QUESTIONS SERIES: Why is the Bible an authority on God’s Word?

The deeper question may be – Is the Bible a book of the words of God given to humankind? Or, is the Bible merely a work of the words of men about God? If it’s truly from God himself, how do we know that?

First of all, the Bible claims to be God’s words to humankind. The testimony of the Apostle Paul verifies this idea. Paul was the apostle chosen by Jesus to unveil the deeper things of the early church to the world (Ephesians 3).

Paul said that All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). The words “All Scripture” refer to the Old Testament and by inference to the New Testament too. For instance, at or around the writing of his second letter to Timothy, Paul mentions that people were accepting his letters as the authoritative word of God to them. And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

Secondly, if the Bible is the very words of God to us, then it should stand out as something profoundly different than any other book. It would stand on its own – apart from all other books. If it’s just a collection of writings from men about God – then it would be like any other book.

In Josh McDowell’s book, Evidence That Demands a Verdict, he lays out the Bible’s uniqueness. He said that if the Bible is God’s words to us, it would have to have the following characteristics:
1) It would be widely distributed so man could attain it easily
2) It would be preserved through time without corruption
3) It would be completely accurate historically.
4) It would not be prone to scientific error or false beliefs held by the people of that time.
5) It would present true, unified answers to the difficult questions of life.

The Bible is the only alleged divine writing that can claim all of the above statements. No other alleged divine book compares to the Bible.

For the other evidence to validate the Bible as God’s words to us, click here and read the blogs entitled: Faith On Trial: Part 3, How do we know that the Bible is God’s Word to us?

Also click here for more external evidence (i.e., evidence outside of the Bible that validates it as from God himself) – The Bible – Ancient Treasure.

For a blog on how important fulfilled prophecy is in reference to validating the Bible as the words from God to us, click here.

If you want more information on this question, visit Josh McDowell’s site and his answers to this question (click here).