All talks » Scripture: The necessity of scripture

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Date: 15 Jan 2020
Bible:
Speaker: Andrew Latimer

The Necessity of Scripture

  

  “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

  

  A: Our problem: we are small…and we are sinners

  

   a) God’s revelation was ruined

  

    i. General revelation was spoiled

   

     God’s creation (Romans 8:18-25)

   

     God’s image (Genesis 9:6; Colossians 3:10)

   

    ii. Access to special revelation was shut off (Genesis 3:24)

  

    iii. Yet there is still enough revelation in creation to render us guilty

  

  For [God’s] 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. (Romans 1:20, cf. Acts 14:15-17.)

  

   b) We need salvation

  

   c) Our spiritual sight is ruined

  

  …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. (John 3:19-20)

  

  B: The Solution: God’s grace

  

   a) God gave us His Son to reveal himself (…and bring salvation)

  

   b) God gave us his Spirit to open our eyes

  

   c) God gave us his Word so we may know the Son and have our eyes opened

  

    i. The Son reveals himself through Scripture

  

  …these [signs] are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:31)

  

    ii. The Spirit opens our eyes through Scripture

  

  …since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God. (1Peter 1:23)

  

    iii. We have relationship with God through Scripture

  

  “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? …So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:13-14, 17)