All About the Bible
1 - The Bible's Authority
The world today is crying out for an authoritative voice. The need is for a clear voice which will direct and guide us through life. Many people lead a purposeless life going from one idea to another with no sense of direction and fulfillment. There remains that inner void that the ideologies of the world cannot fill. We need a reliable voice, a trustworthy voice. Where can such a voice be found? Some may argue that we can appeal to our own feelings and intuition for direction. But our feelings are often fickle and changing. We sometimes can’t be sure we have got it together ourselves! Others say we can appeal to our reason. But what is the criterion to determine that my reason is better than the reason of someone else that sees things differently? We end up with a pool of thoughts. Some might say a pool of joint ignorance! What about the creeds and confessions of the Church. Well, we are getting a little closer here. But we need to determine what these creeds are based upon before we decide to adopt them. Maybe we should look to Christian experience as the source of authority. That is all right as long as we remember that subjective experience must be built on solid objective truth. This begs the age old question, “What is truth?” Can absolute truth be found in a postmodern world on which we can build meaningful experience? The answer is yes!
That authoritative voice is the Holy Bible. The source of absolute truth is to be found there. It is there that we find the authoritative voice of God. The Bible calls us to listen to its words, and to find the value that there is in living them out. God says in Proverbs chapter 1 verses 1 to 6, “My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding”. Wisdom and understanding are found by applying ourselves to the study of God's word. It includes living out that word in our lives. This means that the benefit of listening to God is to live life to the full. It means knowing the right things to do and to say. It brings a good grasp of what life is all about and where it’s heading. It gives you direction and help to live well.
The result is blessing on a life that has decided to choose Gods way and follow Him. Obedience to God's word is the source of happiness and real contentment.
So, ultimate authority belongs to the living God. Dr. Robert Lightner puts it like this, “All authority ultimately rests with God, but because of His transcendence He has mediated His authority to man in the Scriptures of the Old Testament.
The authority of Scripture rests firmly upon the authority of God and possesses all the authority He possesses since it came from Him”. This authority also extends to the New Testament.
Since God made us He knows what we need to be fulfilled here on earth. He has revealed himself and His purposes in the Bible. He took the initiative when He revealed himself to us. This means that if God exists and is real, which He is, then it’s in our best interests to submit to His authority over our lives.
God has not been silent. He is a God who communicates. If God created you and me then we should not be surprised if He communicates himself to us. He did this in creation. He did it in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. The subjects of creation and Jesus Christ as sources of divine revelation are something we will look at again in the coming programme. He is certainly revealed himself in the Bible. We will look at reasons why we believe that the Bible is the word of God later on in this series. For the moment we focus on the nature of the Bible. We read in 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 16, “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness”. The Bible is from God the source of all authority. He caused it to be written. If it were not for the Bible we would know nothing about God. It is a mine of information on matters of eternal consequence. To live under His authority is to be really free. It is also a guide through life as it speaks with authority on every aspect of life. The Bible is always relevant because the eternal God speaks through it to finite men. The needs we have never change. The Bible addresses those needs. This is why we need the Bible. It speaks with relevance to all generations. It speaks with authority to us today. Our world desperately needs positive, clear direction on family life, marriage, relationships, work, morals and ethics. We read in 2 Peter 1:3, “Gods divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness”. Peter also challenges us in
2 Peter 1 verse 19, “As we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts”. This fallen sinful world is indeed a dark place. Men and women stumble about in it trying to find the right way. It seems to elude them. God's word points the way in the darkness just like a torch on a dark night lightens your pathway. Our creator has spoken. Make sure you listen. When you do, you will say with David in Psalm 119 verse 105, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path”. I commend to you the study of the Bible. Search the scriptures. Investigate its pages. It will revolutionize your life, and be a firm foundation as you face the various challenges of life.