⏱️ 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, and lives in beautiful Southern Oregon. He is a writer, editor, and speaker who loves Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology.
Dave serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries and the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine. He is the Host and Producer of the Equipping You in Grace Podcast and a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word.
He is the author of The War of Worldviews: Truth, Lies, and the Battle for the Christian Mind (Theology for Life, 2026), Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021).
You can connect with Dave on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, or subscribe to his newsletter.
When he is not engaged in ministry work, Dave enjoys spending time with his wife, going to movies, sharing a meal at a favorite restaurant, or playing a round of golf with friends. He is also a voracious reader, particularly of Reformed theology and the Puritans, and is often found working through a stack of new books from a wide range of Christian publishers.
Dave earned his M.A.R. and M.Div. from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
