Continuing the Systematic Theology series, Pastor Terrie Beede initiates a multi-part study on The Doctrine of Scripture, focusing on Article 2 of the Calvary Chapel of Milwaukee's Statement of Faith: "We believe that the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the word of God. fully inspired without error in the original manuscripts and the infallible rule of faith and practice and sufficient to guide us in every area of life and human need. The word of God is the foundation upon which this church operates and is the basis by which this church is governed. We believe that the word of God supersedes any earthly law that is contrary to the holy scriptures". He frames this study with Paul's admonition to Timothy to "take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine" to save both himself and his hearers (1 Timothy 4:16).
Pastor Beede begins by exploring the characteristics of Scripture:
1. Inspiration: Scripture is "God-breathed" (theopneustos), originating deliberately from God (2 Timothy 3:16). This includes:
◦ Verbal Inspiration: Every single word is God-breathed.
◦ Plenary Inspiration: Inspiration extends to every part of Scripture.
◦ Canon of Scripture: The 39 books of the Old Testament were recognized by Jews and early Christians as the authoritative Word of God. New Testament writers themselves understood their writings to be Scripture, as evidenced by Jesus' words (John 6:63), Peter acknowledging Paul's epistles as Scripture (2 Peter 3:16), Paul quoting Luke's Gospel as Scripture (1 Timothy 5:18), and John's warning against adding to or subtracting from Revelation (Revelation 22:18-19).
2. Corroborating Evidence for God's Word: While other "holy books" claim divine origin, the Bible stands apart due to:
◦ Historical Accuracy: Demonstrated faithfulness to empirical evidence (geography, ecology) and historical/political/sociological conditions.
◦ Internal Consistency: 66 books, written across millennia, convey a harmonious message without contradiction, unlike apocryphal writings.
◦ Fulfilled Prophecies: Numerous prophecies written hundreds of years in advance.
◦ Pastor Beede stresses that while impressive, this corroborating evidence cannot be the ultimate authority for faith, as that would place the evidence above God's Word itself.
3. The Bible's Self-Attesting Authority and the Role of Faith:
◦ Like the existence of God, the Bible does not attempt to scientifically prove its own authority; it simply asserts it as fact ("In the beginning, God").
◦ Pastor Beede argues that any claim to absolute truth or authority is ultimately a "circular argument" (e.g., science proves itself true) and requires a measure of faith. God provides sufficient reasons for a rational faith but withholds absolute proof to maintain free will.
◦ For believers, the weight of corroborating evidence, combined with the inner moral law and the witness of the Holy Spirit, convinces the heart and mind that the Bible is indeed God's Word. Charles Wesley's argument for divine inspiration is cited to underscore this.
4. Inerrancy: Scripture is without error in any part whatsoever in its original manuscripts. Pastor Beede clarifies this does not mean:
◦ The Bible is an encyclopedia of all facts; it is authoritative only on subjects it addresses.
◦ It does not account for ordinary human language, approximations, phenomenological descriptions (e.g., "sun rising"), or loose quotations (which convey meaning over exact wording).
◦ Grammatical imperfections (e.g., in Revelation) do not negate truthfulness.
◦ The Bible reports words/actions without necessarily endorsing them (e.g., words of the devil).
Continued https://ccmilwaukee.com/podcasts/media/2009-02-11-systematic-theology
