⏱️ Estimated Reading Time: 2 min read
Contending for the Word
The Bible as the Inspired Word of God
Introduction
Christians often say the Bible is the “Word of God,” but what does that mean? How did the words of human authors like Moses, David, Paul, and John become the very words of God?
Q&A: What does it mean that the Bible is inspired by God?
The doctrine of inspiration answers this question.
Inspiration Defined
The word inspiration comes from the Greek term theopneustos, literally “God breathed.” Paul uses this word in 2 Timothy 3:16:
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”
Inspiration means that God, by His Spirit, superintended the human authors so that what they wrote was His very Word. This does not mean the authors were passive or robotic. Each wrote with his own style, vocabulary, and personality. Yet in the mystery of God’s work, every word written was exactly what God intended, without error, and fully authoritative.
The Biblical Basis
Peter explains in 2 Peter 1:20–21:
“No prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
This shows that Scripture is not merely human opinion, it is divine revelation. The Spirit carried along the biblical writers so that their words are truly the words of God.
Why Inspiration Matters
If the Bible is inspired by God, then it carries His full authority. We are not free to pick and choose what we like, as though the Bible were simply good advice. It is God’s truth, binding on our beliefs and practices. Inspiration guarantees that the Bible is trustworthy, authoritative, and life giving.
Application
When you open the Bible to read it you are reading what God has said. When you read the Bible out loud to yourself you are hearing the very voice of God from the text of Scripture. Let that truth drive you to read it with reverence, study it with diligence, and obey it with joy. The Bible is not just ancient literature, it is the living Word of the living God, breathed out for your good and for His glory.
For more from Contending for the Word Q&A please visit our page at Servants of Grace or at our YouTube.
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
