On Holy Writings
by Rev. Kirby Williams
Learning how precious God's Holy Scriptures are to Him, and why they should be to us as well!
Text: Rom. 1:2
Date: 08/16/2026, the Combined service.
Series: "Romans: Unashamed of the Gospel" Part 5
Description:
As we make our way through Paul's opening comments, we will continue to notice how he introduces in a concise and precise way some of the great doctrines of the faith. In this message our focus will turn to the doctrine of God's Holy Scriptures, remembering that in Paul's day these constituted what we would call the Old Testament. We will revisit the critical role the prophets played in these "Writings" and in particular the process of inspiration and revelation by which they were delivered. We will focus on how important the Old Testament Scriptures were to Paul and his ministry, and why he will continually refer to them throughout his letter. Ultimately we will realize that God's Word is just that-- God's inspired and revealed Word. For this reason we can be confident that it is both inerrant and infallible, sufficient and complete, authoritative and therefore necessary and essential. But primarily we will learn that these Holy Writings are precious to God, and therefore as His loving children-- they should be precious to us as well!
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I. Introduction
II. Exposition of the text, Rom. 1:2.
A. Context
B. On sacred Scriptures.
1. Defining Holy Scripture.
a. Why the Old Testament is so important to Paul, Luke 5:37-38.
b. Looking at the words.
i. The meaning of "Scriptures".
1) The entirety of the Old Testament, Luke 24:25,27,44.
2) Fighting a diminished view of Scripture.
a) The problem in Paul's day.
b) The problem in Christendom today.
ii. The meaning of "holy", Ex. 28:36, 30:1,10.
2. The nature of Holy Writings.
a. On inerrancy and infallibility.
b. Analyzing the process of inspiration.
i. Re-defining the words.
ii. How Scripture describes inspiration, 2Pet. 1:19-21; 2Tim. 3:15-16.
iii. Theories of inspiration.
1) Mechanical Inspiration, 1Chr. 29:29; 1Kings 14:29.
2) Dynamic Inspiration.
3) Organic Inspiration.
a) Defining the term.
b) Paul as an example, 1Cor. 2:10,13; Gal. 1:15.
c) Prophets were "made", Jer. 1:5.
3. Paul's view of Scripture, John 10:35; Rom. 1:16; Acts 17:1-3.
III. Application
A. Summarizing what the Scriptures meant to Paul.
B. Analyzing what the Scriptures mean to us.
1. God's Word is Sufficient.
a. In the Old Testament, Deut. 12:32.
b. In the New Testament.
c. The church's firm foundation, Eph. 2:20.
2. God's Word is Authoritative.
a. The rationale of authority.
b. The impact of the authority.
3. God's Word is necessary, Isa. 34:16.
4. God's Word is precious, Psa. 119:14-16, 139:17; Prov. 3:13-15; Isa. 28:16; 2Pet. 1:3-4.
IV. Conclusion
