A STORED TREASURE Psalm 119:9-16

LIFE IN THE WORD IS A SOUL CLEANSING EXPERIENCE (v. 9) LIFE IN THE WORD SEEKS A SOUL- SOAKING EXPERIENCE IN THE WORD (vv ) LIFE IN THE WORD REQUIRES A TEACHABLE SPIRIT (v. 12)

LIFE IN THE WORD DEMANDS DELIBERATE CONCENTRATION UPON THE WORD (vv ). Teaching the truth to others drives the nail of truth deeper in our own soul. Meditation is the pleasurable work of inviting God’s Word into all the rooms of one’s mind.

THE CANON OF SCRIPTURE What belongs in the Bible and what does not belong? The Old Testament Canon Jewish literature outside the Old Testament…belief that divinely authoritative words from God had ceased…clearly attested (p. 56).

What about the apocrypha? The earliest Christian evidence is decidedly against viewing the Apocrypha as Scripture. THE NEW TESTAMENT CANON The development of the New Testament canon begins with the writings of the apostles.

The apostles have authority to write words that are God’s own words For a book to belong in the canon, it is absolutely necessary that the book have divine authorship (p. 62). How do we know that we have the right books in the canon of Scripture we now possess (p. 65)?

THE FOUR CHARACTERISTICS OF SCRIPTURE AUTHORITY The authority of Scripture means that all the words in Scripture are God’s words in such a way that to disbelieve or disobey any word of Scripture is to disbelieve or disobey God.

All the Words in Scripture are God’s Words This is what the Bible claims for itself. We are convinced of the Bible’s claims to be God’s Words as we read the Bible.

Other evidence is useful but not finally convincing. The Words of Scripture are self- attesting. Objection: This is a circular argument This does not imply dictation from God as the sole means of communication.

Therefore to disbelieve or disobey any word of Scripture is to disbelieve or disobey God. The truthfulness of Scripture God cannot lie or speak falsely. Therefore all the words of Scripture are completely true and without error in any part.

God’s words are the ultimate standard of truth. Might some new fact ever contradict the Bible? Written Scripture is our final authority.

THE INERRANCY OF SCRIPTURE THE MEANING OF INERRANCY The inerrancy of Scripture means that Scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact. The Bible can be inerrant and still speak in the ordinary language of everyday speech.

The Bible can be inerrant and still include loose or free quotations. It is consistent with inerrancy to have unusual or uncommon grammatical constructions in the Bible.

SOME CURRENT CHALLENGES TO INERRANCY  The Bible is only authoritative for “faith and practice.”  The term inerrancy is a poor term.  We have no inerrant manuscripts; therefore, talk about an inerrant Bible is misleading.

The biblical writers “accommodated” their messages in minor details to the false ideas current in their day, and affirmed or taught those ideas in an incidental way. Inerrancy overemphasizes the divine aspect of Scripture and neglects the human aspect.

There are some clear errors in the Bible. PROBLEMS WITH DENYING INERRANCY If we deny inerrancy, a serious moral problem confronts us: may we imitate God and intentionally lie in small matters also?

If inerrancy is denied, we begin to wonder if we can really trust God in anything He says. If we deny inerrancy, we essentially make our own human minds a higher standard of truth than God’s Word itself. If we deny inerrancy, then we must also say that the Bible is wrong not only in minor details but in some of its doctrines as well.