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June 12, 2011 Part 2

THE FIRST QUESTIONDid Bible writers mean for us to take their writings as

Gods word?

Scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35b).

Were the ancient prophets merely speaking as appropriate to

their own time and culture? Was Paul just writing what he thought

best in specific situations considering the limitations and prejudicesof his day? Did Peter mean to write commandments to be

obeyed? Is the Bible just a memorial of human theological

achievement, a community library with which to initiate dialogue

with people of all faiths on equal terms, or the constitutional

authority for Gods people for all time?

A popularemerging church writer put words to a view

prevalent among many these days by saying, Biblical writers never

understood themselves to be writing a constitution that would be

read by people hundreds or thousands of years in the future andthousands of miles away. No, they were writing for their own times,

to address specific problems and questions of their day.Brian D.

McLaren,A New Kind of Christianity, p.86.

So, which is it? Is the Bible Gods word today the same way it

was to its original audience? Did the writers intend it to be? We

need to think this through. If not, what use is it? If so, can we defend

the interpretations to which

we subject it? If not, what

authority is there in the

spiritual/moral arena? If so,

can we prove it to those

whose salvation depends

on accepting it?

What do you say?

SUMMER QUARTER COUPLES/FAMILY CLASS - 2011

THE TRUSTWORTHY WORD

ARE YOU SURE?

Are you sure the

Bible writers intended

us to take their words

as Gods word for all

times?

Exodus 17:14

Isaiah 30:8

Jeremiah 30:2

Acts 4:24-25

2Peter 1:20-21

1Corinthians 2:9-

13

1Thessalonians

2:13

2Timothy 3:16-17

2Peter 3:16-17

John 14:26, 15:1-

10, 16:7-15

Are you sure?

WE AFFIRM THE BIBLE

WRITERS UNDERSTOOD

THEIR WRITINGS TO BE THE

WORD OF GOD CONTAINING

HIS AUTHORITY--

PERMANENTLY BINDING

TRUTH FOR ALL TIMES.