Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Boyce Catechism - Bible 5

CATECHISM of James P. Boyce - THE BIBLE 5
Did they write it exactly as God wished?
Yes; as much as if he had written every word himself.

God does not waste anything. When we think of being good stewards, we think of reducing waste. God's stewardship like His being is perfect. There is nothing wasted with God.

Matthew 5:18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

"A 'jot' refers to the smallest Heb. letter, the yohd, which is a meager stroke of the pen, like an accent mark or an apostrophe. The 'tittle' is a tiny extension on a Heb. letter, like the serif in modern typefaces." -MacArthur, J. J. (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (Mt 5:18). Nashville: Word Pub.

Ever single stroke that went into creating the Word of God was under God's inspiration. There is not a name or adjective or verb or phrase that was placed their unintentionally.

When I think about how careful God has been with His Word, it gives me confidence to know that the author of the Word is also the author and finisher of my faith (Hebrews 12:2). God is aware of every detail of my life. He has a plan and purpose for all things to bring glory to Himself and joy and salvation to me.

Praise be to God!



James Petigru Boyce (1827–1888) was a Baptist theologian, pastor, and seminary professor. Boyce was educated at Brown University under Francis Wayland, whose evangelical sermons contributed to Boyce’s conversion, and at Princeton Theological Seminary under Charles Hodge. Boyce became a pastor, then a university professor, and finally the founder and first president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he taught theology from 1859 until his death in 1888. Throughout his ministry Boyce insisted on the importance of theological education for all ministers. In a preface, he described his Abstract of Systematic Theology, published the year before his death, as follows: "This volume is published the rather as a practical text book, for the study of the system of doctrine taught in the Word of God, than as a contribution to theological science."

1 comment:

Cammie Novara said...

"When we think of being good stewards, we think of reducing waste." I agree fully.