The Bible not merely was inspired, but is so still. The Holy Spirit not merely inspired the men as they wrote, but He is still connected with the Scripture. It was originally Spirit-breathed, but the Spirit is still breathing on it.
When the soul, thirsting after God, reads the words, “Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, buy wine and milk, without money and without price;” when the burdened heart and oppressed conscience reads the words, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” the words are breathed again by the Spirit. It seems as if the ink was not yet dry, and as if the warm breath of eternal love from which those promises flowed was even now quickening and consoling the troubled soul.
The Spirit makes the Scripture a living word. The Spirit breathes here as in no other book. He makes the writing spirit and life, and man lives by it, because it is the word proceeding even now out of the mouth of God. He who has experienced this, can have no doubt about the origin of Scripture, for in his measure he receives it from God Himself, as David, Isaiah, Paul, and John received it. It is to him the divine Word. He knows, not merely that it is written, but that it is the living word and voice of the Lord. In obeying its precepts, he knows he acts in obedience to his heavenly Father, and rests on the promises and assurances which he reads in Scripture. He is convinced he is trusting in the Lord, his God, and Redeemer.
“The Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Heb. 4:1111Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. (Hebrews 4:11)).