The Bible is the Word of the Living God. It is God’s written revelation concerning himself, and its central theme and character is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Bible Passages to Consider: Exodus 34:5-6; Psalm 19; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 5:17-18; Luke 24:25-27, 44-48; John 1:1, 14, 18; Romans 1:16-17, 20, 3:20; 1 Thessalonians 2:14; 2 Timothy 3:14-17; 1 Peter 1:10-12; 2 Peter 1:20-21; 1 John 1:1-3
In a post titled “How Does Christ Lead His Church and His Local Churches?”, I said, “The Lord Jesus Christ leads his Church and his local churches with the Bible.” The next question is, “What is the Bible?”
Defining Revelation
It is essential to begin by explaining the doctrine of revelation. By “revelation” I do not mean the Book of Revelation. Instead, I mean the doctrine of revelation. Simply put, the doctrine of revelation is the teaching of the Bible that God has made himself known. It is God’s revelation of himself. God has made himself known to mankind.
Two Kinds of Revelation
God has made himself known in two ways. He has made himself known through general revelation and special revelation.
General Revelation
General revelation is how God has made himself known in the creation and in history through his providence.[i] When we look at creation and the events of history, they are testimonies that there is a God who has created all things and is orchestrating all things.
Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”
This is a limited source of revelation. Creation and the providential rule of history can show us that God exists, is powerful, and deserves worship, but these sources of revelation cannot tell us who God is or how he has worked to save his people from our sins.
According to Romans 1:20, “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So, they are without excuse.” The eternal power and divine nature of God are known and clearly perceived in the things that he has made. However, the knowledge that comes through created things can only render individuals without excuse; it cannot save them.
Special Revelation
Special revelation is how God has made himself known in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus is said to be the Word of God (John 1:1). This Word, who was in the beginning, was with God, and was God took on human flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). In coming in the flesh, the Lord Jesus Christ made the Father known. God the Son is the special revelation of God the Father (John 1:18). The Apostles saw his glory and bore witness of him (John 1:14; 1 John 1:1-3). God has made himself known in his Son.
Special revelation also includes how God has made himself known through the Bible, which is the testimony about Christ. The Lord Jesus taught the disciples on the road to Emmaus and the Apostles that all the Scriptures are about him (Luke 24:25-27, 44-48). He told the Jews that the Scriptures speak of him (John 5:39). The central theme and character of the Bible is the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
God has made himself known through the Bible. The Bible is inspired.[ii] God is the source of the Bible. While men were set apart as instruments to write down the words, every single letter and part of the letter in the original documents comes from God, is inerrant, eternal, and is authoritative (Matthew 5:17-18; Isaiah 40:8; 2 Peter 1:20-21).[iii] It is not the words of men, but its source is God the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1:10-12; 2 Peter 1:20-21).
The Bible, God’s Authoritative Revelation
The Bible is the means through which God makes himself known to us, shows us our sin, makes us wise to salvation through faith in Christ, provides wisdom for his people, shows his people how to live in a way that honors him, makes great promises to his people, and reveals his will in Christ to his people (Exodus 34:5-6; Romans 3:20; 2 Timothy 3:14-15; Romans 1:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3-4; Ephesians 1:9-10; Psalm 19:7-11).
As the Word that comes from God’s own mouth, the Bible is authoritative in all it says. It bears the authority of its Author, the authority of God. It must be received and obeyed. As Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 2:13, “And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.”
When we confess that Christ leads his church through the Bible, we are saying that the Lord Jesus is God and the Bible is his own authoritative Word.
The Bible is the Word of the Living God. It is God’s written revelation concerning himself, and its central theme and character is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Notes – Word Explanations:
[i] Providence is the teaching that God absolutely rules over all things for his glory and the good of his people.
[ii] “Inspired” means the Bible is breathed out by God or that it comes from his mouth.
[iii] “Inerrant” means that it has no errors. “Eternal” means that it stands forever. “Authoritative” means that it is God’s own command and must be obeyed.
Bible Living Blog 