April 2 - Jesus’ Reliance on Scripture

“‘For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished’” (Matthew 5:18).

Repeatedly during His earthly ministry, Jesus referred to the Old Testament as authoritative truth (e.g., Matt. 19:4; 24:38–39; Mark 12:26; Luke 11:51; 17:29; John 3:14; 8:56), always confirming its accuracy and authenticity. On one occasion, in defending His messiahship before the unbelieving Jewish leaders, He declared, “The Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35).

For Jesus, it was clear that God gave His Word to lead people to salvation. In His parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Abraham tells the rich man that if his brothers, whom he did not want to follow him to hell, “do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead” (Luke 16:31). Scripture is more than sufficient to bring sinners to salvation.

More than once, Christ used Scripture’s authority to establish His own. At a Sabbath service in the Nazareth synagogue, He appealed to the book of Isaiah: “‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.’… And He began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing’” (Luke 4:18–19, 21; cf. Isa. 61:1; Matt. 11:3–5; Mark 11:17).

Scripture’s authority is Jesus’ authority, and to obey Him is to obey His Word (John 6:68; 8:47).

What argues against our confidence in the convicting, converting power of the Word of God? What could we do to ensure that our hearts aren’t blinded to this truth, to put ourselves in positions where we can see God at work through the Scriptures?

JMac: >> “Scripture is more than sufficient to bring sinners to salvation.”<<

Rod5591: Respectfully, I don’t believe this is accurate.

Not a good presumption, my FRiend. I believe you've completely missed JMac's point. The OT holds mysteries that are revealed in the NT, and both Jesus and the Apostles that He coached used the authoritative OT to undergird their preaching of Bible truths, while much of the NT was as yet unwritten.

Jehovah Elohim holds His Inspired Written Word(s) above even His Name. In the Spirit-inspired words written by David:

¹A Psalmof David.
"I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
²I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name" (Psalm 138:1,2 AV).

I think that goes a long way to prove MacArthur's point, as compared to yours. If it is faith that saves, where does it come from? an uninspired heart-throb of enthusiasm without any scriptural backing?

"¹⁶All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
¹⁷That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Tim 3:16 AV).

Tell me how you approach the standing of the Apostles without the progressive revelation of how God deals with mankind without it as a reference. To Isaiah Jehovah spoke personally to his saving faith:

¹⁸Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
¹⁹If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
²⁰But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it" (Isaiah 1:18-20 AV).

How would Jehovah Elohim reason with us to save us without the Written Word of God that was accumulated through the ages? Where would Handel's "Messiah" opus be without verse 20? Give me a reason to toss the Jewish-preserved precise text that you think does not support new birth in the Spirit, that would not be understood without that gracious gift of salvation from God given to many faithful characters in the OT (Hebrews 11, 1 Cor. 2:14-16)?

To sum up the existence of the God-given Written Word that encompasses both OT and NT Canon:

(1) The theme of the Holy Scriptures is Jesus, Messiah, Prince of Peace, and His coming Kingdom of Righteousness and Peace.

(2) The purpose of the Holy Scriptures is to show forth God's Plan of Salvation.

Do you deny this?

Are you open-minded like the Bereans, willing to scrutinize the then-existing Written Word to see if what Paul preached them was so (Acts 17:2-3,11). If so, you might find a depth not yet apparent to you in your current state of spiritual maturity, and a greater joy in its richness to enhance your own faith.

“Scripture is more than sufficient to bring sinners to salvation.”

". Only faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, who was crucified for the sins of mankind and raised from the dead, will bring sinners to salvation. "

Debate is forbotten in devo threads, suffice to say here that there is no contradiction, as the former is referring to the instrumentality of Truth, for "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17) whereby Apollos "mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ" (Acts 18:28) since "The law [word] of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple." (Psalms 19:7) Hope this helps. http://peacebyjesus.net

““Scripture is more than sufficient to bring sinners to salvation.”

Respectfully, I don’t believe this is accurate. Only faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, who was crucified for the sins of mankind and raised from the dead, will bring sinners to salvation.”

***********************************************************

Good Sunday Morning! Thank you for the Bible study, metmom.

As others have pointed out, where does this faith come from? Does God want us to believe without evidence? If that is true, then we will believe anything not knowing the truth.

God gave us His word in the OT and in the NT the Word became flesh and walked with us.

John 1:14 - 16
The Word Became Flesh
(Also see Psalm 84:1–12)

14 The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.b We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Sonc from the Father, full of grace and truth.

15 John testified concerning Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’ ”

16 From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God andd is at the Father’s side,e has made Him known.

Christ Himself used the OT scriptures to give knowledge to the disciples after His resurrection on the road to Emmaus.

The Road to Emmaus
(Also see Mark 16:12–13)

13 That same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven milesb from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 And as they talked and deliberated, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him.

17 He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”

They stood still, with sadness on their faces. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked Him, “Are You the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in recent days?”

19 “What things?” He asked.

“The events involving Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “This man was a prophet, powerful in speech and action before God and all the people. 20 Our chief priests and rulers delivered Him up to the sentence of death, and they crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping He was the One who would redeem Israel. And besides all this, it is the third day since these things took place.

22 Furthermore, some of our women astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23 but they did not find His body. They came and told us they had seen a vision of angels, who said that Jesus was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had described. But Him they did not see.”

25 Then Jesus said to them, “O foolish ones, how slow are your hearts to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and then to enter His glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was written in all the Scriptures about Himself.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.