Proverbs 30:5 puts it this way:
Every word of God is flawless.
Sometimes people who are less acquainted with higher criticism (the science of evaluating the trustworthiness of ancient texts) claim things such as: “Look at all the different Bible translations. It proves the Bible is not reliable.”
But, if anything, all of these translations prove the Bible is completely reliable. How? Because, although experts agree that most of the original texts were penned thousands of years ago, when ancient texts and copies of copies are compared, there is 99% agreement. The only way this degree of congruency could happen is that the original manuscripts were perfect.
If God is perfect (and He is), His words are perfect (they are). That means the Bible is 100% trustworthy.
The Bible is inspired and inerrant and, therefore…
3. The Bible Is in Charge.
When a king makes a decree, it’s the law of the land. The King of the Universe has made a decree, and we, His servants, must obey. It’s not optional.
The Word of God is our handbook and guide and provides us with God’s “house rules.” Growing up, my own kids didn’t always understand or agree with their mom and dad’s house rules, but, as I used to remind them: “Those who own the house make the rules.”
What’s true in our household is even more true in God’s. His Word must be read, respected, and obeyed—whether we like what it says or not, whether culture disagrees with it or not, whether it brings mockery and marginalization or not.
It’s in charge of our theology. We can’t pick and choose what we like out of the book and disregard the rest. It’s all true, and it must be the hammer that forges our theology on the anvil of God’s unchangeable truth.
When I was a youth leader, I used to hold up my Bible and say this to my teenagers: “Think of the Bible as a ruler. Anything you hear me say, measure it by God’s Word. If it falls short, throw it away. If it measures up, keep it.”
This gave teenagers the permission they needed to question my teaching. Often, after that, I’d have teenagers ask me hard questions about how I was interpreting Scripture. To me, this was a sign that the authority was moving from me and my word to God and His Word! That’s a success.
We must help our young people embrace God’s Word as the one, true, and final authority on all matters of life and theology. We must help them see it as the ruler they measure things by and the compass that guides their life.
Once that happens, all of their theology and choices will work themselves out.
Maybe use this blog as a basic outline for youth group this week. Start by asking a few questions, such as:
- Where do teenagers tend to look for answers to life’s biggest questions?
- What are some of those questions?
- Why should we, as Christians, look to the Bible for the answers to life’s biggest questions?
This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.
