The Fundamentals - Torrey - XXVI - Chapter 4 (The testimony of the Scriptures to themselves)

Required reading
The Fundamentals edited by R. A. Torrey (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 4 (The testimony of the Scriptures to themselves).

My summary
Today Bishop looks at the testimony of the Scriptures to themselves - their own self-evidence.

Firstly he shows that the Scriptures testify by their immortality - they continue to survive through the centuries.

Secondly the Bible testifies about its authority.  It does this because:
(i) God is the speaker;
(ii) it comes announced by miracles and heralded with fire;
(iii) it comes clothed in the high-handed and exalted terms of its address;
(iv) it is from first to last a glorious projection on the widest scale of the decrees of God;
(v) the hooks at the end of the chain proved the dictated inspiration of every link;
(vi) it stands up to close investigation.

Thirdly 'the Scriptures testify to their divine original by their transcendent doctrine, their outshining light, their native radiance, the glow of the divine, the witness of the Spirit.'

Fourthly the Scriptures say of themselves that they are divine.

What grabbed me
Not sure what was meant by the doctrine of 'infinite atonement', as it was not really discussed in detail.  I'll give Bishop the benefit of the doubt and believe that he was not arguing against the Reformed doctrine of limited atonement.

But I did like the comments about the immortality of the Scriptures: 'All other books die. Few old books survive, and fewer of those that survive have any influence. Most of the books we quote from have been written within the last three or even one hundred years,  But here is a Book whose antemundane voices had grown old, when voices spake in Eden. A Book which has survived not only with continued but increasing lustre, vitality, vivacity, popularity, rebound of influence. A Book which comes through all the shocks without a wrench, and all the furnaces of all the ages like an iron safe with every document in every pigeon-hole, without a warp upon it, or the smell of fire. Here is a Book of which it may be said, as of Immortal Christ Himself : "Thou hast the dew on Thy youth from the womb of the morning." A Book dating from days as ancient as those of the Ancient of Days, and which when all that makes up what we see and call the universe shall be dissolved, will still speak on in thunder-tones of majesty, and whisper-tones of light, and music-tones of love, for it is wrapping in itself the everlasting past, and opening and expanding from itself the everlasting future; and, like an all-irradiating sun, will still roll on, while deathless ages roll, the one unchanging, unchangeable Revelation of God.'

The word of God continues through the ages, despite the futile assaults of man upon it.

Next week's reading
Read Chapter 5 (The testimony of the organic unity of the Bible to its inspiration).

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.