In the series Book of Books we continue to study and discuss the Holy Book.
“And that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:15-17).
It will be observed that the Scriptures spoken of in this passage must be the Old Testament Scriptures; because the New Testament was not then extant. And the apostle declares the Scriptures of the Old Testament, if read, to be able, conjoined with faith in Christ Jesus, to make men wise unto salvation. You will observe that it is declared that these Scriptures were inspired of God. It is nowhere explained what inspired means. There is no theory or philosophy of it propounded in any part to the sacred books. It is manifest that it is a divine influence, and inbreathing of God, upon those who wrote it; but the theories of inspiration are modern and human. We may take it as stated in general that the sacred books were composed and given to the church under divine direction or influence. The weight of this passage is not rested on the fact that Scripture is authoritative because it is of God. Very little emphasis is put upon that anywhere. It is stated, it is recognized; but it does not appear that it was deemed a matter of great importance. The weight of this passage is put upon the power of Scripture upon human character and conduct. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine”- that is, for teaching “for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
Often people ask themselves, where sin comes from? Let’s try to understand this subject and discuss it taking into consideration the Old Testament, as well as the New Testament. All right, someone wants to know where sin comes from, they say. Why should they be going around with such a question as that? There’s not but one place in the universe of God where someone can get any information on this point, and there, we are free to tell you or anyone they can get all that you wish to know, and maybe a good deal more. The place where you can get this knowledge is in the Word of God.
We know why some are asking this question. We know what they are leading up to. They say, or hint, that the Lord God is the author of sin. That’s what they are whispering around this town. They can’t fool Jasper; but I tell you the devil is playing’ pranks on them and will drag them down to the pit of hell if they don’t look out quickly. The Lord God knows from the beginning that some of these devilish people would bring up this very charge and say that He had ‘intended that there should be sin from the beginning’. He spoke His mind about this, and if you look in the first chapter of James you’ll find the solemn utterance on this subject and it clears God forever from this base slander. “Let no man say,” says the Lord, “when he is tempted that he is tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted of any man, and neither tempts He any man.”
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