Project Description

2013/07

Can we trust the Bible?

As Christians we have a desire to live a life pleasing to God.  We want to have the right understanding of God and truth and then live that out day by day.  We are told that the Word of God is ‘the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.’ (Shorter Catechism Answer 2) But is the Bible reliable?  If our answer is negative, we oppose the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ.  

For Him, the reliability and authority of the Scriptures rested on the truth that they were the very words of God.  In Matthew 19:4-5, Christ makes it clear that He believes that the God of Creation is a God who speaks.  Unlike the idols (Psalm115:5), the true and living God does speak.  Later, in v8, He states that Moses was speaking, referring to words that in their original setting were the words of God (Deuteronomy 24:1). So the Lord believed that the writings of Moses were the written form of the spoken words of God.  Compare John 10:34-36 where the Lord uses the terms ‘Law’ (i.e. the Pentateuch), Scripture (i.e. writings) and ‘Word of God’ synonymously.  

It is clear that the Lord viewed the entire Old Testament as of equal authority – speaking of ‘the law of Moses… the prophets, and… the psalms…’ in Luke 24:44.  Thus as we read, in black and white, the written words of our Old Testaments, the Lord Jesus assures us that we are reading the very words of God!  

It won’t surprise us then that the Apostles confirm the teaching of their Master as they speak of the Scriptures (the writings) as being inspired by God, literally ‘breathed-out’ by God, or being the work of ‘holy men of God…moved by the Holy Ghost.’  (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21).  

What of the New Testament? The Lord predicted that those who wrote those books would also write the words of God.  The promise of the Holy Ghost was given to the disciples. “He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26). And so, years later, Peter refers to Paul’s letters as ‘Scripture.’(2 Peter 3:16) Can you trust the Bible?  Well, it is the word of God who cannot lie.  Who says so?  The Lord says so!

From the Old to the Young

“2 Tim. 3v16, ‘All scripture is given by inspiration of God…’ …it is ALL SCRIPTURE; it is all that is written; meaning thereby the thoughts after they have received the stamp of language. No restriction; all Scripture is in such wise a work of God, that it is represented to us as uttered by the divine breathing, just as human speech is uttered by the breathing of a man’s mouth.  The prophet is the mouth of God.”

(From Chapter 2, ‘Theopnuestia: The Plenary Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures’, L.Gaussen)  

Dr. Stephen Pollock