Author: Brett Baggett

A. The Bible evidences itself to be God’s Word by the heavenliness of its doctrine, the unity of its parts, its power to convert sinners and to edify saints; but the Spirit of God only, bearing witness by and with the Scriptures in our hearts, is able fully to persuade us that the Bible is the Word of God. (1 Cor. 2:6,7,13; Ps. 119:18, 129; Acts 10:43, 26:22; Acts 18:28; Heb 4:12; Ps. 19:7-9; Rom. 15:4; John 16:13,14; 1 John 2:20-27; 2 Cor. 3:14-17)

NATURAL WAYS WE KNOW THAT THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD

The Bible evidences itself to be God’s Word by…

I. THE HEAVENLINESS OF ITS DOCTRINE

ISAIAH 55:8-9 
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, 
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. 
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

“The mystery of Scripture is so [perplexing] and profound that no man or angel could have known it, had it not been divinely revealed. That eternity—should be born; that he who thunders in the heavens—should cry in the cradle; that he who rules the stars—should suck the breasts; that the Prince of Life—should die; that the Lord of Glory—should be put to shame; that sin should be punished to the full—yet pardoned to the full; who could ever have conceived of such a mystery, had not the Scripture revealed it to us?” – Thomas Watson. Works. Monergism Books. Kindle Edition.

II. THE UNITY OF ITS PARTS

40 authors, spanning 1,400 years, all with one message: “God is holy, man is not, Christ Jesus came to save sinners, we must turn from sin to faith in God’s Savior.”

ACTS 26:22-23 
22 To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: 23 that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.

ROMANS 4:2-6 
“2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

III. ITS POWER TO CONVERT SINNERS

HEBREWS 4:12 
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

1 PETER 1:23-25 “you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for 
“All flesh is like grass
    and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
    and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.”

ACTS 2:37 
“Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

MARTIN LUTHER: I beat importunately upon Paul at that place, most ardently desiring to know what St. Paul wanted. At last, by the mercy of God, meditating day and night, I gave heed to the context of the words, namely, “In it the righteousness of God is revealed, as it is written, ‘He who through faith is righteous shall live.’” There I began to understand that the righteousness of God is that by which the righteous lives by a gift of God, namely by faith. And this is the meaning: the righteousness of God is revealed by the gospel, namely, the passive righteousness with which merciful God justifies us by faith, as it is written, “He who through faith is righteous shall live.” Here I felt that I was altogether born again and had entered paradise itself through open gates. There a totally other face of the entire Scripture showed itself to me.” – The Legacy of Luther, Sproul and Nichols, Reformation Trust

CHARLES SPURGEON: lifting up his hands, [the man] shouted, as only a Primitive Methodist could do, “Young man, look to Jesus Christ. Look! Look! Look! You have nothin’ to do but to look and live.” I saw at once the way of salvation. I know not what else he said,—I did not take much notice of it,—I was so possessed with that one thought. Like as when the brazen serpent was lifted up, the people only looked and were healed, so it was with me. I had been waiting to do fifty things, but when I heard that word, “Look!” what a charming word it seemed to me! Oh! I looked until I could almost have looked my eyes away. There and then the cloud was gone, the darkness had rolled away, and that moment I saw the sun; and I could have risen that instant, and sung with the most enthusiastic of them, of the precious blood of Christ, and the simple faith which looks alone to Him. Oh, that somebody had told me this before, “Trust Christ, and you shall be saved.” Yet it was, no doubt, all wisely ordered, and now I can say,— “Ever since by faith I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply, Redeeming love has been my theme, And shall be till I die.” – Charles Spurgeon, Autobiography: The Early Years, Banner of Truth

IV. ITS POWER TO EDIFY SAINTS

LUKE 24:25-27, 30-32 
“25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. . . . 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”

EPHESIANS 2:19-21 
19 you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

NATHAN COLE: “And my hearing [George Whitefield] preach gave me a heart wound; by Gods blessing my old foundation was broken up, and I saw that my righteousness would not save me, then I was convinced of the doctrine of Election.” – George Leon Walker, Some Aspects of the Religious Life of New England (New York: Silver, Burnett, and Company, 1897), 89–92.

THE SUPERNATURAL WAY WE KNOW THAT THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD

I. But the Spirit of God only, bearing witness by and with the Scriptures in our hearts, is able fully to persuade us that the Bible is the Word of God.

2 CORINTHIANS 2:13 “And we impart [wisdom] in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.”

2 CORINTHIANS 3:14-17 14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

1 JOHN 2:20 “But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.”

Beloved, it is not enough to know the Scriptures and trust that they are the word of God.

JOHN 5:39-40 “39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.”

You must go to Jesus is faith, whom the whole Bible reveals! Your GPS can tell you exactly how to get to the Grand Canyon, but you have to go there to see it. The Bible tells you perfectly how to have eternal life, but you have to go to Jesus to get it.

A. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, being given by divine inspiration, are the Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice. (2 Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Isaiah 8:20)

Westminster Shorter Catechism Q.2 is this: What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy Him? 

I. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments

OLD TESTAMENT: We use the same OT Jesus used, which excluded the Apocrypha. 

LUKE 11:50-51 “50b …the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation.”

NEW TESTAMENT: Jesus promised His Apostles would speak on His behalf.

JOHN 16:12-14 “12 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

2 PETER 3:15-16 “15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.”

Watson: “The two Testaments are the two lips by which God has spoken to us.”

II. are the Word of God

1 THESSALONIANS 2:13 “And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.”

III. being given by divine inspiration

2 TIMOTHY 3:16 “All Scripture is breathed out by God (theopneustos).”

2 PETER 1:20-21 20b “…no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along (same word as “born from heaven”) by the Holy Spirit.”

IV. the only infallible rule of faith and practice

INFALLIBLE (inerrant; perfect)

Psalm 19:7-11 7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
    reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
     making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
     rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
    enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is clean,
     enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
     and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
    even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
    and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.”

FAITH

ISAIAH 8:19-20 19 “And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? 20 To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.

2 TIMOTHY 3:14-17 14 “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God…

PRACTICE

2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

BRAKEL: “The written Word is competent to teach the truth, to rebuke error, to correct evil, and to identify that which is good, so man may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. In one word, it is able to make man wise unto salvation. More one need not desire, for to have this is to have all. Indeed, the vitality and efficacy of Scripture is such that it is both perfect and sufficient.”

WATSON: “The Word is the judge of controversies, the rock of infallibility. That only is to be received as truth which agrees with Scripture, as the transcript with the original. All maxims of divinity are to be brought to the touchstone of Scripture, all measures are brought to the standard.”

DR. MARTYN LLOYD-JONES: “Here in this Book is a message that would solve every single problem of the human race.”

A: The light of nature in man, and the works of God, plainly declare that there is a God; but His Word and Spirit only, do effectually reveal Him unto us for our salvation (Rom. 1:18-20, Psalm 19:1-2, 2 Tim. 3:15, 1 Cor. 1:21-24, 1 Cor. 2:9-10).

We know there is a God by the light of creation and conscience; yet only the light of the canon of Scripture illumined by the Comforter will lead to our conversion.

I. CREATION (the works of God)

Psalm 19:1-2 “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.”

Romans‬ ‭1:18-21‬ “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

II. CONSCIENCE (the light of nature)

Ecclesiastes 3:11 “God has put eternity into man’s heart.”

Romans 2:14-16 “For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.”

So by the testimony of Creation and Conscience all men know there is a God—we are all without excuse.

Psalm 14:1 “The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

III. CANON (His Word)

Romans 10:14-17 “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? … So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

Luke 16:29-31 “But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

MacArthur Study Bible: “Although the evidence from conscience (1: 19; 2: 14), creation (1: 20), and God’s Word is irrefutable, men choose to resist and oppose God’s truth by holding fast to their sin (cf. Ps 14: 1; Jn 3: 19, 20).”

John 3:19-20 “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.”

IV. COMFORTER (His Spirit)

John 14:26 (Comforter/Helper/Paraclete)

1 Corinthians 1:22-24 “For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

1 Corinthians‬ ‭2:9-10, 12‬ “But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God…Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.”

A. The light of nature in man, and the works of God, plainly declare that there is a God; but His Word and Spirit only, do effectually reveal Him unto us for our salvation.

We know there is a God by the light of creation and conscience; yet only the light of the canon of Scripture illumined by the Comforter will lead to our conversion.

Q. HAVE YOU BEEN CONVERTED? (effectually…for our salvation)

If not, look at Jesus as He is revealed in His Word until the Spirit calls you to Him! Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved!

If so, boast in the LORD!

1 Corinthians 1:30-31 “And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.””

A. Man’s chief end is to glory God and to enjoy Him forever. 

INSTRINSIC AND ASCRIBED GLORY

Distinctions to be made concerning the glory of God: 1) Intrinsic glory. 2) Ascribed glory.

The Intrinsic glory of God: God is glorious!
The Ascribed glory of God: “God is glorious!”

The intrinsic glory of God is like the Grand Canyon and ascribing glory to God is like giving others a helicopter ride through it to simply behold its beauty. The glory is there. You cannot add to it. You are but meant to show it!

Or if you prefer, the glory of God is like the moon. It is huge and beautiful but it seems far away to we simple men. To glorify God is like helping others look through a telescope to see its bigness and beauty up close!

Q. WHY MUST WE “GLORIFY GOD”?

I. Because it is the plain teaching of Scripture that this is why we exist. II. Because this is why all things exist. III. Because this is why Jesus purchased sinners on the cross.

I. We must glorify God because it is the plain teaching of Scripture that this is why we exist. 

1 CORINTHIANS 10:31 “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

1 PETER 4:10-11 “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

WATSON: “The glory of God is the silver thread which must run through all our actions.”

PHILIPPIANS 1:20 “as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.”

WATSON: “The glory we give God is nothing else but our lifting up His name in the world, and magnifying Him in the eyes of others.”

II. We must glorify God because this is why all things exist. 

COLOSSIANS 1:16-18 “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. … that in everything he might be preeminent.”

III. We must glorify God because this is why He purchased sinners on the cross. 

1 PETER 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

1 CORINTHIANS 6:20 “You were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

Those who know they were bought on the cross with the precious blood of Christ make it their aim to glorify that precious One whose blood was spilled for their sake!

Q. WHAT IS IT TO “GLORIFY GOD”? 

WATSON: “To glorify God consists in four things: I. Appreciation. II. Adoration. III. Affection. IV. Subjection. This is the yearly rent we pay to the crown of heaven.”

I. APPRECIATION (THOUGHT/PRAYER LIFE)

WATSON: “To glorify God is to set Him highest in our thoughts.” 

PSALM 97:9 “For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.”

WATSON: “To glorify God is to have God-admiring thoughts; to esteem Him most excellent, and search for diamonds in this rock only.”

II. ADORATION (WORSHIP)

Psalm 29:1-2 “Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.”

III. AFFECTION (LOVE) 

DEUTERONOMY 6:5 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

IV. SUBJECTION (JOYFUL OBEDIENCE)

1 CORINTHIANS 6:20 “You were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

Q. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO “ENJOY HIM FOREVER”?

PSALM 73:25-26 “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

PSALM 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

PHILIPPIANS 3:7-8 “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ”

PHILIPPIANS 1:21, 23 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. … I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.”

Q. HOW MAY WE MOST ENJOY GOD HERE AND NOW? 

I. Fellowship with Him through the scripture and prayer.

II. Trust His promises. 

III. Fellowship with His saints. 

IV. Take, by faith, His Supper.

V. Help others know Him and enjoy Him. 

VI. Enjoy Him by glorifying Him and glorify Him by enjoying Him.