The One Person Who Can Convince You that the Bible is the Authoritative Word of God
God is there. God has chosen to reveal Himself; to be glorified in all His creation. All that God has made declares His glory. If there was any doubt, God has spoken. He has done so at diverse times and in diverse ways (Ps 19:1; Acts 17:24; 1 Cor 8:6; Heb 11:3).
The Christian preacher declares that the Bible is the Word of God (2 Tim 4:2). The skeptic inquires as to how that is possible and how it is proven. First, all things are possible with God (Mt 19:26; Mk 14:36); and we know that from the Bible. This teaches us that the Bible speaks about God; but it also speak as if it were God. Think of the many thousands of times the Bible says, “Thus says the Lord.” Even Jesus claimed that the words He spoke were not His own; but He spoke the words of God the Father (Jn 14:24). The writer of Hebrews affirms that God had spoken through the prophets of Israel; but in the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry, He spoke through His Son (Heb 1:1).
Jesus, the Son of God, not only quoted the Old Testament; but He affirmed its authority. He also assured His listeners that the Scriptures bore witness of Him (Jn 5:39). The Bible is about Jesus, both Old and New Testament. He was prophesied to come into the world (Is 7:14; 8:8; 9:6). He came into the world (Jn 1:14), being sent by the Father (Jn 3:16). Jesus, the Word of God, enfleshed. Thus, the point is that no book in the world is anything like the Bible.
The Bible is authoritative for everyone because in one sense God the Father of us all (Eph 4:6). He made us in His image, male and female He created them (Gen 1:27). Not only does the Bible tell us that; but it informs us that we were created to serve and worship God (Ps 86:9). Something is obviously wrong because people are not doing that. The Bible tells us what has gone wrong.
Man’s fall into sin is presented very early on, as one begins to read the first book (Genesis 3). The whole rest of the Bible helps us to see what God did to remedy the plight of man, made worse by our adversary the devil. Thus, Jesus is the hero of the Bible, as He delivers God’s chosen people from the consequences to their plight of sin (Rom 3:23; 5:12; 6:23). These are the ones God the Father gave to His eternal Son before the world began (Jn 17:2, 6, 24; 2 Tim 1:9; Rev 13:8; 17:8; 21:27).
No other book in the world explains who we are; what we are; and why we were created…and some of us redeemed (Rom 9:22–23). The Bible even explains why the majority of humanity is not saved from the wrath of God to come. One might suggest to the skeptic in this matter of election and reprobation, “Read Romans 9 until you actually believe it!”
Many arguments have been proffered for the authority of the Bible. Christians can take courage from the many logical musings from apologists. The fact remains, however, that only one catalyst will convince someone…anyone to believe what the Bible says and that he or she should submit to the Bible’s authority. We know what that one thing is from only one source — the Bible itself.
The Bible teaches us that the singular catalyst for one believing the Bible, as the authoritative Word of God, versus the one who does not believe it, is the Holy Spirit. The Bible tells us that the Spirit is sent, not to the world (Jn 14:17), but to God’s elect, redeemed, regenerated people. It is the Holy Spirit who is our Teacher (Jn 14:26). It is the Holy Spirit who teaches us the Bible.
When a Christian, filled with the Spirit of God (Rom 8:9, 11), reads or sits under the preaching of the Scripture, the Spirit illumines the Word of truth, giving the child of God understanding (Job 32:8; Is 11:2; Eph 1:18; Col 1:9). The Bible tells us that the person devoid of the Spirit does not understand nor submits to the Bible (Jude 23; Rom 8:7). The natural man cannot appraise the things of the Spirit of God (1 Cor 2:14). It is the Holy Spirit who knows the mind of God; and when He takes up permanent residence in the Christian, He gives him or her the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16).
The mind of Christ is the Word of God. When a Spirit-filled believer reads the Bible, he knows that God is speaking to him. God is speaking His mind on matters known only to God and to that person. He is conveying the truth about Himself; the truth about the world, the truth about us; and He has limited that message to the contents of the 66 books of Holy Writ (Dt 29:29).
God has revealed what He has chosen to reveal to us who believe the Bible. Our first response should be gratitude because so few have received such grace from God (2 Thess 2:10; Heb 10:26). There is no greater physical treasure in the world than the Holy Bible. It is our God-given manual for knowing God. We hold it in our hands; but it is spirit and it is life (Jn 6:63), when the power of the Holy Spirit accompanies its communication (1 Cor 2:4).
Most people in the world are occupied with the things of the world. When they speak their mind, they speak of worldly matters. They speak of their wills and their ways. They boast about their works. They do what they do for their own name’s sake. It is all about their glory. Still, they are without hope and without God in the world (Eph 2:12). Then, they die and enter a Christ-less eternity. There was nothing in them that desired Him.
Christian, rejoice that God has given you an interest in the things of God (1 Cor 2:15). By His grace, God has given you a love for the Bible. It will always only be the one place for you to personally know God, who is true (Rom 3:4). The Bible stands alone as your authoritative guide for living life in this world and preparing for life in the world to come.
The naysayers are legion in denying the Bible its proper place; but the Bible tells us all about them, too…with authority.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
August 2, 2024
