Biblical Support
For The Doctrine of Verbal Plenary Preservation (I)
Lesson 3
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I. |
REVIEW
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A. |
Meaning of Verbal
Plenary Preservation
“Verbal” = words
“Plenary” = total,
complete, 100%, all (to the minutest jot and tittle)
“Preservation” =
kept free from corruption, safeguarded
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B. |
What “words”?
The “words” of God
that are being preserved by God refer to the words
in the original languages that were inspired by God
(2 Tim 3:16, 2 Pet 1:21)
The “words” are the
Hebrew and Greek words that God took upon Himself
not just to inspire holy men of God to write down
but also to preserve. |
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II. |
THE
BASIS OF THE DOCTRINE OF VPP
Read 2 Timothy 3:1-2, 7-9,
13-17.
This passage warns us that
as we live in these last days, we are living in perilous
times (2 Tim 3:1), i.e. DANGEROUS times.
One of the many dangers the
Church faces in these last days is that men (pastors, church
leaders included) “shall be lovers of their own selves,
covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy…,ever learning, and never able
to come to the knowledge of the truth…evil men and seducers
shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”
(2 Tim 3:2, 7, 13).
Before we point our fingers
at others, let us first check ourselves that we DO NOT fall
into this category. Let us examine ourselves honestly before
our omniscient God. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful
and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
While Paul warns Timothy of
the dangers, he also gave Timothy the shield against these
dangerous men in 2 Tim 3:14-15: “continue thou in the things
which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of
whom thou hast learned [them]. And that from a child thou
hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee
wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
The shield against them
is the SCRIPTURE, the Word of God, the Bible.
The scripture made Timothy
“wise unto salvation through faith” (v 15), that is the
Bible gave Timothy the good news of salvation and Timothy
was saved. BUT, he is not to throw out the scripture once he
is saved.
Paul instructed Timothy to
“continue thou in the things which thou hast learned” (v
14), that is Timothy is to continue to know the Word of God
and be guided by the Word of God. In other words, the Bible
is given to us NOT only to show us the way to heaven.
Paul goes on to describe
scripture and what it is given to us for.
“All scripture [is]
given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for
DOCTRINE, for REPROOF, for CORRECTION, for INSTRUCTION in
righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly
furnished unto all good works.” (2 Tim 3:16-17)
That is, God’s Word is
given to:
-- let us know God’s
teachings
-- admonish us when we have
failed to do right
-- correct us when we have
done wrong
-- instruct/direct us in
the right path to take.
And all these are for the
purpose that the believer (having received salvation) will
grow/ mature in his faith and be equipped to serve God, to
live for God.
So, be very careful about
people who say: “We are all going to end up in heaven, and
that is enough. Never mind about the other teachings in the
Bible.”
Brethren, it is not enough
that we are all heading for heaven. Yes, scripture shows us
the way to heaven, BUT scripture is given also to show us
WHAT God wants to us to know and HOW we are to live on earth
while we are on the way to heaven and that we are to GROW in
maturity.
“All scripture [is]…
profitable for DOCTRINE….” So, what does scripture say
about the Doctrine of the PRESERVATION of the inspired Word
of God? |
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III. |
AN
OVERVIEW OF THE BIBLE’S TEACHING ON VPP
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A. |
The Bible teaches
the Doctrine of Preservation
Psalm 12:6–7 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.
Psalm 33:11 The
counsel of the LORD standeth for ever,
the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
Psalm 78:1–7 Give
ear, O my people, [to] my law: incline your ears to
the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a
parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we
have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
We will not hide [them] from their children, shewing
to the generation to come the praises of the LORD,
and his strength, and his wonderful works that he
hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob,
and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded
our fathers, that they should make them known
to their children: That the generation to
come might know [them, even] the children [which]
should be born; [who] should arise and declare
[them] to their children: That they might
set their hope in God, and not forget the works of
God, but keep his commandments.
Psalm 100:5 For the
LORD [is] good; his mercy [is] everlasting; and
his truth [endureth] to all generations.
Psalm 105:8 He hath
remembered his covenant for ever, the
word [which] he commanded to a thousand generations.
Psalm 111:7–8 The
works of his hands [are] verity and judgment; all
his commandments [are] sure. They stand fast
for ever and ever, [and are] done in truth
and uprightness.
Psalm 117:2 For his
merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth
of the LORD [endureth] for ever.
Praise ye the LORD.
Psalm 119:89
For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled
in heaven.
Psalm 119:152
Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that
thou hast founded them for ever.
Psalm 119:160 Thy
word [is] true [from] the beginning: and every one
of thy righteous judgments [endureth] for ever.
Isaiah 40:8 The
grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of
our God shall stand for ever.
Isaiah 59:21 As for
me, this [is] my covenant with them, saith the LORD;
My spirit that [is] upon thee, and my words which I
have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy
mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of
the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD,
from henceforth and for ever.
Matthew 4:4 But he
answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live
by bread alone, but by every word that
proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Matthew 5:17–18
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the
prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth
pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise
pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words
shall not pass away.
John 10:35 If he
called them gods, unto whom the word of God came,
and the scripture cannot be broken;
1 Peter 1:23–25
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of
incorruptible, by the word of God, which
liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh
[is] as grass, and all the glory of man as the
flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower
thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord
endureth for ever. And this is the word
which by the gospel is preached unto you.
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B. |
The Bible teaches
the preservation of all the words (not just
doctrines) of God
Psalm 12:6–7
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.
Psalm 119:89 For
ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in
heaven.
Isaiah 40:8 The
grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the
word of our God shall stand for ever.
Matthew 4:4 But he
answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live
by bread alone, but by every word that
proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Matthew 5:17–18
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the
prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth
pass, one jot or one tittle shall in
no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words
shall not pass away.
1 Peter 1:24–25 For
all flesh [is] as grass, and all the glory of man as
the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the
flower thereof falleth away: But the word
of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the
word which by the gospel is preached unto
you. |
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C. |
The Bible reveals
that the purpose of the Verbal Plenary Preservation
of God’s words is to sanctify God’s children when
they obey His Word
Deuteronomy 4:2 Ye
shall not add unto the word which I command you,
neither shall ye diminish [ought] from it, that ye
may keep the commandments of the LORD
your God which I command you.
Deuteronomy 29:29
The secret [things belong] unto the LORD our God:
but those [things which are] revealed [belong] unto
us and to our children for ever, that [we] may
do all the words of this law.
Joshua 1:8 This
book of the law shall not depart out of thy
mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein
day and night, that thou mayest observe to do
according to all that is written therein: for then
thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou
shalt have good success.
Psalm 78:1–7 Give
ear, O my people, [to] my law: incline your ears to
the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a
parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we
have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
We will not hide [them] from their children, shewing
to the generation to come the praises of the LORD,
and his strength, and his wonderful works that he
hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob,
and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded
our fathers, that they should make them known to
their children: That the generation to come
might know [them, even] the children [which]
should be born; [who] should arise and declare
[them] to their children: That they might set
their hope in God, and not forget the works of God,
but keep his commandments.
Proverbs 5:7 Hear
me now therefore, O ye children, and depart
not from the words of my mouth.
Matthew 4:4 But he
answered and said, It is written, Man shall
not live by bread alone, but by every word
that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
John 20:30–31 And
many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of
his disciples, which are not written in this book:
But these are written, that ye might believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that
believing ye might have life through his name.
Romans 10:17 So
then faith [cometh] by hearing, and
hearing by the word of God.
John 17:17
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is
truth.
2 Timothy 3:16–17
All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and
[is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in
righteousness: That the man of God may be
perfect, throughly furnished unto all
good works.
Revelation 22:7
Behold, I come quickly: blessed [is] he that
keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this
book. |
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IV. |
OUR
STARTING POINT
Want to know whether the
doctrine of the 100% preservation of the God-breathed Hebrew
and Greek words is true or false? Check it out in the Bible.
We will never go wrong when we look first to the Word of
God. And the Bible teaches that God Himself will ensure the
preservation of His own inspired words as we saw above.
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THE WAY THAT
PLEASES GOD |
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THE WAY THAT
DISPLEASES GOD |
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Start with: What
the Bible says |
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Start with: What
men/scholars say |
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God’s wisdom |
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Man’s wisdom |
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Faith |
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Facts |
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(“subjective
interpretation”) |
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Inspiration |
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Inspiration |
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Preservation |
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Deny Preservation |
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(Preserved with
mistakes/No preservation/Ltd preservation/Only
autographs are preserved but don’t have it today) |
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Inerrant Bible |
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Errant Bible |
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Infallible Bible |
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Fallible Bible |
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End with: Perfect
Bible today |
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End with: Imperfect
Bible today |
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V. |
CONCLUSION: OUR RESPONSE
The Bible is certainly NOT
silent about the verbal, plenary preservation of God’s Word.
And therefore we must by faith believe what it says.
Read Luke 1:34-38.
Let us respond with the
faith of Mary (Lk 1:38) and say “Be it according to Your
Word, O Lord.”
Hebrews 11:6: “But without
faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh
to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder
of them that diligently seek him.”
With God nothing is
impossible. If God says He will preserve His words, He is
ABLE to keep His promise and He WILL preserve His words.
Pray for faith to believe.
Application Question:
How will you respond to
those who attack the Verbal Plenary Preservation of God’s
Word by saying “VPP is a new teaching” or “VPP is a theory”
?
“The devil and his agents have been blowing at Scripture
light, but could never blow it out; a clear sign that it was
lighted from heaven….The letter of Scripture has been
preserved, without any corruption, in the original tongue.”
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[1]
Thomas Watson, “A Body of Divinity” (Edinburgh: The Banner
of Truth Trust, 1965, First published in 1692), 27. |
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