October 2002, Volume IX, Issue 6

The Origin of Scripture (2)

In the previous article on God’s hammer, we considered the fact of the divine origin of the Bible: "the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man" but by the will of God. This time we will study the means God used to write His Word: "holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" (II Peter 1:21).

God’s will determined what was written in Scripture and with what words it was written. But since the Bible didn’t fall from heaven and since Scripture says that Isaiah, David, etc., wrote the words of the Bible, we must consider the God-given role of the divine penmen, the "holy men of God [who] spake [and wrote] as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." The word "moved" is a very strong one. It means, literally, that they wrote not merely as they were guided or directed or led but as they were "borne" by the Holy Spirit. This Greek word is used of Paul’s ship driven by the wind (Acts 27:15, 17). That these men were borne by the Holy Ghost means that the Holy Ghost took them up, as it were, and empowered them to write God’s word so that they wrote exactly what God intended them to write.

God’s sovereign control of the writers did not negate their personality or make them robots. Nor does it imply that Paul could have written Revelation or that John could have written Acts. Rather God prepared the men beforehand to write what He willed. The divine penmen are called "holy men" not so much to indicate their personal sanctity but to indicate that these men were set apart and equipped for their role of writing particular books of the Word of God. God in His eternal decree and sovereign providence prepared the various men to write the Scriptures. For example, God decreed that Jeremiah be a priest born at Anathoth with a religious upbringing and a particular literary style and emotional life. God ordained that he would be single, that he would have a friend, Baruch, and that he would live to see the desolation of Jerusalem. Thus God prepared Jeremiah to write His Word in such a way that the word choice, sentence structure, etc., fits with the style of Jeremiah. In fact, God used all His penmen to write particular books in accordance with the particular style He gave them in His eternal decree and providence. Clearly, the production of the Holy Scriptures is a great wonder: "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!" (Rom. 11:33).

In your believing Bible study, you must be absolutely certain that the Bible is God’s Word. Make this truth a first principle in understanding the Holy Scriptures: "Knowing this first, that ... the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" (II Peter 1:20-21). Rev. Stewart

Tattoos

Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord (Lev. 19:28). They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh (Lev. 21:5).

The question which accompanied these texts reads: "Recently I was asked if it was OK for believers to have themselves tattooed. I was told by some believers that there is nothing in Scripture about this. What about these texts in Leviticus [above]? Further, the believer’s body is the temple of the Holy Ghost and we as believers are indeed priests: a royal priesthood and a peculiar people (I Peter 2:5-9). Am I right in this matter, or is there a better answer?" In my judgment the questioner is absolutely right in this matter. The whole subject is so important that it deserves more explanation.

The first point which needs emphasis is that many of the laws given to Israel were to forbid Israel to adopt the customs of the heathen nations who formerly lived in the land of Canaan, and some of whom continued to live in close proximity to God’s chosen people (Judg. 2:1-5; 3:1-2). Repeatedly in the law God warned Israel against adopting practices common among the heathen nations. Most of these practices which Israel was forbidden to adopt were closely associated with and connected to heathen religions. This is evident from the text itself which forbad cuttings in the flesh "for the dead" (Lev. 19:28). But this is also evident from times of apostasy in Israel where these practices were, to Israel’s shame, practiced (I Kings 18:28).

The nation of Israel was God’s chosen people, the church of the Old Dispensation, the nation which received God’s revelation of His truth and covenant, and the people from whom Christ was born according to the flesh (Rom. 9:4-5). Because they were God’s people, they were commanded to live in spiritual separation from the wicked nations that surrounded them. They were to dwell alone, spiritually isolated from the wicked (Deut. 33:26-29). They were called to serve the living God and not idols. And they were called to serve their God in their whole life and by all they did – in distinction from the heathen whose idolatry touched on every part of their wicked life.

This is called the doctrine of the antithesis, and it is outlined in the New Testament for the New Testament church: "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people ... Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (II Cor. 6:14-16; 7:1).

It could be argued, I suppose, that the OT laws are all fulfilled in Christ, and that, therefore, Leviticus 19:28 is also fulfilled. But is this argument valid? While we would certainly never deny that Christ has fulfilled the law for His church, it remains a fact that the question of the relevancy of an OT law depends on the reason why it was given. It is clear that it was given to distinguish God’s people from the world. This reason remains relevant today, and thus the point which the law makes – to live in spiritual separation from the world—remains relevant. In my judgment, it cannot be argued that tattoos and body piercing can be used to glorify God in our calling to live lives of service to Jesus Christ. Why? The motive for tattoos and body piercing is very clear: to imitate the current fashions and customs of the wicked world in which we live.

There are two movements in western Christian nations today which go hand in hand. On the one hand, efforts are being made to erase all references to Christianity from national life; on the other hand there is a return to paganism. C. S. Lewis even argues that the entire feminist movement and especially the reference to God as "she" are a return to pagan notions of feminine deities. When people tattoo themselves and pierce their bodies they are reverting to pagan practices—even as pagan religions are becoming increasingly popular. "Christian" countries are becoming pagan once again. Tattooing and body piercing are defiant gestures against the true God and are indicative of a return to paganism.

As Christians, our bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost (I Cor. 6:19-20). This gives further Biblical support to the Christian opposition to tattooing and body piercing. The argument is this. Because our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost, our bodies also belong to Christ. God saves our bodies as well as our souls. In question and answer 1 of the Heidelberg Catechism, the believer confesses that "with body and soul" he belongs to his faithful Saviour. Christ died to save our bodies. He will save them fully and perfectly in the resurrection of the body in the day of His coming.

We love our bodies, not as narcissistic body worshipers, but as those redeemed in body and soul. We love our bodies for God’s sake, because they are loved by God, redeemed in the cross, and destined to be raised. Because of this, we treat our bodies with respect and are very careful what we do with our bodies. The believer respects the human body as a creation of God, saved in the blood of Christ. He cares for the body; does not unnecessarily endanger it; treats it with respect; and, when death comes, carefully buries the body in the earth in the hope of the resurrection. Body piercing and tattooing is, in reality, a thumbing of the nose at God by doing to our bodies what we want and by refusing to acknowledge that they are God’s. Prof. H. Hanko

Reverend

Several readers have inquired about the propriety of using the title "Reverend" of ministers. One cited Psalm 111:9 which says of God: "holy and reverend is his name." There are two reasons why this verse cannot be used against calling ministers "Reverend." First, if "reverend" cannot be applied to man in any sense, neither can "holy," for the text says, "holy and reverend is his name." But we know that Christians are frequently called saints (lit. "holy ones") in the Bible (Col. 1:2). Second, the Hebrew word translated "reverend" is used of people fearing a man: "all the people greatly feared [revered] the Lord and Samuel" (I Sam. 12:18; cf. Prov. 24:21).

Another reader asks, "Does the title Rev. mean a revered person or a reverent person?" Although a minister must be reverent (i.e. "show reverence" to God), the title "Reverend" indicates that he is a revered person, one "deserving reverence" of man.

The Scriptures tell us that the ascended Christ gives pastors and teachers to His church (Eph. 4:11; Jer. 3:15) as His ambassadors (II Cor. 5:20), to be His watchmen (Eze. 3:17) and angels (i.e. messengers) of God (Rev. 2:1) ordained (I Tim. 4:14) to this special "office" (I Tim. 3:1). Under Christ, ministers (and ruling elders) administer the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 16:19; 18:18). Think of the importance of the office of minister! For "how shall they hear without a preacher?" (Rom. 10:14).

Thus a faithful minister is worthy of reverence. We must not only "obey" and "submit" to (teaching and ruling) elders (Heb. 13:17), but we must also "hold such in reputation" (Phil. 2:29), reckon them "worthy of double honour" (I Tim. 5:17) and "esteem them very highly in love" (I Thess. 5:13).

God has created a world in which those in places of authority in family, church, state and business are to be honoured (cf. fifth commandment). Children, wives, citizens and employees are to reverence their parents, husbands, civil rulers and employers respectively (Heb. 12:9; Eph. 5:33; Rom. 13:7; I Peter 2:18). Thus we give people their titles: Father, Prof., your Majesty, Prime Minister, Sir, Detective Inspector, Dr., etc. In a similar way, we believe it entirely appropriate to refer to the minister of God’s Word as "Reverend." Since Scripture does not say that we must address ministers as "Rev." or "Pastor" or "Mr.," those who prefer not to use these titles are free not to use them, provided they understand that God has ordained ministers (and ruling elders and deacons) in his church and that these men must be "esteem[ed] ... very highly in love for their work’s sake" (I Thess. 5:13). And remember, in honouring church office-bearers, we honour Christ, the head of the church. Rev. Stewart