Protestants: Does the Bible verify itself to be divinely inspired?

[_L]

I have never been able to get a really complete logical answer to this question from protestants, and I hope I can get one here at CAF.

so the question is:

Does the Bible verify itself to be divinely inspired?

 

[TriuneUnity]

I have never been able to get a really complete logical answer to this question from protestants, and I hope I can get one here at CAF.

so the question is:

Does the Bible verify itself to be divinely inspired?

Yes and no.

Internally, one could point to its prophetic accuracy, its unity across time and authorship, its preservation and its power to convert sinners as evidence to demonstrate that it is more than a work of human composition. Of these, the most important would be, in my estimation, its prophetic accuracy as it relates to the Messiah.

Ultimately, however, the objective verification for its divine authorship is the person of Christ.

 

[_L]

Yes and no.

Internally, one could point to its prophetic accuracy, its unity across time and authorship, its preservation and its power to convert sinners as evidence to demonstrate that it is more than a work of human composition. Of these, the most important would be, in my estimation, its prophetic accuracy as it relates to the Messiah.

Ultimately, however, the objective verification for its divine authorship is the person of Christ.

I see what you’re saying, but say an atheist or agnostic approached you and wanted to know why you believe the Bible is inspired by God. How would you answer this question?

When i have asked this question, most protestants say “The Bible is inspired because it is the word of God” you see the problem with this? the circular logic that the Bible is what it is because it is. It’s like saying, this bicycle is a bicycle because it is a bicycle.

A statement like the one I mentioned has no bearing on someone so unfamiliar to Christianity, and in regards to the prophecy point, what if a non Christian were to interject and bring up the point of how many Christians are going around predicting the end of the world based on prophecies and yet time and time again their predictions do not come true. or how the pharisees themselves could not understand the messianic prophecies and expected the messiah to be a political leader that would free them from worldly oppression rather than the Son of God Himself freeing them from the bondage of sin. If the non Christian inquiring, pointed out his opinion of whether or not a prophecy is fulfilled is up to the one trying to decipher it, how would you answer him?

of course the Truth comes from God Himself since all Christians believe the Bible to be without error and inspired by God. But do we base this belief on a blind leap of faith? Even in regards to the existence of God, I don’t think people believe for no reason whatsoever, I think observing God’s creation and the world at large are invitations to believe in God, like wise with the Bible, I would like to think people’s belief in its authenticity is based on both faith and reason. Do those who base it solely on faith just assume the right books are in there? I mean there were a great deal of books not included, Christ has already ascended into Heaven, so do they just assume that the early Christians worked everything out way back in the early years of Christianity?

 

[NDfan]

I have never been able to get a really complete logical answer to this question from protestants, and I hope I can get one here at CAF.

so the question is:

Does the Bible verify itself to be divinely inspired?

Yes. 2 Timothy 3 tells us that all scripture is breathed out by GOD.

 

[TriuneUnity]

I see what you’re saying, but say an atheist or agnostic approached you and wanted to know why you believe the Bible is inspired by God. How would you answer this question?

I would begin with the presupposition that the Bible is not inspired and is a purely human book. However, I would assert, and most atheistic or agnostic scholars agree with this, that the Scriptures are, at the very least, as reliable, if not more so, than any other ancient document. In those documents, Christ claims to be the incarnate Son of God and performs miracles to back these claims up. He then provides the most astonishing miracle by rising from the dead. Sources outside of Scripture, to include pagan writers, as well as the apostles, verify that Jesus did make this claim independent of the Scriptural witness. If Jesus did, in fact, perform these miracles and rise from the dead, than His claim to be the incarnate Son of God is true. This incarnate God then goes on to claim that the Scriptures of the Old Testament are the word of God. He also claims his followers (the apostles) will be led by the Holy Spirit, therefore, we can say that Jesus authenticates the inspiration of the New Testament by giving His disciples authority to compose the gospels and epistles.

Since His claim to be God is true, and God doesn’t lie, then we have God Himself outside of Scripture saying that Scripture is divinely inspired.

When i have asked this question, most protestants say “The Bible is inspired because it is the word of God” you see the problem with this? the circular logic that the Bible is what it is because it is. It’s like saying, this bicycle is a bicycle because it is a bicycle.

I agree 100%.

A statement like the one I mentioned has no bearing on someone so unfamiliar to Christianity, and in regards to the prophecy point, what if a non Christian were to interject and bring up the point of how many Christians are going around predicting the end of the world based on prophecies and yet time and time again their predictions do not come true. or how the pharisees themselves could not understand the messianic prophecies and expected the messiah to be a political leader that would free them from worldly oppression rather than the Son of God Himself freeing them from the bondage of sin. If the non Christian inquiring, pointed out his opinion of whether or not a prophecy is fulfilled is up to the one trying to decipher it, how would you answer him?

Well, the difference between the modern prophecy hawkers about the end of the world and the Scriptural prophecies is that Scripture was written thousands of years ago. The prophecy that it attests to DID come true, whereas the doomsayers are simply making assertions that don’t have, as yet, any historical witness. If a non Christian came to me with questions about prophecy, I would simply take him to the OT prophecies and then show him their fulfillment in actual history outside of the Bible. I would not use the prophecy argument as the main objective evidence for Scripture, however, it is hugely important and when it comes to the Messianic predictions, it is mathematically impossible for an OT writer to have blindly predicted Christ with 100% accuracy.

of course the Truth comes from God Himself since all Christians believe the Bible to be without error and inspired by God. But do we base this belief on a blind leap of faith? Even in regards to the existence of God, I don’t think people believe for no reason whatsoever, I think observing God’s creation and the world at large are invitations to believe in God, like wise with the Bible, I would like to think people’s belief in its authenticity is based on both faith and reason. Do those who base it solely on faith just assume the right books are in there? I mean there were a great deal of books not included, Christ has already ascended into Heaven, so do they just assume that the early Christians worked everything out way back in the early years of Christianity?

Yes, absolutely it is true that our faith must be based on reason and objective fact. If someone were to ask me “Is there anything that would cause you to disbelieve the Scriptures?” many would say “Nope, I believe because I take it on faith, therefore, you can’t disprove it.” This is nonsensical, irrational, and assumes that God expects us to believe in unicorns because we really want to. If an atheist discovered the body of Christ, I would stop believing immediately, and live like the rest of the pagans.

 

[dnu]

Yes. 2 Timothy 3 tells us that all scripture is breathed out by GOD.

Epic fail.

Read it again, this time try to get some context. Let me help…

A Sufficient Rule of Faith?

"At this point the missionary probably will bring up one of several verses. The passage most commonly brought up by Evangelicals and Fundamentalists is 2 Timothy 3:16–17. In the King James Version, the verse reads this way: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteous- ness; That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

Many claim that 2 Timothy 3:16–17 claims Scripture is sufficient as a rule of faith. But an examination of the verse in context shows that it doesn’t claim that at all; it only claims Scripture is “profitable” (Greek: ophelimos) that is, helpful. Many things can be profitable for moving one toward a goal, without being sufficient in getting one to the goal. Notice that the passage nowhere even hints that Scripture is “sufficient”—which is, of course, exactly what Protestants think the passage means.

Point out that the context of 2 Timothy 3:16–17 is Paul laying down a guideline for Timothy to make use of Scripture and tradition in his ministry as a bishop. Paul says, “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God (Greek: theopneustos = “God-breathed”), and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim. 3:14–17). In verse 14, Timothy is initially exhorted to hold to the oral teachings—the traditions—that he received from the apostle Paul. This echoes Paul’s reminder of the value of oral tradition in 1:13–14, “Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us” (RSV), and “. . . what you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2:2). Here Paul refers exclusively to oral teaching and reminds Timothy to follow that as the “pattern” for his own teaching (1:13). Only after this is Scripture mentioned as “profitable” for Timothy’s ministry.

The few other verses that might be brought up to “prove” the sufficiency of Scripture can be handled the same way. Not one uses the word “sufficient”—each one implies profitability or usefulness, and many are given at the same time as an exhortation to hold fast to the oral teaching of our Lord and the apostles. The thing to keep in mind is that nowhere does the Bible say, “Scripture alone is sufficient,” and nowhere does the Bible imply it."

From:
catholic.com/library/What_Your_Authority.asp

 

[Newbie2]

Yes. 2 Timothy 3 tells us that all scripture is breathed out by GOD.

Epic fail.

The thing to keep in mind is that nowhere does the Bible say, “Scripture alone is sufficient,” and nowhere does the Bible imply it."

Right, but that is entirely a different matter than what the OP is asking.

I think NDfan’s response ***comes close ***to verifying that all scripture is divinely inspired, but not that all one needs to know about salvation is contained therein…but that, again, is a different question.

 

[SSTeacher]

I have never been able to get a really complete logical answer to this question from protestants, and I hope I can get one here at CAF.

so the question is:

Does the Bible verify itself to be divinely inspired?

When I was an Evangelical the verse I heard used to endorse the idea that the Bible is divinely inspired was 2 Timothy 3:16. However, only the first part of the verse was quoted. The verse quoted in full and considered in its context suggests that the main point Saint Paul wanted to get across to his young student was that all Scripture is useful:

All Scripture is God–breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.

It’s relevant to note that by “All Scripture” Saint Paul would have had in mind only the Old Testament. And as this is only one verse and there are some 31,000+ other verses that do not even remotely suggest that the Bible is divinely inspired, it seems not unreasonable to conclude that the Bible does not verify itself to be divinely inspired.

Conclusively,
Mick

 

[Eric_Peter]

Yes. 2 Timothy 3 tells us that all scripture is breathed out by GOD.

This is a very good example of “The Bible is the Word of God because the Bible says that the Bible is the Word of God”. How do you expect atheists, Muslims, Buddhist or other non-Christians to accept this kind of argument?

 

[chaunceygardner]

To your question: No.

I think that this is called a circular argument. The “proof” for divine inspiration has to come from outside. That authority or verification cannot come from within the Bible itself. The Catholic Church claimed the authority to define the books of the NT as divinely inspired. That claim appears to be accepted by most Protestant churches.

 

[PJM]

=L;6448145]I have never been able to get a really complete logical answer to this question from protestants, and I hope I can get one here at CAF.

so the question is:

Does the Bible verify itself to be divinely inspired?

My guess is it depends on what your willing to accept as evidence?

John 17: 14-19 "[14] I have given them thy word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not pray that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; thy word is truth. ***As thou didst send me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth. ***

John.21: 24 “This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these things; and we know that his testimony is true”

1 John.5: 20 “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us nderstanding, to know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.”

** Rev.21: 5 **"And he who sat upon the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

Love and prayers,

Pat