Biblical authority is the concept that the Bible is God's inspired, inerrant, and authoritative word. Containing the full authority of God, the Bible stands as the revelation of God to the world and the source of truth on matters of life and eternity. This is a significant topic, because it not only affects Christians, but all of creation as well. If the Bible was not inspired by God, then the very foundation of Christian theology and Christianity would crumble to pieces. However, since the Bible is God's word, those who reject it, reject their Creator and His authority.1 To understand Biblical authority, one must first start with an understanding of its inspiration.
Throughout the Old and New Testaments, Scripture is referred to as inspired by God. This is generally regarded as to the style of oration, but one can see that the written word carries the same authority.2 For instance, Jesus continually spoke truth in the form of "it is written."3 Jesus' adherence to the written form, the Old Testament (OT), speaks to its status as inspired and, thus, authoritative. He spoke as if the OT was God's word, so it should be regarded as so.4 Paul, in 2 Timothy 3:16, ascribes the quality of being "breathed out by God" to Scripture. In this sense, God did not just give them inspiration, but He spoke through them, using their own writing styles.5 Another verse that relays this message is 2 Peter 1:21. "The Scripture's human authors were controlled by the divine Author, the Holy Spirit."6 Scripture did not come from man or his own creativity, but was "breathed out by God."7
To Christians, the New Testament (NT) is regarded to be on the same level of authority as the OT. One reason for this is that of the authority invested in those who wrote the books of the NT. Jesus commissioned men as apostles who would watch over the founding of the Church. He promised them that the Spirit of truth would indwell and lead them. They wrote the words of God to the Church as they were consciously moved by the Spirit.8 For the NT canon, the writings were chosen based upon whether the authorship was apostolic, whether they contained apostolic messages, whether they included claims to inspiration, and whether they were accepted by loyal churches.9 Also, Christians have historically thought that the Holy Spirit directed the canonization of the New Testament by God's providence.10
Being "breathed out by God," the OT and NT contain God's mark of authorship, and therefore carry the authority of God Himself. Naturally following the inspiration of Scripture is the notion of their infallibility. Because God is perfect, His word stands perfect as well. Our God is a God of truth. He does not deceive. His word is perfect and "profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work" (2 Tim. 3:16). Since it is His word, the Bible has authority over truth and matters of life. As such, it stands as the normative rule over all creation. Christianity stands on this, as the authority of the Bible is the firm foundation that Christianity grounds its theology in. As Christians it is important to truly believe that the Bible is the authoritative Word of God, because it is on the Bible that believers find truth and come closer to God, through the inner working of the Holy Spirit.
Endnotes:
2 Geoffrey W. Bromiley, ed., The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1988), Volume 4, 365.
3 Merrill C. Tenney, ed., The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1975), Volume 5, 308.
4 Walter A. Elwell, ed., Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House Company, 1984), 139.
5 M.G. Easton, Easton's Bible Dictionary, (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems Inc., 1996), Libronix Digital Library.
6 J.F. Walvoord and R.B. Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1983), Libronix Digital Library.
7 W.W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary: An Exposition of the New Testament, (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1996), Libronix Digital Library.
8 Merrill C. Tenney, ed., The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, 306.
9 Walter A. Elwell, ed., Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, 55.
10 Ibid., 61.
Bibliography:
Bromiley, Geoffrey W., ed. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1988. Volume 4, 362-363.
Easton, M.G. Easton's Bible Dictionary. Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems Inc., 1996. Libronix Digital Library.
Elwell, Walter A., ed. Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House Company, 1996. 55-61.
Elwell, Walter A., ed. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House Company, 1984. 136-145.
Tenney, Merrill C., ed. The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1975. Volume 5, 304-310.
Walvoord, J.F., Zuck, R.B. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton: Victor Books, 1983. Libronix Digital Library.
Wiersbe, W.W. The Bible Exposition Commentary: An Exposition of the New Testament. Wheaton
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