The Bible is God’s Word

When discussing the relationship between the Bible and modern science the question arises about why we should bother with the Bible at all. Since the beginning of history God says he has revealed himself to people through his written word. The Bible was written by approximately 40 men of various backgrounds over 1500 years. Although the variety of authors present different perspectives there is a remarkable unity about their message. This message, which is summarised at the beginning of Genesis, is that the God who created us sees all that is going on. He cannot tolerate rejection or rebellion which separates us from him. Yet he still loves us all and, longing for a reconciliation, came himself to pay the price for our sin on that cross.

The Old and New Testaments of the Bible repeatedly claim to be the ‘Word of God’ and it is helpful to summarise the claims made by this united group of authors.

Moses

Moses great concern was that God’s people should learn to love God’s word and obey it.

“Be sure to keep the commands of the Lord your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you. Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight.” Deuteronomy 6:17

Moses passed on to God’s people what God had taught him on Mount Horeb. There God had said,

“Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn to revere me as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children.” Deuteronomy 4:10

He foresaw the day when they have a king to rule over them. God’s concern was that this king should always be a man devoted to both God and his word.

“When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that they may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left.” Deuteronomy 17:18-20

Joshua

When Joshua succeeded Moses, God said to him,

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.” Joshua 1:7-8

He was clearly meant to have God’s word as the guide for his own life but also he was meant to teach it to others.

David

David clearly recognised that without the word from God mankind has no foundation to live by. Early in his life he wrote,

“When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust.” Psalm 56:3-4

Here he makes no distinction between trusting God and trusting his word.

At the end of his life he wrote,

“The Spirit of God spoke through me; his word was on my tongue.” 2 Samuel 23:2

Psalm 119 contains 179 verses. It is the longest chapter in the Bible. All but 4 of the verses refer to the word of God and its centrality in the thinking of God’s people. Here are two examples,

“How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart: Do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:9-11

“Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.” Psalm 119:97

Proverbs

The wise man is he who lives by God’s revealed truth.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” Proverbs 1:7

“Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed mis he who keeps the law.” Proverbs 29:18

“Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.” Proverbs 30:5-6

Isaiah

The prophet Isaiah begins his book by saying to God’s rebellious people,

“Hear the word of the Lord.” Isaiah 1:10

He claims that his message is God’s word to the people and it has God’s authority. He refers to this word that God has given him over 34 times. The way to test false teachers is to compare what they say with Scripture.

“To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. Isaiah 8:20

Jeremiah

Jeremiah also began his book with the memory of being called by God to declare God’s message.

“The word of the Lord came to me saying . . ” Jeremiah 1:4

“Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, ‘Now I have put my words into your mouth.’” Jeremiah 1:9

The rest of his book keeps repeating this theme,

“Hear the word of the Lord . . ”

That God’s word is the basis for all that Jeremiah says is repeated over 140 times in that one book. He says that people are culpable before God if they do not listen to and obey God’s word.

“ ‘For they have not listened to my words,’ declares the Lord, ‘words that I sent to them again and again by my servants the prophets. And you exiles have not listened either.’ ” Jeremiah 29:19

Ezekiel

If you scan through the book of Ezekiel you will find most chapters and sections begin with,

“The word of the Lord came to me . . .”

Job

He recognised the importance of the word of God,

“I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.” Job 23:12

Jesus

Jesus confirmed that the Old Testament was all about himself.

“Does not the Scripture say that the Christ will come from David’s family and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” John 7:42

He used the Bible as authoritative answers to the religious Pharisees,

“For the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. Matthew 15:6

“You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. . . . But about the resurrection of the dead – have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” Matthew 22:29-32

“. . the Word of God . . .and the Scripture cannot be broken.” John 10:35

When Jesus was tempted in the desert by Satan he replied by quoting from the Old Testament, thus confirming that he regarded the Scriptures as God’s Word for everyone. He was tempted three times and on each occasion he gave the reply,

“It is written . . .”

Jesus longed that his disciples would continue his work and teach God’s Word to all people. After he rose from the dead, he joined Clopas and his companion on the 7 mile walk to Emmaus. They discussed the crucifixion of Jesus without recognising who they were talking to. Jesus said,

“How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” Luke 24:25-27

When Jesus met with his disciples later, although he knew that he himself was sufficient authority, he still based what he wanted to say on Scripture, as this was to be the authority for the church.

“ ‘Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms’. Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations . .” Luke 24:44-47

In Jesus’ prayer for his disciples, shortly before his arrest and execution, he defines God’s truth as being his word.

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17

Stephen

In Stephen’s final speech before he was stoned, he reminded his listeners of Moses prime responsibility,

“ . . he received living words to pass on to us.” Acts 7:38

John

The apostle John, recognising the absolute authority of God’s word as revealed in the Jewish Scriptures, introduces Jesus as having the same divine authority. Jesus was also God’s Word, with the same authority as the Old Testament Scriptures. What Jesus said, God said. He had God’s authority. So he begins his record of the gospel,

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1

John was also clear that his role as an apostle was to pass the message God had given them through Jesus.

“This is the message we have heard from him (Jesus) and declare to you . . .” 1 John 1:5

Peter

In the book of Acts, the first statement that Peter makes is about the divine origin and authority of Scripture,

“Brothers, this Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David . . . “ Acts 1:16

In his first sermon to the Jerusalem crowds at Pentecost Peter repeatedly quotes the Old Testament as being God’s Word. In his second sermon, given to onlookers after a lame beggar had been healed, he included the statement,

“But this is how God fulfilled what he has prophesied through the prophets saying that the Christ would suffer . . .” Acts 3:18

Later he reaffirmed that God was the primary authority behind the book of Psalms in the Old Testament,

“You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David.” Acts 4:25

To the end of his life Peter never lost this conviction about the authority of the Bible. In his first epistle he wrote about the Old Testament prophets,

“. . . they spoke of the things that have now been told you.” 1 Peter 1:12

In his second epistle Peter again repeatedly quotes the Old Testament as his authority,

“For in Scripture it says . . .” 2 Peter 2:6

In his second epistle he emphasises even more strongly that the authority controlling the church is the word of God,

“Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises.” 2 Peter 1:4

Peter reminds his readers that the true knowledge of God is rooted in the Scriptures and the apostles’ teaching,

“So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory . . .” 2 Peter 1:12

The apostles were all eyewitnesses of Jesus and consequently their teaching bore God’s authority just as the Old Testament did,

“And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place.” 2 Peter 1:19

Peter continues,

“Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came along by the prophets own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:20-21

Later he specifically links the apostles writing with those of the Old Testament prophets and recognises that both have the same authority – God’s authority.

“Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Saviour through your apostles.” 2 Peter 3:1-2

At the end of this epistle Peter again reminds us that the epistles written by Paul have God’s authority behind them - Scriptural authority.

“Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do other Scriptures, to their own destruction.” 2 Peter 3:15-16

Paul

Paul, as all the other early church leaders, had no doubt that the Scriptures were God’s word to man. Referring to the Jews Old Testament Scriptures he said,

“They have been entrusted with the very words of God.” Romans 3:2

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 15:4

Paul, like the other apostles, often quotes from the Old Testament as having the authority of God himself. For example,

“As he (God) says in Hosea . . . “ Romans 9:25

The prime responsibility of church leaders has always been to teach the Scriptures, both the Old Testament and the teaching of Jesus that the apostles passed on to us in the New Testament. When discussing the role of church leaders he said,

“He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.” Titus 1:9

Paul says that this is just what he has done,

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures . . .” 1 Corinthians 15:3

This is all the more important because he recognised that there would be a drift away from the authority of Scripture, the word of God.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:

‘Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-- with great patience and careful instruction.’

For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2 Timothy 3:16-4:4

Paul was certain that the way to convince people about their need of salvation was to teach them the Bible’s message. The effect of this is to convict people of their need for Jesus Christ, God’s message will cut to the heart,

“. . . and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:17

Paul, like the other apostles, is clear that people become Christians and grow as Christians when they become subject to the word of God.

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.” Ephesians 1:13

“And we thank God continually because, when you heard the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13

When Paul wrote to the troubled Corinthian church, he keeps drawing them back to apostolic teaching,

“. . . so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.”. 1 Corinthians 4:6

The writer of the book of Hebrews

Although there is uncertainty about who wrote this book, it certainly has the marks of having an apostolic stamp on it, possibly Paul’s. It begins,

“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son . . .” Hebrews 1:1

The opening chapter of this letter then explains some Old Testament Scriptures and shows how these have been fulfilled in Jesus. The major concept that God communicates with us through his powerful written word is emphasised later.

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit . . . it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

Weaknesses in the church were attributed to a lack of understanding of the Bible,

“In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again.” Hebrews 5:12

James

The apostle who wrote the epistle of James was probably the brother of Jesus who became the leader of the Council of Jerusalem. He had no doubt that God spoke to us through the Scriptures, the word of God. It is through hearing and responding to God’s message that we enter the Kingdom of God.

“He chose to give us birth through the word of Truth.” James 1:18

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves, do what it says.” James 1:22

Denominational Doctrines

In 1643, the English Parliament called upon "learned, godly and judicious Divines", to meet in Westminster Abbey to advise on issues of worship, doctrine, government and discipline of the Church of England. After five years of discussion ‘The Westminster Confession’ was produced and accepted. It was subsequently adopted by the Church of Scotland and Presbyterian churches and later, with minor alterations, by English Congregationalists and Baptists. It has thirty three chapters and attempts to define Biblical teaching. In the opening chapter the place of Scripture is defined. Two paragraphs are quoted here.

Of the Holy Scripture.

1. Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men unexcusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of His will, which is necessary unto salvation. Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal Himself, and to declare that His will unto His Church; and afterwards for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing; which makes the Holy Scripture to be most necessary; those former ways of God's revealing His will unto His people being now ceased.

IV. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, and obeyed, depends not upon the testimony of any man, or Church; but wholly upon God (who is truth itself) the author thereof: and therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God.

The Church of England has been built on Biblical doctrines. All Anglican ministers have subscribed to the Articles of the Church of England by agreeing to the Canons of the Church of England. Canon A5 states,

“The doctrine of the Church of England is grounded in the Holy Scriptures, and in such teachings of the ancient Fathers and Councils of the Church as are agreeable to the said Scriptures. In particular such doctrine is found in the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Ordinal.”

In the Book of Common Prayer (1662) the following was included in the service for the ‘Ordering of Priests’.

“And seeing that you cannot by any other means compass the doing of so weighty a work pertaining to the salvation of man, but with the doctrine and exhortation taken out of the holy Scriptures, and with a life agreeable to the same, consider how studious you ought to be in reading and learning the Scriptures, and in framing the manners both of yourselves, and of them that specially pertain unto you, according to the rule of the same Scriptures, and for this self-same cause, how ye ought to forsake and set aside (as much as you may) all worldly cares and studies.”

It is clear therefore that Christian beliefs must be based on Scripture. How the words of Scripture are to be understood is the only leeway that can be acceptable.

The Church in the west is weak because we suffer from ‘Biblical Malnutrition’. Although the Scriptures claim to be ‘the very words of God’ (Romans 3 v. 2) we are often uncertain of its contents. Its doctrines are too often not our priorities. We need to be helped and trained to know our Bible’s better. The teaching in all our Churches and home groups should be the regular exposition of God’s word to us - both the Old and New Testaments. The way we teach the Scriptures should show that ‘the word of God is living and active’ (Heb 4 v. 12) and very relevant to all people today. Hearing God’s word will lead some to repentance and salvation. It will also equip Christians for the spiritual battles ahead, as we are armed with ‘the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God’ (Ephesians 6 v. 17).

In understanding the meaning of what the prophets and apostles meant we should obviously make use of scholarship. Do we have accurate records of what was originally said? Have they been accurately translated. How have people understood Scripture in the past, the traditions, and but the ultimate authority must lie with the word of God. Authority and tradition must never be allowed to trump the clear meaning of Scripture.

Thomas Linacre was Physician to both Henry VII and Henry VIII and was the founder of the Royal College of Physicians. He was a friend of both Erasmus and Sir Thomas More and he has subsequently had Linacre College in Oxford names after him. He was ordained late in life and given a copy of the gospels to read. He had lived through the darkest times of the church when the Bible was seldom opened. The Borgia Pope, Alexander VI, was on the Vatican throne and under him bribery, corruption, incest and murder plumbed new depths for Christian shame. After reading the four gospels for himself, Linacre was both amazed and troubled. He said,

“Either these are not the Gospels or we are not Christians.”

No wonder Paul said to Timothy,

“I give you this charge – Preach the Word.”

BVP