Study 1: The Bible
We begin here because the Bible claims to be God speaking to us. In a world full of competing voices, opinions, traditions, and feelings, we need to know whether God has spoken clearly and truthfully. This study asks a foundational question: is the Bible really the Word of God?
If it is, then we are not left to guess what is true. We are not left to build our lives on shifting opinions. We are being addressed by the God who made us, knows us, and does not lie.
Before you begin
It is important to look up the Bible references and think carefully about what they say, so that you can see for yourself the Bible’s teaching. This study is not asking you merely to admire the Bible from a distance. It is asking whether Scripture is God revealing Himself to us.
So come honestly and humbly. If God has spoken, then His Word deserves more than polite interest. It calls for serious attention, willing hearing, and a readiness to respond.
This study at a glance
The Bible claims to be God’s Word
Christianity does not begin with our opinions about God, but with God revealing Himself to us.
Jesus saw Scripture as true
The Lord Jesus treated the Scriptures as God’s own Word and promised the Spirit’s help for the New Testament.
This matters to our whole lives
If the Bible is truly God speaking, it is folly to ignore it and wisdom to hear, believe, and obey it.
Look up these passages
Open the Bible itself as you go through this study. Read the passages slowly and think about what they are saying.
Main passages
- 2 Timothy 3:16
- John 14:26
- John 17:12-17
- 2 Peter 1:19-21
- 2 Peter 3:15-16
Helpful supporting passages
- Matthew 4:1-11
- Matthew 5:17-18
- John 7:16-17
- John 10:35
- 1 Thessalonians 2:13
Why start here?
The simple answer is that the Bible claims to be God speaking to us. When it comes to deciding what is true, many people are confused by competing claims and begin to doubt whether there is such a thing as truth at all. Some trust their own reasoning, some trust tradition, some trust feeling, and many settle for a mixture of all three.
But there is another possibility. God can reveal truth to us. If He has done so, then we are not left to wander in uncertainty. We may listen to what He has said.
How does God reveal Himself?
Some people think of revelation mainly in terms of inward impressions, feelings, or private experiences. But the Bible presents God as revealing Himself through words written down for us. In this study we are looking at what the Bible claims about itself, and why we should take those claims seriously.
Scripture does not present itself as a record of people groping after God. It presents itself as God making Himself known.
All Scripture is God-breathed
The Bible contains sixty-six books, written by many different human authors over a long period of time. Yet Scripture says that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God”. That means the Bible is God-breathed. Human authors truly wrote, but God superintended what was written so that His Word was given faithfully.
If the Bible is what it claims to be, God’s Word, then it must be true. God made us, God does not lie, and God has spoken through Scripture. But if the Bible claims to be God’s Word and is not, then it is lying and is not worth trusting. So the question is a serious one and deserves honest examination.
Its source
Scripture comes from God, and therefore carries His authority.
Its truthfulness
Because God does not lie, His Word is true and trustworthy.
Its purpose
Scripture is given to make us wise unto salvation and to teach us how to live before God.
The Bible’s storyline
The Bible speaks as one book with one unfolding message. God made the world good. The first man and woman disobeyed God, and misery and death entered because of sin. God promised to send a Deliverer, or Saviour. The Old Testament unfolds that promise through God’s covenant dealings with His people.
The New Testament describes the coming of that Deliverer, the Lord Jesus Christ, His life, death, resurrection, and the spread of His gospel. The final book shows God’s ultimate judgement and victory over evil, and points to the new heaven and the new earth, where Christ reigns for ever with those He has saved.
Look up the claims of the Bible writers
The writers of Scripture did not speak as though they were merely offering religious opinions. They wrote as men conscious that God was speaking.
In the Old Testament
- Exodus 34:27
- Isaiah 8:1, 5
- Psalm 33:4
- Psalm 18:30
- Psalm 19:7-11
In the New Testament
- 2 Timothy 3:16
- 2 Peter 1:19-21
- Revelation 1:1-3
- 1 Thessalonians 2:13
- Hebrews 1:1-3
Why should we believe the Bible’s claims?
The central pillar here is the view of Jesus Christ concerning both the Old Testament and the New. The Lord Jesus claimed to be the truth. He treated the Scriptures as God’s Word, used them in temptation, used them in argument, fulfilled them in His ministry, and taught what came from God.
He also promised the Holy Spirit’s help to His apostles, so that the New Testament would be written under divine guidance. Jesus saw the Old Testament as God’s Word, and the New Testament writers understood themselves to be writing that same Word.
Christ used Scripture
He relied on the written Word in temptation and in settling disputes.
Christ honoured Scripture
He saw the Old Testament as the Word of God and spoke of its lasting authority.
Christ prepared for the New Testament
He promised the Spirit would lead His apostles into truth.
Questions to think about
These are not side issues. They help us see why the Bible must be handled carefully, reverently, and seriously.
Are the words important?
Yes. Galatians 3:16 shows that even the wording matters. That is one reason why accurate translation is important.
Is Scripture complete?
Read 2 Timothy 3:15-16, Revelation 22:18-19, Psalm 119:105 and 130, and Deuteronomy 12:32. God has given us the Scripture we need for saving truth and faithful living.
How was it written?
Read 2 Peter 1:19-21. Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
What other evidence supports the Bible’s claims?
Fulfilled prophecy, such as Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22, the Bible’s consistent storyline, and the fact that it actually does what it says, making people wise unto salvation.
If the Bible is God’s Word, what should our attitude be?
We should not come to Scripture proudly, casually, or selectively. We should come with humility, teachableness, prayerfulness, and a willingness to obey. The Lord Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice”. The Word is not given merely to inform us, but to lead us in the truth.
So we are to listen, continue in Christ’s Word, ask God for light, and receive the implanted Word with meekness.
Hear Him
God’s Word is to be heard as the voice of the Shepherd.
Receive and obey
We are to continue in the truth, pray for understanding, and submit ourselves to what God has said.
Summary
- The Bible claims to be God’s Word, and therefore true.
- The writers saw themselves as writing God’s Word.
- Jesus Christ saw it as God’s Word.
- Its claims should not be dismissed without serious examination.
- If the Bible is true, it is folly to ignore it.
Reflection and response
Take a little time over these questions. Write your answers down if that helps you think more carefully.
- Write in your own words why you believe, or do not yet believe, that the Bible is God’s Word.
- Do you have any problems or objections regarding the Bible as God’s Word? Write them down and think about how they might be answered.
- If the Bible is God speaking to us, what effect should that have on your life? Can you give an example of its action in your life?
A simple prayer before moving on
Keep going
If God has spoken in His Word, then the next question is plain: what is God like? The next study turns our attention to the living God.
