About the Author

Thomas Ray Floyd was born in 1953 in Simpson County, Mississippi, the son of Roy Thomas Floyd and Lina Sue Shows Floyd. Thomas Ray's mother was a member of a Primitive Baptist church, and he cut his teeth on the doctrines of distinguishing grace.

When he was a small boy, his father was converted to Christ and became a member of a Missionary Baptist Church. Thomas Ray joined the church of his father when he was 13 years old, and thought of himself as a Christian. The doctrines of grace that he had heard as a child continued to be precious to him and when he became an adult, he joined a Primitive Baptist Church. When he was 27, Thomas Ray made his first effort to preach the gospel in public and was ordained to the full functions of the ministry in 1985. In 1986 he was convinced under the preaching of Rolfe Barnard (by tapes from Mt. Olive Tape Library), the written sermons of Spurgeon, and the ministry of Elder Zack Guess that he had been a false professor and cried out in agony of soul to the Lord Jesus Christ to have mercy and truly save him. And He did! Floyd then began to preach the gospel as he had been taught of the Lord.

Floyd has pastored churches in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee and until recently was pastor of a church plant known as "Particular Baptist Fellowship." He and his wife Brenda presently attend Zion Baptist Church at Polkville, Mississippi, pastored by Elder Glen Hopkins. The pulpit ministry of Zion Baptist Church can be heard at Sermonaudio.com.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

God’s Enduring Truth

(Article for publication week of 12-7-2011 AD)

“For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations” (Psalm 100:5).

The God Who cannot lie has been pleased to reveal Himself to us by His inspired and infallible word, that is the Bible. The Bible is the truth of God. It is “His truth.” The inspiration and infallibility of the Bible is inseparable from the very veracity of God.

By inspiration of scripture we mean that God breathed His word into the human instruments that actually penned it. God used several methods of inspiration in transmitting His word to us. The Ten Commandments were actually engraved by God’s Own finger (Exodus 31:18). Much of the first five books of the Bible, perhaps all of it, were mechanically dictated by God to Moses (Exodus 20:1). God gave the prophets a message to declare, and then commanded them to write it out (Isaiah 1:1). The Holy Spirit gave the apostles perfect recall of Christ’s life and words so that when they wrote out the gospels they had perfect memory of what the Holy Spirit inspired them to write John 14:26). When John wrote the Book of Revelation, God gave him visions and then instructed him to write out what he saw (Revelation 1:19). Regardless of the particular instrumentality and mechanics that God employed in the inspiration of the Bible, it is all ultimately His word. It is His truth, not the opinions or fancies of men.

The character of God requires an infallible Bible. He is the God Who cannot lie (Titus 1:2). Beware of false prophets who suggest that we cannot be sure of the integrity of the Bible. Beware of modern translations that have notes that question the authenticity of any part of the scriptures. All such is the work of the devil who tempted our first parents by asking, “Hath God said?” God has magnified His word above all His name (Psalm 138:2). To question the word of God is to question the very truthfulness of God. An honest man is rightfully offended when any one questions his word. How much more so the God of the Bible Who cannot lie and has magnified His word above all His name!

The God who cannot lie has promised to preserve His word to all generations. As long as the world stands, God’s word shall endure. The enemies of Christ have many times and at many places sought to destroy the word. The devil and his ministers continue to attack it. But the Bible endures by the sovereign providence of our great God. God is so determined to sanctify His people by the word of truth that He shall preserve His word for them.

Dear readers, when you open up your Bibles thank God for its inspiration, infallibility, preservation and translation. The Bible in your hands is a testimony to the truthful character of God. God cannot lie. It is Divine Impossibility for Him so to do. Never doubt the word of God, for it was written and preserved by Him Who cannot lie.

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