The Absolute Authority of the Word of God (1)

Introduction

How noble were the hearers of Paul’s sermons in Berea! They not only received the Word of God with “all readiness of mind,” but they went a step further (Acts 17:11). They did not have “itchy” ears, but they also did not have “spongy” hearts that would soak up everything. They would not just join hands with this new preacher. They took home the Word he brought, and they compared what he had spoken with what was written in their “scrolls.” Apparently the Word which Isaiah had brought still had great authority, “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20). They finally bowed before the absolute authority of God’s Word.

Today another view more and more gains a foothold. That is the opinion that truth is relative instead of absolute. This view considers the immovable truths of the Word of God as time-bound or personal. Disciples of this opinion argue, “What was formerly true is now no longer tenable,” or, “What is true for you is not necessarily true for me.”

It is unarguable that the circumstances of former days were far less complicated than those which we and our children have to experience today. In our society we have to cope with tensions, situations, and temptations which the former generations never faced. Our youth grow up in a time where the general decay of morality seriously undermines each aspect of our society. A dangerous and subtle warfare is fought today on campuses, in the classrooms, and through the media. It is the assault upon the absolute authority of the Word of God. Therefore it is exactly against this background that we need to wage the battle for the maintaining of the absolute authority of the Holy Scriptures.

Definition of authority

Authority is a broad concept. Imagine a professor in astronomy. For his whole life this man has studied the vast universe with telescopes. When he begins to speak about the stars and planets, then it is obvious that he speaks with authority. There may be something convincing and gripping in such scientific authority, but ultimately it has no compelling or moral character. It has no determining influence upon the content or direction of my life and actions. His authority is limited to being an expert.

A different form of authority is the power someone possesses to command me to do something. Let’s look at a few examples. The police man has the authority to make me stop my car along the road. My neighbor has the authority to forbid me to walk on his lawn. My parents had the authority to make me go to bed at a certain time. In this case the authority has a compelling character. It has to do with the relationship of a higher ranking person (superior) who has power over a person of lower rank (inferior). This form of authority demands obedience and submission, and it possesses the power of coercion and punishment.

This form of authority does not sound good to us. It is a subject which quickly stirs our nature to either action or reaction. We simply do not like this authority. Ultimately the fall of mankind was connected to this question: “Who shall have the authority?” (Genesis 3). By nature we never will agree to the only right answer upon this question. We must, however, observe that the strife concerning this question is fought with renewed intensity in our days, not only in unchristian circles, but also within our own circles, where God’s Word has been authoritative.

Divine authority and inspiration

The Word of God has a divine authority in all circumstances and all times. The Supreme God, the Creator of heaven and earth, has made known His will for us in His Word. He is not just any superior, but the Sovereign Creator and King, who by means of His Word speaks and rules (Psalm 99:1). It is His Word and not the word of Moses, Paul, or Peter.

The foundation of the authority of the Holy Scriptures lies in the divine inspiration of each word which is written. Bavinck, a Dutch theologian of the former century, rightly assessed that as soon as we begin to doubt the inspiration of the Word of God, then immediately the authority of the Scriptures is fatally eroded.

By letting go of the divine inspiration we lower the Bible to a collection of human documents. If that view is adopted, then the authors of the various Bible books had in their time a certain authority (because of their expertise or ecclesiastical position), but today they no longer have that same authority. They may command a certain respect, but we can no longer hold their writings as normative for today; our further knowledge and new social circumstances make such a position untenable. Then the response to the Word of God becomes, “Yes, the Bible indeed says that, but that was true for Paul’s days and not anymore for today.”

In this way the modern man ventures out onto a sea of confusion without a compass or anchor. Or, in other words, so the modern man reasons himself into a hopeless, religious vacuum, without a solid rule or guide for faith and life. In a family and in society we cannot live without authority. That would be chaos. This is far more true in the realm of our religion. Correctly did Bavinck write, “Here [in religion] is authority a necessity of life. Without authority and faith, religion and theology cannot exist for a moment. ”

From bad to worse

Of course, the question regarding the character and ground of authority in our days is not a new one. Already in the time of the prophets the authority of “Thus saith the LORD” was severely resisted. But when in the former century the doctrine of the divine inspiration of the Word was gradually dispelled, foolish man was compelled to find another reason to confirm the authority of the Word of God. Bavinck summarized this search to find another reason for validating the authority of Holy Scripture as follows: “The authority of the Scriptures, as far as it was still acknowledged, was based upon the conviction that it was the authentic deed of the revelation; that it expressed the Christian idea in the most pure form, even as water is purest nearest the source; that it is the fulfillment of the Old Testament salvation-thought and contained the complete Christian doctrine, be it in an acorn form; and that it is the commencement and continued renewing of the Christian spirit in the church.”1

What could have been expected also happened. Slowly the conviction grew that not everything in the Bible is the Word of God, but that human elements and additions are mixed with God’s revelation. Hence, it was necessary to determine what parts in the Bible were really God’s Word. As a result the Bible as the absolute Word of God became quite thin! What eventually was received as God’s Word was determined according to man’s opinion. Such a view fits our fallen nature far better. Such a flexible authority is much easier to accept than the rigid doctrine that all which is written is true for all times and in all circumstances of mankind.

— to be continued —

1 Bavinck, Gereformeerde Dogmatiek, Vol. 1, p. 429.

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen