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T H p K I N G ’ S B U S I NE S S Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.” Paul claimed to be the mouthpiece of God (1 Cor. 2:13): “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teach- eth, but which the Holy Ghost teach- eth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” 1 Cor. 14:37: “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowl edge that the things which I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.” And this was in accord with the promise of the Lord Jesus in John 16:18, that they should be guided into all truth, and that the Holy Spirit should teach them all things (John 14:26). Then, again, Peter unites both the prophets and the apostles and our Lord Jesus (2 Pet. 3:2). “That ye be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandments of us the apostles of the Lord and Sav iour,” and in the 16th verse he links the Qld Testament and Paul’s epistles, “As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scrip tures, unto their own destruction.” John also claims to speak for God (1 John 4:6): “We are of God; he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” Words are essential in inspiration. In describing the temptation of Jesus, Matt, 4:1-10, our Lord quotes three times “It is written”, and Satan him self quotes the Scripture and says “It is written.”
We have an example in Gal. 3:16, where the sense depends upon the sin gular or plural of the word. God preserved the Jews as the de pository of the Scriptures, and through them preserved the testimonies of the Old Testament, although these \ very Scriptures testified against them. He used the Roman and Greek Catholic churches to preserve and keep from mu tilation the New Testament, although We have seen that the Word is the inspired Word. It is also the inspiring Word. Through it we receive the na ture of God (Jas. 1:18); and (1 Pet. 1:23). It also gives us the assurance of our salvation (John 20:31; 1 John 5:13). It cuts like a sword (Heb. 4:12), and this is proven by reading Acts 2:22-37. It convicts of sin'(Jonah 3:4, 5; Matt. 19:21, 22). It cleanses (John 15:3), proven in Eph. 5:26, 27. It strengthens (1 John 2:14). It guilds up (Acts 20:32). It instructs (1 Cor. 10:11). It gives joy and peace (Rom- 15:13). To avail ourselves of the power of the Word, read 1 Cor. 2:12-14. Hear the conclusion of the whole matter (Col. 3:16): “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and ad monishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” PRACTICAL POINTS (The Proof of the Inspiration of the , Word) (1) The Bible, the only book which claims to be of God. (2) Jesus sets His seal to it as God’s Word. (3) Jesus promised that the Apostles should be inspired to give the truth. (4) It evolves the only satisfactory scheme of salvation. (5) Its moral teaching is the purest. they testified against them. (2) The Inspiring Word.
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