The Bible is infallible because it is inspired of God. It is also authoritative because it is inspired of God. The Christian’s response to the infallible, inspired Word of God should be:
Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way. (Psalm 119:128)
The Bible was written by God, and it derives it’s authority from it’s author. As the Bible is the very Word of God, it is authoritative on ALL matters on which it speaks. God’s Word has authority over the Christian and non-Christian alike. It is the FINAL authority on all matters of Christian faith and practice.
We should consider God’s Word concerning anything and everything to be right. We should hate every false way that contradicts God’s Word. We should accept the Bible as it is, the Final Authority on ALL matters of faith and practice. The Bible is the final authority on doctrine, conduct, and eternal salvation.
Final Authority on Doctrine
The Bible is the final authority on doctrine, what we as Christians should believe. The Bible tells us everything we need to know about life, death, Heaven, Hell, salvation, righteousness, sin, faith, holiness, God, and Jesus. It tells us how to worship God, with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16). The Bible is full of examples of faith, soul-winning, supporting missionaries, and helping the poor.
John 8:31,32.
31 …If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Jesus’ true disciples are those who believe in, continue in, and follow His Word. This means to stay in God’s Word, not deviating from it in any way. As we are Christ’s disciples, we must continuously read, study, and obey His word. We must “…study to shew [ourselves] approved unto God…” (2 Timothy 2:15).
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2 Timothy 3:16
The Bible is PROFITABLE for doctrine, reproof, and instruction. Many in this day scoff at the idea of doctrine. However, the Bible makes it clear that doctrine is important, and that the Scriptures are needed for doctrine and correction.
Therefore, we need to read and study daily, not just for the sake of doctrine, but also for correction, to root out any sin that may have crept into our lives.
Psalm 19:7-11
7. The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
8. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
10. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
The Bible is also our defense against strange and false doctrines. By them are we warned. By reading and understanding the truth, we build up immunity against all heresies. Many have turned away from the true faith because they have put the teaching of man above the Word of God. We shouldn’t believe everything we’re told, but should be like the Berean Christians, and search the scriptures to verify them (see Acts 17:10,11). (This is why I challenge you, if this work contains anything contrary to the Word of God, please let me know.) Below are some quotes from personal conversations, when I have questioned some new or strange doctrine. Note how these individuals did not know how to defend their beliefs with the Bible:
Myself: “Where’s that in the Bible?”
Catholic: “I don’t see anything in there against it.”
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Myself: “Where’s that in the Bible:?”
Charismatic: “It’s Biblical.”
Myself: “But where is it found?”
Charismatic: “I don’t know.”
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Myself: “Where do you see that in the Bible?”
Baptist: “I can’t see why you don’t see it in the Bible!”
The Bible is our sole source of doctrine. It is our final authority. When someone comes expounding a doctrine that they do not or cannot prove from the Holy Scriptures, do not believe it. Question it, and exhort them to believe the Bible. Many well-meaning Christians carry doctrines that are not Scriptural. Many will say that you have to have an open mind. Leave your mind open to the Word of God. Close your mind to all that contradicts or violates the Word of God.
Therefore, the Bible is authoritative on it’s teaching of doctrine. It tells us what to believe, and serves as an immunization against false beliefs.
Final Authority on Morality
The Bible is authoritative in it’s teaching of morals. It reflects the holiness of God. It plainly gives God’s view on sin and righteousness. It lists things such as lust, fornication, sodomy, greed, theft, deceit, drunkenness, and murder as sin. It plainly separates between works of the flesh, and fruits of God’s Holy Spirit:
Galatians 5
19. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20. Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21. Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
God’s Word is full of righteousness and virtue. It is the final authority on morality. However, God does not force His commandments upon anyone. His law is established for our good, not for our hurt. He wants to keep us from activities and behaviors that He knows will destroy us. He knows that “the way of transgressors is HARD” (Prov 13:45), and He wants to keep you out of that disastrous way. He knows that the life of a sinner is void of peace, and full of turmoil. “There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked.” (Isaiah 48:22)
There are many examples of people who rejected His laws, and what became of them. Samson was given a special anointing giving him incredible strength. However, he couldn’t stay away from bad women, and it cost him his anointing, and eventually his life. King Saul started out humbly serving the Lord. But he grew to reject the Lord’s way, and lost his kingdom and life. (More examples will be covered in #? Dangers of rejecting and perverting God’s word.)
The Bible warns “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 14:12.)
The Bible warns against drunkenness:
Proverbs 23:29-30 (see also verses 31-35)
29. Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
30. They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
It is commonly known that heavy drinking will destroy your brain and liver, and will eventually kill you. Yet the drunk, when he sobers up, seeks it yet again.
The Bible warns against greed and covetousness:
1 Timothy 6:9-10
9. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Greed leads men to commit other sins, to fulfill their lust for money. Greed leads men to lie, cheat, steal, and gamble. None can say that these are beneficial for the individual or the society. As the passage says, the desire to be rich will cast you into further temptation to commit further sin.
The Bible warns against sexual sin:
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. (1 Corinthians 6:18.)
Fornication is defined as any sexual relations outside of marriage. The Bible declares that they that do such sin against their own body. Those who fornicate are at great risk of contracting AIDS or other crippling sexually transmitted diseases. However, those who obey the Bible’s mandate to wait until marriage, and live monogamous lifestyles will never get these diseases.
Therefore, God’s commandments are not for our hurt, but for our benefit. They are intended on keeping us out of bad situations. God knows that sin such as drinking, drugs, gambling, and adultery will lead to great loss, including loss of family, loss of savings, and loss of work. However, living a virtuous life will lead to the peace and blessings of God.
Benefits of living by God’s Word
Obeying the Word of God has great benefits. Keeping the Word will bring you peace, it will remove your shame and reproach, it will make you fruitful, it will result in answered prayer, and make you a friend of Christ.
There are no regrets to following God’s Word. Obedience to God’s law will also remove the shame and reproach of your sin. The word will make you clean (John 15:3). For when you obey the Word of the Lord, you will have a clear conscience.
Psalms 119:6,22
6. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.
22. Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.
When you live by God’s Word, you will have nothing to be ashamed of. You will not be ashamed of your life. Others will have no reason to reproach or scold you. “So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.” (Psalms 119:42). For if you are living in obedience to God’s commandments, you will exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, against which there is no law (Galatians 5:22,23), and against which none can reproach.
If you will repent of your sin, people will notice your changed lifestyle.
Keeping God’s commands will also bring you peace. It will give a great peace the likes of which nothing in this world can provide.
Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. (Psalms 119:165)
But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: (Romans 2:10)
The Lord Jesus Christ said that if we keep His commands, we are His friends. “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” (John 15:14) You can be the friend of the Son of God. Being the friend of the Son, you will have access to the Father, to make your requests know to Him.
If you will live by the Word of God, your prayers will be answered, according to the will of God. “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” (John 15:7) (If your prayers aren’t being answered, is there sin in your life that you won’t deal with? If there is sin on your conscience, God WON’T hear your prayers. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:” (Psalms 66:18).) This is the essence of Christianity, a relationship with your loving Creator. Christianity is not about religion or ritual, but about a relationship.
However, many of you disagree. You reject a relationship with your Creator. You do not want God having any authority over you. You want to live your life as you wish. This is our human, sinful, rebellious nature. By despising God’s authority, you prove yourself in rebellion against God. But none of us are perfect, we have all sinned, we have all rebelled against God. You also prove the Bible correct where it says:
Romans 3:10-18
10. As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
12. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
13. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
14. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
15. Their feet are swift to shed blood:
16. Destruction and misery are in their ways:
17. And the way of peace have they not known:
18. There is no fear of God before their eyes.
God’s commandments are the final authority on sin. If God’s Word calls it sin, then it is sin. God’s commandments are your your benefit, not for your hurt. Following them will give blessings that can only come from above. God’s law is not intended to keep you from having “fun,” but to keep you from a life of misery, despair, and heartbreak. God knows where sin leads, and has warned us with many examples. All of us have sinned, there is none that is perfect. There is none that haven’t broken God’s laws. Many of you who are saved remember your life before Christ, with the misery and regrets of that life. There may also be some who have yet to accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour. You may outwardly enjoy your life, but deep down you loathe and despise it. You want a fresh start. You have been living in rebellion against God’s word, and have reaped the consequences. However, all is not lost. The very word of God which you have ignored tells us how to be “born again,” to get right with God, and get a fresh start in your life.
Final Authority on Eternal Salvation
The Bible is also the final authority on how to be saved, and made right with God. It is the book by which all will be judged, both the saved, and the unsaved. You will be judged based on your obedience or disobedience of God’s Word. This BOOK tells us what God expects of us. Unfortunately, none of us are capable of keeping the Word of God perfectly. We are all sinners, we have all fallen short, we have all broken God’s laws. Therefore, this BOOK also tells us how to be forgiven of our sins, and be made right with God. This book informs us how God made a way for us, by sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to this world, to live a perfect live, and die a sinner’s death. He died to take your punishment for your sins. The Word clearly states, that if you will REPENT of your sins, believe on the name of Jesus, and accept His death and resurrection as the payment for your sin, you will be forgiven. If you will repent and believe, all your past, present, and future sins will be forgiven.
The Way to Salvation
The Scriptures lead to salvation found in faith in Jesus Christ
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. (Psalms 19:7)
But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. (John 20:31)
And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:15)
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)
The ONLY way
God’s Word spells out the way He prepared for us to be made right with Him. He also makes it clear that this way is the ONLY way. There is only one way to the Father. There is only ONE way to Heaven, and that is through Jesus Christ.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12)
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. (John 10:1)
The only way to get right with God the Father is through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. All other ways are false, are lies, and will lead strait to Hell. The Bible also makes plain that trying to get to God through doing good works or religious rituals will never work. You can never do enough good to cover even one of your sins.
Ephesians 2:8,9
8. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9. Not of works, lest any man should boast.Romans 3:28.
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.Titus 3:5.
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Hence, it is made clear that salvation is found solely in faith in Christ’s sacrifice. No amount of good works can save you. The path to the Father passes through the Son. And the Word of God has made it clear that this is the ONLY way to reconciliation with the Father.
However, this is not a license to sin. When you are saved, you are empowered by the Holy Spirit to keep God’s commandments. You are more able to resist temptation to break God’s laws. Yet, some Christians willing continue in sin. If this is you, know this, that God WILL hold you accountable. He won’t send you to Hell, but He will punish you in this life, and withhold earthly and eternal blessings (that He desired to give you). While God’s Word is authoritative, He does not force it upon anyone. He gives us the free will to believe or doubt, obey or disobey. A sinning Christian is out of fellowship with God. Man was created to have fellowship with God. Adam and Eve would go with God on evening walks through the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:8). Their sin broke off this close fellowship. When you CHOSE to continue in sin, you are ruining the most important aspect of your Christian walk, your fellowship with your Creator, who gave you the gift of salvation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Bible is the very Word of God. Every word of the Bible was directly inspired by God. The Bible is complete. It lacks nothing, and contains nothing extraneous (extra). It is the pure, perfect, holy, inspired, righteous, faithful and infallible Word of the Living God. The Bible is the final authority on ALL matters on which it speaks. It is definitive on matters of doctrine, morality, and eternal salvation. In it, God spells out His expectations of mankind, and explains how to get right with Him. It shows how to be forgiven for your sins. For none have kept His law perfectly, we have all sinned. We all deserve the wages of our sins, which is eternal death in Hell. But God made a way. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take your punishment, to die on the cross in your place. Three days later, He rose Himself from the dead. God’s Word states that if you will repent of your sins, and accept the sacrifice of Christ as the payment for your sins, you will be saved. You will be “born again.” With your sin burden lifted, you will literally have a new start on life. How about you? Are you ready to give up your misery, your sorrow, and your rebellion against the Most High and His Word? Are you ready to acknowledge the holiness of God? Are you ready to admit your own sinful, rebellious nature? Are you sick and tired of the life you’ve been living? Do you want to loose your sin burden? Come unto Christ, for His burden is light:
Matthew 11:28-30
28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Come unto Christ, for He will replace your rebellion with a desire to serve Him. Believe the Bible, for it is God’s truth. Would you like to see God’s truth revealed to you? Come to Christ today, for His Spirit will lead into all truth. (Psalms 25:5 “Lead me in thy truth…”). (Jn 16:13) There are many lies in the world. Politicians lie, advertisements lie, news reports lie. Do you want to know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? If you follow Christ, “…ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Are you 100% sure, if you were to die today, that you would go to Heaven? If the Bible happens to be wrong, I have little to loose in believing it. However, if it is correct, you have much to loose in rejecting it. Please, do not take the risk that the Bible is right.
Christian, does God’s Word live in you today? “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed…” (John 8:31). Jesus said that His real disciples will “continue” in His Word. Do you read your Bible daily? Do you seek to obey the Bible? Does the Word of Christ dwell in you? “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; …” (Colossians 3:16). Do you accept the Bible as authoritative in your life? Do you accept the Bible as the inspired, infallible, Word of God? Are you continuously seeking to rid your life of sin? If you answered “No” to any of these questions, you need to do a serious heart-check, and make things right with God.
Psalms 139:23,24
23. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24. And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Your Heavenly Father is waiting to forgive, you just need to ask. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).
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