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©FOUNDATION
A MAGAZINE OF BIBLICAL FUNDAMENTALISM
Dennis W. Costella, Editor; Karel Beyer, Production Manager; Matt
Costella,
Copy Editor
M.H. Reynolds, Jr. (1919-1997), Founding Editor
The Bible - The Book of Jesus Christ
by Dr. William Evans
FOUNDATION Magazine, Volume IV, Issue 1 1983 pp.14-15
One of the prominent characteristics
of the "latter days" is that there shall be a departure from the faith once for
all delivered to the saints. Whether we are living in the "last days" or not may
be questioned by some, but that many persons (preachers included) are leaving the old
landmarks of Christian belief there can be no reasonable doubt. It seems as if the simple
sound of the gospel were not sufficient; a gospel with variations is sought. It may not be
out of place, therefore, to draw the attention of thoughtful Christian people to what may
be considered false notes in present-day belief.
A wrong note with regard to the Bible.--Wrong views of the Bible affect a
man's views of other phases of truth. You can usually tell what a man thinks of the person
and work of Christ by what he believes about the Bible--particularly the New Testament.
The converse of this is true also--a man's faith in the Bible usually tells the tale of
his faith in Christ. A limited view of the inspiration of the New Testament usually means
limited Christ for a Saviour. The New Testament is the book of Jesus Christ.
Outside of it any reference to Christ is very brief and meager indeed, and
this brief mention is sometimes called an interpolation. The New Testament is "The
Book of ... Jesus Christ." He is its beginning, its middle, its end.
Any limited view, therefore, of the New Testament, necessarily means a
limited view of Christ, His person and work.
Christ and the Bible.--It ought to be considered as unchallenged fact that
what the Bible was to Jesus Christ, that it should be, and no less, to the Christian. Can
the Bible mean any less to the Church than it did to the Church's Master? Can what was
indispensable to the Redeemer be dispensed with, and that seemingly so easily, by the
redeemed? Ought not the Church to be of the same mind with its Master with reference to
the Scriptures? Do we ask what was Christ's estimate of the nature and value of the
Scriptures? We need not be in doubt one moment as to that. He refers to them as "the
Word of God" as distinguished from the "traditions of men" (Mark 7:9, 13).
He appeals to them as authoritatively settling questions of religious belief in the words
"What saith the Scripture?" He regards the Scriptures as deciding His own
conduct and course of action as is set forth in His replies to Satan in the temptation,
each time repulsing the adversary with the words "It is written" (Matt. 4). Thus
did Christ regard the Scriptures as the Word of God, and as the ultimate rule in matters
of faith and practice. He regards all Scriptures as of equal authority (cf. 2 Tim. 3:16).
He spoke of them as having a vital message regarding Himself and as being an authoritative
revelation of the mind of God. Can the Scriptures mean any less to the Christian than they
did to Christ? Of less value and authority to the Church than to the Church's Master?
Certainly they ought not.
CHRIST VERSUS THE CRITICS
It is interesting as well as instructive to notice that Christ, in setting
His seal of approval on the truth of the Scriptures, mentions expressly the very things in
which the destructive criticism of today would shake our faith. We are told by critics
that Moses did not write the Law. Christ says Moses did write it (Luke 24:27, 44):
"These are the words... which were written in the law of Moses... And
beginning at Moses, and all the prophets" (cf. Luke 16:31; John 5:46, 47).
We are further told that the book of Jonah is not historical, but
allegorical. Jesus refers to it as a fact of real history and uses it as a type of the
great historical fact of His own resurrection (Matt. 12). The garden of Eden, Adam and Eve
are said to be "mythical," but strange to say Jesus refers to Eden as a real
place and Adam and Eve as real persons (Matt. 19:3-6). The story of Lot's wife being
turned into a pillar of salt is said to be "unhistoric." Jesus refers to it as a
real, historic event from which we do well to learn a very important lesson (Luke 17:32).
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is said "not to have taken place." Jesus
plainly tells us it did take place (Matt. 11:23, 24). Thus, by a seemingly strange
coincidence, we see that the very things the critics say are not true, inspired or
historic, are the very things on which Jesus Christ set His seal of approval, thus
certifying to their reality and historicity. Are we to believe the destructive critics, or
Christ--which? The Christian should not long hesitate as to whom he will choose as his
final authority.
WAS CHRIST MISTAKEN?
It is suggested that Jesus Christ in His state of humiliation may not
really have known any better; that He simply accommodated Himself to the popular belief of
the times regarding these matters; that He accepted popular tradition as being truth. This
view of things plunges the believer into a sea of grave doubt. If Jesus did not know the
truth of these things--whether Moses wrote the law, or the historicity of the destruction
of Lot's wife, of Sodom and Gomorrah, or whether Adam and Eve were real persons, or Jonah
was mythical or real--then what becomes of His omniscience? Then He did not know all
things (John 21:17, 16:30). Any theory of "self-emptying" which robs Christ of
omniscience, particularly respecting matters on which He is expected to speak with
authority, certainly robs Him of deity. Again, if Jesus did know the truth regarding these
matters and preferred to give an imaginary account; or, knowing them to be fictitious,
palmed them off on the people as true, then what becomes of His honesty, or His claim to
being "the truth"? (John 14:6). Is it not much better, yea, and much easier, and
certainly more in accord with what we know of the character of Christ, to accept His
statements at their face value as being true to facts? Certainly it is.
THE BIBLE IN ITS OWN BEHALF
There is a tendency today to look upon the Bible with suspicion whenever
it takes its place on the witness stand to speak in its own behalf. This attitude should
not be assumed towards any reputable witness, much less towards the witness and Word of
God. Its testimony should be listened to without prejudice and with an absence of any
predisposition to doubt its veracity. It should at least be given credit for being honest
in its statements. Yet how seldom is such a hearing given to the Bible today by the
critics. It is looked upon with suspicion. Its veracity is challenged ere it takes its
place upon the witness stand.
It is called upon to do what no witness is asked to do--prove its own
integrity and its right to be heard. The Bible's own claim to inspiration, veracity and
historicity ought to be considered with presumption of sincerity and honesty at least in
its favor. What has the Bible to say about itself? Does it claim to be an inspired record
of God's mind and purpose, a final authority in matters of faith and practice? Does it
claim reality and historicity for the facts it records? Does it claim to be a writing by
men who were inspired by God and thus fitted to accurately convey the thought of God to
man in words he could understand? Here is an account the Bible gives of itself: "All
Scripture is given by inspiration of God."... "No Scripture is of any private
interpretation (or origin)... holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy
Ghost" (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20, 21). It calls itself "the Word of God"
(Mark 7:9, 13; 1 Thess. 7:13), "the words of the Holy Ghost" (1 Cor. 2:13); the
"Revelation of (given by) Jesus Christ" (Rev. 1:1).
We take the Bible in hand and read, "All Scripture is given by
inspiration of God," that is to say, "All Scripture is God-breathed," the
breath of the Almighty is in it. To illustrate what this means, let us go back in thought
to the garden of Eden and witness the creation of man. Here before us we see the inanimate
form of man lying on the ground as lifeless dust. We see God breathing into that form of
clay the breath of life, and, behold, we have a living soul, a man! What is man? Dust
inbreathed by deity--that is man. And when that divine breath is withdrawn from man you
have nothing but dust, yea, corruption. Just so is it with the Word of God. There is a
human element in it. The divine mind is expressed in human words. Men wrote the
Scriptures--not ordinary men, but men inbreathed by God the Holy Ghost. And when you take
that Divine inbreathing out of the Word of God you have nothing left but literature, but
only literature. It is the supernatural and divine element in its composition that
differentiates the Bible from all other books in the world, that places it in a class all
by itself, and gives to it a spiritual quality which no other book possesses.
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