By T. W. Parker

God is the author of all Scripture; He spoke, and the universe came into existence. According to Scripture, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen. 1:1). The Bible describes God’s creation of the world and all life and presents the one true God as Creator. Moreover, because He created humanity in His image, He gave man dominion over the earth. In the Scriptures, the Word of God describes how there was harmony in the world until sin destroyed the connection. However, the God of the Bible brings hope to man by allowing His Word to become flesh and redemption for those who believe so that they might get them back to God.        

Further, Scripture (the Bible) is a collection of books written over a long period by many different human authors; however, all were inspired or (influenced) by God. The unfolding of God’s revelation in the (OT) example of Deuteronomy 18:15-19 God promises to reveal Himself continually in the future to His people. The authors of the book Reformed Systematic Theology, Volume 1 expressed, “Since we cannot see God, we must hear him if we are to know him. The more than eight hundred repetitions of “saith the Lord” in the Bible give us great assurance that the invisible God has made himself known” (Beeke and Smalley 2019, 138). God’s revelation in the Bible has two main messages: the law and the gospel.           

Divine Revelation:

In Divine Revelation, God makes Himself known as Lord; Scripture describes God’s exhaustive self-knowledge by saying He is Word “and the Word was God” (John. 1:1). Also, God makes Himself known as the author of life; this is true of humanities natural lives and spiritual lives. Additionally, God’s Word is His revelation and presence; it is when God inserts Himself into human history to communicate a truth directly. The unveiling of Himself to His creation is to bring the believer into a relationship with Him and know love and serve Him. Certainly, God revealed Himself on Mount Sinai when millions heard and saw the voice of God, and the Torah was given.           

Divine Revelation is unique God is infinite, eternal, and incomprehensible. On the other hand, humanity is finite. The authors of the book Who is God? wrote, “The revelation at the burning bush answered the question “Who is God” by revealing God’s Name” (Bauckham 2020, 42). Admittedly, Scripture is the written form of special revelation providing God’s people with an enduring witness to the work of God in Christ. Through His Spirit, carrying along the authors of Scripture as they wrote. Indeed, God determined in His wise providence that His enduring permanent witness to Himself should come through a written word, namely the Scriptures.       

God’s Universal Revelation:

The Scriptures say of God’s universal revelation, “The Heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” (Psalm. 19:1). Admittedly, the opening verse proclaims that God has revealed certain things about Himself-creation His revelation. Moreover, this psalm speaks of how God has revealed two modes of revelation. (1) God revealed Himself in creation vs. 1-6, and (2) God revealed Himself in His “Word” vs. 7-14. In addition, vs. 10-14 focuses on proper responses to the treasures of the “Word” of the Lord. Also, the very existence of the heavens and sky testifies to His glory.   

God’s natural revelation is universal; nothing is hidden from it, which is why it is sometimes called “general revelation,” meaning it generally reaches all people. The author of the book Christian Theology said, “These areas of sensitivity will vary from one person to another, but there are features of the creation to which the believer may point, features that will enable the unbeliever to recognize something of the truth of the message” (Erickson 2013, 141). God has designed the universe and the human spirit to work together so humanity knows Him. Above all, He does this through the creation and His written word.      

God’s Particular Revelation:

The Bible records Exodus as the first time someone is filled with the Spirit, Bezalel according to Scripture, supplied by God “with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge, and with all kinds of skills” (Ex. 31:3). Here, the “Word” of God reveals His supernatural power upon Bezalel just like He did with Paul in his ministry to equip him for his assignments. At specific points throughout the (OT), the Israelites likewise experienced God’s particular revelation. Mount Sinai was one place, and Mount Zion was another; Mount Sinai symbolizes the benefit of the (OC), whereas Mount Zion symbolizes the (NC). The contrast between the two: is the call not to turn away from God’s grace realized through Jesus Christ.       

Also, in 1 Corinthians 10, the author of the book Everday Glory: The Revelation of God in All of the Reality noted, “Paul’s point was that Torah was written, and the Old Testament events transpired, with all the details of Christ and his Kingdom already directing their progress.”  (McDermott 2018, 23). Additionally, God revealed Himself under two headings: the Bible and Jesus Christ. For this reason, it must be remembered that it is only through hearing the gospel’s message; shared from the Word of God (Scripture), that one can come to saving faith.          

The Preservation of the Revelation (Inspiration):

The Inspiration of Scripture is for all time; the (OT), and (NT) introduce the biblical writers who recorded the “Word” of God so that believers would have a written account of God’s plan for humanity. Likewise, “It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matt. 4:4). The Scripture offers hope to a falling humanity through human experiences, as the authors reported what they saw the Spirit then led them. Generation after generation, the Lord called certain men and tasked them with the honor of recording His “Word” to highlight specific events throughout the history of the Israelites.     

Moreover, the phrase “All Scripture” is also significant because it is breathed out by God.  Meaning that all of it is entirely trustworthy; this is what theologians mean when they talk about the “plenary” inspiration of Scripture-plenary meaning “full” or “complete.” The author of the book Theology as Discipleship communicated, “His purpose is to work within the limitations of his finite creatures by giving them a way to pass on their knowledge from one person to another. The written record also serves as a constant reminder of what God has done” (Johnson 2015, 92). The Lord’s inspiration extends to the very words the author chooses.  

The Dependability of God’s Word (Inerrancy):

The doctrine of Inerrancy speaks to the reality that anyone who wants the truth can have it. In addition, God wants us to understand His truths in the Bible. Likewise, the universe’s secrets are not hidden in heaven but given to us through the Scriptures. Indeed, the Bible records, “God is not human that he should lie not a human being, that he should change his mind.” (Num. 23:19). God is faithful and trustworthy, and His Word is recorded in the original autographs of Scriptures is true. Therefore, the (OT), (and NT) Scriptures, including the writings about Jesus and the writings of the apostles, are all God’s Word, and those words are flawless. 

Above all, the Bible says, “The law of the Lord is perfect” (Psalm. 19:7). Moreover, when Jesus is praying for all believers in John, He says to the Father, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” (John. 17:17). Consequently, inerrancy does not just speak about salvation but historical and scientific statements. The author of the book Friend of Science, Friend of Faith: “The doctrine of inerrancy is a belief that the Bible, by virtue of being inspired by the Holy Spirit, is free from error in all it intends to teach” (Davidson 2019, 33). As a result, when the facts are known, the Bible is inerrant in the original writings and when it is correctly interpreted.               

The Power of God’s Word (Authority):

According to Scripture, God’s Word is authoritative and possesses authority because it is God’s Word. The Lord spoke to us through the written Scriptures. Also, Scripture does not have any source other than God Himself. Therefore, through the Holy Spirit, God inspired man to write it, but they only wrote because the Spirit inspired them. The author of the book The Doctrine of the Word of God said, “We conclude, then, that the witness of Scripture to its own authority is pervasive” (Frame 2010, 492). Moreover, the Scripture’s authority does not depend on whether humankind cooperates with or understands it. Indeed, its authority depends on the power and supremacy of its Author-God.     

For this reason, Scripture is God speaking and thus has the final say in all matters whether we choose to submit to it. Accordingly, the Bible is the written representation of God’s character, nature, and ways. Further, the Scripture’s authority is determined by (1) the internal evidence, (2) fulfilled prophecy, (3) the unity of Scripture, (4) the recorded testimonies of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, (5) the endurance of Scripture (6) the dead sea scrolls, and (7) other archaeological discoveries. Hence, Christianity is based on the Bible, which Christians accept as their final authority because they believe it to be inspired by God.   

The Doctrine of Humanity:

The Doctrine of Humanity is essential because it allows people to see God as the Creator of humankind. Likewise, since man is the image of God, then he is extraordinary and unique. Moreover, God’s purpose for humanity is to worship Him, rule the earth, and have dominion over it. However, in their quest to be like God, Adam and Eve sinned after being tempted by the serpent. Because of their actions, all have sinned against God and deserve to be separated from Him for all eternity (Gen. 1:26-27). However, God’s Son, Jesus Christ, placed the sin debt upon Himself and made it possible for the believer to return to fellowship with the Father through the Cross.                  

In addition, the fall caused God to flood the earth in Genesis 5:1, 9:6; as a result, it becomes the basis for the prohibition of violence against and murder of others. Moreover, as human society grows, God calls out Abram/Abraham and His successors so that they reflect this image throughout the world and thereby bless the nations around them. However, according to the author of The Doctrine of Humanity in the Theology of Reinhold Niebuhr, Niebuhr penned, “people simply did not notice how their lives were lived in contradiction to the message of the Christian gospel” (Hamilton 2013, 23). Indeed, for those of humanity who are faithful, there is an advocate Jesus Christ, the Righteous one (1 John. 2:1).   

Personal discipleship:

God’s will for the believer is in His Word, the Scriptures. First, He commands that the child of God “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and neighbor as yourself.” (Matt. 22:37, 39). Second, He commands us to “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19). Christ is the example of personal discipleship; he brought salvation to the world through His blood. As a result, the redeemed must take practical steps in everyday life to help accomplish this mandate. Indeed, being led by the Spirit is of foremost importance; he is the one who gives power and guidance.               

Also, believers must be willing to allow the Spirit to disrupt routines and step out with boldness and faith. After all, the Holy Spirit equips and provides the Saints with what is needed to accomplish the mission. Moreover, to be God’s disciple, one must share the good news with those in the community. Admittedly, the quickest and most straightforward way to fulfill Jesus’s mandate is by speaking to those in the family. The opportunity to build reputations of solid character and integrity in the eyes of loved ones cannot be underestimated. The authors of the book The Meanings of Discipleship said, “Discipleship is one of the primary metaphors that Christianity uses to conceptualize the demands and challenges of the spiritual life” (Hayes and Stephen 2021, 12).     

Bibliography  

Bauckham Richard. Who Is God? (Acadia Studies in Bible and Theology): Key Moments of Biblical Revelation. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2020. 

Beeke, Joel, and Paul M. Smalley. Reformed Systematic Theology, Volume 1: Revelation and God. Wheaton: Crossway, 2019.  

Davidson Gregg. Friend of Science, Friend of Faith: Listening to God in His Works and Word. Chicago: Kregel Publications, 2019. 

Erickson, Millard J. Christian Theology. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013. 

Frame, John M. The Doctrine of the Word of God. Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R Publishing, 2010. 

Hamilton, Kenneth Morris. The Doctrine of Humanity in the Theology of Reinhold Niebuhr. Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2013. 

Hayes, Andrew, and Cherry Stephen, eds. The Meanings of Discipleship: Being Disciples Then and Now. La Vergne: Hymns Ancient & Modern Ltd, 2021.  

Johnson, Keith L. Theology as Discipleship. InterVarsity Press Academic, 2015. 

McDermott, Gerald R. Everyday Glory: The Revelation of God in All of Reality. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2018.