incentives and warnings are mentioned? Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Cheat Sheet
8 things the Bible says about itself by Matt Smethurst
- The Bible is inspired
- The Bible is true
- The Bible is authoritation
- The Bible is clear
- The Bible is sufficient
- The Bible is powerful
- The Bible is Christ-centred
- The Bible is precious