In Eric Bechler's sermon, 'The Holy Scriptures,' the emphasis is placed on understanding the divine authority of the Scriptures, which is ultimately confirmed by the inward working of the Holy Spirit. While the testimony of the Church provides significant historical credibility and reverence towards the Scriptures, it is not sufficient for full persuasion. Various evidences within Scripture, such as its heavenly nature, profound mysteries, doctrinal efficacy, majestic style, cohesiveness, and ultimate purpose of glorifying God, are discussed as inherent proofs of its divine origin. Despite this, the sermon underscores that true assurance of the Scriptures as God's Word comes only through the inner witness of the Holy Spirit. The sermon challenges believers to internalize and live by the teachings of the Bible, suggesting that the sacrifices made for adherence to Biblical principles are justified by their divine authority.

Last week we looked at why we should believe that the authority of the Holy Scriptures comes from the testimony of God, not a man or a church. Today we go a little farther into this discussion by looking at how we are ultimately convinced that the Holy Scriptures are truly God's Word. Is it enough to be moved and induced by the testimony of the church? Are there other arguments that may persuade us inherent in Scripture itself? Our confession today concludes that ultimately it is the inward working of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.

So we'll go through this step by step. Does the testimony of the Church of God move us or induce us to receive the scriptures. Any church of God would most certainly hold a high view of sacred scriptures. But is their testimony enough to give us a full persuasion and assurance of its infallible truth and its divine authority. A.

H. Hodges comments that it is true that the testimony of the early church to the apostolic authorship of the several books is of fundamental importance. Just as a subject may bear witness to the identity of an heir to the crown, but the authority of the Scriptures is no more derived from the Church than that of the king from the subject who proves the fact that he is the legal heir. Turton explains that because the church is built upon the scripture and borrows all authority from it, it cannot have a higher position or hold authority over the scriptures. It cannot by its testimony alone move or induce us to receive the scriptures as infallible truth and having divine authority.

Despite this, Dr. Sproul explains the Reformers nevertheless esteemed the teaching office of the church throughout the ages. Apart from the Bible, the source most quoted by Calvin was Augustine. Luther also quoted Augustine frequently, as well as other church fathers. Church councils and gifted teachers have had great insight and are to be taken seriously.

The church gives testimony that scripture is the Word of God, and it furthermore encourages believers to highly revere and esteem the word of God. If not the testimony of the church, what about the Bible itself? It offers abundant evidences that the scriptures are the Word of God. Paul, in writing to Timothy, describes the importance of the scriptures. In 2 Timothy 3.15, from childhood you have known the holy scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.

It is through the special revelation of God in His Word that He has revealed to us all that is necessary for salvation. One of the evidences in Scripture is the heavenliness of the matter, meaning something out of this world or not of this world. Jesus tells Nicodemus, if I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? John 312. And the Bible testifies about many heavenly things.

Thomas Watson in his work The Body of Divinity writes, the scripture appears to be the Word of God by the matter contained in it. The mystery of scripture is so obtruse or difficult to understand and so profound that no man or angel could have known it had it not been divinely revealed. That eternity should be born, that he who thunders in the heavens should cry in the cradle, that he who rules the stars should suck the breasts, that the Prince of life should die, that the Lord of glory should be put to shame, That sin should be punished to the fool, yet pardon to the fool. Who would ever have conceived of such a mystery had not the scripture revealed it to us. So for the doctrine of the resurrection that the same body which has crumbled into a thousand pieces should rise, idem numero, the same individual body, else it were a creation and not a resurrection.

How could such a sacred riddle above all human disquisition be known had not the scripture made a discovery of it? As the matter of scripture is so full of goodness, justice, and sanctity that it could be breathed from none but God. So the holiness of it shows it to be of God. Another evidence is the efficacy of the doctrine. How effective and how powerful are the teachings of scripture?

Again, Paul in his letter to Timothy describes where the Scriptures come from and their effectiveness. He writes, all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, it's God breathe, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." Second Timothy 3, 16 and 17. Also, Paul writes to the church in Rome that the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth. Romans 1-16. The author of Hebrews writes, For the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Hebrews 412. And the Holy Scriptures are the words of eternal life. They are the words of God. Well how about the majesty of the style? Another evidence.

When we look at scripture we are amazed at what was written and how it was written. The variety of literary styles is amazing. Over 20 different styles are used and are used by a number of supposedly unlearned men. God is glorified not only through just the words themselves but how they are crafted and put together. Another evidence that the scriptures are the word of God is the consent of all the parts.

The cohesiveness developed through the entire structure of the scriptures is astounding. In it God tells us of his creation of all things, His creation of man, male and female. The fall, how sin entered the world. God choosing Israel as His people. The cycles of obedience and disobedience which followed.

His plan of redemption. Jesus Christ born of a woman, son of God, and son of man, living a perfect sinless life. The building of his church, his bride, the death and resurrection of Christ, his victory over death and his final judgment, and finally the new heaven and a new earth. Despite containing 66 books composed by 40 different authors across 16 centuries we have a consistent cohesive theme which contains all the spiritual truth God intended to reveal. This is a testimony of its divine origin.

Another evidence is the scope of the whole, which is to give all glory to God. Verse after verse throughout scripture describes the glory of God. There's too many to go through but I'll read a few Yours oh Lord is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty for all That is in the heavens and in the earth is yours yours is the kingdom Oh Lord, and you are exalted as head above all." First Chronicles 29 11. And blessed be his glorious name forever and let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.

Psalm 72 19. To God our Savior who alone is wise be glory and majesty, dominion and power both now and forever. Amen. Jude 25. Do you remember the first question of the catechisms?

What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and to enjoy him forever. Paul instructs us, whether you eat or drink or whether you do, do all to the glory of God. 1st Corinthians 1031. We must strive to give God all the glory.

In the next evidence we look at the full discovery of it makes the only way of man's salvation. There are not multiple or many ways of salvation. There is one way and only one way and that is through faith in Jesus Christ. This is clearly shown in Scripture, but these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life through his name, John 20 verse 31. Jesus sayeth unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life.

No man cometh unto the father but by me. John 14 6. God's world is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 19 105. It is Jesus who has the words of eternal life.

Finally, there are many other incomparable excellencies and entire perfections thereof and arguments whereby it does abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God. From Rob Ventura's commentary on the confession, he states, the authors of the confession believed that the Bible is an inexhaustible treasure of good things, and then it possesses a great variety of evidences. Here they're called excellencies or perfections. These evidences that encourage the believer in his faith. We ought to read, to study, to memorize our Bibles, to listen sermons to sermons and with the expectancy that God will show us wonderful things out of His law.

These evidences should be enough to convince us. We see the truthfulness of Scripture, the power of Scripture in our lives, how it works to encourage us and give us hope. We see the beauty in its vocabulary, the phrases and styles. We see the consistency. We see God's glory, His promise that we will share in that glory through faith in Jesus Christ.

These are all good and should induce any reasonable man to believe that the scripture is the Word of God and yet it is not enough. Our confession includes with the phrase, yet notwithstanding our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts. The testimony of the church is not enough. The manifold evidences of the scriptures themselves are not enough. It is only from the inward workings of the Holy Spirit that we come to a full persuasion and assurance that the scriptures are truly the Word of God.

We see that the words are powerful and effective, however they are not received by all. Jesus tells us, my sheep hear my voice and I know them. They follow me, John 10, 27. Well, those sheep that don't belong to Jesus don't hear his voice. They don't know him and they don't follow him.

All the evidences in the world won't convince them of his words. Paul writes, the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him. Neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned. First Corinthians 2 14. The inward illumination of the Spirit of God is necessary.

Paul explains this in more detail in his letters to the Corinthian church in 1st Corinthians chapter 2 9 through 12. But as it is written, I has not seen nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the Spirit of the man which is in him.

Even so, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. David cried out to the Lord, Open my eyes that I might see wondrous things from your law. Psalm 119, 18 Jesus after his resurrection spoke to some of his disciples on the road to Emmaus. These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms concerning me.

And he opened their understanding that they might comprehend the scriptures, Luke 24 and 45. It is only from the inward workings of the Holy Spirit that we come to a full persuasion and assurance that the scriptures are truly the Word of God. It is the Holy Spirit. It is His inward testimony. We read the Gospel of John, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth, for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that he shall speak and he will show you things to come he shall glorify me he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you John 16 13 through 14 Paul proclaims our gospel came not unto you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance.

1st Thessalonians 1 5. It is only from the inward working of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts that we can come to a full persuasion and a full assurance that the scriptures are really and truly the Word of God. Before we finish I'd like to comment a little more on this. The Holy Spirit inwardly bears witness by and with the Word in our hearts. His witness is personal and it's internal.

It is not done by our experiences, and it's not done by our reasoning. It is only by reading the Word, spending time studying the Word, and meditating upon His Word that the Holy Spirit bears witness in our hearts. Do you believe the Word of God? The Bible is the Word of God. Do you believe in its infallible truth and divine authority?

Are you a hundred percent sure? There's not even a little doubt. Are you fully convinced that these are God's words to us? Do you believe that all things seen and unseen were created in six 24-hour periods, six 24-hour days? Some Christians don't.

Do you believe that the world is around 6, 000 years old? Some Christians don't. Do you believe that the world is around six thousand years old? Some Christians don't. Do you believe that there was a worldwide flood, a talking donkey, and a big fish that swallowed up Jonah for three days.

Some have doubts and some would even call those a little far-fetched, but are you a Christian that picks and chooses what to believe in the Bible? If there is one teaching in the Bible that you do not believe, how can you believe any of it? How can you trust it? And if you are fully persuaded today that that's true, what kind of influence does the Bible exert on your own life? It seems there must be some impact at some level.

Do you live and make decisions based on the teachings of the Bible, especially as parents and in your occupation? Can others see that your life is governed and motivated by the teachings in the Bible? Following what scripture tells us to do is hard. It can be awkward. It can cause division in families.

It can impact opportunities at work. It can affect your popularity and what others think about you. If we are really and truly persuaded, deep in our hearts, that the Bible is really God's Word, it's invaluable, it's authoritative, Then those sacrifices and costs should be worth it to serve and obey our God. I would challenge you to take some time today to examine your own lives, your choices, and your priorities, and see if you're acting like you really, fully are persuaded. Amen.

Thanks for watching!