ksazma posted:Interesting how I can back up my arguments when I care to. Where did Luke state that he was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write his account of Jesus? Rather he stated that he was inspired by others' accounts and since he was had better knowledge of it.
Trust me. I am able to understand the written word because I am not enslaved by what the preachers want me to believe. How can preachers say with straight faces that Luke did not mean what he stated?
Luke 1King James Version (KJV)
1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
I don't think you quit understand what those verses are saying. First of all if you are trying to tell me that Luke was not inspired by the Hold Spirit to write the Book of Luke - Acts let me put your doubt to rest right now.
Biblical inspiration may be defined as God's superintending of the human authors so that, using their own individual personalities and even their writing styles, they composed and recorded without error His revelation to man in the words of the original autographs. Inspiration means that "the Holy Spirit of God superintended the human writers in the production of Scripture so that what they wrote was precisely what God wanted written."
When you break the doctrine of inspiration down to its essential elements, there are seven key factors:
Divine origin and causality;
Human agency;
Written verbally (in words);
Plenary (all of Scripture is inspired, not just parts of it);
Only the "Autographs" (the original documents penned by the biblical authors) are inspired;
Because Scripture is inspired, it is inerrant; and
Because Scripture is inspired and inerrant, it alone has final authority.
Jesus promised His followers that it would be the work of the Holy Spirit to provide an accurate recounting of the events of His life (John 14:26). And because of this, I can trust the Bible as the Word of God. The Holy Spirit superintended the process from beginning to end.
Now about the verses you quotes , Luck 1:1-3
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the Word have handed them down to us, it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; (Luke 1:1-3).
Many have taken in hand: Luke writes his gospel with the full knowledge that many have already written histories of the life of Jesus. This may be a reference to the works of Mark and Matthew most people think John was written after Luke, and it may also refer to other biographies of Jesus not directly inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Luke writes about those things which are most surely believed among us. He is writing about things already commonly known and believed among Christians. When Luke wrote, most Christians already knew all about the life of Jesus, both from the oral accounts passed on by the original disciples, and by the biographies that had already been written.
Most excellent Theophilus: Luke addresses his gospel to a man named Theophilus, but it was also written with a wider audience in mind.
By his title most excellent, we gather that Theophilus was probably a Roman government official. It is entirely likely that the books of Luke and Acts make up Paul's defense brief for his trial before Caesar, since Acts leaves Paul waiting for that trial.
Whoever Theophilus was, he had already had some instruction in the faith in which you were instructed.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. (Timothy 3:16-17)