Matthew 5:18-19 (ESV)
“For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
The Bible, as we have previously established, is the Word of God. Because God is the author, then it automatically carries His authority and Jesus’ statement in the passage above supports this claim – that everything written, including the least stroke of a pen, must be accomplished. The Bible’s authority is so significant that greatness in the Kingdom of God, as Jesus says, is dependent on whether we obey and teach God’s Word. It is the recognition of the authority that the Scriptures carry that leads us to seek to obey what they say.
The other aspect of the Bible’s authority is its eternality. Again, because its author is eternal, then His Word is eternal as well. That is what the Scriptures say in Isaiah 40:8, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Kingdoms rise and fall, the laws of men come and go, but the Word of God will endure forever. Plus, because of its authority, it must perform that which God desires for it to accomplish (Isaiah 55:11). No wonder the Psalmist declares that God has exalted above all things His name and His Word. Or as some versions put it, He has exalted His Word above all His name (Psalm 138:2). That is how much of a big deal the Bible is. It is authoritative and its word is final in all matters of faith and life.
Reflections
1. What are your thoughts about the authority of the Bible?
2. What are the areas of your life that you have not submitted to the authority of God’s Word? Submit them to God in prayer.
3. With this understanding of the Bible’s authority, how does your Bible habits change?
