What is God breathed?

[Grazer]

Ok, lets put the issue of inerrancy to one side (a conversation I'm apparently too unlearned to contribute to anyway) and look at the issue of God breathed.

We all know what 2 Timothy 3:16 says;

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

But following a Facebook post this afternoon, it's got me thinking about the whole nature of scripture being God-breathed;
Just had a thought...most of us are aware that the word "inspired" in the letter to Timothy ("all scripture is inspired") is literally "God-breathed". And that has led to the teaching that it is literally "the Word of God".

Is it possible that what the author was saying, though, is that God breathes into those writings? Similar, perhaps, in a metaphorical way to him breathing life into man...

So, not breathing them OUT, but breathing INTO them...

Now, I know this is all linked to inerrency but I just want to focus on the possible meanings of this passage. The ramifications of such interpretations on inerrency can wait.

 

[Stone-yarder]

Thats why scripture blows me away, it is alive. "And God said" When he speaks,things literally come into existence. Psalm 139:6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

 

[reba]

Gen_2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

It's both, God inspiring the very Words that are recorded to begin with, and God's Spirit inhabiting those Words as the reader reads them, or someone talks about them.

In charismatic circles you learn about the 'Rhema' Word of God--the Word that is inhabited by God's Spirit, meaning he's speaking it right to your heart and mind as you're reading or hearing about the Word, via the Holy Spirit. THAT is the Word of faith. THAT is what it means for faith to come by hearing, and hearing through the Word of God, and why I capitalize 'Word' when I use it in discussion. It's alive because it's the very voice of God. This is the Word that saves. This is the testimony of God sent into the world--not the written Words alone, but the Spirit of God speaking those Words.

IMO, the difference between scripture, and say, a very good sermon is scripture originates from the very mind of God, those Words being inspired by God himself. A good sermon may be the thoughts of the sermonizer himself, but through which God chooses to send forth in the power of his Spirit to speak into the hearts of people. Either one is the God-breathed Word of God that goes out like a double edge sword (piercing, not slashing or hacking) to convict people in their hearts about whatever it is that is being spoken.

The job of the people who compiled our Bibles had the task of discerning what was truly inspired by God, in and of itself, and what was but the thoughts of men, but still possibly useful and used by God, and what is just plain the thoughts of men. Glad I wasn't on that committee.

God uses what people gifted in the speaking gifts say by inhabiting it with his voice, via the Holy Spirit, to speak to people. Writing scripture itself is one thing. Communicating God's truth through your own intellect, as legitimate as that way is, is another thing.

"10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God." (1 Peter 4:10-11 NIV1984)

I think what Peter is saying here is speak words approved by God--Words that he will approve and attach his Spirit to. Those gifted to speak on God's behalf should be careful to make sure they are doing that. Or at least let it be known when they are sharing their own thoughts (albeit, educated thoughts)--like Paul did.