The Word of God
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God Breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training for righteousness, so the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
This is a truth of the most importance. So important is this doctrine. Satan in the very beginning of the creation of man and woman attacked God’s ability to reveal His revelation, or will to mankind. Revelation (ἀποκάλυψις apokálupsis), means a spirit which can fathom and unfold the deep things of God. (Ephesians 1:17) Genesis 3:1 records those words from Satan that led Adam and Eve astray. Words so many people long to cling to today, “Did God really say?…” These words of Satan laid the seeds of ruin for mankind. His words of deception are still ruining mankind’s opportunity to walk in the center of God’s will for them. This sin of questioning, “Did God really say…” birthed forth what is known as a sin cursed world affecting every facet of life, causing physical afflictions, corrupt oversight, misled motives, and broken hearts. In contrast, rejecting Satan’s deception leads to the understanding of God’s perfect will for mankind, thus correcting wrong motives, rebuking corrupt oversight, and mending the broken hearted.
Christians, who have Holy Spirit illumination of the written Word of God, find it inconceivable that the God of heaven and earth would not give the apple of his eye, we human beings, a revelation of His will for them.
If you want to enjoy all that God has for mankind in this sin-cursed world, you must lay the sin of non-belief of God’s Written Word at the foot of the Cross. You must allow the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ to place within your spiritual heart that which Jesus knew, “It is written: `Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” (Matthew 4:4) Embrace as well the heart of the Psalmist who wrote, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11)
To have true belief in God’s Word you must have the same revelation of God’s Word that Peter had, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s 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)
Not only does the Bible claim to be God’s Word, Jesus Christ claimed its authority when he contrasted the Commandments with the teachings of men. (Mark 7:6-13) Jesus equates Moses’ writings and words with the Scriptures while saying both His and Moses words originate from God. (John 5:38, 45-47) Jesus said Scripture is the word of God and cannot be broken. (John 10:35) Jesus looked to Scriptures for guidance in all of life and in dealing with Satan’s deceptions. (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10, 22:29, 32, 43, Mark 12:24; Luke 4:4, 8) He also said that the Holy Spirit will tell His teachers what He knows and all that is yet to come, thus, verifying their writings and that teachings will come from Him as well as God. (John 16:13)
The Old Testament writers claim that the Bible is the Word of God. (2 Samuel 23:1-3; Isaiah 8:1,11; Jeremiah 1:9;5:14;13:12; Ezekiel 3:4-11; Micah 3:8; Jeremiah 23:29; Habakkuk 2:2; Zechariah 4:8) The New Testament writers confirm the claims of the Old Testament as being Revelation from God. (Hebrews 1:1; Matthew 1:22; 2:15; Acts 1:16; 28:25; Ephesians 4:8) The New Testament writers say the Bible is God’s Revelation. (1 Corinthians 2:13; 11:23; 14:37; Galatians 1:11-12; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 3:2)
There is Historical Testimony of the Bible as God’s Revelation. Men like Copious showed high regard for the Old and New Testament. Saint Augustine is considered to be one of the most significant Christian thinkers since St. Paul. He said that Scripture rests, “on the highest pinnacle of divine authority.” Theologians like Irenaus, Tertullian, and the Alexandrian acknowledge Biblical authority when they make use of Scripture in presenting their positions. 2 Clement and Justin Martyr (A.D 150) used the formula “It is written” in referring to authority of Scripture. (The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)
The truth you must grasp is this – your belief of the Bible as the Word of God is based on your relationship with Christ Jesus. It is written, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment:” (1 Corinthians 2:14-15)
It is the hope and prayer of genuine Preachers and Teachers of God’s Word that they may say of you as the Apostle Paul said of those he taught. “…And we also thank God continually because, when you received 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, which is at work in you who believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13)
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