Is the Old Testament equal in every way to the New Testament? Are the words of the prophets on a par with the words of Jesus? The answer to this question may seem incongruous but it is not, even though the answer is both, yes and no. But dont be confused by this apparent conflict because it is easily explained. To help explain what seems like a contradiction we can turn to a single verse of scripture for the answer. In 2Timothy 3:16 the Bible saysAll scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. This passage clearly says that all scripture, Old Testament and New Testament is inspired. It does not say that all scripture is of equal importance. Common sense would tell anyone that the genealogies of say Genesis are not as important as the words Christ spoke in the Sermon on the Mount. Most Christians get this confused. To avoid this is to understand that while all scripture is equally inspired, nowhere does the Bible say that all scripture is equally important. In fact it says the very opposite. Lets take a side bar and find out what this inspiration of God is that Timothy speaks about. We cant look to the liberals for any understanding on this subject because they are not sure that all the scripture is equally inspired. Some think the Bible is only inspired in spots. Thus the old saying that the liberal needs to be inspired, so he or she can spot the spots. For the rest of us there are mainly two commonly held beliefs about inspiration. In the smaller of the two groups are those who believe that inspiration came to men by a means called, dynamical inspiration. In short that means that God just laid the message he had in mind on the prophet or apostle, and let each one write or speak the idea pretty much in their own way and with their own personal use of their language. The more widely accepted view is called, plenary verbal inspiration. This is that God chose every single word, every phrase, every jot and every title from and through each person he was using. Since the astounding discovery of the Bible Codes it is very hard for any thinking person to veer very far away from the idea of plenary verbal inspiration. From the most learned Bible scholar to the Christian rank and file, one thing is commonly agreed upon. We all know that the Old Testament points toward the coming of the Savior and the New Testament points backwards to the same person. Wouldnt that make him the most important person in the Bible? If so, wouldnt it follow that his words would be the most important words in the Bible? But if any doubt yet remains let us go directly to this all important person in the Bible and see if he addresses the subject. Jesus put his own words in a class by themselves. He said his words could produce life and others like Peter quite on their own agreed with him. John 6:68 KJV But thats not all he said about his words. He bumped them up another notch when he said that his words would be the judge of every man woman and child that ever was born. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. John 12:48 KJV Of the infinite number of words written or spoken in this world, including those in the Bible, his stand alone in importance. The bottom line isnt a diatribe about how we should handle this obvious fact it is rather a single, simple but all important injunctionpay attention! |
