Why Scripture is Central to Christian Belief

Have you ever wondered why the Bible should be the definitive guide for your faith and life? In this episode, we explore the powerful doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture, revealing why the Bible stands as the ultimate authority amidst today's shifting cultural norms and ideologies. Tune in and be encouraged as we reflect on the completeness, reliability, and authority of God's unchanging Word.

Do you want to learn how to study the Bible? Check out the YouTube channel Faithfullyliven youtube.com/@faithfullyliven

Do you want to read about how to live faithfully? Check out the blog http://lyfe102.org

Get a free Road Map to get started learning how to study the Bible https://mailchi.mp/88f9c9405da0/bible-study-road-map

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:04

Welcome to Faithfully Living, the podcast where we learn how to live for Christ in our daily lives. I am Dwan, your host, and I would like to invite you on a journey with me to explore and learn how to be a faithful follower of Christ. Hey everyone, welcome back to the podcast Faithfully Living, where we strive to encourage you to live for Christ faithfully by offering guidance on how to study the Bible, how to understand the Bible better and how to remain faithful to historic Christianity in a contemporary society. Is God's Word enough? Why should it be enough for us as believers? Or why is the Bible essential for us as believers? Why should it be important? Well, find out more on this episode.

Speaker 1: 0:58

To affirm the sufficiency of scripture is not to suggest that the Bible tells us everything we want to know about everything. In a world that is filled with ever-changing ideologies, shifting cultural norms, the question of where to find truth and guidance becomes increasingly pertinent for us as Christians. So, as Christians, the answer lies in the sufficiency of scripture. It's a foundational doctrine that asserts that the Bible is the supreme authority that matter in matters of faith and practice. So let's first, as always, look at a definition, and this definition is coming from Wayne Goodham's Systematic Theology. It says the sufficiency of scripture means that scripture contains all the words of God we need for salvation, for trusting him perfectly and for obeying him perfectly. So, at the core, the sufficiency of scripture affirms that God's word contains within the pages of the Bible is entirely adequate for all aspects of our Christian life and belief, and this doctrine stands as a pillar of christian faith, offering assurance and direction amongst the complexities of this world that we live in. So we need the bible to equip us for faith and service to god. It clearly demonstrates god's intention to restore the broken relationship between god and humanity through his son, jesus christ, our savior, through the gift of salvation and faith. So no other writings are necessary for this good news to be understood, or any other writings are required to equip us for a, for a life of faith. So the Bible contains all the words of God for a person to become a follower of Christ, to live and grow as a believer in Christ. Christians can confidently rely on the scriptures as our ultimate guide, knowing that it contains all we need to know about God, his will and his redemptive plan. The Bible is important because it is the inspired word of God, revealing his character, his will and his plan for humanity. Billy Graham, billy Graham.

Speaker 1: 3:51

So the sufficiency of scripture highlights the completeness of God's revelation to humanity, and it also emphasizes the reliability and authority of God's word. Unlike wisdom we get from the world, philosophies we get from the world, which are subject to error and change, the bible stands firm as an unchanging standard of truth. In psalm 19 89 it says forever. Oh lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. This foundation that we have as Christians, the Bible, provides us stability and certainty in a world of uncertainty and serves as our anchor in truth when we have confusion or we have doubts. So we live in a world that is marked by skepticism and uncertainty, and the reliability of God's word stands as an unshakable foundation for us as believers.

Speaker 1: 4:49

The Bible comprises both of the Old and New Testament, and it's not merely a collection of ancient texts, but it is the inspired word of God, offering us timeless wisdom and truth and guidance for those of us who seek it. From Genesis to Revelation, we know that the Bible bears the imprint of divine authorship. Knowing that it is God's word to us, it transcends all of our human limitations and reflects the wisdom and truth of God himself. So every word contained within its pages carries authority and significance because of his author. And the reliability of God's word is attested by its historical accuracy and consistency. You know, despite being penned by many authors over the course of centuries, the Bible maintains a remarkable adherence and unity of message of the Old Testament to the fulfilling of those prophecies. In the New Testament the overarching narrative of redemption unfolds seamlessly and it gives testimony to the orchestration of the plan God had for us from the beginning of time. So we see the reliability of God's word as demonstrated by God's. It's transforming power in the lives of believers. So countless people throughout history have had profound impact by truth contained within scriptures, experiencing spiritual renewal, moral transformation and a newfound purpose as a result.

Speaker 1: 6:51

So in Hebrews 4.12, it says For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing in the vision of soul and of spirit, of joint and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. So our world can be. The world that we live in can be characterized by a lot of fluctuating opinions and values, but we can know that God's word stands. You know it stands, it remains. It's something that's stable in our lives. It doesn't change. In Isaiah 48, it proclaims the grass withereth and the flower fades, but the word of our god stands forever. So the truth that's revealed in scripture serves as a light for us in the midst of darkness that we might feel while we live in this world, and it guides us as believers that to show us that it has clarity and certainty, certainty. So it's important to realize that the reliability and authority of god's word is not contingent on, you know, human approval or validation, but rather it stands on eternal truth that transcends time and culture and offers hope and direction to all those who who heeds his message. So, as christians, we should hold fast to the unchanging truths of the bible, and it's going to allow us to shape our beliefs, inform our decisions and guide our lives according to the will of God. Throughout the Bible, we encounter the living God who invites us into relationship with him and empowers us to live lives of purpose and significance, dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Speaker 1: 8:57

Alright, so let's talk a little bit about some history here. So during the Reformation, the Reformers formulated the Protestant principle Sola Scriptura, formulated the Protestant principle sola scriptura scripture and scripture alone, which means that scripture is enough to equip people to know God and fully do God's will. So, to clarify, they were referring to both the Old and the New Testament. So in the 16th century, the Roman Catholic Church was the authority on religious matters, and men like Martin Luther, john Calvin, just to name a few, questioned some of the church's and the Pope's practices. They also questioned the church's belief on, you know, the Pope and traditions had on the authority over god's word. And then, as time passed, the reformers, as they recall, began to stress the infallibility and authority of scripture, which led to the bible being translated so that ordinary people could read it for themselves. So in part, partly because of sola scriptura, scripture and scripture alone, that the Protestantism took root.

Speaker 1: 10:23

The Apostle Paul stated in the Holy Scriptures are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in jesus christ. And he also said all scriptures breathe out and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training and righteousness, so the man of god may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. The scripture is god's free. Is god breathe then? Is not man breathe? And although you know, men tended, those men spoke from God as they were carried about by the Holy Spirit. So the Holy Spirit guided these men, the authors of the Bible to write what God wanted them to write.

Speaker 1: 11:06

So no man may Writing is sufficient to equip us for good works. Only the word of God can do that. So scripture is sufficient to thoroughly equip us and nothing more is necessary. So, because God is all wise, sovereign, merciful and many, many other attributes, god has given us all things necessary for the proper understanding of who he is, who we are and how he has acted in the past and what he expects from us. The Bible is just not a book of ancient wisdom. It is a living and active word that continues to speak to us today, transforming hearts and renewing minds, nt Wright. So the Bible is a record of all the things that God wanted us to know about him. So, in other words, the Bible is complete and sufficient for belief and behavior and nothing needs to be added to it. So our belief in the sufficiency of scripture guards against the dangers of adding or subtracting from god's word.

Speaker 1: 12:27

While, you know, human traditions and cultural norms may hold significance, they must always be evaluated in the light of scripture, as Revelation 22, 18 through 19 warns. I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book if anyone asks them, god will add to him the plague described in his book. And if anyone takes away from these words, of these book of prophecy, god will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city which are described in his book. So there are instances where people think that they need to add to the Bible or the Bible isn't giving us enough and we don't need to add to God's word, because God's word is enough enough, because it's God's word and God is complete in the word that he has given us. And God warns us, as you've heard when I read Revelation 22, about this in his words.

Speaker 1: 13:39

So we shouldn't be adding to the Bible or considering making other writings significant to the Bible. You can see this in Mormonism, where they claim to believe the Bible but also hold the Book of Mormons at the same level of scripture, also hold the book of mormons at the same level of scripture. Then you have christian scientists. Also claim to believe the bible, but their founder, mary baker, eddie, wrote science and health with a key to the scripture, which they hold above scripture. So what does the bible say about this?

Speaker 1: 14:10

It says in deuteronomy 4 2 says you should not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it that you may keep the commandments of the Lord, your God, that I command you. And then Psalms 35 through 6 says every word of God proves true. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.

Speaker 1: 14:41

To sum it up, the Bible should be and is enough for us as followers of Christ. So we shouldn't, you know, add or ignore certain parts because we don't like it. And it has everything we need to know about God and his will for us. Through the Bible, god speaks directly to us, offering comfort in times of trial, conviction in times of doubt and direction in times of confusion Charles Hatton Spurgeon. And direction in times of confusion Charles Hatton Spurgeon.

Speaker 1: 15:24

So the sufficiency of scripture remains a timeless truth that anchors us in our faith and it reminds us, as believers, of the authority and reliability of God's word that offers us guidance, comfort and hope for every season of our lives. And as Christians, it's important that we uphold the sufficiency of scripture and allow its truths to shape our beliefs, our decisions and also our actions. So I hope this episode was helpful to you, you understanding why the bible is enough for us as believers in christ, and that we shouldn't be adding or ignoring certain parts that we don't like, and that god has everything we need to know about him and his will for us. So the doctrine of the sufficiency of scripture is foundational for us as followers of Christ. All right, that wraps up this episode and until next time, remember God is always good and he's always able. Thank you for listening to the podcast. Do me a favor by following the podcast and leaving a review to help spread the word. I look forward to hearing from you.