Also, there is the Inspired Concepts Theory. That theory is basically that God furnished the idea, the concept, and then He left the writers on their own, basically to develop that idea or concept. This theory would have an infallible God introducing an infallible thought and giving it to a fallible man with a fallible mind. What would the result of that be? It certainly would not be divinely inspired Scripture!

The last of these False Theories is the Illumination or Universal Christian Inspiration Theory. This comes from the Quakers’ idea of an inner-light being given to every believer making each person—each “Christian”—able to speak the words of the Spirit. Well, there is no basis for this in the Bible at all, but it seems that this is being practiced by many today because there are so many claiming to receive direct revelation from God. You commonly hear among a number of groups of people someone talking about the fact that he or she received a “word from God.” Well, it’s puzzling that God is so confused and so contradictory about the things that are revealed to so many people, if, in fact, that is what He is doing! We know that is not what He is doing!

TRUE INSPIRATION is called “Plenary Inspiration,” or “Full Verbal Inspiration.” “Plenary” means that every word in the Bible is inspired of God, as it was given originally, whether in the Hebrew language or in the Greek language. Of course, the Hebrew language was the language of the Old Testament; the Greek was the language of the New Testament. [See 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”]

Let’s now look at some INTERNAL EVIDENCES OF INSPIRATION. As we’ve already seen, the Bible claims to be inspired. Some, though, would perhaps take an attitude saying something like, “Well, that’s fine, the Bible makes that claim. But does that make it so?” Somebody said one time, “A piece of paper will lay still and let you write anything on it.” So, they could “just write anything” is the implication. But there are many things in and about the Bible which confirm its legitimacy beyond its own claims, and support its claims for inspiration.

Let’s consider, first, the unity and consistency of the Bible. Think about somewhere around 40 separate writers, writing over a period of 1,500 years, yet there is a unity and a consistency that is to be found from Genesis 1 all the way to Revelation 22. There are many who will claim inconsistencies in the Bible, but they have yet to show them. I was having a conversation with someone just the other evening about someone saying, “Well, the Bible is just full of contradictions,” and I said that my response to a person like that is first of all, “Have you read the Bible?” That’s question number one and most of the time that person who makes that claim is going to say, “Well, not so much.” Then my second question is, “Show me!” I have yet to have anyone show me the contradictions! People make those statements not knowing what they are talking about!

Second, the candor of the writers, their frankness in both presenting the good and the evil—“the good, the bad and the ugly”—supports its [the Bible’s] claims.

Third, the universality of the Bible confirms and supports its claims. The Bible is applicable at all times, and at all places, to all men of every age.

Fourth, the very nature of the Bible message excites interest and attracts people.

Fifth, the loftiness of the ethics of the Bible.

Sixth, the miracles of the Bible.

And seventh, fulfilled prophesy from the Old Testament, as well as historical events in the New Testament. This is perhaps one of the most convincing proofs, or supports, of the inspiration of the Bible. As we look at the Old Testament and then look at the New Testament, we see the fulfillment of prophesy, the things that were written hundreds of years beforehand then being fulfilled just as they were prophesied.

Then there are some EXTERNAL EVIDENCES for the one who is still skeptical about the inspiration of the Bible.

For example, in the area of geography, everything in the Bible, the terms, the locations, the elevations, all of those things have been found to be completely accurate. If the Bible speaks about the “terrain going down to a place”—it’s accurate! If the Bible says that “one place is at a higher elevation than another,” and so on, it’s accurate!

Scientific factsare all in agreement with known facts. Here again is another “old wife’s tale” that would say, “Well, you know, it has been proven over and over again by discoveries that the Bible is wrong—that it’s false,” and so on. Not true! There isn’t anything that has been developed or anything that has been found in the area of science that supports this “tale.” In fact, science and the Bible support one another! There are some brethren who do some good work in that area—men like Burt Thompson, and others.