“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.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Over the course of my Christian life, and especially much more strongly lately, I have been thinking and praying about the reality of my personal belief in the authority, supremacy, and inspiration of the Scriptures. Now, it’s not as if I did not believe in these things, but more so meaning to what deeply applied authentic reality have I allowed the A.S.I. (authority, supremacy, inspiration) of God’s Word to affect ALL areas of my life? After all, no one can believe in these things if God Himself has not testified and transformed a man’s (or woman’s) life. Yet, I must not be lax in my searching to know this God more, and in having Him search my heart, my motivations, and my hidden unbelief.
“This God – His way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true.” Psalm 18:30
“The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.” Psalm 12:6
Listen (read) below to a couple of quotes from Dr. M. Lloyd-Jones:
“For me the real cause of the present state of the Church of God on earth is to be found in the Church’s voluntary departure from a belief in the Bible as the fully inspired Word of God, and from stressing and emphasizing real evangelical truth.” [1]
“’We can be perfectly certain that the Church lost her authority and power from the moment she ceased to firmly believe in the authority of the Word of God.’ Such apostasy in the church always leads to its spiritual impotence at every level.”[2]
“From the moment that the idea began to gain currency that the Bible was the history of the quest of mankind for God, rather than God’s revelation of Himself and the only way of salvation to mankind, the Church began to decline and to wane in her influence and in her power. From the time the Church threw overboard the great evangelical doctrines, and substitute for them a belief in the moral and spiritual evolution of mankind, and began to preach a social gospel rather than a personal salvation – from that moment church attendance really became a mere matter of form, or a merely pleasant way of gratifying one’s appetite for ceremony, ritual, oratory, and music.”[3]
Below are just a few of my own thoughts regarding my own need in believing God in greater measure.
There without doubt must be a holy resolve upon, in, and through the Scriptures themselves, the very Word (logos) of God, that fundamentally shakes a man to his core and grips his heart, thus so to stand on nothing short of Christ Himself and Him alone. For he must see how much passion is missing in his life for the authority, supremacy, and inspiration of Scripture. Of course this only comes when confronted with the Scriptures themselves, being empowered by the Holy Spirit, quickening the glories therein contained – with great substance and depth of God seen, being driven into the inner most chambers of the heart. For then one must cry out for more and more desire to see God’s Word as supreme; and to also live as a witness, full of passion and truth, to elevate God’s Word unto all.
Oh God, give me a holy resolve, a passionate heart, a zeal with knowledge, a vision to gaze upon the depths and riches, and a purified tongue, full of your Spirit, to speak Your truths. May I be Your witness in all these things, and to all peoples, especially to those closest to me. Amen.
“And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that 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.” 2 Peter 1:19-20
I highly recommend the “Preaching and Preachers” series by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. You can also get, “Preaching and Preachers” book by Dr. ML Jones as well.
Jeremy B. Strang is a Christian, husband, father, and author.
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[1] Dr. M. Lloyd-Jones, “The Return to the Bible,” Eusebeia 7; “The Passionate Preaching of Martyn Lloyd-Jones,” A Long Line of Godly Men Profile series, Steven J. Lawson, pg. 49
[2] Ibid. pg. 50
[3] Ibid. pg. 8; pg. 51
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