THE MARKS OF CHURCH LEADERS
by David Tucker


Study 2 He Must Believe the Bible to be the Word of God

This needs to be emphasised particularly in today's world when doubt is being cast upon the truth of the Bible. We need to be reminded that the Scriptures are the inspired Word of God and that He has spoken powerfully in our direction in three ways:-

  • Through the prophets - Hebrews 1:1 - the spoken Word.
  • By His Son - Hebrews 1:2 - the living Word.
  • Through the Bible - the written Word.

In our teaching and preaching, and in our witness, we need to be confident that the Bible in our hands is God's Word, that it speaks with authority and that it will accomplish God's purposes.


1. The Bible Claims to be God's Word.

Two Scriptures will help us here:-

  • 2 Timothy 3:16 Notice that Paul tells us two things about the Bible:-
    • it is inspired
    • it is profitable
    The first tells us where it comes from, and the second tells us what it's for. Paul writes, "All Scripture is God-breathed…" By this he means that the Scriptures began in God's mind, they were brought into existence by God and they were breathed out by Him. They were communicated by God's mouth and by His breath. They are therefore the words of God. Compare with 1 Corinthians 2:13 and 1 Thessalonians 2:13.
  • 2 Peter 1:20, 21 The picture here is of a sailing ship. The sails are hoisted, the wind fills them and the ship is carried along. The writers of the Bible were filled and carried along by the Holy Spirit as they wrote the words of God. The prophets did not make up what they wrote, rather the prophecy came from God.

In the Old Testament words like 'God said', 'The word of the Lord came to me saying…' occur about 4,000 times.


2. Jesus Christ Accepted the Authority of Scripture.

He never questioned the authority of Scripture for one moment. He never cast any doubt upon it. He believed the Scriptures and He upheld the Scriptures.

They featured very prominently at the beginning and the end of His earthly ministry. As His ministry began, He sat in the Synagogue at Nazareth, read two verses from Isaiah 61, and declared, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:21). Towards the end of His ministry He joined two dejected disciples heading home to Emmaus. They thought it was all over, their hopes were gone, Jesus had been crucified. But here He is walking along with them, and He opened the Scriptures to them. Luke 24:27.

Our Lord believed the Scriptures and stood by them. For example:-

  • He believed in Adam and Eve and the biblical basis for marriage - Matthew 19:4,5 (Genesis 2:24)
  • He believed in Noah and the flood and His own second coming - Luke 17:26,27, 30-36 (Genesis 6-8)
  • He believed in Abraham - John 8:56-58 (Genesis 15 -25)
  • He believed in Isaac and Jacob and Heaven and Hell - Matthew 8:11,12 (Genesis 25)
  • He believed in Moses and the 10 commandments - Mark 7:9,10
    (Exodus 20)
  • He believed in the manna in the wilderness and eternal life - John 6:31-51 (Exodus 16)
  • He believed in the serpent of brass and His own lifting up - John 3:14 (Numbers 21)
  • He believed in Solomon and the Queen of Sheba - Matthew 12:42
    (1 Kings 10)
  • He believed in Elijah and the widow of Zarephath - Luke 4:25,26
    (1 Kings 17)
  • He believed in Elisha and Naaman - Luke 4:27 (2 Kings 5)
  • He believed in Jonah and the big fish - Matthew 12:39-41; 16:4 (Jonah 1-4)

Did our Lord Jesus Christ believe the Bible to be the inspired and infallible Word of God? The answer is 'Yes', and so must we!


3. The Bible Speaks with Authority.

It has that ring of truth. It speaks directly and with authority. As God breathed out His word through some forty different writers over approximately 1,600 years, there is absolute unity, the theme is one, God's way of salvation for sinners. When the Bible is taught with the anointing of the Holy Spirit, it speaks with authority and power.

  • It convicts men and women of their sin, Hebrews 4:12
  • It reveals what Jesus Christ has done, 1 Corinthians 15:3,4
  • It is the sword of the Spirit, Ephesians 6:17
  • It will do its work, Isaiah 55:11
  • It will stand forever, 1 Peter 1:25

We are to:

  • Believe it Acts 17:12 "Many of the Jews believed…"
  • Examine it Acts 17:11 "…and examined the Scriptures every day…"
  • Receive it Acts 17:11 "…for they received the message…"
  • Proclaim it Acts 17:2,3 "…he reasoned with them from the Scriptures…"

Did you miss one of the previous studies?
Study 1