JESUS CHRIST: GOD-MAN - Vital Christianity

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INSPIRATION
"The test of truth is the known factual evidence . . ."1
--Jacob Bronowski
So far I have emphasized that we must believe in the Jesus shown to us in Scripture since
this is where we are presented with a portrait of Jesus. This brings up the question of authority.
At least three questions come to mind:
1. How do we know that the Bible claims divine authority?
2. If the Bible claims such authority, how do we know it is true?
3. How do we achieve accurate, authoritative interpretation?
After all, claims to authority are found everywhere. What is so different about the Bible
that we should take its claims seriously? Whose interpretation is correct and thus authoritative?
The Nature of Inspiration
Our understanding of inspiration is key to the doctrine of Scripture which forms the basis
of our Christology. In fact, inspiration provides the basis of our whole theology. Even liberal
theologians would generally agree with this statement.
Three Views of Scripture
There are essentially three views of inspiration and thus Scripture.
The Liberal View regards the Bible as a purely human book. It is the record of the religious
experiences of some believers in the past. There were some people, especially in Israel and later
on in the Christian church, who had some deep religious experiences and a growing awareness
and understanding of God. They recorded these experiences and this awareness in writing (what
is recorded in the Bible), and because of the depth of their experiences, their writings are of great
value for all succeeding generations. They are even authoritative, but in a relative and limited
way. The testimonies are creative, insightful and often stimulating, but must always be checked
by our own experiences and insights. Thus their authority is purely subjective and never final.
What I myself experience is final.
Liberals who are even willing to speak of revelation at all believe in general revelation in
which God reveals Himself everywhere and to all people, but they say, Jesus Christ is one of
the many ways to God. God can be discovered like a fact of nature and can be found in all
religions.