Full Episode Article: The Final Authority of God’s Word

Introduction: Every Generation Must Answer This Question

In every generation, Christians must answer a vital question: upon what authority will we build our lives and our churches? From the early church to the Reformation and today, the authority of the Word of God has been challenged by tradition, human reason, and cultural opinion. Yet the church stands or falls on this truth: the Bible
alone is the ultimate authority for faith and life.

When we speak of Scripture as our final authority, we are affirming the doctrine known as sola Scriptura—Scripture alone. This does not mean that we ignore church history, creeds, or faithful teachers. Rather, it means that everything our beliefs, our practices, our decisions, and all of life—must be tested by and submitted to the
Word of God.

The Bible is not just one religious book among many. It is inspired, reliable, trustworthy, inerrant (without error), infallible (without the possibility of error), sufficient for our lives, and clear. We are to submit to its authority because through it God reveals the person and work of Christ. The Word of God is breathed out by the
Lord and is binding on every believer (2 Timothy 3:16–17). In an age of moral relativism and religious confusion, affirming the authority of Scripture is not merely intellectual—it is an act of obedience and worship.

1. Scripture Alone Is God-Breathed

The first reason Scripture must be our final authority is that it alone is God-breathed. Paul writes in 2 Timothy 3:16–17: “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.”

No other authority not church tradition, personal experience, or human reasoning is inspired by God. Scripture bears the very breath of our Creator. When Scripture speaks, God speaks. That is why our Lord Jesus repeatedly said, “It is written.” He Himself submitted to the written Word as final, sufficient, and authoritative—and so must we.

2. Scripture Alone Is Perfect and Sufficient

Second, Scripture alone is perfect and sufficient. Psalm 19:7 declares, “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.” God’s Word is complete. It lacks nothing. It reveals everything necessary for salvation, for godliness, and for the Christian life.

When we look beyond Scripture to experiences, dreams, visions, or supposed “new revelation” for spiritual truth, we are saying—whether we realize it or not that God’s Word is not enough. But the Bible is sufficient to guide us through every circumstance, every challenge, and every question of life. The issue is not that Scripture is lacking but that we must learn to handle it rightly, understand it faithfully, and obey it consistently.

3. Scripture Guards Us from Error

Third, Scripture guards us from error. In Matthew 22:29 Jesus rebuked the religious leaders with these words: “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.” Every false teaching and distortion of the truth ultimately flows from a rejection, twisting, or neglect of God’s Word.

When believers submit to Scripture as the final authority, they are protected from deception and grounded in the truth. The Reformers understood this reality. They stood before popes and councils and declared, “My conscience is captive to the Word of God.” That is the heart of Scripture alone.

4. Scripture Leads Us to Christ

Fourth, Scripture must be our final authority because it leads us to Christ. In John 5:39 Jesus says, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me.” The authority of Scripture is not a cold doctrine. It is a living truth that directs us to the living
Savior.

The Bible’s authority flows from its Author, and its purpose is to point us to the Savior. To reject the authority of Scripture is, ultimately, to undermine our knowledge of Christ. To bow before Scripture’s authority is to bow before Christ Himself, who speaks to His people through His Word.

5. How Should We Respond to the Authority of Scripture?

If God’s Word is our final authority, how should we respond?

• Test everything by the Word of God.
  Do not accept any teaching even from trusted voices without comparing it to Scripture (Acts 17:11). The Bereans were commended because they examined the Scriptures daily to see if what they heard was true.
• Trust the sufficiency of Scripture.
  You do not need new revelation, secret knowledge, or mystical insight. You need the Word of God rightly understood, rightly handled, and obeyed.
• Submit to Scripture joyfully.
  Authority is not a burden but a blessing when it comes from the perfect and loving God who has saved us in Christ. Obedience to God’s Word is the pathway to freedom, joy, and holiness.
• Stand firm when truth is unpopular.
  The world may change, but God’s Word never does. When the church loses confidence in the authority of Scripture, it loses its foundation. But when we stand on the Word of God, we stand on unshakable ground.

Conclusion: Standing on Unshakable Ground

Scripture must be our final authority because it is God’s Word. It is true, trustworthy, sufficient, and clear. The Bible does not merely tell us what to believe; it tells us whom to trust Christ alone. In a time of confusion and compromise, may we hold fast to the unchanging Word of God and build our lives on its sure foundation.