“Your word is truth…” (John 17:17, NKJ)
The Bible is arguably the most popular, enigmatic, controversial, fascinating and timeless book. It differs from other books in many ways, but the most important claim is that it makes the unequivocal assumption that it, and it alone, is the unique and authoritative revelation of God to man in written form. It makes the shameless proclamation that, although it is full of human fingerprints, the words come from the mouth of God – “all Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Tim 3:16a, ALT). This large variety of writers (some even unknown), who had the word of God on their tongues (2 Sam 23:2), those to whom the “oracles of God” were committed (Rom 3:2), the words they wrote are today still “living and powerful” (Heb 4:12) even after thousands of years.
In a contemporary poetic paraphrase of Ps 119:6-10, the timelessness and value of the Word of God is celebrated in The Message as follows: “God’s Word vaults across the skies from sunrise to sunset, melting ice, scorching deserts, warming hearts to faith. The revelation of GOD is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of GOD are clear and point out the right road. The life-maps of GOD are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of GOD are plain and easy on the eyes. GOD’s reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of GOD are accurate down to the nth degree. God’s Word is better than a diamond!”
1 Cor 2:14 says: “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” It is essential, especially in terms accepting Scripture as a Godly text, that it is judged by a spiritual person. The spiritual person will, without effort, as with all spiritual things, accept in faith that the Bible is a manifestation of God’s sovereignty. Webster’s Dictionary explains sovereign as: “Supreme in power; possessing supreme dominion; as a sovereign ruler of the universe.” The sovereignty of God guarantees the accuracy of His written Word.
One could present many external motivations for why the Bible is the Word of God (like Chapman does, for example, in his “court case” report: The case for Christianity), but, in my opinion, that is only necessary for unbelievers. As soon as the Spirit of God is in you, then you begin to see this book of God as Truth (John 14:17; 15:26).
- Sela: Are you convinced by the Spirit of God that the Word is Truth? Pray Ps 119:160 and John 17:17.
- Read: 1 Sam 4; Ps 119:121-176 ; Luke 1
- Memorise: Luke 1:17
- Going deeper: Try to get Colin Chapman’s book mentioned above and study it.
