Introduction
The actual topic under research is The Inspiration of Scripture. Timothy 3:16 states that “All scripture is inspired by God.” However, throughout biblical history, there has been controversy about the inspiration of scripture. The Holy Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, were written by the hand of God and under his direction. Various authors wrote the Testaments, but they were controlled by God. Thus, all sacred texts are written according to the plan of God. At the same time, God uses each author’s characteristic writing style and abilities. This is done so that all the revelations of the Almighty are recorded for people literally and without error. Many have expressed their concerns that they have never seen results about the inspiration of the scriptures. The present study will show results that the scriptures have inspired. This inspiration influenced people in the Old Testament, New Testament, and modern times.
Biblical/Exegetical Studies Supporting the scriptures are inspired
The Lord reveals himself to people, reveals himself to them and the very process of creating the world, and everything is necessary so that a person can abide with God forever. This is how the Holy Scriptures turned out, which contains everything required, determined by the personality of humanity through the prophets apostles, who bring accusations (Achtemeier, 1980). Thus, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness”. For knowledge to be correctly preserved and passed down from generation to generation, it became inspired records.
There is no personal human invention in Scripture; it contains what was given by the Lord Himself. For this reason, some letters were not included in the Holy Scriptures since they are not canonical. The Church – the Body of Christ – led by the Holy Spirit, has determined the canonical Holy Scripture through the ages, rejecting all error and falsehood. The term “inspiration” indicates that the Scriptures were compiled by the people chosen by the Lord – the prophets and apostles, by inspiration, being led by the Holy Spirit, with the help of God-given grace.
How scriptures influences individuals in the Old Testament
Moses
God speaks directly to his followers in the Old Testament, and Moses and other prophets directly quote the Lord. When direct quotations begin with “Moses speaks,” it becomes evident that God himself speaks through him. Holy Scripture is a spiritual text where Moses records the process of God’s creation of the world (Irving, 2020). Some researchers proceed from the fact that Moses eroded some oral tradition, but the very content of this text suggests that there could be no witnesses to the creation of the world from among people (Annenberg, 1997). Therefore, Christianity proceeds from the fact that Divine Revelation was given to Moses, and Moses writes down not what he saw or heard but the knowledge that he received from God.
Moses spoke through the mouth of God, knowing that “no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation” (2 Peter 1:20-21). Although writing down this knowledge, he somehow adapts to the ideas and the cultural level of the then-contemporary Jewish people. When Moses expresses in words a specific high knowledge of a culture undeveloped enough to understand the word of God, then he must go to some indulgence and diminution of this fullness of knowledge. Thus, Christianity primarily proceeds from Moses writing down what he received from God.
Noah
The inspiration of Scripture in the days of Noah is an accurate description of the generation that perished in the great flood. The fear of God’s wrath faded in the hearts of the people, and they committed all sorts of sins. People used all the blessings given by the Lord to satisfy their selfish desires and turned them into a curse. However, Noah worked for the glory of God and the preservation of His gifts. Through Noah, the Lord preached that if people did not stop taking away their sins, he would blot them out of his Creation. However, Noah’s words did not kindle a flame in people’s hearts.
The people laughed at the words of warning that Noah kept repeating. They maintained that the laws of nature governed everything, and the word of God had lost its power. The prophecy of Noah was not conducted according to their will as he was “carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21). Noah testified of the coming judgments on the human fall, but unbelief did not save people from punishment. However, the faithful followers of the Lord, who knew about the inspiration of His words and writings, were able to defend themselves by finding shelter in the ark.
Abraham
The Bible story about Abraham says that God promised to give him a son when he was 100 years old. However, Abraham did not believe the word of God, believing that at that age, it was too late to have children. God fulfilled the promise given to man and rewarded him with a son. Abraham believed in the Word of God and His omnipotence. Therefore, when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his already adult son as a sacrifice for good, he unconditionally obeyed God and gave his son. However, God did not take away Abraham’s son but allowed their descendants to become great. Thus, Abraham believes in the spirituality and power of the word of the Lord that he gives his son without hesitation.
When Abraham obeyed, God felt comfort for the man and his chosen follower. God alone could know and be sure that Abraham would become an indispensable leader who could carry out any management plan the Lord created. Thus, He tested Abraham and tested his faith in God’s plan and providence. In his follower, God saw the obedience that He wanted to see in every person. Therefore, despite the initial disbelief in God, Abraham saw his strength and love for his creatures.
How scriptures influences individuals in the New Testament
Matthew
The author of this book is Matthew, also known as Levi, son of Alpheus. Before his life changed when he responded to the call of Jesus Christ to follow him, Matthew was a publican. After his conversion, Matthew became one of the Twelve Apostles of the Savior. As an Apostle, Matthew was personally present at many of the events he described in the book. Matthew wrote the book to show that Jesus Christ had fulfilled Old Testament prophecies related to the Messiah.
Narrating the life, words, and deeds of Christ, Matthew regularly referred to the signs of the Old Testament. In his gospel, Matthew uses the title “Son of David” as evidence that Jesus Christ was the rightful heir to the throne of King David and that the prophecies about the Messiah were fulfilled (Prothro, 2021). Thus, Matthew not only writes down the revelations of the Word of God but is also present at the miracles performed by His Son.
Mark
Spirituality, The gospel of Mark, is about the ministry, death, and subsequent resurrection of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Mark focuses on the salient works and deeds of the Savior, chief among which is the Atonement. Mark speaks of this event as the central act of Jesus’ mission as the long-promised Messiah. Although Mark was not among the first disciples of Jesus Christ, he was subsequently converted and became an assistant to the Apostle Peter. The spirituality of Mark’s account of Christ’s redemptive act helps people become more converted to the gospel and more courageous to serve God.
Part of the Gospel of Mark tells about the teachings of the Savior and what happened to Him during the last week of His life. Mark bore witness that the suffering of the Son of God eventually triumphed over evil people, sinners, and the death of the Savior. This meant that the followers of Jesus did not need to be afraid. When faced with persecution, trials, or even death, they followed their Master. They could endure it all with confidence, knowing that the Lord would help them and that all of His promises would eventually be fulfilled. Moreover, Mark is the only one of the prophets who mentioned the parable of the seed growing by itself. The Lord repeated through the mouth of his follower for the further enlightenment of people.
Luke
The God-spirited Gospel of Luke complements the sacred truths described by Mark and Matthew and contains unique information. Luke was influenced by the word of God and became a messenger of Jesus Christ. He was one of Paul’s followers and his mission companion. Luke represented Jesus Christ to the people as the Savior for Jews and Gentiles. Moreover, through the mouth of God, Luke instructed the people about the mission and ministry of Jesus. Since the Gospel of Luke begins and ends in the temple, it also testifies the importance of the temple as the central place of interaction between God and humankind.
How scripture influence individual in modern times
Martin Luther King Jr.
The Bible occupied one of the most critical places in the life of Martin Luther King Jr. His vision for racial justice throughout the earth is deeply rooted in the ideas of the Judeo-Christian heritage. The Bible was the impetus for Martin Luther King Jr. to choose the path of love. He encouraged people to choose the perfect non-violent protest against racial discrimination, surrounding hatred, violence, and world despair.
For Dr. King, Jesus Christ’s Sermon on the Mount was the inspiration for starting the fight for civil rights. The atoning suffering of Christ became King’s primary vision of what the activists endured during the police brutality. His famous speech about a dream echoes the prophet Isaiah that one day the valley will rise. Bible lines about peace on earth were for Martin Luther King Jr., a defense against universal despair.
Creation of YMCA
The YMCA originated among evangelicals and crossed the impenetrable boundaries between different churches and social classes. Creator George Williams was an ardent Christian who worked as a clerk in a fabric store. The Bible influenced his thoughts, and he created the YMCA so that people could replace life on the street with Bible study and service to God. Followers argued that according to the Bible, all people are one, and this openness attracted more and more new members of society, regardless of race, religion, or nationality. Moreover, the main idea of Williams was the satisfaction of social needs in the community. Thus, the creation of an organization carries one of the essential concepts of the sacred texts about the equality of people.
Creation of the Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Christian charity movement founded by William Booth in the 19th century. He was a Methodist minister who started an evangelical ministry in London. At first, Booth organized mission stations for the poor to eat and sleep and later changed the name to The Salvation Army. The priest and his son created a military-style army that spread worldwide. The organization followed the bible’s doctrines of mercy and mutual aid and was active in many political entities. The Salvation Army preached the gospel and ran evangelical associations, including schools, hospitals, and welfare institutions.
Theological Implications of The Inspiration of Scripture for Pastoral Counseling
For Evangelists, the Bible is the main text they rely on in their faith and where they find authority and comfort. With proper preparation and a conscious choice of confidence by the pastoral counselor, the inspiration of the Scriptures can help teach the congregation (Guthrie, 1979). The counselor assists evangelists in understanding and assimilating the messages found in the scriptures. The pastoral counselor uses the scriptures in his ministry entirely ethically, with a feeling and faith that he does not try to impose on his parishioners. The inspiration of scripture is used for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Thus, the counselor can guide the parishioners on the right path by using the scriptures.
The teaching can help the counselee overcome difficulties, forming positive thoughts and hope for the future. When discussing the grief that has befallen a parishioner, one can find words about sadness and crushing it in the Holy Texts. Moreover, the counselee searches the psalms for events of grace in which God helps his creatures and offers solutions (Lambert, 2016). The scriptures contain sincere speeches addressed to the Lord, allowing accepting sorrow. In Scripture, one can find a way out of a problem or an alternative hope. Scripture inspiration can help counselees find solutions to their problems. It can assure salvation and can be used to guide how to live a life that pleases the Lord. Scripture can give divine instructions about the will of God for human life. It is used to reinforce the defendant’s weaknesses and fears.
Conclusion
The divine providence that led people to become co-authors of the scriptures in ancient times and write the Old and New Testaments continues to inspire people today. The heavenly voice inspired Moses, Noah, and Abraham to follow the Lord’s unconditional faith in His universal plan. Holy Scripture was the impetus for Matthew, Mark, and Luke to write the New Testament. These psalms were the impetus for creating the YMCA of the Salvation Army and inspired Martin Luther King Jr. to a non-violent fight for equal rights. The scriptures assist the pastoral counselor in teaching people about faith and religion. Additionally, the counselee learns to accept himself, his sorrows, and joys with the help of sacred texts. Thus, the scriptures are ways to inspire and ways to receive bitterness and pain.
References
Achtemeier, P. J. (1980). The Inspiration of Scripture: Problems and Proposals. 1st ed. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, Print.
Annenberg, W. (1997). Theological Table Talk: On the Inspiration of Scripture. Theology Today, 54(2), 212–215. Web.
Guthrie, S. C. (1979). Pastoral counseling, Trinitarian theology, and Christian anthropology. Interpretation, 33(2), 130–143.
Irving, A. J. D. (2020). One Word, many wordings: The Inspiration of Scripture in its Christological and Pneumatological Dimension of Depth. The Expository Times, 131(6), 247–256. Web.
Lambert, L. (2016). A Theology of Biblical Counseling. The Doctrinal Foundations of Counseling Ministry. Grand Rapids MI: Zondervan
Prothro, J. B. (2021). “Theories of Inspiration and Catholic Exegesis: Scripture and Criticism in Dialogue with Denis Farkasfalvy.” Catholic Biblical Quarterly 83 (2): 294-314.
The Holy Bible, new international version. (1984). Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House.