I. IF GOD WROTE A BOOK...

For a moment, pretend that you never heard of the Bible. You have never seen a book about God. You believe in God, since you have seen His witness in nature. How would you determine if a book was a message from Him?

A. In the space below, tell me what you would expect from a book given to man by the creator of the Universe.

B. Tell me some questions that it would answer.

II. SOME EVIDENCES FOR THE BIBLE BEING FROM GOD.
 

A. The Bible claims inspiration. - This does not prove anything in itself, but if a book was from God you would expect it to say so. 

2 Timothy 3:16 - "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,"

2 Peter 1:20-21 "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, {21} for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit."

B. The Bible's indestructibility. Many have tried to destroy the Bible, over and over, but it still stands!

Matthew 24:35 - ""Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."

1 Peter 1:24-25 "because "All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, {25} But the word of the LORD endures forever." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you."

C. The Unity of the Bible.

"How could 40 writers, over a period of 1600 years write 66 books in two large sections on so many subjects and have no contradiction therein-if they wrote on their own rather than inspired by God? Truly, the marvelous unity of the Bible is one of the greatest marks of inspiration!" ( Pulpit Helps)

D. Its' higher code of living.

Look at the moral code of those who are not affected by the Bible. "Do unto other, before they can do to you." or, "Do unto others as they do to you." Then look at the moral code of the Bible.

Matthew 7:12 - ""Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."

Romans 12:17-21

E. Its' prophetic accuracy.

Daniel 2:44 - ""And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever."

Luke 3:1 - "Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,"

Daniel foretold, when reading the passage in context, that a fourth empire would arise, and that during that empire God would set up his kingdom on earth. This all took place exactly as said. 

We could also mention the prophecies concerning the fall of Babylon, Nineveh, and Tyre and Sidon. But most impressive is the dozens of detailed prophecies concerning the coming messiah which were written hundreds of years before Jesus, yet were completely fulfilled in his coming, life, death, and resurrection.

F. The impartial nature of the Bible.

The sins of great Bible characters are not glossed over, nor covered up. The are laid out for all to see. Such men as David and Peter are held up as godly men, yet their shortcoming are accurately set forth. What book of men would do such?

III. WHAT DO WE MEAN BY THE INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE?

 
A. The word Inspiration is used one time in the New Testament. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is given by inspiration
of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, {17} that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."

The word comes from the Greek word, theospneutos, which literally means, "God breathed. God "breathed into" the minds of inspired men the truth that He desired to have recorded. 

B. What do we mean when we say that the Scriptures are "God breathed?"

1. God guided the minds of the writers so that they would not make mistakes in the recording of the divine will. 

2. This would imply that there were no mistakes in the record. Where the Bible speaks in prophecy, science, history, etc., it would be truthful.

3. Every word, correctly translated from the original text, is God speaking to us.

4. What we have today is God's Word.

C. Some other passages to consider.

1. 1 Corinthians 2:13- "These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual."

2. 1 Corinthians 14:37- "If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord."

3. John 14:26- ""But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."

4. Mark 13:11- ""But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit."

5. All these passage were either spoken by, or promised to, and inspired man.