“WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT ITSELF”

 

1.  In 1971 the living bible was published.  The Living Bible is a paraphrase.

2.  This paraphrase was done by Kenneth Taylor, whom became interested in this project

3.  Because of his children; he wanted them to “better understand the Bible.”

 

I.   HAVE A COPY OF THE LIVING BIBLE.  FROM MY COPY I WANT YOU TO HEAR SOME OF MR. TAYLOR’S   PARAPHASING;

 

     A.  Acts 4:36, “For instance, there was Joseph (the one of the apostle’s nicknamed Barry the                   Preacher’ Hosea 4”11 says, “Wine, women and song have robed my people of their brains.

     B.   Gal: 1:10, “You can see that I am not trying to please you by sweet talk.”

     C.  1st Kings: 20:11, “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.”

     D.  Some of the other verses are too crude to mention.  There are some curious facts about Taylor.

     E.   And his paraphrase, in the July 24th 1972 edition of “Time” this start statement is made:

           1)     “Mysteriously, halfway through the paraphrase, Taylor lost his voice.

           2)     And still speaks only in a hoarse whisper.  A psychiatrist who examined him suggested that

           3)   The voice failure was Taylor’s psychological self-punishment for tampering with what

           4)   He believed to be the word of God.”

     F.   I find this to be very, very interesting.  Here is a man who took great liberties with the word of        G     God. When this man got half of his paraphrase done, he lost his voice.  ‘This loss was considered

     H.  To be Taylor’s punishment for what he did.

II  FOR A LITTLE WHILE LET’S PUT THE STORY ABOUT MR. TAYLOR ON A BACK BURNER.  WE WILL COMEBACK TO IT, BUT FOR NOW, LET’S EXAMINE THE CLAIMS THAT THE BIBLE MAKES ABOUT ITSELF.  I AM GOING TO LIST 11 STATEMENTS THAT THE BIBLE MAKES ABOUT ITSELF.

 

     A.  These claims will be dealt with fairly rapidly.  If you were to read through out the entire OT.

     B.   You will find over 3,800 times where God said that script, was His word.

     C.  God claims to be the author of this book (hold up Bible).  Because God claims to be the author

     D.  Of this volume, other claims Ps. 119:105 READ:

           1)   In a recent edition of the newspaper, I read an advice column.

           2)     This columnist had printed the 10 commandments.

           3)     Readers contacted this columnist after the 10 commandments was printed.

           4)   She was told that these commandments are outdated, no longer stand.

     E    From a doctrinal standpoint we understand that the 10 are part of the OT.

     F.   In looking at the NT, we find that 9 of them are again found.

     G.  Only the command to keep the Sabbath is not found in the NT.

     H.  David said that God’s word was a “lamp and a light.”  This was a claim.

     I.    The People who wrote to the columnist said, “This is true.

     J.    “The Bible is to outdated to serve as a lamp and a light.”  The Bible claims otherwise!

     K.  Do we remember how Heb. 4:12 begins?   READ `12A’

           1)     When God spoke of His book He said, “My book is not a series of dead letters”.

           2)   It is not a book that only had value way back when, The Bible claims that it is,

           3)     Relevant to our lives, scripture claims that it can and does serve as a guide for God.

 

     L.     Furthermore, scripture claims that], it will be successful, Isaiah stated in Isaiah 55:11. READ

           1)     God’s word will accomplish its purpose; the Bible will not become void.

           2)   I have walked into bookstores, many of which were discount stores.

           3)   On some other tables were books about computers.  Computer books become void or.

           4)   No longer beneficial not all of them accomplish what the authors intend;

           5)     Every one of them becomes out of date after a time.  God claims that His word

           6)   Is not like this, Isaiah 55: 1.

     M.  In fact, God’s word is so different that we should recall the words of Jesus Christ.

     N.  Our Lord said in Mt. 24:35 – “Heaven and earth shall pass away but my word will not.

     O.  1st Peter, 1:23-25 claims that God’s word “abides forever.”  This is a claim that

     P.   The Bible makes about itself.  This is a claim that has been tested.

           1)   In 1199, Pope Innoncent II had French Bibles burned.  In 1234 more people

           2)     Were ordered to bring in Bibles to be burned. In 1637 the Jesuites reportedly burned Bibles

           3)     They claimed that 60,000 copies of God’s word were torched.

     Q.  People have destroyed copies of God’s word:  Others have made careless translations.

     R.   God’s word has been neglected by many it has been assaulted by all kinds of critics;

     S.   It has been assaulted by all kinds of critics; yet God’s word claims that scripture will not pass         T.  Away, another claim made about the Bible is in Eph: 6:17 – Take the helmet of salvation.

     U.  In the list of Christian armor, there is only 1 offensive weapon.  This is God’s Word.

     V.  God claims that His word is a weapon.  He calls it a sword. 

     W. Does God’s word live up to this claim?  Absolutely

     Y.  This weapon is so powerful that Jesus said in John. 12:48 READ

     Z.   God claims that His word will be the standard for judgment.  Gods’ word can do more

     A.  Than judge us.  God claims that His word can “Build us up.”  Acts 20:32 says, READ.

           1)     While at the lectures I heard a veteran preacher speak.

           2)     This man is one of the finest preachers in the brotherhood.

           3)   He has a doctorate in speech and he has a lot of experience.

           4)     One ay this man was with some family members in a hospital.

           5)   He was asked to take these family members to the chapel.  There the family

           6)     Learned that their loved one had died.  This news caused the family, to cut loose with grief.

           7)   The members of this family “lost it.”  Out of control.  This preacher was asking himself,

           8)   “What do I do?” He took out a testament and started to READ Ps. 23.

     B.   This reading didn’t end the pain and tears.  It did create and atmosphere where the grief could be

     C.     Channeled and God claims that His word can build us up and comfort us.

     D.  As with all the other claims, this claim is correct. What other claims does the Bible make?

           1)     Scripture claims to be inspired.  2nd Tm. 3”16 in the KJV says, “All Scripture is inspired”.

           2)   The word translated inspired is found only here in the N.T.

           3)     This word expresses the idea of “God-breathed.”

           4)     Perhaps the best commentary on the word inspiration .is 2nd Peter. 1:21 READ

           5)     When the Bible claims to be inspired, it is saying that this product is from God.

           6)     According to 2nd Peter 1:21 men did not make up this book.

           7)   The Bible claims to be God’s message to man.

     E.   This is a very strong claim to make.  This is a claim that can be and has been checked.

     F.   This is not the last claim that scripture makes about itself.

     G.  Going back to 2nd Tm. 3:16 -17 we find another claim QUOTE

           1)     God’s word “gives us all that we need.”

           2)   The Bible claims that if we have it we are “complete.” This is an interesting claim.

           3)   In our day there are people who claim to be from God.

           4)     There are people who claim that God is speaking to them. 

           5)     Some tell us that we need additional material besides the Bible.

     H.  The Bible claims these ideas are all false.  If the Bible is true all these other people are wrong.

     I.    God’s word makes us “complete for every good work.” The Bible “completely furnishes” us with     J.    all we need. This is another claim that is made.

     K.  In addition to this claim we can list at least one more.  John 10:35 says, READ.

           1)     God claims that His word is true and it will not be changed.

           2)     Most of us have heard our legislators speak about balancing.

           3)   I heard a recent discussion about this matter on the radio.

           4)   The current proposal seems to be this: “Let’s have a law to do this, but if things get out

           5)   Of hand.  “We have some escape clauses built in.”  In other words, though there might be a                  6)     Law which obligates officials to balance the budget, they do not have to follow it.

     L.   Some seem to have this idea about God.  “Yes, the Bible does say that.  We think God has an      

     M.  Escape clause.  Scripture claims that it cannot be broken.  If God’s word were to say that no one

     N.  Over the height of 6” would be eligible.  No one above this height would go to heaven.

     O.  God’s promises – positive and negatives – will be fulfilled.

     P.     Another claim is found a little later in the book of John 17:17.

           1)     God says that His word is “truth.” We have people who doubt that truth can be known.

           2)   For many, life is one big subjective experience.

           3)     God claims that truth does exist, and that it comes from Him.

CONCLUSION;

1.  I wonder about Mr. Taylor, did he eventually realize the claims that the Bible makes abut itself.

2)  And then he punished himself for carelessly paraphrasing the word of God?  I’m not sure.

3)  In any case, he is on his own. We are on our own.

4)  From this lesson we understand some of the claims that the Bible makes about.

5)  What will we do with these claims?

     A.  Will we be like the skeptic and scoff at them?

     B.   Will we be like a doubter and think that there are escape clauses?

     C.  Will we be careless and neglect the claims in God’s word?

6.  Or, will we be honest with the claims?  Will we acknowledge the claims?

7.  Claims that are made and submitted to God?  The choice is ours.