The Authority of Scripture

Authority answers the question, “Who has the right to tell me what to believe and how to live?” For Christians, the answer is clear: God alone. And because Scripture is His Word, it carries His authority. The doctrine of the Authority of Scripture teaches that the Bible is the final and supreme rule for faith and practice, because it is the very voice of God.

This authority is rooted in the divine origin of Scripture. Paul writes, “All Scripture is breathed out by God” (2 Tim. 3:16). God’s Word is not human insight about divine things—it is divine speech about all things. When God speaks, Scripture speaks. As such, it does not merely suggest; it commands. It is not one opinion among many; it is the standard by which all others are judged.

Jesus affirmed this view of Scripture. He quoted it as final in His debates (Matt. 22:29), appealed to its words as God’s own (Matt. 4:4), and declared, “Scripture cannot be broken” (Jn. 10:35). He even grounded entire theological arguments on a single word or tense (Matt. 22:32). For Him, the Bible was not just helpful—it was binding.

The apostles shared this view. Peter equated Paul’s letters with “the other Scriptures” (2 Pet. 3:16). Paul reminded the Thessalonian believers that they had received the word of God and “accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God” (1 Thess. 2:13). They did not treat Scripture as advice to consider, but truth to obey.

To say that Scripture is authoritative means that it stands over every human authority—tradition, reason, experience, or even church leadership. The Reformers called this sola Scriptura, meaning that Scripture alone has the final say in what we believe and how we live. Not because it cancels other authorities, but because it corrects them. All other voices must bow to God’s voice.

This doesn’t mean Scripture answers every question we ask. However, it answers every question that matters for salvation, obedience, and godliness (2 Tim. 3:17). It tells us who God is, who we are, what Christ has done, and how we must respond. And it does so with divine authority. To submit to Scripture is to submit to God. To disobey it is to disobey Him. Scripture is authoritative.

Verses for Further Reflection

• 2 Timothy 3:16–17
• John 10:35
• Matthew 4:4
• 1 Thessalonians 2:13