"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for... 2 Timothy 3:16. Have you ever stopped to consider what the inspiration of the scriptures should mean to you? The skeptic will not agree that the scriptures are inspired by God. Many others would not be able to explain inspiration. Worse yet, many who accept the inspiration of the scriptures do not live in a way that reflects their belief.

The word 'inspired' literally means God-breathed. The scriptures come from, or are, "breathed from God." The scriptures are the word of God. Peter writes: "But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one' own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." 2 Peter 1:20, 21.

This is true of the Old Testament writers. The New Testament writers were also moved by the Holy Spirit to speak from God. The scriptures are not the interpretations of men. Jesus promised His apostles that He would send the Holy Spirit to guide them into all the truth, John 16:13. As we read the scriptures we can have every confidence that they are the truth.

Some suggest that the New Testament writers were only given the thoughts or ideas that God wanted man to have. They claim that the New Testament writers were free to express these thoughts in their own words. This, they claim, resulted in inspired thoughts and uninspired words.

But Paul claims the following, "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given 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 Corinthians 2:12, 13. Yes, the Bible contains the thoughts of God for man. Yes, these thoughts were expressed in words chosen by the Holy Spirit.

When you read the Bible, you are reading those things that God has freely given to man. Let God speak to you through His word.

Eric