The Inspired Word

by McCormick, F. | Category: The Inspired Word | Aug 1954

Let us look now at a few scriptures touching upon the perfect exactitude of the inspired Word, and its authority.

Matthew 22.31, 32: "God is not the God of the dead but of the living." This truth is based by the Lord upon the words, "I AM," (not, I was) the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hence the accuracy of the tense is the important issue of interpretation. The same may be said in regard to John 8.58.

Again, in Galatians 3.16 the correct interpretation depends upon the use of a singular and not a plural number:

"He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, and to thy Seed, which is Christ."

In Hebrews 12. 26, 27, the whole significance of the passage hinges upon this word, "Yet once more."

In Romans 4. 9-13, the inclusion of the Gentiles in blessing through faith, as promised to Abraham, is here based upon the time of Abraham's faith being reckoned for righteousness, i.e., when in uncircumcision (verse 11).

From the foregoing we see the great importance of every phrase and word, the significance of the singular or plural, the tense, and even the time of a particular happening in the history of Abraham.

How important then are the words of the Lord Jesus, when He asked,

"What is written ... bow readest thou?" (Luke 10.26)

The authority of Scripture may be observed in Galatians 3. 22:

"Howbeit the Scripture hath shut up all things under sin."

The words of Scripture are therefore the words of God (see Romans 3.9 and 11.32). Galatians 3.8, "The Scripture foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith," attributes to the Scripture what in fact belonged to God-foreknowledge. It was in God's mind to justify the Gentiles hence the things written aforetime concerning this in Genesis 12 and elsewhere, were in truth the words of God.

Reading through the epistle to the Hebrews we notice that therein are found the names of many of the faithful from Abel onwards; there is not the slightest doubt in the mind of the writer as to the historical facts in the lives of these men of faith (see chapter 11). They are accepted from the Old Testament writings as absolutely infallible. Moreover the basic teaching of the priesthood of Christ in relation to the house of God and the heavenly sanctuary, is founded upon the historical facts of the priesthood of Melchizedek, of Aaron, and the typical teaching of the tabernacle, and its ordinances of divine service (Hebrews chapters 7,8 and 9). The exact details, given by Moses in Exodus are unquestioned, nay more, they are used by the writers of the inspired New Testament to shew by type, by comparison, and by contrast the better and more perfect things of the New Covenant If what Moses wrote was not true, then the whole teaching would be nothing more than a mere fabrication, and the old and new would collapse together. The precious unfolding of Christ's Sonship, humanity, priesthood, and ministry in the heavenly sanctuary in the epistle to the Hebrews, is not based on the teaching of fables, but on the inspired word of God Himself, regarding those types and shadows in all their minute accuracy. This reveals the fact that the apostles accepted the Old Testament writings as the word of God and from these writings, quotation after quotation is made in the' apostles' teaching. Like their Divine Master, they accepted them as authoritative in their doctrine, so should we, neither adding to, nor taking away therefrom (Deuteronomy 4.2; 12.32; Revelation 22.18, 19).

The New Testament Scriptures are also to be accepted as the inspired word of God. This originates in the command of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 28 20 "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you" (see Acts 1.3). This they did orally, and also as moved by the Holy Spirit, some wrote by inspiration to churches and individuals. These writings were the inspired words of God, and were accepted as such, as may be seen in 2 Peter 3.15, 16:

"Paul ... in all his epistles... which the ignorant and unstedfast wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."

We accept therefore that the Scriptures are inspired of God in every word and grammatical detail, the result being verbal inspiration. We accept that there is nothing deficient or requiring to be filled in, that therefore plenary inspiration is an absolute fact.

"This Book, this holy Book, on every line

Marked with the seal of high divinity,

On every leaf bedewed with drops of love

Divine, and with eternal heraldry

And signature of God Almighty stamped

From first to last-this ray of sacred light,

This lamp, from off the everlasting throne,

Mercy took down, and in the night of Time

Stood, casting on the dark her gracious bow;

And evermore beseeching men, with tears

And earnest sighs, to read, believe, and live "

-POLLOK.