The Encourager
“Inspiration and Revelation - By Jon Quinn”
Inspiration and Revelation
by Jon W. Quinn
The New Testament is God’s instructions to us on how to live. The promises of Jesus to His faithful disciples are wonderful, but His word also includes commandments which are to be obeyed. Jesus had promised the apostles that they would be guided “unto all the truth” after His resurrection and ascension. This occurred as promised, so we know that God’s written revelation was delivered in the first century through these apostles and their companions. Following the initial delivery, the writings were collected and compiled into the Bible. This inspiration by which these things were written has been complete since the first century when the apostles lived and died. The careful collection of these writings into one volume soon followed. We can only know God’s will and intentions through reading what He has revealed to us.
The last apostle Jesus chose was Paul. He wrote concerning these things as follows: “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words (1 Cor. 2:12-13).
Another apostle, Peter, also wrote about the adequacy and thoroughness of this process. “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence” (2 Pet. 1:2-3).
We see that “all things pertaining to life and godliness” has already been received. The Scriptures lack nothing and are able to equip us for every good work (see 2 Timothy 3:16,17).
What is the point of all this? The point is that God’s word is completely reliable and worthy of our efforts to know it better and to apply its teachings. What is true and right has already been settled, not by the mind of man but of God. Every single one of us is headed for eternity, and the Scriptures of God are the only guide available that will lead us to eternal victory, and they do so by leading us to God’s Son. We should not and cannot easily cast God’s book aside and assume that everything will work out all right anyway. It won’t.
Many are the attempts of Satan to destroy your confidence in the New Testament Scriptures. There is a reason for that. Does not the New Testament itself declare that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17)? Our confidence in the Scriptures directly relate to our faith in Jesus. Our salvation and hope of eternal life are secure in the grace of God and our living and active faith in His Son. We come to know Him and His purpose for us in the pages of the New Testament. We do not need to guess what will lead us to victory in Jesus. He has revealed that to us. We best listen to Him!
Gospel Meetings for 2023:
March 12-16 – Paul Smithson
June 18-23 (Song service on Friday Night)- Jim Deason
October 22-27 – Jarred Jacobs
Let’s be making our plans now to be in attendance and planning to invite others to these meetings.
