The Authority of Scripture

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." (2 Timothy 3.16)

A Revelation from God - The Rule of Faith and Life - To be Received as the Word of God

John 3.16 is often quoted as an encapsulation of salvation. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3.16) It speaks of the origin of salvation in the love of God, the meritorious foundation of salvation in the work of the incarnate Son especially his substitutionary atonement at the cross, the way of salvation through faith in the crucified Saviour and the benefits of salvation in not perishing but having eternal life. The verse 2 Timothy 3.16 is more fundamental in one sense. Paul affirms the origin, authority and usefulness of the Bible as the Word of God. If the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are not reliable what trust can we put in the words of John 3.16? We must be persuaded of the authority of Scripture as a revelation from God to be the rule of faith and practice so that it is received as the Word of God.

A Revelation from God

At this point in his letter Paul has just spoken about Timothy's upbringing from his infancy: "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 3.15) The word he uses for "child" is literally "baby". It is the same word that Luke, the Doctor, uses for the living human baby in the womb. "And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost." (Luke 1.41) A faithful grandmother and mother had taught Timothy the Old Testament sacred writings for true faith seeks to communicate truth to those under its charge. Paul recognizes that it was so: "When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice …" (2 Timothy 1.5) Paul writes to Timothy to warn him not to allow his faith to be shaken. He had to boldly face: (a) the evil of the times: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come." (2 Timothy 3.1) (b) Apostate formalism: "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." (c) False teaching: "For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts …" (2 Timothy 3.5-6) (d) Tribulation: "Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." (2 Timothy 3.11-12) (e) Declining spirituality and increasing wickedness: "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived." (2 Timothy 3.13) We can take comfort in the Scriptures. The Bible upon which we rely is a revelation from God. In this it is unique. It stands above all other writings and teachings as inspired by God. In the original Greek the expression "given by inspiration of God" is all contained in the one word theopneustos. This word combines the Greek word for God with that for spirit or breath. The scriptures are thus "God-inspired" or "God-breathed". Simply put, the Bible is a product of God's Spirit and "'all scripture' owes its origin and contents to the Divine breath, the Spirit of God."* There are two important considerations here. (1) This inspiration is organic not mechanical. The Holy Spirit used the writers of the scriptures as human beings not as typewriters. They were fully engaged humans in what they were doing but the end product was exactly what God's Spirit intended. (2) Inspiration applies to all scripture not just to some scripture. The words are inspired not just the thoughts. Paul elsewhere refers to revelation among the Jews as "the oracles of God." (Romans 3.2) That the Old Testament is authoritative we know from the teaching of Christ: "And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me." (Luke 24.44) That the New Testament writings are on the same level is indicated by Peter in referring to Paul's writings: "As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction." (2 Peter 3.16) As Thomas Watson puts it: "The two Testaments are the two lips by which God hath spoken to us."

The Rule of Faith and Life

It must follow that if God has given the Scripture his authority is in it. "When you hear the Word, say, 'There God spoke to my soul.'" (John Whitlock) If one you love speaks to you, you do not turn a deaf ear. If the Scripture is endowed with Divine authority it must be "profitable" for the uses for which it was designed by God. Paul gives Timothy four uses. The first use is teaching. There is no higher impartation of knowledge than that which issues in life. The Holy Scriptures that Timothy has known are "are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 3.15) When Christ is responded to in faith, personal salvation is the result. The second use is reproof. This involves exposing, refuting and reproving error. The third use is correction. That which is wrong must not merely be reproved but put right. The traveler gains nothing by knowing that he is on the wrong road if he cannot find the right one. He is still lost and astray. Correction involves getting into the right way. The fourth use of scripture is instruction or training in righteousness. By imparting true knowledge error is exposed and the right path disclosed, but all must be completed in the outcome of godliness. A surgeon who never operates has head knowledge but his knowledge has no practical outcome for good. So the Book of Proverbs deals not with speculative wisdom but practical wisdom, the wisdom that affects the life. All this is to be seen in the light of why God gave the scripture: "That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3.17) Throughly furnished has been translated "fully-fitted". The latter term used to be used of the kitchen. The fully-fitted kitchen contained all of the equipment that the housewife would ever need. Here then is God's purpose in giving the scripture, that the Christian might be fully-fitted, thoroughly furnished, in every way equipped for the life of faith and godliness.

Received as the Word of God

There is nothing automatic about these things. You might ask, if all of this is true why does the Bible not make the changes in my life that it should? What's the problem? For too many the answer is that there is reliance upon the Church or upon the preacher. Obedience then come down to human authority and tradition and nothing spiritually significant happens. As the Westminster Confession explains: "The authority of the Holy scripture for which it ought to be believed, and obeyed, dependeth 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." (Chapter 1, Section 4) What a joy it is to see that kind of receiving of scripture truth! So Paul rejoiced over the Thessalonians: "For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe." (1 Thessalonians 2.13) Is there not something for us to learn here? We are glad that every word is reliable but how much response do we manifest? We must remember the purpose of God in giving the inspired scripture. It is nothing less than godliness. We might say the fully-fitted Christian who through the Bible can be in every way furnished to live to God's praise.

Notes

* William Hendriksen, A Commentary on I & II Timothy and Titus London: Banner of Truth Trust, 1960, page 302