2 TIMOTHY 3:10–17
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness
(2 Tim. 3:16).
For the next few days, we will take a closer look at the authority of the Scripture. As we study this topic, remember John Calvin’s words, “It is of great importance to be well convinced of this truth, that a man’s life cannot be ordered aright unless it is framed according to the law of God (the Scriptures), and that without this he can only wander in labyrinths and crooked bypaths.”
The debate over the authority of Scripture is ultimately a question of authorship. If people were convinced that the Bible is the Word of God, they could not reasonably deny its authority or inerrancy. Critics, however, who deny the authority of Scripture say it is just the teaching of men and not binding on others. They claim that human authorship demands error because men are not perfect. They leave no room to consider the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
How, then, do we answer the critics? Are the Scriptures the Word of God or not? First, we must maintain that the Bible was written by men. God did not pen the Scriptures Himself, but used human instruments. The authors of the 66 books are many and diverse, writing in different times and situations to a variety of people. They were authors who wrote in their own styles, according to their own cultures—they were not mere automatons. Yet these men were divinely inspired by the Spirit of God who worked through them, securing the inerrancy and truth of what they wrote.
Many other great writers in history (e.g., Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates) did not claim to speak the Word of God. Yet the Bible makes this claim, and it must be taken seriously. In 2 Timothy, Paul exhorts his protege to remain confident in what he had learned: “From childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.…” If the Bible is God-breathed, as it claims, it must be inerrant because God does not err.
Today’s passage says the Scriptures have been “breathed out” by God. The authority of the Bible is rooted in a divine origin, Just as the prophets claimed authority from God by saying, “Thus saith the Lord,” so do the Scriptures. Because the Bible possesses this authority, its teaching is binding on all men.
CORAM DEO
Ecclesiastes 4–6
2 Corinthians 10
Do you believe that the Bible is the Word of God, which carries with it supreme authority over your life? Or do you treat it simply as good advice? If you cannot say with the psalmist that the Word is a “lamp unto your feet,” confess your lack of faith to God today and ask Him to help you submit to the authority of His Word.
For further study: Ps. 119:97–112 • Jer. 36:1–3 • Acts 1:15–26
wednesday
september