1.13 Bible Authority

As talks with friends continued, and differences between churches were noted, I clearly found a need to have scriptures to back up the idea that the church should follow only the commands of the Bible. This list grows quite a bit in the next book, with many studies touching on this point, but here I like that it is pared down to three references from John and one from 2 Timothy.

• John 12:49-50
• 49 “For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.
• 50 “I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.
• 2 Timothy 3:16-17
• 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
• 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
• John 8:38
• 38 “I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.”
• John 14:10
• 10 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.

As Christians, we follow Jesus Christ. He is the founder and head of His church. However, He did not establish the church according to His ideas alone - the church is the result of God's great plan. Jesus said nothing on earth that did not come from the Father. Jesus's words are the words of God. God's words are complete and perfect! Jesus did not add to them, and neither should we. Our role is to do the things we have heard from our Father.  The scriptures are His inspired words, and they equip us with everything we need. If we need to teach someone about God, we should use His word. We should use it to correct ourselves and others, and to train children and new Christians to love and obey God. His commands bring eternal life. When we want to know how we should go about serving and worshiping God, how dare we go anywhere else than His word? Even Jesus, who had God abiding in Him, would not go beyond God's great plan.