Theological Term of the Week: Authority of Scripture

authority of scripture

The principle that the individual believer and the church are subject to the rule of scripture because the words of scripture come from God, so obedience to scripture is obedience to God himself.

• From scripture:

…from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 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 competent, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:15-17 ESV)

• From The London Baptist Confession 1689, Chapter 1, Section 4:

The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon God (who is truth itself), the author thereof; therefore it is to be received because it is the Word of God.

• From Concise Theology by J. I. Packer, page 16:

The Christian principle of biblical authority means, on the one hand, that God purposes to direct the belief and behavior of his people through the revealed truth set forth in Holy Scripture; on the other hand it means that all our ideas about God should be measured, tested, and where necessary corrected and enlarged, by reference to biblical teaching. Authority as such is the right, claim, fitness, and by extension power, to control. Authority in Christianity belongs to God the Creator, who made us to know, love, and serve him, and his way of exercising his authority over us is by means of the truth and wisdom of his written Word.

Learn more:

1. The Gospel Project: Why do we call the Bible our authority?
2. Simply Put: Authority of Scripture
3. In Whan Kim: The Reliability and Authority of the Bible
4. Matthew Barrett: The Authority and Inerrancy of Scripture
5. Don Stewart: What Does the Bible Have to Say About Its Own Authority?
6. Sinclair Ferguson: The Authority, Sufficiency, Finality of Scripture
7. Herman Ridderbos: The Inspiration and Authority of Holy Scripture

 Related terms:

• inerrancy of scripture
• infallibility of scripture
• inspiration of scripture
• norma normans non normata
• sola scriptura
• sufficiency of scripture

Filed under Scripture

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Sunday's Hymn: Come Every Soul by Sin Oppressed

Come, ev’ry soul by sin oppressed,
There’s mercy with the Lord,
And he will surely give you rest,
By trusting in his Word.

Refrain

Only trust him, only trust him,
Only trust him now;
He will save you, he will save you,
He will save you now.

For Jesus shed his precious blood
Rich blessings to bestow;
Plunge now into the crimson flood
That washes white as snow.

Yes, Jesus is the Truth, the Way,
That leads you into rest;
Believe in him without delay,
And you are fully blessed.

Come then, and join this holy band,
And on to glory go,
To dwell in that celestial land,
Where joys immortal flow.

—John H. Stock­ton

Sunday Hymn: The King of Love My Shepherd Is

The King of love my shepherd is, 
whose goodness faileth never. 
I nothing lack if I am his, 
and he is mine forever.

Where streams of living water flow, 
my ransomed soul he leadeth; 
and where the verdant pastures grow, 
with food celestial feedeth.

Perverse and foolish, oft I strayed, 
but yet in love he sought me; 
and on his shoulder gently laid, 
and home, rejoicing, brought me.

In death’s dark vale I fear no ill, 
with thee, dear Lord, beside me; 
thy rod and staff my comfort still, 
thy cross before to guide me.

Thou spreadst a table in my sight; 
thy unction grace bestoweth; 
and oh, what transport of delight 
from thy pure chalice floweth!

And so through all the length of days, 
thy goodness faileth never; 
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise 
within thy house forever.

—H. W. Baker