When Scripture Speaks, God Speaks

What is your view of the Bible? How you answer this question affects every aspect of your life, especially your perception of God and sin. The Bible must shape and inform every aspect of a believer’s life; there should never be a separation of public and private or work and church.   Having doubts about the inspiration of scripture or it’s inerrancy directly impacts a person’s ability to believe in faith. Most importantly, both the Old and New Testaments affirm the inspiration of God’s Word. Can a person trust everything that the Bible says? Absolutely! Most importantly the Bible itself claims to be the Word of God when Paul wrote to Timothy that “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, NKJV).

Let’s examine the words “all Scripture.” “All” means exactly that, “all.” Any scripture that is read in the 66 books of the Bible is inspired by God. The word Scripture in this verse actually refers to the Old Testament, however the words “all Scripture” refer to the New Testament as well. We know this from Peter who grouped Paul’s letters with “the rest of the Scriptures” in 2 Peter 3:16. However the words “given by inspiration” are the most important. These words tell us that Scripture is divine, its supernatural, it means that God literally breathed out “all Scripture.” The bottom line is that the Holy Spirit worked through all 40 plus authors over a period of 1,500 years to write entirely and exactly what God intended. Much more could be written about this subject, but this one verse is sufficient for every believer to affirm, trust, and stand upon the Holy Bible.

With the words that follow Paul’s confirmation that all Scripture is inspired by God, we see a few  of the applications in which Scripture should be used. First, believers should use Scripture to determine and to learn correct “doctrine” or teachings. Second, believers should use it to rebuke or “reproof” themselves or others for false beliefs or ungodly behavior. Third, believers must measure themselves against Scripture as the absolute standard and use it “for correction” when they stray from being like Christ. Finally, believers are to use Scripture to “instruct themselves in righteousness.”

Remember when Scripture speaks, God speaks. Trust it and live!