Is every word in the Christian Bible, Old and New Testaments, inspired by God?

[tessiewebb]

Paul studied for 14 years and although I'm sure the Holy Spirit did a lot in his life, He also made the existing scriptures come alive and make sense to Paul, who was a Pharisee.

There is no indication that God enlightened Paul using existing Scriptures. In fact he said himself "But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called [me] through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, ....And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain." This sounds to me like he got revelation straight from God and later went to some to be sue he had not gotten it wrong.

The key is of course that we HAVE the infilling of the Holy Spirit to be able to depend on. There are many believers who have NEVER received that.

If not, how are they to know they are even saved? How can they cry Abba, Father? In Him you also [trusted], after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,..

When Jesus gives these people to the church, they are already fulfilling these offices by the way they have allowed the Holy Spirit to work in them. You are what you are, BEFORE you are presented to fill a role in the church.

I agree that we already are gifted before we are ready to fill a certain role in the Body.

Where did you get this definition from? I don't believe the OT prophet is the same as the NT prophet. John was a Prophet and Apostle, as depicted in the NT. Paul and Peter were Apostles. As we are now directed by the Holy Spirit we have in our lives when we receive the infilling, Paul makes it clear in 1 Cor 12 & 14 how prophesy works.

From Strong's concordance on the Blue Letter Bible website which gives definitions of words. There can be no difference between OT and NT prophets except that NT prophets have the indwelling Spirit where the OT only had the Spirit "come on them" from time to time. If anything, NT prophets are not heeded because we are so skeptical about anything that is "now" and reverence the "past" so much. And, admittedly, because there is so much charlatanry.

I think we need both equally, but a clear mandate needs to be given to new believers, of the importance of reading and digesting God's Word. Paul warns about 'new converts' in 1 Tim 3:6, and this extends, I believe, not just to the ministry of overseer.

I think so too but the "clear mandate" has to be from someone that won't blow them off until they become pew sitters in frustration. And you and I know that is not prevalent among denominational or non denominational leaders of bodies of believers. The leaders are usually too busy keeping their J O B or filling the positions with their friends to encourage new believers to follow the leading of the Spirit into any of the ministry positions.

 

[Stan53]

There is no indication that God enlightened Paul using existing Scriptures. In fact he said himself "But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called [me] through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, ....And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain." This sounds to me like he got revelation straight from God and later went to some to be sue he had not gotten it wrong.

I think when he says that he did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, shows that he did eventually. The revelation here is about Paul going to Jerusalem because he received a revelation from God or Jesus to go. He also says prior to that in Gal 1:12; I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ. This would be his calling to be the Apostle to the Gentiles from Jesus. There is not doubt Paul had revelation, but it would be a big assumption to advocate he did NOT study the existing scriptures, seeing as he had always done so. Now in the proper light, he could practise proper exegesis with them. Jesus used the scriptures and as Paul was so big on emulating Jesus, I think he would also want to use them. This is confirmed in his epistle to Timothy in 2 Tim 2:15; Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

If not, how are they to know they are even saved? How can they cry Abba, Father? In Him you also [trusted], after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,..

By the same faith they had to believe in Jesus. This infilling is separate from salvation, as indicated in Acts 8:15-17; 15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

We receive Christ at salvation and the Holy Spirit afterwards, just as in Acts 2.

From Strong's concordance on the Blue Letter Bible website which gives definitions of words. There can be no difference between OT and NT prophets except that NT prophets have the indwelling Spirit where the OT only had the Spirit "come on them" from time to time. If anything, NT prophets are not heeded because we are so skeptical about anything that is "now" and reverence the "past" so much. And, admittedly, because there is so much charlatanry.

Strong's is a great tool but I'll leave it up to God to show what the offices entail by what His word says. Clearly there is a difference in OT and NT prophets. The 'gift' of prophecy is another thing all together. Paul said he wished ALL could prophesy.
1 Cor 14:24-25.

I think so too but the "clear mandate" has to be from someone that won't blow them off until they become pew sitters in frustration. And you and I know that is not prevalent among denominational or non denominational leaders of bodies of believers. The leaders are usually too busy keeping their J O B or filling the positions with their friends to encourage new believers to follow the leading of the Spirit into any of the ministry positions.

Yes and this may be an issue in SOME congregations, but we also, must not leave everything to a pastor. Eph 4:11-13; So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

 

[Chris.]

I think ask God he will tell you.