4 Answers
Natural inspiration totally denies the supernatural element in Scripture. This is also known as the intuition theory. It holds that the writers of Scripture were simply men of religious genius who possessed unique spiritual insight. Their writings on moral and spiritual truth were ahead of their contemporaries. Consequently, they wrote the books of the Bible in the same way as any other book has been written. The ideas ultimately came from their own religious insights, not from God Himself.
The Bible Is Both Human And Divine
This viewpoint only sees the human side of Scripture - it does not recognize anything divine. The proper view is that the Scriptures are both human and divine. God used human beings to reveal His thoughts and His truths, not human genius or human religious insight.
This View Contradicts Scripture
The natural inspiration view is in direct contradiction to what the writers themselves testified. When Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica he said.
We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God's word, which is also at work in you believers (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
It Ignores The Supernatural Character Of God's Word
The theory of natural inspiration empties the term inspiration of its biblical meaning by ignoring its supernatural character. If the Bible is merely a human book, then why cannot the natural man understand it? Paul wrote.
But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised (1 Corinthians 2:14).
Paul explained why the unbeliever cannot understand Scripture – it is spiritually discerned.
Why Only One Book?
If the Bible only came about a result of natural inspiration, then why haven't we seen more books like it written? Why no improvement on Scripture in the last two thousand years?
There Is An Ultimate Standard Of Truth
When Jesus prayed to God the Father shortly before His death on the cross, He stated.
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth (John 17:17).
Jesus did not merely say that Gods' Word was "true" He said that His word was "truth."
An Important Distinction Needs To Be Made
This is an important distinction. It is one thing to say that God's Word is true or correct but it is something else entirely to make it the highest possible standard – truth. This is exactly what Jesus did. He said that "truth" is what God's says. Therefore we can rightly conclude that the Bible is truth
Summary
The idea of natural inspiration does not fit the facts. The Bible cannot be categorized with other books or its authors with other human authors. Scripture is inspired in the sense that God supernaturally spoke through the human writers to reveal His authoritative truth to humanity – it is not merely some book that inspires the heart. In addition, we are told that those without the Spirit of God are unable to understand Scripture. Why is this so if the Bible is merely a human production?
If the Bible is limited to human thought alone, then why is there only one such book? Whatever humans have produced in the past has usually been improved with time. Why hasn't any human written a work that has surpassed the Bible? The answer is simple – the Bible is a one of a kind book because God's unique authority stands behind it. The natural inspiration, or intuition theory, is not in any way biblical.
Finally, Jesus stated that God's Words were truth – not just true. Therefore the words of Scripture are the ultimate standard on which all matters that it touches.
http://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/don_stewart/stewart.cfm?id=1249
11 years ago. Rating: 4 | |
The term, “natural inspiration” is a curious approach.
natural |?nat?(?)r(?)l|
adjective
1 existing in or derived from nature; not made or caused by humankind: carrots contain a natural antiseptic | natural disasters such as earthquakes.
• having had a minimum of processing or preservative treatment: natural food | our nutritional products are completely natural.
• (of fabric) having a colour characteristic of the unbleached and undyed state; off-white.
2 in accordance with the nature of, or circumstances surrounding, someone or something: sharks have no natural enemies.
• [ attrib. ] (of a person) having an innate skill or quality: he was a natural entertainer.
• (of a skill or quality) coming instinctively to a person; innate: Laura's natural adaptability enabled her to settle quickly.
inspiration |?nsp??re??(?)n|
noun
1 [ mass noun ] the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative: Helen had one of her flashes of inspiration | the Malvern Hills have provided inspiration for many artists.
• the quality of being inspired: a rare moment of inspiration in an otherwise dull display.
• [ count noun ] a person or thing that inspires: he is an inspiration to everyone.
• divine influence, especially that supposed to have led to the writing of the Bible.
2 a sudden brilliant or timely idea: then I had an inspiration.
3 [ mass noun ] the drawing in of breath; inhalation.
ORIGIN Middle English (in the sense ‘divine guidance’): via Old French from late Latin inspiratio(n-), from the verb inspirare (see inspire) .
So would that be the paper the book was printed on? Or what?
11 years ago. Rating: 2 | |
hey guys,why confuse the bible with intellectual genius and by dissecting every little dot and coma,, the only people that will truly understand the bible are those that have the faith of a child,,,the only thing that truly gets in the way of a faith belief in god... is the intelligence of an adult......
11 years ago. Rating: 1 | |
You may accept the Bible as being God’s inspired Word. But how strong is your acceptance, Would it hold up under test? The prophet Jeremiah said .............jeering all day long.” (Jer. 20:8) Would you be willing to suffer verbal abuse, physical mistreatment and even death for it? Under the pressure of suffering and opposition, even slight doubts about the inspiration of God’s Word can give rise to greater doubts, undermining faith and weakening a person’s resistance to temptation.
However, if you are truly convinced that the Bible is God’s Word and that living by it is the only right thing to do, you will be in a far better position to withstand pressure and to resist following a course of expediency.
11 years ago. Rating: 1 | |