Marv Wiseman

The Main Divisions of the Bible

      The Main Divisions of the Bible - Pr. Marv Wiseman

Simply knowing and understanding the basic structure and composition of the Bible will go a long way toward gaining a real working knowledge and appreciation of it.  To be sure, the Bible is  not simply a formidable book.  It is “The Formidable Book” in every way one views it:  its content, scope, purpose, authorship, etc.  And, by virtue of its very size, it can appear intimidating, even overwhelming.   So, if you ever despair of mastering the Bible, welcome aboard. Keep Reading…

Marv Wiseman

The Plenary Inspiration of the Bible

      The Plenary Inspiration of the Bible - Pr. Marv Wiseman

On previous sessions of Christianity Clarified, we have repeatedly described the issue of authority as critical to biblical Christianity.  This means absolutely everything pertaining to the Christian faith rises or falls on the Bible’s authority.   Keep Reading…

Marv Wiseman

We Have an Inerrant Bible

      We Have an Inerrant Bible - Pr. Marv Wiseman

Why is it that Christians insist on verbal inspiration being so essential?  It’s because words mean things.  Specific words express preciseness, a preciseness essential for conveying meaning without ambiguity.  Original words, conveyed by the Spirit of God in the Hebrew Old and Greek New Testament, utilize the human vocabulary of each writer.  Keep Reading…

Marv Wiseman

The Necessity of Verbal Inspiration (Part 2)

      The Necessity of Verbal Inspiration - Part 2 - Pr. Marv Wiseman

The subject of the inerrancy of Scripture has been hotly debated in Christian circles, particularly during the past century. Christians have been all over the map on this issue. As the word “inerrancy” implies, it has to do with whether the Bible is without error and is merely another way of asking whether the Bible is inspired of God. Because, if it is indeed so inspired, then it is axiomatic that it must be inerrant lest we charge God with being an error-prone deity. Viewing God as being subject to error is a contradiction in terms. Keep Reading…

Marv Wiseman

The Necessity of Verbal Inspiration (Part 1)

      The Necessity of Verbal Inspiration - Part 1 - Pr. Marv Wiseman

An essential component of the doctrine of Biblical inspiration is referred to as “verbal inspiration”, meaning the Scriptures given by God are projected through man via words, or word by word. Thus, the use of the term “verbal inspiration” is employed. Precisely how God did this with forty-plus individual writers is not clear. Some mistakenly believe God dictated word for word, as an executive dictates a letter through his secretary, referred to as the “verbal dictation” theory.

Keep Reading…

Marv Wiseman

The Scope of Biblical Revelation

      The Scope of Biblical Revelation - Pr. Marv Wiseman

The breadth, or scope, of the Bible’s content could more easily be defined by what it excludes than what it includes. And what can be said about what it includes? How about beginning with “In the beginning…” and concluding with, not an ending, but an ongoing into eternity? And what’s in-between? Absolutely everything! That’s a very broad, inclusive scope, is it not? Keep Reading

Marv Wiseman

The Diversity and Continuity of the Bible

      The Diversity and Continuity of the Bible - Pr. Marv Wiseman

For those who have spent even a minimal amount of time examining the Scriptures, the continuity of the Bible, and its diversity, are simply staggering. It is as amazing in its diversity as it is in its continuity. In fact, one could hardly conceive of a more diverse makeup than that true of the biblical writers.

Author Josh MacDowell, in his book, “Evidence That Demands a Verdict”, recounts the multifaceted background of those God inspired to be the Bible’s penmen. Keep Reading…

Marv Wiseman

The Bible – Written by Man, Authored by God

      The Bible Written by Man, Authored by God - Pr. Marv Wiseman

The charge has often been made that the Bible was written by mere men, not God, as Christians have long insisted. And clarification is surely in order here. It is true that men did write the Bible. What is not true is the charge that men authored the Bible, and the difference is enormous. The Scriptures themselves make it quite clear throughout both Old and New Testaments that the Author of the Old Book is none other than God Himself. The human instruments, which numbered about 40, were the vehicles, or penmen, God used in the physical composition of its several separate books. Keep Reading

Marv Wiseman

The Influence of the Bible

      The Influence of the Bible - Pr. Marv Wiseman

The worldwide and multi-millennial influence of the Bible is simply indisputable. Even its detractors are forced to acknowledge this Book has impacted humanity as no other book. No document has ever surfaced among humans that has promoted so much goodness, warned against evil, illumined the intellect, comforted the grieving, and buoyed up the spirit of man and woman, like the Bible. In fact, one is even hard-pressed to name a document worthy of second place since the Scriptures outstrip all others by such a large margin. The truths found in this Book have prompted multiplied millions to put their trust in its integrity, and like-millions to devote their time and treasure to the propagating of those truths worldwide. Keep Reading

Marv Wiseman

The Inexhaustibility of the Bible

      The Inexhaustibility of the Bible - Pr. Marv Wiseman

Anyone spending serious time perusing the pages of the Bible will surely come to some inescapable conclusions about its uniqueness. One of those likely conclusions is that this Book, and its themes, simply has no bottom. One can forget about plumbing its depths or overtaking the sublimity of its heights. We are dealing with a volume that speaks of a myriad of subjects that prompts investigation. Yet, upon doing so, in however an extensive study one may engage, the conviction is always there that one has merely scratched the surface. There is more, so much more, than has been ferreted out. This speaks of the inexhaustibility of the Bible. Keep Reading

Marv Wiseman

The Bible Validates Itself

      The Bible Validates Itself - Pr. Marv Wiseman

Christians are often asked why they believe the Bible to be the Word of God, and how do we know that it is? Well, our best answer is that the Bible says it is the Word of God. But then we are told, “Well, that’s using the Bible to prove the Bible. You can’t do that. That’s committing a logical fallacy called ‘circular reasoning’. Would you believe what a man tells you if he is a frequently proven liar? If he told you something and you ask him for a verification, only to be told that you should believe him because he told you so, well, that’s crazy. You can’t ask a frequent, proven liar if he is telling you the truth and then have any confidence in his answer.” Keep Reading

Marv Wiseman

The Progressive Revelation of God

      The Progressive Revelation of the Bible - Pr. Marv Wiseman

Bearing in mind that the Bible is a book of progressive revelation, one’s understanding and appreciation of the Scriptures is dramatically enhanced. And what do we mean by “progressive revelation?” Principally, just this: Doesn’t it seem only logical that since the Bible was compiled over a span of 15plus centuries, it was gradual in its making? Think of it this way: From the first year that Scripture was inspired of God, enabling those beginning writings to be recorded, until its conclusion 1500 years later, there was involved a gradual, increasing disclosure of what God wanted revealed. Keep Reading

Marv Wiseman

The Bible Knows Us (Part 2)

      The Bible Knows Us - Part 2 - Pr. Marv Wiseman

For any who are fairly familiar with the Bible, you can readily attest to the statement that we have frequently referred to by Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer, “The Bible is a book such as man would not write if he could, and could not write if he would.”  This is profoundly true.  The old Book simply transcends human capability in its expressions, its content, breadth and depth, its morality, its simplicity on the one hand and its profundity on the other.  There is no volume of literature that exceeds it or equals it.  But someone may ask, “If the Bible enjoys such a stellar position among all writings, why has it engendered its great opposition?  What is the basis for the ridicule and rejection of such a treasured volume of prose and poetry?” Keep Reading…

Marv Wiseman

The Bible Knows Us ( Part 1)

      The Bible Knows Us - Part 1 - Pr. Marv Wiseman

We have quoted the statement by Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer and the insightful observation he made that “the Bible is a book such as man could not write if he would, and would not write if he could.”  In the former case that man could not write the Bible if he would, we point to the unparalleled beauty given forth in Scripture.  The employ of language, of expression so profound in both prose and poetry.  The Bible possesses an exquisite literary quality that is so sublime all others, including the bard himself, simply pale by comparison.  It appears the Book is other worldly, and it is.  The source from which it originated is as other worldly as you can get.  Keep Reading…

Marv Wiseman

The Purpose of the Bible

      The Purpose of the Bible - Pr. Marv Wiseman

Most Bible scholars would agree that 2 Timothy 3, verses 16 and 17, set forth the intent and objective of the Bible as succinctly and straightforwardly as any passage could.  Paul, the apostle, penning his final letter before his martyrdom, wrote these words to young Timothy, his protégé, “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 mature, thoroughly furnished unto every good work.”  Nothing of value is left untouched in these verses: doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness… pretty well covers the waterfront. Keep Reading…

Marv Wiseman

The Accuracy of Biblical History

      The Accuracy of Biblical History - Pr. Marv Wiseman

Archaeological investigation has consistently proved to be a supporting ally of the Bible.  While honest archaeological science is not, and should not be undertaken to verify the Bible because real science strives for an unbiased objectivity, none-the-less, one dig after another has served to validate the claims of Scripture.  Despite the numerous charges over the decades offered by liberal critics of the Bible, one by one they continue to be buried as the spade of the archaeologist proceeds.  Names, places, events and dates, too many to enumerate, insist on verifying what the Bible records… who was involved, what happened, and where.  Keep Reading…

Marv Wiseman

The Preservation of the Bible (Part 2)

      The Preservation of the Bible - Part 2 - Pr. Marv Wiseman

There’s no disputing the fact that much of humanity over thousands of years has had a love affair with the Bible.  It’s due, of course, to their love affair with the God of the Bible.  The Bible is viewed like a prolonged love-letter from the One Whom their soul loves.  These lovers of the Book revere it as coming directly from God, through man, by the process of divine inspiration.  This conviction results in man loving and obeying its contents, being edified and encouraged by them, enlightened and warned by them, comforted and admonished by them.  But, their positive responses to the Bible are surely not universal.  The old Book has had, and still has, its detractors and deniers. Keep Reading…

Marv Wiseman

The Preservation of the Bible (Part 1)

      The Preservation of the Bible - Part 1 - Pr. Marv Wiseman

None other than Jesus Christ Himself has said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my Word shall not pass away.” With each passing day the Savior has made good His Word. Not that there have not been a multiple of attempts to make His Word pass away, because there have been. Kings, dictators and other despots have sought to completely eliminate the Bible from its very existence. Yet the “Old Book” masterfully presses on, oblivious to the puny human efforts to bury it. Keep Reading…

Marv Wiseman

The Circulation and Distribution of the Bible

      The Circulation and Distribution of the Bible - Pr. Marv Wiseman

The Bible not only outstrips all other writings and copies printed and distributed no other writing even comes close. And while its unparalleled printing and circulation does not prove the Bible to be the Word of God, it certainly is a formidable evidence for it. After all, isn’t that what one would expect if it is in fact God´s Word? Does it not strike us as expected for the very God of the universe to have authored a book, and then to have it on the world’s perpetual bestseller status? Keep Reading…

Marv Wiseman

Translations & Languages of the Bible

      Translations and Languages of the Bible - Pr. Marv Wiseman

Human language is surely the ultimate and priceless means of communication among mankind. It is the principal means of conveying what is in the mind of one person to the mind of another. When the sending mind originates a message and conveys it to the receiving mind, with both parties getting the same message, communication has occurred. If a different message is perceived by the receiver than that sent by the sender, we call it “a miscommunication.” Surely this required preciseness sets forth the critical nature of words. Words are the essence of communication, whether spoken, written, or conveyed in sign language. Keep Reading…