Authority of Scripture Lesson 10 Power. The quality vested in Scripture by the Holy Spirit, whereby it is able to: bring people to a true knowledge of.

Authority of ScriptureAuthority of Scripture

Lesson 10 Lesson 10 PowerPower

The quality vested in Scripture by The quality vested in Scripture by the Holy Spirit, whereby it is able the Holy Spirit, whereby it is able to:to:

bring people to a true knowledge bring people to a true knowledge of their own sinfulnessof their own sinfulnessconvince them of the saving convince them of the saving efficacy of Jesus Christefficacy of Jesus Christempower them to lead lives of empower them to lead lives of increasing holinessincreasing holiness

2 Timothy 3:15-16 2 Timothy 3:15-16 …you have …you have known the sacred writingsknown the sacred writingswhich are able to give you the which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable…. God and profitable….

Authority of ScriptureAuthority of Scripture

It is invested with It is invested with power by the Holy power by the Holy

Spirit.Spirit.

2 Peter 1:20-21 2 Peter 1:20-21 …men …men moved by the Holy Spirit moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.spoke from God.

This investment occurs upon its This investment occurs upon its composition by its human author.composition by its human author.

Isaiah 55:11 Isaiah 55:11 …so will My word be …so will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.the matter for which I sent it.

This investment occurs upon its This investment occurs upon its acquisition by its individual acquisition by its individual reader.reader.

Hebrews 4:12 Hebrews 4:12 For the word of For the word of God is living and active and God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.of the heart.

John 16:13 John 16:13 But when He, But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all He will guide you into all the truth…. the truth….

It is foolish for us to think It is foolish for us to think that we will experience that we will experience the power of God for the power of God for sanctification apart from sanctification apart from the ministry of the Spirit the ministry of the Spirit through the Word.through the Word.

Authority of ScriptureAuthority of Scripture

It brings them to a It brings them to a true knowledge of true knowledge of

their own sinfulness.their own sinfulness.

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit convicts people of sin convicts people of sin through the reading through the reading and proclamation of and proclamation of the Bible.the Bible.

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)

John 16:8-13 John 16:8-13 And He, when He And He, when He comes, will comes, will convict the world convict the world concerning sin….concerning sin….

James 1:23-25 James 1:23-25 For if anyone is a For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror….face in a mirror….

Authority of ScriptureAuthority of Scripture

It convinces them of It convinces them of the saving efficacy of the saving efficacy of

Jesus Christ.Jesus Christ.

Romans 1:16 Romans 1:16 For I am not For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who salvation to everyone who believes….believes….

Romans 10:17 Romans 10:17 So faith So faith comes from hearing, and comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of hearing by the word of Christ.Christ.

2 Timothy 3:15 2 Timothy 3:15 …the …the sacred writings which are sacred writings which are able to give you the able to give you the wisdom that leads to wisdom that leads to salvation….salvation….

Authority of ScriptureAuthority of Scripture

It empowers to lead It empowers to lead lives of increasing lives of increasing

holiness.holiness.

James 1:21-22 James 1:21-22 Therefore, Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save implanted, which is able to save your souls. your souls.

Acts 20:32 Acts 20:32 And now I And now I commend you to God and to the commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.who are sanctified.

2 Peter 1:3-4 2 Peter 1:3-4 …seeing that His …seeing that His divine power has granted to us divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and everything pertaining to life and godliness….godliness….

Thinking that we can grow in Thinking that we can grow in our faith apart from a our faith apart from a devoted attention to the devoted attention to the Word of God is as ludicrous Word of God is as ludicrous as an athlete trying to as an athlete trying to strengthen himself by eating strengthen himself by eating nothing but candy.nothing but candy.

Authority of ScriptureAuthority of Scripture

Challenges to the Challenges to the Power of ScripturePower of Scripture

Scripture can Scripture can only address only address spiritual spiritual problems, not problems, not “real world” “real world” problems.problems.

““Real World” Problems…Real World” Problems…

-Psychological IssuesPsychological Issues-Chemical ImbalancesChemical Imbalances-ConflictsConflicts-Church GovernmentChurch Government-Social IssuesSocial Issues-Governmental IssuesGovernmental Issues

Scripture alone is not Scripture alone is not enough to convince a enough to convince a lost person of the truth lost person of the truth of Christianity.of Christianity.

Scripture alone is not sufficient to Scripture alone is not sufficient to transform me into the person I transform me into the person I want to be.want to be.

Scripture alone is not able to grow Scripture alone is not able to grow our church.our church.

The Core of the Problem:The Core of the Problem:A fundamental disbelief that A fundamental disbelief that

the Holy Spirit will work the Holy Spirit will work through the Bible.through the Bible.