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Chapter 5 6 7 THEO
201
Theology Survey I (Liberty
University)
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CHAPTER 7
THEO-201
AUTHORITY – THE POWER OF GOD’S WORD
1. The act (providence)
2. Process (preservation
3. Illumining encounter (power) of the divine author/source
I.
Biblical Authority <by authority we mean the right to command belief and/or action=
<because the Bible conveys God9s message, it carries the same weight God himself would
command if he were speaking to us personally= Dr. Matthews
- it is one thing to say that God9s Word has authority in our life, but something
else to live it It is one thing to say that God9s Word has authority in our life, but
something else to demonstrate that it has priority in our lives
●Revelation: God discloses exactly what He wants us to know
●Inspiration-Inerrancy: Spirit ensures originals remain perfect
●Illumination: enabling believers to understand the Bible as it is the
Word of God, assuring right hermeneutics: its true meaning
II.
God9s <Word of Truth=
1. Clarity
2. Necessity
3. Sufficiency
4. Authority Exegesis
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- drawing out the text meaning
- how we interpret the Bible
●In the Bible, God the Spirit exercises authority by communicating
His will to us, although indirectly by means of His Word.
●God Spirit & Word never contradict!
●Since the Bible is God9s inerrant words, if we disbelieve or
disobey it, we do the same with God himself!
●So is the Bible historically or normatively authoritative?
●Christians need to use our mind for Biblical exegesis = critical
explanation of the text, hermeneutics proper method of
interpretation to do apologetics i.e. give a reasoned argument to
justify or defend why they believe what they do as truth!
Review Ch.5 > Ch.6 >> Ch.7
- God the Creator is the Revealer, also my Redeemer and… Judge! That's why I
must accept God9s Standard as Final and Binding?
●Inspiration applies always and only to the Bible (2Tim. 3:16); not to
human experiences or interpretations of it!
So need proper exegesis and hermeneutics
●Inerrancy pertains primarily to the original autographs not copies, manuscripts or
our most reliable English translations (my Bible is inerrant in a derived sense)!
●We must bring our critical reasoning, genuine experiences & valuable
traditions under the Bible9s revealed authority.
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Why? the Fall, sinful nature, God, the Devil…
●We need the Spirit of God to illuminate human minds to accept, understand
and be transformed [a personal, subjective experience] by God9s enduring
Word of truth!
Q1: Who determines what I must believe?
Q2: How I know what I know is true? God the Spirit9s inner work!
●Wesley:
4 Sources of epistemological authority: how we know; why we believe?
1. Experience: what I know through my five senses is real/true
2. Tradition: what I have ascertained from history [the Church]
3. Reason: what I assess and judge as true/valid [mind problem?]
4. Revelation: God has spoken; it is written.
The Bible is God9s Word of truth; the Spirit is needed-
given to led us into all truth
- personal & propositional
●Church tradition, my reason, our experiences are servants not masters through
which we apprehend God9s Word that must be 1st accepted to be understood!
●All Scripture is historically authoritative; some are normatively for all believers.
e.g.
1) OT sacrificial system,
2) circumcision as a sign,
3) worship on the Sabbath
Gnanakan9s <3rd Eye=: Illumination (1Cor. 2:14; 3:16; Rom. 8:9)
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- God9s thoughts vs. human wisdom; need for Spirit-
ually discernment
●God, Jesus & the Spirit, all teach and lead to the truth! John 14:26; 16:13-14
Why is the Spirit9s <inner working= essential to know and respond to truth?
●Transcendence: finite fallen mind figures Infinite One?
●Assurance: Spirit bears witness with my spirit of truth
●Arrogance: God turns to foolishness and Satan blinds
●Ignorance: Need humble prayer: <Open the eyes of my heart!=
●God the Spirit compels and convicts (un)believers about the Truth; PS: He
does NOT give new revelations that are extra/contrary to override the Bible
Bernard Ramm9s <Pattern of Authority=
-
God9s Word and God9s Spirit… work together!
●
Today9s Issue: Personal <rights= versus Biblical <Authority=
- Note: the Supremacy and sufficiency of Scripture as the Norming Norm
●Jesus, before leaving assures his followers, 8the Spirit of truth will
convict,
witness, teach, guide, glorify9 (Jn. 14:16)
●
Jesus9 Prayer: Sanctify them how? Thy Word is Truth! No new/extra truths
1. The Word without the Spirit, you dry up!
2. The Spirit without the Word, you blow up!
3. The Word and the Spirit, you will grow up!
