What do people mean when they say the Bible is our sole authority for faith and practice?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The Bible affirms itself as the guide for truth. In the Old Testament, God gave His people the Mosaic Law and told them to “meditate on it day and night” (Joshua 1:8), and teach it to all generations to come (Deuteronomy 6:6-9). Even as He guided His people through the wilderness after freeing them from Egyptian slavery, He distinguished between meeting their physical needs and meeting their spiritual needs through His words (Deuteronomy 8:3). The New Testament also affirms the importance of God’s words to guide believers (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The book of Acts commends the Bereans for searching the Scriptures to determine if what they were being told was true (Acts 17:11). In a world of influencers and competing ideas, Christians should be grounded in Scripture.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• After freeing the Hebrews from Egyptian bondage, God led His people through the wilderness for forty years. He made it clear that, though He saw to their physical needs, their main sustenance should be His word: “And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 8:3).
• Psalm 119:9-11 affirms the Bible’s authority for showing believers how to live their lives: “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” The last sentence shows that we should regularly read and study the Bible so that we won’t be caught off guard on how to handle situations we face every day.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• In a letter to Timothy, Paul wrote, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Scripture is the believer’s guide in all circumstances.
• The Lord communicates through the Bible to everyone and will never contradict what He has already revealed in His Word. So any message must line up with the truth revealed in the Bible. Like the Bereans, who are commended in Acts 17:11, believers should search the Scriptures to be sure that what we’re being told aligns with the Bible.
• Paul advised the Thessalonians, “Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21). Any truth claims must always be tested against Scripture..
• James 1:22 exhorts believers to “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourself.” God wants us to put into practice what we read in His word. Scripture should guide our actions.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

“Do you swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?” Most of us know that question from courtroom T.V. dramas rather than direct experience. But even in our secular society, we still envision it being asked with someone’s hand on the Bible. That’s because, other than atheists and humanists, people associate the Bible with truth. Jesus said to the Father, “your word is truth” (John 17:17). In a world of lies, the Bible stands out in a good way.

That’s why it’s so important for believers today to read the Bible regularly, study it, and meditate on its teachings. In some places in the world, such as North Korea, having a Bible could result in prison time. Christians in freer western nations should never think that can’t happen to us. But if we’ve made reading and studying the Bible our daily habit, its truths will seep deep into us, so that we have it written on our minds and hearts. God’s word is a gift that we should treasure.

UNDERSTAND

• The Bible is the ultimate guide for faith and life.
• Believers should study, know, and apply the Bible in all areas.
• Everything in life must be tested against God’s Word.

REFLECT

• How consistently do you read and study the Bible to guide your life and decisions?
• In what areas of your life might you be relying more on human opinions than on the Bible?
• How do you respond when something you hear or see conflicts with what the Bible teaches?

ENGAGE

• What does it mean and what does it not mean that the Bible is our sole authority for faith and practice?
• How can we encourage one another to make the Bible the primary authority in our lives?
• How do we live in this world while staying true to biblical truth?