Over and over again the truth of Scripture is proven. The apostle Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 15:3 and 4: "For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures."
But some may argue against the validity of Paul's pen as being the instrument of Scripture. And God again provides the answer in 2 Peter 3:15 and 16, "and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation -- as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures."
God's Holy Spirit boldly proclaims the words flowing from the pen of Paul to be Scripture ("according to the wisdom given to him" and "the rest of the Scriptures"). The "inspiration of God" or as the Greek literally states, "God's Holy Spirit urges," has insured both the Old Testament Scriptures and the New Testament Scriptures to be God's truth, and there is no other.
Therefore (as the Apostle Paul so often said), we have great comfort and wealth of wisdom before us:
First -- Scripture is Truth.
Second -- All Scripture is inspired, given, by God, and therefore truth from God alone.
Third -- God holds and is using preserving power to insure that the Scriptures remain truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
What remains for us is this: "To choose the truth, or to choose the lie?" That dilemma has been faced by every generation, as is reflected in Joshua's statement in Joshua 24:15: "And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the (Progressives), in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (The word inside brackets "Progressives" is mine.)
We each must make a decision. We can be like the psalmist ("I have chosen the way of truth; Your judgments I have laid before me" Psalm 119:30) or we may be like those who stood before Elijah and chose by not choosing ("And Elijah came to all the people, and said, 'How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if (the Progressives), follow (them).' But the people answered him not a word" 1 Kings 18:21) (The word inside brackets "Progressives" is mine.)
We can, however, come to the same understanding that the fisherman Peter came to: "But Simon Peter answered Him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.'" (John 6:68)
(This is taken from a larger treatise on Truth. For a PDF copy, e-mail Duncan at [email protected].)
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Editor's note: Jim Duncan is the pastor of Mountain Bible Church, Mountain, Mo. This is taken from a larger treatise on Truth; for a PDF copy contact Duncan at P.O. Box 146, Pea Ridge, AR 72751; or by telephone at 417-341-8504; by e-mail at [email protected]. His Web site is www.jamesduncan-writer.net.
Religion on 02/25/2015