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

This is the last occasion in the last book written for the Bible in which the Holy Spirit would impress upon us with great care the value of all the Scriptures of God.

You might remember this chapter is about the perilous times of the last days of grace. It’s filled with contrasts throughout chapter. We have, first, the characteristics of men generally in the last days, the evil men waxing worse, deceiving and being deceived, the great deceivers exemplified in Jannes and Jambres, all contrasted with example of Paul, and our calling to continue in the things we’ve learned and the things we’ve been assured of. Then there is the biggest contrast of all in this chapter, the wicked who are never able to come into the knowledge of the truth compared to all of us who have God’s Word. And we cannot forget, especially in these last days, the inestimable value of God’s Word, which will steer us through all these perilous times, through all the hatred, through all the deception – the Word and the Spirit is your guide.

The Spirit explained to us in 2 Tim. 2:15 how we should study but now He’s emphasizing here the value of God’s Word, what the Word can accomplish in us, because with the arrival of this final letter from Paul, we had something that had never existed before in the history of man. We now had this new thing, the completed written Word of God. This is why the Spirit emphasizes so memorably in this letter how to study and the value of His Word because all the spiritual gifts by this point have all but faded away and what’s left is His completed Word, which we all now must study. Even a believer who understood all the doctrines of Paul as well as Timothy, needed to have impressed upon him, as it needs to be impressed upon all of us, the value of His Word and study.

Bibliology

Bibliology is the study of the Bible itself, what it is, and how it came into existence. This is not a book that contains the Word of God. This book IS the Word of God. And there are three aspects about Bibliology worth talking about. Revelation, Inspiration, and Illumination.

However, I think there’s a fourth aspect that should be added to the list – Preservation. Without Preservation, we wouldn’t even have His Word, and we wouldn’t know anything about Revelation, Inspiration, and Illumination.

Revelation

What is revelation exactly? The Greek Word from which we get revelation is apocalypse. Apocalypse is an uncovering, an unveiling. Now the idea of revelation is sometimes used in a subjective sense, as in God revealing His mind to the believer. 1 Cor. 2:16 tells us, “we have the mind of Christ.” His mind, His thoughts have been revealed to us in His written book.

The idea of revelation is also used in an objective sense, as when Christ will literally be revealed to the world at His second coming.

Primarily though, in the Bible, revelation has to do with truth that has been made known to man which he could never learned otherwise. For example, it was by direct revelation of Jesus Christ that Paul received the truth of the mystery (Ephesians 3:3; Galatians 1:12). In a secondary sense, the twelve apostles received that new revelation through the instrumentality of Paul’s preaching and the illumination of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 2:2; Ephesians 3:5).

We talk often about progressive revelation, which is just the steady unveiling of God’s eternal purpose. And if there’s a progressive revelation, there is also a progressive understanding on our part, as we steadily take in His Word. All theology usually progresses in some manner, too, because study is not you imposing your theology onto the text. Study is supposed to be you allowing the text to correct your thinking and your theology.

Of course, revelations stopped when the Bible was finished. Now any divine truth we are to learn can only come from the Bible through the illumination of the Holy Spirit. Of course, there is a ton of truth in the Bible for which there was no need for special revelation, like historical events, which the writers already knew. But other truths, like the eternal purpose of God, we could have never known apart from special revelation from God Himself to man now recorded for us in the Scriptures.

Inspiration

The English word inspiration means the act of inbreathing or inhalation. Figuratively the word means the imparting of emotion, or mental, or spiritual influence, as: He was an inspiration to all of us. But theologically this is the supernatural divine superintendency exerted over the writers of the Scripture which guaranteed the accuracy of their writings.

The expression, “given by inspiration of God,” is in the Greek one compound word, theopneustos, meaning God–breathed. This does not mean that the Bible is inspiring or that it imparts an emotional or spiritual influence upon its readers (although, of course, the Scriptures do this), but rather inspiration of Scripture has to do with the origin of Scriptures itself. The Scripture came into being by the breath of God. Just as God breathed into man’s nostrils and he became a living soul, so too, God breathed into the writers and brought into existence His infallible Word. Another key passage on inspiration is 2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. They were moved, they were borne along, they were influenced by the Holy Spirit when they wrote Scriptures. The idea is that they were carried along by the divine influence of the Holy Spirit, like a sailing ship that is moved along by the wind.

There are many theories about different types of inspiration, but I would only highlight two. The first theory is called mechanical inspiration.

Mechanical

This is the view that the writers of the Bible were at times secretaries to whom God dictated the words. Sometimes referred to as the Dictation Theory. There are parts of the Bible that might be classified as dictation, like when a prophet writes, “Thus saith the Lord.” It would also seem that it was a case of dictation when God spoke the law to Moses in the mount and said to him: “Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.” (Exodus 34:27). But all of those writings are still God-breathed by the Holy Spirit to ensure the accuracy of the Lord’s Words when they were written down.

Verbal Plenary Inspiration

Verbal means that inspiration extends to the very words the writers used in the original writings. This means that God so guided men to write in their own language, using their own words, and in their own style and yet at the same time what they had written expressed the very truth God wanted said. If God intended to accurately convey truth to us, it was necessary to make sure the writers used the words that would accomplish that goal of accurately revealing truth to mankind. If you hire a lawyer to write a legal document with words that cannot be disputed, how much more important to have the right words in books dealing with the eternal destiny of men’s souls!

Plenary is usually taken to mean that inspiration is full, extending to all parts of the Bible. Paul did not say, “Some Scripture is inspired.” He said “ALL Scripture.” There are no degrees of inspiration. A writing is either inspired of God or it is not inspired.

Verbal plenary inspiration does not mean that every statement in the Bible is true. There are verses in the Bible quoting men who are lying. But verbal plenary inspiration means that every statement is accurately recorded. The Bible records the lies of both Satan and of men, but they are accurately recorded as lies.

There are examples of Inspiration without Revelation. Take for example, Luk 1:1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, Luk 1:2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; Luk 1:3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, Luk 1:4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed. Notice how Luke says he’s not writing things he witnessed himself. He’s telling Theophilus that his written record of the life of Christ came from eyewitnesses and ministers. He wrote in vs. 2, Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word. Luke wasn’t given any direct revelations about Christ, but compiled eyewitness accounts into a book, and yet, we know that every verse is true, because every verse in Luke is inspired of God, every verse is God-breathed. He was moved. He was influenced by the Holy Spirit to ensure the accuracy of every verse when he wrote in his book.

We also have examples of Inspiration that includes Revelation.

Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Rev 1:2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Notice that John is writing down the revelation of Jesus Christ, which was signified by His angel. John writes and he (the Lord) sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John. What does he mean by signified it? Signify means to make known something. God made something known by words and visuals presented to John by an angel. And when John wrote about it, that was also inspired by the Holy Spirit, because he was moved, he was influenced by the Holy Spirit to ensure the accuracy of the account he was giving of what he witnessed.

You might also take, for example, Exo 20:22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. The event itself is Revelation without Inspiration but the recording of that event in Ex. 20 is Inspiration about the Revelation Moses experienced.

Illumination

Revelation refers to the moment God made known to man a truth that man did not and could not know. When that truth was spoken by the prophets to the people or written down, the words were inspired. They were moved by the Holy Spirit for the sake of accuracy.

Once a truth has been revealed and written down in Scripture, there’s no need for it be revealed again. However, the fact that God has revealed truth does not mean that everyone perceives or understands it. In fact, Scripture tells us the natural mind of man does not receive and cannot know the things of God apart from the Spirit. We find in 1 Cor. 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 1Co 2:14 But 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.

This teaches us that God has given us His Spirit so that we might know the things which are freely given us of God. This is the work of the Spirit: making known to all of us the things that God has prepared for them that love Him, and that process is called Illumination.

Revelation happened to only a few people. Inspiration happened to only a few people. But Illumination is available to everyone. Revelation and Inspiration have both been completed, at least, until the Lord comes in the Rapture. Illumination is a continuing process for all of us depending upon our time in His Word. Revelation and Inspiration has to do with the impartation of truth. Illumination has to do with our understanding of the truth, which is progressive depending upon how much time we spend in His Word.

Preservation

Now as I mentioned earlier, most believers have heard of Revelation, Inspiration, and Illumination, but there is a word that should be added to the list – Preservation. Without preservation, none of the other three would be possible.

Like everything else, we first have to ask ourselves, what does God teach us about the preservation of His Word? Psa. 12:6-7 says in the KJV, “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.” (See also Psa. 105:5, 119:111,152, and 160.)

What does “preservation” mean? Webster’s 1828 Dictionary tells us that “preservations” is, “The act of preserving or keeping safe; the act of keeping from injury, destruction or decay; as the preservation of life or health; the preservation of buildings from fire or decay; the preservation of grain from insects; the preservation of fruit or plants. When a thing is kept entirely from decay, or nearly in its original state, we say it is in a high state of preservation.”

Just as God declares to us that He inspired His Word (2 Tim. 3:16), so too, He declares to us that He shall preserve His words forever (Isa. 30:8, 40:8, Psa. 12:6-7). He keeps His Word safe in its original state or in a high state of preservation. In fact, Christ would tell us the “scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35) and that His “words shall not pass away” (Matt. 24:35). Paul would also tell us that the Word of God cannot be “bound” or imprisoned (2 Tim. 2:9). The Bible is God’s unbound book. Plus, Peter would tell us the Word of God is “incorruptible,” that it “liveth and abideth for ever,” and that it “endureth forever” (1 Pet. 1:23-25). The Lord told Isaiah, “Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever” (Isa. 30:18). This meant that the words of Isaiah would continue to live on forever even after the originals perished.

Isa. 40:8 says, “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.” Isaiah contrasts the frailty of man to the stability and the everlasting endurance of God’s Word, which means His Word stands even now. You can access it. You can read it. You can know it. You can understand it. You can trust it.

In fact, King David also spoke of the permanent accessibility of God’s Word to all the people when he wrote, “The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations” (Psa. 33:11; see also Prov. 19:21, Rev. 1:1-2).

For many years now, evangelical leaders have taught that the “real Bible” is only contained in the originals, called “Originals Onlyism,” and that the “real Bible” is not a book anyone can actually hold in their hands anymore… except for the fact that God Himself told us that His words are preserved “from this generation for ever,” that “scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35), that His Word cannot be “bound” or imprisoned (2 Tim. 2:9), and that His Word “liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Pet. 1:23-25).

To suggest that God’s completed, written Word has not always been accessible to mankind throughout history is a betrayal of what God teaches about preservation.

To suggest that God’s Word was somehow lacking or incomplete until the discovery of a couple 4th century codices is, at best, ignorance, or at worst, heresy, because they knew better but perpetuated their lies anyway for their own self interests.

The inclusion, and even preference, of those two old texts over the majority reading by all modern translators today, as well as many leading evangelicals in Christendom, is betrayal of God’s Word. That is a corruption of His Word, and they have undermined people’s confidence that they can hold in their hands a Bible they can trust. This is nothing less than the undermining of the faith of sincere believers (Rom. 10:17).

If God did not fully preserve His Word throughout all of history just as He told us He would in His Word in places like Psa. 12:6-7, Isa. 30:8, 40:8, John 10:35, 2 Tim. 2:9, 1 Pet. 1:23-25, and Rev. 1:1-2, to name just a few, well, you might as well stop trusting in God, because He is either a liar, or He’s incompetent, or He’s powerless to do what He says He will do, and He wasted everybody’s time inspiring those verses.

What do all the many verses and stories about the preservation of scripture, the copies of scripture, and the accessibility of scripture, tell us where we can find God’s Word today? Thanks to Richard Jordan and Bryan Ross, for helping me to understand this. What I’m about to share comes from a 2019 message Bryan gave in Chicago called The Word for All Ages.

Three Scriptural Points

The first principle has to do with multiplicity of copies. God’s design was to preserve His Word through a multiplicity of accurate and reliable copies that are just as authoritative as the originals. We’re talking about texts that existed then that have been copied so abundantly that those texts continue to exist even today, and they are accessible to everyone. We ought to be able to observe in history a collection of manuscripts that are plenteous and in substantive agreement with each other regarding doctrinal content, even if all those texts do not possess verbatim exactness.

The second principle is that there must be access to those copies. The preserved text would not only exist in a multiplicity of copies, but those copies would be available to God’s people to possess, study, copy, and translate. These texts would not be hidden under a rock, buried in a vault, or inaccessible in a private library or monastery.

The third Biblical principle of the preserved copies is that these texts have been in use by God’s people for generations. His text has been in the hands of Bible believing people, which means that those people have the responsibility to fulfill God’s calling. Textus Receptus (TR), or the traditional text, or the received text, which is the printed representation of the vast majority of Greek manuscripts, meets all these standards and the King James Version is the only accurate and reliable English translation from the only text that fulfills all the hallmarks of the scriptural principles of preservation.