A Bottomless Well and a Timeless Treasure Trove (Psalm 119)

The Book of books/ the Book of Life

The Twin Pillars of the Christian Life

The twin pillars of the Christian life have been rightly identified as the regular intake of Scripture and prayer.  Why are these personal spiritual disciplines so vitally important?

I spend time in the Word every day because I always need His direction.  “Thy Word is a light unto my feet and a lamp unto my path.” I know some men feel they need to separate sermon preparation from their personal devotions.  In my experience I try and commune with God as I prayerfully study, memorize, and meditate upon the Holy Word (note Psalm 1:1-3).  If I am preparing an Awana lesson, a SS study, a funeral message, a counseling session, or the morning expository sermon I believe that I am coming face to face with the perfect Revelation of God.  As such, I ask the Lord to make all of my studies a worshipful experience (like Moses on Mount Sinai).

As I examine the inspired text I am always asking the “so what” question, not simply for the flock’s sake, but for my own sanctification (John 17:17; 1 Pet. 2:2-3).  I need the Word of God to first pierce my own heart (Heb. 4:12) before I “reprove, rebuke, and exhort” (2 Tim. 4:1-5) my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

Expository Preaching: the Natural Overflow of Biblical Inerrancy

 

What is biblical inerrancy and how does this doctrinal conviction impact one’s pulpit ministry? 

An inerrantist is someone who believes that the holy Scriptures are divinely inspired and that the original manuscripts of Scripture are free from error.[1] 

 “Inerrancy is the claim that when all facts are known, the Scriptures in their original autographs and properly interpreted will be shown to be without error in all that they affirm to the degree of precision intended, whether that affirmation relates to doctrine, history, science, geography, geology, etc.”[2]

Because the ultimate author of Scripture is the Spirit of truth (see John 16:12-15) we can have complete confidence that God’s Word is pure and perfect (see Psalms 19; 119).  The apostle Peter put it like this, “And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's 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 1:19-21).  A perfect God could only produce a perfect revelation.