Embry Hills church of Christ Podcast

In Defense of Faith: Inspiration of the Bible


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Series: In Defense of Faith

Service: Gospel Meeting

Type: Sermon

Speaker: Kevin Clark

Summary Defending the Inspiration of Scripture

📘 Sermon Information

Course Title: Christian Apologetics / Bible Doctrine (inferred)

Instructor: Kevin Clark

Date: 2025-10-04 Gospel Meeting Saturday Evening

Chapter/Topic: Defending the Inspiration of Scripture — Why the Bible Is the Inspired Word of God

🧠Key Learnings

Belief in Scripture as the Foundation for Christian Hope

The instructor emphasized that believing the Bible is God’s inspired revelation is foundational to Christian faith—especially to knowledge of Jesus’ resurrection, His deity, His sacrificial death, the establishment of the church, and the believer’s hope of eternal life. Without accepting Scripture as inspired, one cannot reliably claim the hope of eternal life.

The Biblical Claim: Scripture Is Inspired

Scripture itself claims divine inspiration (e.g., 2 Timothy 3:16–17; 2 Peter 1:19–21; 1 Corinthians 2:13). Key points:

  • “All Scripture” is described as “God-breathed,” not just selected passages.
  • Prophets and apostles wrote “as they were moved by the Holy Spirit,” meaning the origin of prophetic/written message is divine, not merely human opinion.
  • The wording and verbal content matter; Jesus and apostles treated Old Testament words as God-given.

Example: 2 Timothy 3:16–17 underscores that all Scripture equips the believer for doctrine, reproof, correction, and righteous living — showing the necessity and authority of inspired Scripture. —— the speaker

Fulfilled Prophecy as Evidence of Inspiration

Fulfilled prophecy is presented as a primary external proof that Scripture is inspired. The biblical test (Deut. 18:20–22) distinguishes true prophets: if a predicted event does not occur, the prophet is false; if it does, the prophet is genuine.

Examples:

  • Isaiah predicting Cyrus by name (Isaiah 44:28; Isaiah 45:1–3) centuries before the event; fulfilled in Cyrus’s decree (Ezra 1). This long-distance specific prediction argues for divine origin.
  • Isaiah 53’s detailed description of the suffering servant corresponds to Christ’s life, death, and burial — argued as too specific to be human conjecture. —— the speaker

Archaeological and Historical Corroboration

The lecturer argued that archaeological discoveries and historical records have repeatedly vindicated biblical claims that skeptics once labeled as myth or error. The Bible’s factual details (people, places, political offices) have later been confirmed by archaeology.

Examples:

  • Hittites: once thought fictitious, later confirmed by 19th–20th century archaeological finds (capitals, tablets).
  • Sergius Paulus (Acts 13): archaeological evidence later confirmed his existence and title, corroborating Luke’s historical accuracy. These confirmations support the claim that Scripture is factually reliable. —— the speaker

Scripture Contains Knowledge Beyond Human Means

Some biblical statements reveal knowledge that authors could not reasonably have known by human means at the time, indicating divine revelation.

Example:

  • Isaiah 40:22 refers to “the circle of the earth,” presented as knowledge of the earth’s form long before modern observation — used to demonstrate prophetic insight via divine revelation. —— the speaker

Inspiration Implies Authority and Inerrancy in Practice

Because Scripture is inspired, it must be treated as authoritative in doctrine and life. The instructor challenged cultural reinterpretation or selective obedience (cherry-picking), urging full submission to what God has revealed, even when difficult or countercultural.

Examples and applications:

  • Marriage/divorce teaching (Matthew 19:1–9): Jesus’ teaching limits divorce to sexual immorality — the instructor stressed observing this teaching as divine, not negotiable cultural instruction.
  • Ephesians 5 (wives submit to husbands): rather than blaming Paul, accept that the teaching reflects God’s revealed will via inspired writers, therefore to be regarded as authoritative. —— the speaker

The Bible’s Role in Conversion and Christian Living

The inspired Word is presented as the means by which people hear, believe, repent, confess, are baptized, and are saved (obeying the gospel). The Word also guides sanctification and equips believers for service.

Key steps mentioned:

  • Hear the gospel (truth about Jesus’ life, death, resurrection).
  • Believe and repent (change life direction).
  • Confess and be baptized for remission of sins (Mark 16:15–16; Romans 10:9–10; Acts pattern).
  • Post-conversion: ongoing growth, repentance when failing, fellowship and accountability within the church.

Practical Duty: Always Be Ready to Defend the Hope (1 Peter 3:13–15)

Believers must be prepared at all times to give a reasoned defense for their hope in Christ, doing so with meekness and respect rather than arrogance. Defending Scripture includes pointing others to the Word and encouraging direct engagement with biblical passages.

Example practice:

  • Direct questioning persons to relevant passages (e.g., 1 Cor 6:9–11 on sexual ethics; Mark 16:15–16 on baptism) and encourage reading and discussion rather than relying on personal paraphrase. —— the speaker

✏️ Key Concepts

Concept 1: Inspiration (Verbal, Plenary)

Definition: All Scripture is “God-breathed” (2 Tim 3:16); writers produced Scripture under the guiding influence of the Holy Spirit so that the words themselves are from God.

Key Points:

  • Applies to “all Scripture,” not selective parts.
  • Includes prophetic utterances and apostolic writings.
  • Entails verbal accuracy and authoritativeness.

Example / Analogy: Jesus cites David “by the Holy Spirit” (Mark 12:36) to show Old Testament words carried divine authority. —— the speaker

Concept 2: Fulfilled Prophecy as Verification

Definition: Predictions in Scripture that come to pass show the predictive knowledge of God and serve as evidence for divine origin.

Key Points:

  • Deut 18:20–22 sets a test: accurate fulfillment signals a true prophet.
  • Specific, long-range predictions (names, actions) strengthen the case for inspiration.
  • Multiple fulfilled prophecies cumulatively reinforce credibility.

Example / Analogy: Isaiah’s naming of Cyrus and the detailed role he would play, fulfilled centuries later (Isaiah 44–45; Ezra 1). —— the speaker

Concept 3: Historical and Archaeological Reliability

Definition: Archaeological and extra-biblical historical findings that confirm biblical claims bolster the Bible’s credibility for factual accuracy.

Key Points:

  • Instances once doubted by critics (Hittites, political titles, persons) later corroborated.
  • Archaeology is supportive evidence, not the basis of faith, but it vindicates Scripture’s claims.

Example / Analogy: Discovery of Hittite empire remains and cuneiform tablets vindicated Old Testament references once dismissed as fictional. —— the speaker

Concept 4: Authority and Application of Scripture

Definition: Because Scripture is inspired, believers must treat it as authoritative and submit to its teachings in doctrine and practice.

Key Points:

  • Not subject to cultural editing or personal preference.
  • Commands and teachings carry divine weight; failure to obey is a moral and spiritual issue.
  • The scope includes moral, doctrinal, and practical life matters.

Example / Analogy: Teaching on divorce (Matthew 19:1–9) is presented as divine instruction, not negotiable cultural accommodation. —— the speaker

Concept 5: The Gospel and the Call to Obedience

Definition: The gospel is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus; response involves hearing, believing, repenting, confessing, and being baptized — resulting in salvation and entrance into Christ’s church.

Key Points:

  • Baptism tied to forgiveness/remission of sins in the instructor’s presentation (cites Mark 16:15–16 and Acts pattern).
  • Confession (Romans 10:9–10) and faith precede baptism and salvation.
  • Conversion leads to inclusion in the Lord’s church and ongoing sanctification.

Example / Analogy: Naaman’s healing story: following the prophet’s simple command (dip in Jordan) illustrates obedience to God’s prescribed means of deliverance (2 Kings 5). —— the speaker

🔄 Q&A/Discussion

Question 1: How do we know the Bible is inspired and not simply a collection of good ideas? Answer 1: The Bible’s own claims to inspiration (2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:20–21), fulfilled prophecy (e.g., Isaiah’s predictions), and archaeological/historical confirmations provide strong evidence; plus, inspired writers and Jesus treated Scripture as authoritative. —— the speaker

Question 2: What if parts of the Bible seem culturally dated or unfair? Answer 2: If Scripture is inspired, objections must confront God’s revelation, not merely the human writer. Deuteronomy 29:29 and Isaiah 55 highlight God’s higher ways and limited human perspective; believers are called to submit to God’s revealed will even when we don’t fully understand the reasons. —— the speaker

Question 3: Does archaeology prove the Bible is inspired? Answer 3: Archaeology cannot by itself prove inspiration (necessary but not sufficient), but it consistently corroborates biblical factual claims, undermining skeptics’ assertions of error and supporting trust in Scripture’s reliability. —— the speaker

Question 4: How should Christians engage skeptics about doctrinal matters (e.g., baptism, marriage)? Answer 4: Direct them to Scripture passages and encourage reading and discussion. Always present the Word with humility and meekness while firmly pointing to the text (1 Peter 3:15). —— the speaker

📚 Assignments

  • Read and meditate on the following passages: 1 Peter 3:13–15; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; 2 Peter 1:19–21; Deuteronomy 18:20–22; Isaiah 44–45; Isaiah 53; Matthew 19:1–9; Mark 16:15–16; 1 Thessalonians 2:13.
  • Prepare a 1–2 page brief defending the inspiration of Scripture using at least one fulfilled-prophecy example and one archaeological/historical confirmation. Cite passages used for support.
  • Practice a 3–5 minute personal defense (apologia) answering: “Why do you believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God?” Emphasize meekness and clarity as instructed.
  • No relevant content mentioned about formal due date or submission process.

 

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