Revelation
The act whereby God gives us knowledge about Himself that we could not know otherwise; the truth basis for arguing that the Bible is the Word of God.
Lesson 6 · Course 62
Logical Proof That the Bible Is God’s Word
Revelation as the truth basis that the Bible is God’s Word; Jesus’ deity; claims and prophecy; unity via dual authorship; inspiration (theopneustos) vs inerrancy; Pentateuch authorship; Jesus on Scripture.
At a glance
Summary
Lesson 6 builds the logical case that the Bible is God’s Word. Revelation is God giving knowledge about Himself we could not know otherwise — the truth basis for that claim. Jesus claimed to be God; if He is not God we cannot trust the Bible as from God. Authors claim a message from God over 1000 times; enemies do not always attack the facts of fulfilled prophecy. Unity rests on dual authorship. Inerrancy is not the Greek for God-breathed (that is inspiration / theopneustos). The course rejects a multi-writer Pentateuch (JEPD). Jesus affirmed inspiration, authority, and inerrancy.
Quiz 6: 10/10 (100%) on attempt 1 (9m 34s). Essays Complete/Not graded. cmid 1103. Course total 100% — certificate unlocked (cmid 2109).
Big ideas
What to teach and remember
- Revelation = God giving knowledge about Himself we could not know otherwise; truth is the basis for arguing the Bible is God’s Word.
- Jesus claimed to be God; if Jesus is not God we cannot trust the Bible as a message from God.
- Authors claim their message is from God 1000+ times; enemies do NOT always attack the facts of fulfilled prophecy.
- Unity of Scripture is based on dual authorship; Inerrancy is NOT from the Greek for God-breathed (that is inspiration / theopneustos).
- Pentateuch was NOT written by four or more writers (course rejects JEPD); Jesus affirmed inspiration, authority, and inerrancy of Scripture.
Key terms
People, places, and words that matter
Inspiration / theopneustos
The Holy Spirit’s guidance of the human writers so they communicated God’s message accurately, while still using their own personalities and styles. The Greek idea of God-breathed (theopneustos) belongs here — not to the word Inerrancy.
Inerrancy
What God revealed and inspired is true, reliable, authoritative, and without error. The word does NOT come from the Greek for God-breathed.
Dual authorship
Scripture’s human and divine authorship together; the argument for the unity of Scripture is based on this dual authorship.
Pentateuch / JEPD
Genesis through Deuteronomy. This course rejects the claim that the Pentateuch was written by four or more writers (JEPD-style multi-writer theory).
Fulfilled prophecy
Empirical evidence that Scripture’s message is from God. Enemies of Scripture do not always attack the facts of fulfilled prophecy.
Structure
Outline / timeline
- Revelation: God giving knowledge about Himself we could not know otherwise — truth basis that the Bible is God’s Word
- Jesus claimed to be God; if He is not God we cannot trust the Bible as from God
- Authors claim message from God 1000+ times; fulfilled prophecy as evidence (enemies do not always attack the facts)
- Eight arguments / evidences that Scripture is God’s Word
- Unity of Scripture based on dual authorship
- Four aspects of inspiration; Inspiration (theopneustos) vs Inerrancy
- Pentateuch authorship: course rejects four-or-more writers (JEPD)
- Jesus affirmed inspiration, authority, and inerrancy of Scripture
Must remember
Facts to keep straight
| Quiz 6 | 100% (10/10), attempt 1, 9m 34s, cmid 1103 |
|---|---|
| Course / certificate | Course total 100%; certificate unlocked (cmid 2109) |
| Revelation | God giving knowledge about Himself we could not know otherwise; truth basis for Bible as Word of God |
| Jesus’ deity & trust | Jesus claimed to be God; if Jesus is not God we cannot trust the Bible as from God |
| Authors’ claim | Over 1000 times authors claim their message is from God |
| Enemies & prophecy | Enemies do NOT always attack the facts of fulfilled prophecy |
| Unity | Argument for unity of Scripture is based on dual authorship |
| Inerrancy ≠ theopneustos | Inerrancy does NOT come from Greek for God-breathed — that is inspiration |
| Pentateuch | NOT written by four or more writers (course rejects JEPD) |
| Jesus on Scripture | Affirmed inspiration, authority, and inerrancy |
Compare
Side-by-side contrasts
Revelation vs Inspiration vs Inerrancy
- Revelation: God’s act of making known what we could not otherwise know about Himself — giving of the truth
- Inspiration: Holy Spirit’s guidance of the human writers so they communicated God’s message accurately, using their own personalities and styles
- Inerrancy: what God revealed and inspired is true, reliable, authoritative, and without error — describes the resulting Scripture
Inerrancy ≠ theopneustos (God-breathed)
- Inerrancy does NOT come from the Greek words meaning God-breathed
- God-breathed / theopneustos belongs to inspiration — the Spirit’s work through the writers
For the pulpit
Sermon hooks
- Revelation is God telling us what we could never invent about Himself.
- If Jesus is not God, the Bible’s claim to be from God collapses with Him.
- Over a thousand times the authors say: this message is from God.
- Inspiration is God-breathed; inerrancy is the result — true and without error.
- Jesus Himself stood for the inspiration, authority, and inerrancy of Scripture.
Quiz drill
Quiz drill / review · open to practice · 10 items
Quiz score: 100% · 1 attempt
1. Revelation is the act whereby God gives us knowledge about Himself that we could not know otherwise.
TrueRevelation = God giving knowledge about Himself we could not know otherwise.
2. Truth is the basis for argument that the Bible is the Word of God.
TrueTruth is the basis for arguing the Bible is God’s Word.
3. Jesus never claimed to be God.
FalseJesus claimed to be God.
4. Even if Jesus is not God, we can still believe that the Bible is a message from God.
FalseIf Jesus is not God we cannot trust the Bible as from God.
5. Over 1000 times in Scripture the authors claim their message is from God.
TrueAuthors claim message from God 1000+ times.
6. The enemies of Scripture always attack the facts of fulfilled prophecy.
FalseEnemies do NOT always attack the facts of fulfilled prophecy.
7. The argument for the unity of Scripture is based on its dual authorship.
TrueUnity of Scripture is based on dual authorship.
8. The word "Inerrancy" comes from the Greek words meaning "God breathed out."
FalseInerrancy is NOT from Greek for God-breathed — that is inspiration/theopneustos.
9. The Pentateuch (Genesis through Deuteronomy) was actually written by four or more writers.
FalsePentateuch NOT by four+ writers; course rejects JEPD.
10. Jesus affirmed the inspiration, authority and inerrancy of Scripture.
TrueJesus affirmed inspiration, authority, and inerrancy.
Essay themes
If you preach or review
Revelation / Inspiration / Inerrancy
Revelation is God's act of making known what we could not otherwise know about Himself. Inspiration is the Holy Spirit's guidance of the human writers so they communicated God's message accurately, while still using their own personalities and styles. Inerrancy means that what God revealed and inspired is true, reliable, authoritative, and without error. In short, revelation is the giving of the truth, inspiration is the Spirit's work through the writers, and inerrancy describes the resulting Scripture.
Eight arguments / evidences Scripture is God’s Word
1. The unique revelation of the person of Christ.
2. The Bible's extraordinary claim that its message is from God.
3. The empirical evidence of fulfilled prophecy.
4. The convicting, convincing, and converting power of its message.
5. The inexhaustible infinity of revelation.
6. The unity of the message from many human sources.
7. The transcultural appeal of the message.
8. The unmistakable honesty of the Scriptures.
Four aspects of inspiration
1. Inspired men: holy men of God were moved, or carried along, by the Holy Spirit, so they wrote what God wanted communicated.
2. Inspired personalities: God used each writer's personality, background, vocabulary, and writing style rather than erasing the human author.
3. Inspired words: the very words of Scripture were directed by the Holy Spirit, not merely the general ideas.
4. Inspired thoughts and message: the content, thoughts, and ideas came from God, making Scripture completely accurate, authoritative, and without error.