Inspired Word

Read Jeremiah 36, 45:1-4
 
Jeremiah 36:1-4 During the fourth year that Jehoiakim son of Josiah was king in Judah, the LORD gave this message to Jeremiah: 2 “Get a scroll, and write down all my messages against Israel, Judah, and the other nations. Begin with the first message back in the days of Josiah, and write down every message, right up to the present time. 3 Perhaps the people of Judah will repent when they hear again all the terrible things I have planned for them. Then I will be able to forgive their sins and wrongdoings.” 4 So Jeremiah sent for Baruch son of Neriah, and as Jeremiah dictated all the prophecies that the Lord had given him, Baruch wrote them on a scroll.
 
ONE basic foundation of Christianity is to believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God. What does that mean?
   Here is an excellent illustration: “Get a scroll and write.” God told Jeremiah. The Holy Spirit spoke to Jeremiah, and the obedient servant of God obeyed the command.
   This is God’s inspiration. It is not Jeremiah saying, “I feel moved to deliver a message to Judah.” Nor is it Jeremiah saying, “I have an idea. Let me share it with Jerusalem and King Jehoiakim.”
   “Inspiration” comes from Genesis 2:7 Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person. & Job 32:8 But there is a spirit within people, the breath of the Almighty within them, that makes them intelligent. God breathed into mankind. To inspire the Word is God breathing the Word into his prophets. Peter affirms this in 2 Peter 1:21 those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God. How did he know? The Spirit also breathed such life and knowledge into Peter. The prophets and apostles spoke and wrote through God’s inspiration. The Spirit breathed truth into their minds to know what to say and write.
   Yes, the Bible’s writers had differences in imagery, grammatical style and cultural references. This is because God did not make robots, but formed human minds to receive and relay his truth into a culture that would understand them.
   Does God still inspire his faithful today? Jesus promised there would be such connections: Luke 21:14 So don’t worry in advance about how to answer the charges against you, 15 for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you!  Another is when God’s Word is preached to many and spoken in private: 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
   The Christian life is a life inspired by God. The Spirit has breathed new life into your heart as surely as he breathed into Adam’s lungs. Your call is to tell of God’s inspired Word, made alive in Jesus Christ, to a world who needs the breath of God.