INTRODUCTION: "If God wrote a book, what would it be like?" This is the question I asked myself as I was preparing a sermon on the inspiration of the Scriptures.

BODY

I. IF GOD WROTE A BOOK FOR MANKIND, WHAT IT BE LIKE?

A. It would be a book that was completely accurate, without mistakes in facts.

1. When it gave historical facts, they would be true and accurate.

2. When it spoke of scientific details, they would be true.

3. When it referred to cities, mountain, terrain, rivers, etc., it would be completely accurate. On top of that, you would expect to be able to locate the sites of cites and places mentioned.

B. It would tell the created about the Creator.

1. It would reveal what God was like. While we can know from the creation that God is, that is tremendously powerful, and that He has a loving nature, there are so many things about God that we would have to learn from His revelation.

2. If He gave us a book would expect that God would tell His creation, a creation that was different from all the other beings on the planet, what He was like.

C. It would satisfy the deepest human needs and answer life's great unanswered questions.

1. It would give answers to those questions that have resided deep in the heart of man from the beginning of time.

2. "Why are we here?" "Where did we come from?" "Where are we going?"

D. It would be a book for all time, not just for the events that were taking place in one time period.

1. It would be as fresh as this morning headlines in the paper or lead story on the television and radio news.

2. It would never grow old and stale but would have a message for mankind for all time.

E. It would be honest about those whom it wrote.

1. The truth would told about it's heroes and villians, no matter how damning or vindicating.

F. It would be a book for all men and all cultures.

1. It would bridge the gap between black and white, Asian and European, rich and poor.

G. It would be a book which could be understood by the average person.

1. It would be understandible by more than just the privileged few, but one that could be understood and cherished by even the poorest and least educated of society.

H. It would be an indestructible book.

1. Because it came from the God who created the universe we would expect His book to stand up to those who would want to destroy it and get rid of it.

A. Unlike other books, the Bible is completely accurate, without mistakes and errors.

1. The Bible is without error, in total agreement with each other. This is amazing in itself!

2. The Bible was written over a period of 1,600 years, spanning 60 generations. Over 40 men penned it, from widely varying backgrounds. It was written in three languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. It's writers were herdsmen and noblemen, fishermen and kings, warriors and priests. They came from widely different cultures. Some were nomads. Some were city dwellers. Some were travelers. The one whom is at the heart of its message, Jesus Christ, never traveled more than a hundred miles from his birthplace.

3. But through all this there is a perfect agreement and unity of theme and purpose. From Genesis to Revelation the message is simple, how God is working in history to provide redemption to a mankind lost in sin. From the first promise of salvation in Genesis 3:15 to the last invitation in Revelation 22:16-17 we have God working the grand theme of
redemption.

4. This grand book is completely accurate in the area of history. Men have tried to find inaccuracies in its historical account but have always come up short. It is completely accurate in geography. Even down to the detail of going up to Jerusalem, showing that there was a gradual rise in elevation, the Bible speaks the truth. In the realm of science the Bible
is accurate, ahead of its day. The Bible knew and revealed the truth about the importance of blood thousands of years before modern man knew (Leviticus 17:14). It also told us about the shipping lanes of the sea thousands of years before men "discovered" them (Psalm 8:8).

a. The Bible is not a book of history. It is not a book of geography. It is not a book of science. But in all these matters, and more, when the Bible touches on them it speaks accurately, even beyond the knowledge of its day. Why? Because it speaks the mind of God!

B. The Bible tells us all about our creator.

1. Our God is eternal. (Deuteronomy 33:27)

2. Our God is all-powerful. (Job 42:2)

3. Our God is changeless (Malachi 3:6)

4. Our God is a God of love (1 John 4:16).

C. The Bible answers the great questions that have haunted man through the ages.

1. Where did I come from? From God.

a. Ecclesiastes 12:7 "Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it."

2. Why am I here? To serve and glorify God.

a. Ecclesiastes 12:13 - "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all."

3. Where am I going? I am going to go stand before God and be judged after this life.

a. 2 Corinthians 5:10 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

4. Is there anything after death? Yes, we will all live forever.

a. John 5:28-29

D. The Bible has stood the test of time, being relevant for each succeeding generation.

1. It is just as up to date today as when it was penned by the inspired writers.

2. For example, what are some of the themes you can find within the pages of Holy Scripture?

a. Corruption in government, materialism, hypocrisy in religion, man's quest for self-fulfilment, oppression of the poor, war, man's inhumanity toward man, all these are discussed in the Bible.

3. There is not a topic that can be imagined that the Bible hasn't talked about, or talked about principles governing.

E. The Bible speaks honestly and forthrightly about its villains and heroes.

1. David, the man after God's own heart, committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband killed.

2. Peter, one of the ones who Jesus was closest, denied him three times.

3. A book by men would speak glowingly of its heroes and gloss over their failings. The Bible speaks honestly of men and women who have good traits but also failings.

F. The Bible bridges the gap between all races and peoples.

1. The Bible is loved by individuals on every continent, color, and nationality.

2. A housewife in New York City, a day laborer in Moscow, a tribesman in Zambia, and office worker in Hong Kong, can all read the Bible and see its value.

3. It is not a white person's book, or a black person's book, or an Asian's book. It was written to and for all people.

4. Isaiah 2:1_3 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the Lord's house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. 3 Many people shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

G. The Bible can be understood by the masses as well as the elite.

1. What is necessary for salvation is simple to understand and obey.

2. Ephesians 3:1_3 "For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles; 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),"

3. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

H. The Bible has stood against all enemies and still stands!

1. The Bible has had its bitter enemies from the time it was first penned to today. Diocletian, emperor of Rome in the early fourth century, ordered the burning of the Bible. The emperor Constantine ordered the copying of the Bible only 25 years later. Tyndale was burned at the stake by Catholic authorities because he translated the Bible into English. Tyrants in almost every generation have piled Bibles high for burning and threatened prison sentences to their citizens for reading it. The Communists tried unsuccessfully (the Communist Chinese are still doing this!) to limit its influence and keep printed copies out of their countries. It didn't work!

2. Bernard Ramm (a noted author) said this. "A thousand times over, the death knell of the Bible has been sounded, the funeral procession formed, the inscription cut on the tombstones, and committal read. But somehow the corpse never stays put. No other book has been so chopped, knived, sifted, scrutinized, and vilified. What book on philosophy or religion or psychology or belles lettres of classical or modern times has been subject to such a mass attack as the Bible? With such venom and skepticism? With such thoroughness and erudition? Upon ever chapter, line and tenet? The Bible is still loved by millions, read by millions, and studied by millions."

CONCLUSION: No book can compare with the Bible! It is from God to man and is designed to make our lives happier and prepared us to live with God in Heaven!

We went to a machine shop arriving a little early and, as we were looking around, we saw a pile of old, worn, battered, discarded hammers lying in one corner of the shop. We counted forty_seven hammers. We also saw a bright, unscarred anvil which looked as if it had never had a blow. I said to the man in charge, "How many anvils have you used to wear out that pile of hammers?" "Oh," he replied, "just this one," pointing with pride to the anvil. "You know," said he, "the anvil wears out the hammers. The blows on the anvil only make it shine brighter." As I stood there and looked at that
pile of discarded hammers, I thought, of the Word of God and its enemies and critics. I thought of Rosseau, Tom Paine, Bob Ingersoll, Darrow and a host of others who have ridiculed the Word of God and passed on. when the last infidel and higher critic has taken his last sarcastic fling at the Word of God and gone to the scrap heap of hell, God's Word will still be here. It is the Bible that wears out the skeptics. "Forever O Lord thy word is settled in heaven."

STUDIES OF BASICS:
Intoduction
Existence of God
Creation of Mankind
Epistles- Christ's Messages to the Church
Book of Acts
The Inspiration of The Bible
The Inspiration of The Bible (Part 2)
The Life & Mission of Christ
The New Testament
The Book of Revelation -- Victory