What is some observable evidence the Bible is God’s inspired word? Answer: The reactions one receives from most people when one proclaims its Scriptures. For some there will be feelings of discomfort; they’ll change the subject. For others, there will be feelings of anger but they’ll keep it under wraps, dismissing you in the process. Not only will some have feelings of anger, they will quite openly express it towards you along with ridicule, false accusations, insults and abuses. Within its pages, the Bible shows us we can expect such reactions, thereby confirming its Godly inspiration.
Muslims won’t get those reactions if they proclaim from their book; neither will Hindu’s or Buddhists when proclaiming from theirs. Why is that? Their leaders are dead and they don’t seek to claim otherwise. Not so, we Bible Christians; our Leader, the Lord Jesus Christ, died then rose again 3 days later and we proclaim that from the rooftops! To some people that’s good news; to most people however, that’s not good news it is bad news! Important Note: There was a time in my life when the good news was bad news too; not that I really knew what the good news truly was, because I had never had it preached to me. Whatever it was, I knew it meant a probable change of my ways; not a pleasant thought when one is running from any such reality!
The late Robert Schuller was the first man to draw my attention for the need to change. Viewing his Hour of Power TV program “by chance” one Sunday morning in 1984, I was stopped in my tracks when I heard him speak of Jesus Christ. Yes, I’m fully aware of the criticisms Schuller received for his theology and whilst I stopped subscribing to most of it long years ago, I will not criticize him. I blessed him while he lived and often think of him now that he’s gone. The Holy Spirit used that man to draw me to Jesus and for me to believe otherwise would be to border on Holy Spirit blasphemy. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out John 6:37. That was a primary proclamation from Robert Schuller, frequently.
Schuller was criticized for not calling sinners “sinners.” In my case it didn’t matter. Seeing Christ from a distance, as I did in those early days of viewing his program, “sinner” was what I knew I was without the need of a human messenger to tell me. What I needed to know, was it possible for this sinner to ever get forgiveness for his sins? Brother Schuller had the answer – a glorious answer; “Believe on Jesus Christ and trust Him with your life. Jesus came into the world; He died on a cross for us all 2000 years ago. Give your guilt to Him.” That lines up with Scripture. If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved Romans 10:9.
Something else Robert Schuller said that I’ve never heard any other church leader say; not then, not now: “There will come a time when these messages will be insufficient for your spiritual growth. When that time comes, go look for a local church.” When the time came for me I took his advice. In the first local church, I sat under expository preaching twice on Sundays plus midweek Systematic Bible studies. It was not long into my 7-plus year stay in that place that I saw the need to adopt the “fundamentalist” plain-sense meanings of Scripture, in spite of all the ignorance, misunderstandings, criticisms and what have you, that I knew would come my way and never cease to. In actual fact, a great bulk of it to “come my way” began within that church after the pastor left!
What a shock it was after all those years of preaching and teaching in that church, to now begin experiencing those reactions to God’s inspired word mentioned here in the opening paragraph. It was there that I first learned the unforgettable lesson, when denominational traditions clash with the God’s inspired word, the former can always be counted upon to come out on top not the latter. So common is this today just about everywhere in my neck of the woods. Yet, within those fellowships, critics of the late Robert Schuller and his theology can still be found if his name is mentioned in a conversation. Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition Matthew 15:6. God’s inspired word has not changed!
It’s not only denominational traditions that come out on top when clashing with God’s inspired word. Human-centered new Bible translations have been doing the same thing for many years too. One of the most popular to do so presently is ‘The Inclusive Bible – The First Egalitarian Translation – Priests for Equality’ addition. Quote: “Although this new Bible is certainly an inclusive-language translation, it is also much more: It is a re-imagining of the Scriptures and our relationship to them. Not merely replacing male pronouns, the translators have rethought what kind of language has built barriers between the text and its readers. Seeking to be faithful to the original languages, they have sought new and nonsexist ways to express the same ancient truths.” God help us!
Although God’s inspired word as been under various forms of attack for hundreds of years, the severest of judgments await all those who attack it by altering and changing it. You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take anything from it…… Deuteronomy 4:2. If anyone takes away from the words of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life Revelation 22:19. This “Bible” translation is not all-inclusive; it excludes God the Father, the Son of God and Son of Man, the Lord Jesus Christ. And, it excludes He the Holy Spirit. It is not inspired by the Trinity of God, but rather, the unholy trinity – religion, politics and control. When these people stand before God for judgment, it will be the Man Jesus doing the judging!
The latest clash with God’s inspired word: The Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Washington, D.C., quickly passed a resolution recently to stop using “gendered language for God” in future updates to its Book of Common Prayer. According to those involved, the using of masculine pronouns is to “limit our understanding of God.” Anyone foolish enough to make such a resolution then explain it away in such a manner had and has no understanding of God to begin with. These are not only spiritually dead people, they are godless people. The Holy Spirit is not their energizer, that “accolade” goes to the spirit of feminism – the Jezebel spirit! “Fixed boundaries of gender identity are being challenged and churches need to respond.” There’s only one response – LEAVE NOW!
And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence 1 Timothy 2:12. Can you see why under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit the apostle Paul wrote that Scripture? He foresaw the time when militant feminists and lesbians would one day manipulate, intimidate, emasculate and feminize men in the church, toppling them from their God-ordained positions of leadership. “We want equality,” they say. They lie to us; they want power and control, nothing less! But Bible Christians are not fooled by their lies; we see they have no authentic power and control. Such authenticity only shows up when coming face to face with Satan’s people. When that happens, one witnesses those reactions to God’s inspired word too!
A word of encouragement to those new in Christ: You will not be spared from experiencing those reactions to God’s inspired word either. Such will come from fellow Christians so-called, from your non-believing family members, from friends, work colleagues and other associates. You can expect severed relationships from among all those groups. Ridicule, false accusations, insults and abuses will be the name of the game for you. Therefore, embrace now these two glorious Bible promises: Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake Matthew 5:11. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you…… 1 Peter 4:14.
People will curse you; God will bless you. Biblically, ‘blessed’ means: ‘fortunate’ ‘well off’ and ‘happy.’ It will not seem like that at the beginning when it’s all coming down, but that is the reality. My advice: ground yourself in those promises from today; don’t be like me who discovered them much later than I should have. Too, don’t forget to Bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you Luke 6:28. In doing that you’ll be released from lasting bitterness and unforgiveness. Not only will you be free, you will be spiritually empowered and authoritative in your Christian walk. Our real enemies are spiritual not physical. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places Ephesians 6:12.
My aunt and uncle got saved while listening to Robert Schuller. God honors His Word no matter who speaks it.
Very glad to learn of your aunt and uncle, Larry. Thanks.