Divine Inspiration

This has never been properly explained. What is it? How does it manifest? What are some modern examples? And does it exist today?

 

It's kind of like people who would say "don't pee on my back and call it rain" beliving in trickle down economics.

 

I would think listening to the Holy Spirit would be divine inspiration. But that's on the personal level I think.

 

So what form would that take? A dream? A "feeling?" A voice? How does divine inspiration work? The Bible is believed to be divinely inspired; what does that mean? Were altered states of consciousness involved? Did they say a prayer before they sat down to write? Or did it just "happen?"

 

yes!

 

You know it's really something I can't explain. I know you have to be pretty open to it and in prayer at the time. I've had it happen, but unfortunately I don't stay as spiritual as I should because I let the "world" take up my time. And it's not "voices in your head" but your KNOW. It's very auidable.

 

I appreciate that reply. But I guess I'm wondering more about how we're expected to believe that sacred books like the Bible and Koran are divinely inspired. Where does that idea come from? You've got the Torah, the Gospels, the Epistles, etc. What made the books written by Christ's disciples the Word of God? And what about Paul? All he did was write some letters to some churches. Years later, these are declared divinely inspired.

And if there is such a thing as divine inspiration, is it possible something like that could happen again today? I understand the Bible has some "padlock verses" that basically say there will be no more inspired doctrines to "add to or take away from" what has been given up to this point. From a practical standpoint, this makes no sense at all. Worldly law, such as the Constitution is made to be organic, to grow and change with society. What was right for one generation isn't necessarily right for another. If that doesn't apply to divine law, then a person who follows the Bible and condemns homosexuality should also believe in stoning for adultery, as these laws are found in the same book of the Bible. Is that off-base?

 

no you're not that is why the old testament is for jews not goys, it is included more as a historical reference and guide. The new testament is for goyum. Christ accepted everybody yet the blockhead fundies just don't get it. Divine inspiration is organic and takes whatever form it takes, and indeed when the results are presented others will recognize them as divinely inspired. Why do you need a hard template for divine inspiration? Look around you the universe is derived from chaos.

 

I would not call it off base. Stoning, imo, is OT law. Jesus came to teach the virutes of the heart, love, forgiveness, charity, etc. But He also warned of the impending judgement that will come from God if we did not REPENT (change) of our sins. Whereas the OT law would sentence one to stoning for adultry, the NT Gospel taught repentance and forgiveness. He gave us the ability to be forgiven of our sins through repentance, but we MUST do that or face eternal judgement from God in the end. Ever hear of the term "love the sinner but hate the sin"? Thats kinda the way I look at things like adultry or homosexuality or any other "sin".

Divine inspiration is kinda self explanitory to me. Inspiration usually comes from somewhere inside us. The divine part is placed within our hearts and minds by the Father, Son or Holy Spirit. I've felt led to do things that I really did not understand at the time but later found out that it was for a reason. I've had the "urge" to pray for someone in church but felt embarassed or wondered why. When I acted upon that "urge" I later found out that person(s) really needed someone to pray with them but were embarassed to ask just the same. Its really hard for the logical thinkers to grasp. Some have the "gift" of gaining divine inspiration whereas other do not. Some writers were considered crazy during their time on Earth but were later found out to be right in the end. The thing that is so cool about the Bible is that its truths are for all time. You just have to wade through the OT to get to the Gospel. You also must be willing to obey when you dont fully understand. This is also hard for most logical thinkers to grasp.
My $.02

Good question.

 

Excellent question, E. :applause:

I do believe divine inspiration happens today. I believe it happens often. As to how it manifests itself, I think it depends on what the inspiration is for, as well as the individual.

From a Christian perspective, I'd describe it as a partnership more than an override. It would be almost impossible to speak with any kind of authority regarding the exact detail of how the authors of the Bible were inspired. But generally speaking, I think the Old Testament is a combination of revelation (i.e. Genesis, Daniel), and memory assistance (i.e. historical books like Numbers, Judges, Samuel, etc.). The New Testament appears to be memory assistance (i.e. the Gospels, Acts), revelation (Revelation), and guided communication (i.e. the epistles of Paul).

What I mean by "guided communication" is what I think goes on in the Christian community today. It happens with preachers all over the world looking for insight when teaching the Bible. Something I was taught in the preaching class I took a couple of years ago was to always seek God's help when trying to interpret a passage of Scripture or teach from the Bible. I've tried to write and speak with prayer and without, and the results are polar opposites. When I ask for God's help, I can write like the wind. Several times I've gone back and read what I wrote and wondered, "How did I come up with that?" When I don't, the opposite is true -- I get a bad case of writers' block, and what I do produce is forced and doesn't flow. I've seen the same effect in preachers teaching a lesson on stage. Sometimes they stumble and dance around a subject and nothing seems to connect or make sense. Sometimes what they say applies right to you, like they've been hiding in your shirt pocket all week. Everything they say is like fireworks in your mind, and it penetrates you and lights you up. Billy Graham has that effect on a lot of people when he speaks.

But an elicited sensation or large volume of print doesn't automatically equate to 'divine inspiration'.

If I'm not mistaken, Joseph Smith claimed to have been visited by angels and they gave him golden plates that were transcribed into the Book of Mormon, so I don't think you could really call that divine inspiration. The Qur'an, however claims to be the revelation of Muhammad. The apostle John claims the same for Revelation in the New Testament, and I think his came in a vision -- a waking dream, so to speak.