The Word of God

We have not had the sword tag group out in awhile but today, on Christmas Eve day, we are hosting the group. I think we are expecting about 7 or 8 teens but I'm not sure how many will actually show up. The following is a little study I wrote up this morning...though really it is more of a directed conversation! :-) I'm hoping it will spark discusssion and further research on the part of these young men.

Here is the study (I will post a p.s. later today!):
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The Word of God

December 24, 2009

Ask: What is the Bible?

It is a collection of books written by men who were inspired by the Holy Spirit, therefore the very Word of God.

Two key passages that substantiate this are 2 Timothy 3:16-17 & 2 Peter 1:16-21

R.C. Sproul writes that it is a fallible collection of infallible books…what does this mean?

• Every book in the Bible is infallible (meaning incapable of error)
• The order of the Bible itself is not infallible, but the content of the books themselves only

The Bible is not a textbook for history or science, but when it speaks on such things it is correct. The purpose of the Word of God is specifically to communicate to man the plan of God and His desire for our lives. By it we are to order our lives and judge the things we do and the things we do not do (see 2 Peter 1:3)

As Christians, the Bible is the ultimate authority for things…we may use the writings of learned men to guide us and help us understand the Truth, but it is the Bible that we turn to in the end. No matter how godly, no matter how intelligent…if anyone tells us something contrary to what the Bible teaches, we are to turn away from them. Paul himself warned Believers of this thing in Galatians 1:6-9. We also hear from Jude that our faith, which is founded on the very words of God, was “once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

Finally, Jesus the Lord demands our obedience. He says in John 14:15 that if we love Him we are to keep His commandments. Such a command could not be given and then those commands hidden from us could they? No, of course not!

So this is a very basic overview of what the Bible is and what it means to us…it is an affirmation of the term sola Scriptura, one of the five solas of the Protestant Reformation:
• Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone)
• Sola Fide (Faith alone)
• Sola Gratia (Grace alone)
• Solus Christus (Christ alone)
• Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God alone)
Are there any questions?

Next time we meet we will discuss the question of how we can trust that the Bible is what it claims to be…or rather, what evidences exist to support our faith in the Word of God?

Close in prayer

UPDATE:

We had a total of seven boys today, the youngest about 12 and the oldest was, I think, 18. I had a great time being defeated by everybody! :-)