The Inspiration and Authority Of

◆ THE BIBLE ◆

T HE G REAT D OCTRINES
O F THE B IBLE

The great doctrines taught in the Bible point that is exalted and noble, so the biblical doctrine
to a superhuman source for those doctrines. of man honors him in spite of his defects. The
Bible’s portrayal of man’s nature appears not
THE DOCTRINE OF GOD only to be the most superior ever given, but also
The biblical description of Deity does honor the most accurate.
to all that is noble and exalted. The God of the
Bible, instead of being a local tribal or city god, is In God’s Image, Yet Sinful
the Creator of the heavens and the earth. The Man is exalted in the Bible above the animal
God of the Bible, instead of being brass, iron, creation. He is honored with God’s image; he is
wood, or stone—“which do not see, hear or ranked a little lower than the angels. However,
understand” (Daniel 5:23)—is the same Bible presents man as
the all-knowing Spirit. God has being as small as a grasshopper
“And you will know the
never lowered Himself to envy, in God’s sight and exceedingly
truth, and the truth will
revenge, sensuality, or other im- sinful. This double viewpoint al-
make you free” (John 8:32).
moralities, as was the behavior lows man to know both his im-
attributed to heathen gods. portance and his defilement. It
Rather, the God of the Bible is without iniquity; prevents man’s developing either an inferior or
He is “a God of faithfulness and without in- an egotistical feeling. The Bible shows man that
justice, righteous and upright is He” (Deut- he is loved and appreciated, while at the same
eronomy 32:4). God is the embodiment of love. time it shows him his lack of purity and holiness.
When He has to punish, it is always a source of This twofold perspective of the human race is
grief to Him. He is the one great, kindly Father particularly vivid in the death of Jesus: Only
of all humanity, with a heart interested in man’s beings of inestimable worth and of incalculable
welfare. guilt could call forth the Crucifixion.
On their own, people among all nations in
every age have worshiped gods. However, their Free Moral Choice
deities have never been depicted with the noble Although God could have made man a ro-
qualities inherent in God. The differences be- bot, wholly mechanistic and determined, His
tween manmade gods and the God of the Bible is decision was that the man whom He made was
a strong indication that the idea of such a supe- to have perfect freedom with regard to right
rior God was not of human origin. Clearly, if the and wrong, with the choice of serving Satan or
Bible writers had an idea of God which they God. Contrary to determinism and fatalism, the
could not have originated, they must have had Bible makes man responsible for his conduct
superhuman help. and allows him to decide his own destiny.

THE DOCTRINE OF MAN Human Equality

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speaking, but it is common for one group of one’s country, and to one’s family. What is right
people to claim superiority. The Jews, along before God, rather than what is expedient, deter-
with many other nations, became victims of the mines one’s actions. This represents a standard
race superiority fallacy. God selected the Jewish of devotion not followed by many even among
people to bring the Messiah into the world, but those who believe the Bible. God cannot take
He did not mean that the Jews were superior to second place.
other nations. In that regard, God specifically The one who loves God with all his heart
warned the Jews not to consider themselves bet- obeys even an evil government. He rejoices in
ter than others. Nevertheless, they allowed self- persecution; he makes himself content and
exaltation to prevail. thankful in every situation. He keeps his think-
The Greeks likewise catalogued other people ing clean and chaste, subjecting himself will-
as barbarians. In the same way, the Romans ingly to self-denial.
believed that an inevitable struggle to subjugate
inferior peoples would leave Romans as the Love for Neighbor
masters. To them, all non-Romans were merely As demanding as is the love extended to-
enemies to be conquered. ward God, God spurns that love when it is
Racial strife has been considered by man to offered by one who does not love his neighbor.
be unavoidable. Celsus, a cunning and learned Love for one’s neighbor in the Bible represents
infidel of the second century, argued that Chris- far more than lip service. It is actualized in
tianity could not hope to be successful because it feeding the hungry, relieving the distressed, and
envisioned one religion for all races. caring for the outcast. It calls for love toward
Adolf Hitler convinced his followers that the one’s enemies instead of desire for revenge. It
Germans, as representatives of the Aryan race, overcomes evil with good. Love for one’s neigh-
would rule the world for a thousand years. In no bor requires humility and a sincere desire to
less emphatic way did the Japanese believe they put others’ needs above his own. So superior is
were the rising sun for all mankind in the 1940s. the Bible ethic of conduct toward one’s fellow-
The Bible, however, pictures God’s making man that it is actually followed by very few.
of one every nation. It teaches that Jesus died for
all men. The truth that “God is not one to show False Virtues Excluded
partiality” (Acts 10:34) has a mark of rightness The biblical doctrine for man, particularly in
about it. Men have not practiced universal broth- the New Testament, not only extols all that is
erhood, but intellectually it cannot be refuted. excellent, but noticeably eliminates qualities
Since the Jews by nature did not originate this commended in heathen religions. These include
doctrine, one wonders where the Bible—if it physical valor, patriotism, and friendship. In
were purely human—could obtain the idea. regard to physical bravery, Jesus commanded
Peter to put up his sword, explaining that those
THE DOCTRINE OF DUTY who live by the sword perish by it (Matthew
As the biblical teaching concerning man’s 26:52). Might does not make right, and it is better
nature reflects no ordinary thinking, so the bib- to suffer for well-doing than to fight back. In
lical teaching as to man’s responsibility reflects regard to patriotism, though one is to love his
the most exalted concept. The whole of man’s country, there is a higher loyalty of citizenship
duty is summarized in two great command- in heaven. In regard to friendship, though one
ments: love for God and love for neighbor. Upon should be willing to die for his friends, truth
these two hang all Bible commandments (Mat- must take precedence over friendship when
thew 22:36–40). those friends do not stand for the truth of God.
One must be so committed to God and His truth
Love for God that, if necessary, alienation of friends has to
One’s chief love and supreme loyalty, ac- come. “A man’s enemies will be the members of
cording to the Bible, are centered in man’s Cre- his household” (Matthew 10:36).
ator and heavenly Father. Love for God must Valor, patriotism, and friendship are virtues
take precedence over loyalty to one’s friends, to to be coveted in some areas. In the highest code

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of conduct, however, even these qualities are knew He had not been away to school. Even if
limited. When people exalt human virtues, God He had been well educated, He was displaying
is removed from His throne. When these three more insight and wisdom than men twice His
qualities (or any others) conflict with supreme thirty years. They had no answer to their ques-
loyalty to the Creator, they cease to be virtues tion.
and become vices. Similarly, no unbeliever today has an an-
swer to the same question: “Where did this man
get these things, and what is this wisdom given
CONCLUSION to Him?” One who accepts the predictive utter-
Unaided human beings have not produced ance given eight centuries prior to Jesus’ birth—
such great doctrines as those set forth in the that a descendant of Jesse would have the Spirit
Scriptures concerning God, man’s nature, and upon Him, making Him of quick understand-
man’s duty. Firm evidence exists that unaided ing, giving Him counsel and wisdom (Isaiah
human beings could not originate those great 11:2)—can understand the source of Jesus’
doctrines. Therefore, these teachings are inter- matchless utterances. Otherwise, the cause for
nal proof of the superhuman origin of the Bible. His wisdom is as deep a mystery now as it was
The insight and high standard of Bible doc- two thousand years ago.
trines have the same effect on people today as Jesus’ personal utterances testify to a non-
Jesus’ sermons had in His day. His neighbors in human source. In fact, the doctrines throughout
Nazareth were completely amazed at His words the Bible, unique in their benefit to mankind,
of wisdom. They could not understand how He point to a divine origin. The answer to the ques-
could be so brilliant and illuminating. In con- tion “Where did this man get His wisdom?” is
sternation they exclaimed, “Where did this man not forthcoming for one who marks the Bible as
get these things, and what is this wisdom given no more than a humanly produced volume. How-
to Him?” (Mark 6:2). They knew He was a young ever, the one who allows his reasoning to be
man from their own home town; they knew His guided by the impact of biblical teachings has
parents, His brothers, and His sisters. They had an easy answer to the question: These teachings
known Him for practically His whole life. They came from God.
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