Authority of Scripture
The authority of scripture has been debated, not only among Christians and non-Christians, but even discussed among denominations that were founded on the collection of books that we call the Bible. If there is a question of the authenticity of the Word of God, then there surely will be a question of obedience to authority that is written in those pages. Some denominations have even taught that portions of the book were true, while other portions could be dismissed as stories, traditions, or good teachings. The true question that should be asked, perhaps, is not the level of authenticity of Scripture, or what particular actions should be exercised, but what do us, as people, believe the Bible says about itself. This question is in direct correlation with a similar question about Christ. At some point, every man, woman, and child must come to some conclusion concerning the claims of Christ and the claims of the Word of God, which narrows the debate to the question of belief. Do we believe that is what the Bible claims to be? Do we believe that Christ is who He claims to be? To discover more about the Word of God and the authority of scripture, take the Authority Bible Quiz.
With all the arguments that swirl about Christ, one final conclusion must be found. Was Christ a liar, or was the One the very Son of God, making Him deity. With the compromise of some religions claiming Christ to be a great prophet, what do you do with what Christ proclaimed about himself? Jesus did not claim to be a prophet from God, or a teacher. In fact, it was Jesus that claimed himself to be sent directly from God for one purpose. Obedience to authority is desired by Christ through His teachings. The book of John records the claims of Christ and His deity. In John 4:26, Christ explains to a woman that He was the promised Messiah. John 5:24 states, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death to life." Here, Christ clearly claims to be the way to eternal life, as in John 14:6, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." One searching for the truth about Christ is faced with the choice of believing or not. Was He who He said He was? We cannot simply create Him to be a figure or man that fits into a mold that is easy for us to comprehend or accept. If one comes to the conclusion that Jesus Christ is truly the Son of God and the way of salvation, then one must come to conclusions about the authority of Scripture.
In the beginning of the book of John, John makes a dramatic proclamation about Christ and His association with the written Word stating the authority of Scripture. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God." (John 1:1-2) The Greek word used for "Word" is logos. Logos means intelligence that is expressed. John is telling his readers that Christ is the very Word of God, the expression of God's intellect. And when we search further, we find that the Bible is also an expression of who God is and what is desired that we know of Him. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Here, the Bible claims to be God inspired. We see in the Bible where men searched the scriptures to determine that the prophecies about the coming Christ had been fulfilled. "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (Acts 17:11) When searched, we'll find that scripture supports itself and is never contradictory even when describing the people's obedience to authority. Christ even rebukes the religious leaders of His day, telling them that they did not know the scriptures as they should. "Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, not the power of God." (Matthew 23:29) Jesus implies that to know the Word of God is to understand the power of God. Christ gave the scriptures authority. For more topics like this, visit our Bible resources.
So, with evidence from Christ and from the Word, itself, we come to face yet one more question. Does the scripture teach that we are to obey authority completely? The answer is yes. Paul makes an enlightening statement about this obedience in the book of Romans, chapter 6. "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness." (Romans 6:16) What Paul is stating here is that when we do not have obedience to authority in the Word and in Christ, then we are actually being obedient to sin and death. It seems we are faced with a choice again, and not the simple choice of obedience to authority or not, but obedience to what: sin or righteousness.
With all the arguments that swirl about Christ, one final conclusion must be found. Was Christ a liar, or was the One the very Son of God, making Him deity. With the compromise of some religions claiming Christ to be a great prophet, what do you do with what Christ proclaimed about himself? Jesus did not claim to be a prophet from God, or a teacher. In fact, it was Jesus that claimed himself to be sent directly from God for one purpose. Obedience to authority is desired by Christ through His teachings. The book of John records the claims of Christ and His deity. In John 4:26, Christ explains to a woman that He was the promised Messiah. John 5:24 states, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death to life." Here, Christ clearly claims to be the way to eternal life, as in John 14:6, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." One searching for the truth about Christ is faced with the choice of believing or not. Was He who He said He was? We cannot simply create Him to be a figure or man that fits into a mold that is easy for us to comprehend or accept. If one comes to the conclusion that Jesus Christ is truly the Son of God and the way of salvation, then one must come to conclusions about the authority of Scripture.
In the beginning of the book of John, John makes a dramatic proclamation about Christ and His association with the written Word stating the authority of Scripture. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God." (John 1:1-2) The Greek word used for "Word" is logos. Logos means intelligence that is expressed. John is telling his readers that Christ is the very Word of God, the expression of God's intellect. And when we search further, we find that the Bible is also an expression of who God is and what is desired that we know of Him. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Here, the Bible claims to be God inspired. We see in the Bible where men searched the scriptures to determine that the prophecies about the coming Christ had been fulfilled. "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (Acts 17:11) When searched, we'll find that scripture supports itself and is never contradictory even when describing the people's obedience to authority. Christ even rebukes the religious leaders of His day, telling them that they did not know the scriptures as they should. "Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, not the power of God." (Matthew 23:29) Jesus implies that to know the Word of God is to understand the power of God. Christ gave the scriptures authority. For more topics like this, visit our Bible resources.
So, with evidence from Christ and from the Word, itself, we come to face yet one more question. Does the scripture teach that we are to obey authority completely? The answer is yes. Paul makes an enlightening statement about this obedience in the book of Romans, chapter 6. "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness." (Romans 6:16) What Paul is stating here is that when we do not have obedience to authority in the Word and in Christ, then we are actually being obedient to sin and death. It seems we are faced with a choice again, and not the simple choice of obedience to authority or not, but obedience to what: sin or righteousness.
Authority of Scripture
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