John 10:35 - Biblical Authority

John 10:35
If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken)

Message: Biblical Authority

Time: While John does not admit to have written this gospel, there is ample evidence from others that he did. It was most likely written in Ephesus around 85-95 AD and is the fourth gospel. John provides a Jesus more clearly as the Son of God. John cites Jesus' seven "I Am" statements, mentions many miracles of Jesus, signifying Him as God's Son. He is the Son of Man and atoned for our sins and the Son of God with eternal implications in rising from the dead.

What the Lord is Saying:

In recent days my study of the doctrine of revelation has not simply centered on the Scripture alone or sola Scriptura, but also on this idea of the final and complete authority of Scripture. The Reformers of 500 years ago came in conflict with the Roman Catholic church because Rome upheld extra-biblical traditions, namely that church tradition and Magisterium or teaching officers of the church also had divine authority. As a reminder, before the printing press, people who attended church did not have their own Bible. Only the wealthy had a Bible, but really only the churches had a Bible and leadership asked them to trust the leaders in the reading and teaching of the Word.

I remember speaking to an older couple about 10 years ago at the mall that were Catholic and voiced that only the priests read the Bible. So this is still the thinking of people today. But, the upheaval that Luther and Calvin brought to the forefront was not only being focused on Scripture alone, but it was calling into question those that heralded over the people.

To say that Scripture is inspired by God or God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16) would mean that it can only have the voice of God and not other human beings. My senses is the Roman Catholic churches and other churches and religions are putting forth the idea that they don't necessarily have the same authority but instead they believe they are the leaders that interpret the words of the Bible correctly. I have heard from Muslims, Mormons, as well as Catholics say that the problem isn't the text, but the interpretation of the text and each of these think their interpretation is the best.

Protestantism has this type of thinking as well as people follow certain Bible teachers and come to think those teachers are chief among biblical interpretation. I've been partial to Tom Nelson of Denton Bible Church, as well as Charles Swindoll. Many others believe in John MacArthur, Billy Graham, Charles Spurgeon, John Piper, Louie Giglio, Andy Stanley and many others. We begin to trust the teaching of these individuals. Clearly, I think it is somewhat normal to value people's interpretation, but I think the danger today is to revert only to these individuals and not to do study yourself.

Then the question is asked, why do we trust who we trust and what is the basis for their interpretation. Obviously, it is easy to see the potential problems with Muslims and Mormons because they have added additional texts to the Bible. While Catholicism and even Jehovah Witnesses have not added texts, but simply state that their way of interpretation is the right one. It causes many to say that they will not ever go to church because people struggle being caught in this type of thinking where they don't know what to decipher as truth.

But the issue here is primarily one of authority in the Bible (the Scripture cannot be broken) being the complete revelation of God. And while we can subscribe to different people's interpretations we must be careful to not be dogmatic in thinking it is only their interpretation that matters. Again, this is still hard because we assemble in churches each Sunday and we look to the leaders of that church to teach us and we listen with the expectation that the way that individual has divided truth and interpreted it is correct and my purpose then is not to call it into question but to focus on applying it. I suppose what I've always heard is to go back and do my own study of the text and see if the Spirit of God speaks to me in the same way.

Promise: Church tradition and the teaching we receive in our local churches are vital for helping us understand the Scriptures. However, all authorities are subject to the Word of God. Therefore let us submit to Scripture and trust in the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for faithful men that have carried truth. But, Lord, help me to depend on you Holy Spirit for my guidance. Thank you God for speaking to me and leading me. Lord, again, I see the tendency that I have to trust in people for it is easy and they are eloquent. But, I can always pray and talk to you. So lead me in this. And bring unity to the people of God. Help us to get along with one another, to have friendly debates but to remain in unity. Lord, we need your help today for we have become more and more a people of opinions and society upholds everyone's opinion at times in a similar light and often I see that traditional beliefs are getting squashed out. Lord, as your agent of truth living in this world help me to know what is truth and then help me to always stand up for it.


Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with February being about the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve.