May 10, 2025 • 16 mins
Have you ever wondered why the Bible should be the definitive guide for your faith and life? In this episode, we explore the powerful doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture, revealing why the Bible stands as the ultimate authority amidst today's shifting cultural norms and ideologies. Tune in and be encouraged as we reflect on the completeness, reliability, and authority of God's unchanging Word.
Do you want to learn how to study the Bible? Check out the YouTube channel Faithfullyliven youtube.com/@faithfullyliven
Do you want to read about how to live faithfully? Check out the blog http://lyfe102.org
Get a free Road Map to get started learning how to study the Bible https://mailchi.mp/88f9c9405da0/bible-study-road-map
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to Faithfully Living, the podcast where we
learn how to live for Christ inour daily lives.
I am Dwan, your host, and Iwould like to invite you on a
journey with me to explore andlearn how to be a faithful
follower of Christ.
Hey everyone, welcome back tothe podcast Faithfully Living,
(00:29):
where we strive to encourage youto live for Christ faithfully
by offering guidance on how tostudy the Bible, how to
understand the Bible better andhow to remain faithful to
historic Christianity in acontemporary society.
Is God's Word enough?
Why should it be enough for usas believers?
Or why is the Bible essentialfor us as believers?
(00:50):
Why should it be important?
Well, find out more on thisepisode.
To affirm the sufficiency ofscripture is not to suggest that
the Bible tells us everythingwe want to know about everything
.
In a world that is filled withever-changing ideologies,
(01:21):
shifting cultural norms, thequestion of where to find truth
and guidance becomesincreasingly pertinent for us as
Christians.
So, as Christians, the answerlies in the sufficiency of
scripture.
It's a foundational doctrinethat asserts that the Bible is
the supreme authority thatmatter in matters of faith and
(01:45):
practice.
So let's first, as always, lookat a definition, and this
definition is coming from WayneGoodham's Systematic Theology.
It says the sufficiency ofscripture means that scripture
contains all the words of God weneed for salvation, for
trusting him perfectly and forobeying him perfectly.
(02:05):
So, at the core, thesufficiency of scripture affirms
that God's word contains withinthe pages of the Bible is
entirely adequate for allaspects of our Christian life
and belief, and this doctrinestands as a pillar of christian
(02:25):
faith, offering assurance anddirection amongst the
complexities of this world thatwe live in.
So we need the bible to equipus for faith and service to god.
It clearly demonstrates god'sintention to restore the broken
relationship between god andhumanity through his son, jesus
(02:48):
christ, our savior, through thegift of salvation and faith.
So no other writings arenecessary for this good news to
be understood, or any otherwritings are required to equip
us for a, for a life of faith.
So the Bible contains all thewords of God for a person to
(03:09):
become a follower of Christ, tolive and grow as a believer in
Christ.
Christians can confidently relyon the scriptures as our
ultimate guide, knowing that itcontains all we need to know
about God, his will and hisredemptive plan.
The Bible is important becauseit is the inspired word of God,
(03:36):
revealing his character, hiswill and his plan for humanity.
Billy Graham, billy Graham.
So the sufficiency of scripturehighlights the completeness of
God's revelation to humanity,and it also emphasizes the
reliability and authority ofGod's word.
(03:57):
Unlike wisdom we get from theworld, philosophies we get from
the world, which are subject toerror and change, the bible
stands firm as an unchangingstandard of truth.
In psalm 19 89 it says forever.
Oh lord, your word is firmlyfixed in the heavens.
(04:18):
This foundation that we have asChristians, the Bible, provides
us stability and certainty in aworld of uncertainty and serves
as our anchor in truth when wehave confusion or we have doubts
.
So we live in a world that ismarked by skepticism and
(04:40):
uncertainty, and the reliabilityof God's word stands as an
unshakable foundation for us asbelievers.
The Bible comprises both of theOld and New Testament, and it's
not merely a collection ofancient texts, but it is the
inspired word of God, offeringus timeless wisdom and truth and
(05:04):
guidance for those of us whoseek it.
From Genesis to Revelation, weknow that the Bible bears the
imprint of divine authorship.
Knowing that it is God's wordto us, it transcends all of our
(05:25):
human limitations and reflectsthe wisdom and truth of God
himself.
So every word contained withinits pages carries authority and
significance because of hisauthor.
And the reliability of God'sword is attested by its
historical accuracy andconsistency.
(05:46):
You know, despite being pennedby many authors over the course
of centuries, the Biblemaintains a remarkable adherence
and unity of message of the OldTestament to the fulfilling of
those prophecies.
In the New Testament theoverarching narrative of
(06:12):
redemption unfolds seamlesslyand it gives testimony to the
orchestration of the plan Godhad for us from the beginning of
time.
So we see the reliability ofGod's word as demonstrated by
God's.
It's transforming power in thelives of believers.
So countless people throughouthistory have had profound impact
(06:38):
by truth contained withinscriptures, experiencing
spiritual renewal, moraltransformation and a newfound
purpose as a result.
So in Hebrews 4.12, it says Forthe word of God is living and
active, sharper than anytwo-edged sword, piercing in the
(07:02):
vision of soul and of spirit,of joint and of marrow, and
discerning the thoughts andintentions of the heart.
So our world can be.
The world that we live in canbe characterized by a lot of
fluctuating opinions and values,but we can know that God's word
(07:22):
stands.
You know it stands, it remains.
It's something that's stable inour lives.
It doesn't change.
In Isaiah 48, it proclaims thegrass withereth and the flower
fades, but the word of our godstands forever.
So the truth that's revealed inscripture serves as a light for
(07:43):
us in the midst of darknessthat we might feel while we live
in this world, and it guides usas believers that to show us
that it has clarity andcertainty, certainty.
So it's important to realizethat the reliability and
authority of god's word is notcontingent on, you know, human
(08:07):
approval or validation, butrather it stands on eternal
truth that transcends time andculture and offers hope and
direction to all those who whoheeds his message.
So, as christians, we shouldhold fast to the unchanging
(08:28):
truths of the bible, and it'sgoing to allow us to shape our
beliefs, inform our decisionsand guide our lives according to
the will of God.
Throughout the Bible, weencounter the living God who
invites us into relationshipwith him and empowers us to live
(08:52):
lives of purpose andsignificance, dietrich
Bonhoeffer.
Alright, so let's talk a littlebit about some history here.
So during the Reformation, theReformers formulated the
Protestant principle SolaScriptura, formulated the
Protestant principle solascriptura scripture and
(09:14):
scripture alone, which meansthat scripture is enough to
equip people to know God andfully do God's will.
So, to clarify, they werereferring to both the Old and
the New Testament.
So in the 16th century, theRoman Catholic Church was the
authority on religious matters,and men like Martin Luther, john
(09:38):
Calvin, just to name a few,questioned some of the church's
and the Pope's practices.
They also questioned thechurch's belief on, you know,
the Pope and traditions had onthe authority over god's word.
And then, as time passed, thereformers, as they recall, began
(10:01):
to stress the infallibility andauthority of scripture, which
led to the bible beingtranslated so that ordinary
people could read it forthemselves.
So in part, partly because ofsola scriptura, scripture and
scripture alone, that theProtestantism took root.
(10:23):
The Apostle Paul stated in theHoly Scriptures are able to make
you wise for salvation throughfaith in jesus christ.
And he also said all scripturesbreathe out and is useful for
teaching, rebuking, correctingand training and righteousness,
so the man of god may bethoroughly equipped for every
(10:43):
good work.
The scripture is god's free.
Is god breathe then?
Is not man breathe?
And although you know, mentended, those men spoke from God
as they were carried about bythe Holy Spirit.
So the Holy Spirit guided thesemen, the authors of the Bible
(11:03):
to write what God wanted them towrite.
So no man may Writing issufficient to equip us for good
works.
Only the word of God can dothat.
So scripture is sufficient tothoroughly equip us and nothing
more is necessary.
So, because God is all wise,sovereign, merciful and many,
(11:29):
many other attributes, god hasgiven us all things necessary
for the proper understanding ofwho he is, who we are and how he
has acted in the past and whathe expects from us.
The Bible is just not a book ofancient wisdom.
It is a living and active wordthat continues to speak to us
(11:53):
today, transforming hearts andrenewing minds, nt Wright.
So the Bible is a record of allthe things that God wanted us
to know about him.
So, in other words, the Bibleis complete and sufficient for
(12:13):
belief and behavior and nothingneeds to be added to it.
So our belief in thesufficiency of scripture guards
against the dangers of adding orsubtracting from god's word.
While, you know, humantraditions and cultural norms
may hold significance, they mustalways be evaluated in the
(12:37):
light of scripture, asRevelation 22, 18 through 19
warns.
I warn everyone who hears thewords of the prophecy of this
book if anyone asks them, godwill add to him the plague
described in his book.
And if anyone takes away fromthese words, of these book of
(12:59):
prophecy, god will take away hisshare in the tree of life and
in the holy city which aredescribed in his book.
So there are instances wherepeople think that they need to
add to the Bible or the Bibleisn't giving us enough and we
don't need to add to God's word,because God's word is enough
(13:21):
enough, because it's God's wordand God is complete in the word
that he has given us.
And God warns us, as you'veheard when I read Revelation 22,
about this in his words.
So we shouldn't be adding to theBible or considering making
(13:42):
other writings significant tothe Bible.
You can see this in Mormonism,where they claim to believe the
Bible but also hold the Book ofMormons at the same level of
scripture, also hold the book ofmormons at the same level of
scripture.
Then you have christianscientists.
Also claim to believe the bible, but their founder, mary baker,
eddie, wrote science and healthwith a key to the scripture,
(14:07):
which they hold above scripture.
So what does the bible sayabout this?
It says in deuteronomy 4 2 saysyou should not add to the word
that I command you, nor takefrom it that you may keep the
commandments of the Lord, yourGod, that I command you.
And then Psalms 35 through 6says every word of God proves
(14:32):
true.
He is a shield to those whotake refuge in him.
Do not add to his words, lesthe rebuke you and you be found a
liar.
To sum it up, the Bible shouldbe and is enough for us as
followers of Christ.
So we shouldn't, you know, addor ignore certain parts because
we don't like it.
And it has everything we needto know about God and his will
(14:56):
for us.
Through the Bible, god speaksdirectly to us, offering comfort
in times of trial, convictionin times of doubt and direction
in times of confusion CharlesHatton Spurgeon.
And direction in times ofconfusion Charles Hatton
(15:18):
Spurgeon.
So the sufficiency of scriptureremains a timeless truth that
anchors us in our faith and itreminds us, as believers, of the
authority and reliability ofGod's word that offers us
guidance, comfort and hope forevery season of our lives.
And as Christians, it'simportant that we uphold the
(15:41):
sufficiency of scripture andallow its truths to shape our
beliefs, our decisions and alsoour actions.
So I hope this episode washelpful to you, you
understanding why the bible isenough for us as believers in
christ, and that we shouldn't beadding or ignoring certain
(16:01):
parts that we don't like, andthat god has everything we need
to know about him and his willfor us.
So the doctrine of thesufficiency of scripture is
foundational for us as followersof Christ.
All right, that wraps up thisepisode and until next time,
remember God is always good andhe's always able.
(16:23):
Thank you for listening to thepodcast.
Do me a favor by following thepodcast and leaving a review to
help spread the word.
I look forward to hearing fromyou.
Welcome to Faithfully Living, the podcast where we
learn how to live for Christ inour daily lives.
I am Dwan, your host, and Iwould like to invite you on a
journey with me to explore andlearn how to be a faithful
follower of Christ.
Hey everyone, welcome back tothe podcast Faithfully Living,
(00:29):
where we strive to encourage youto live for Christ faithfully
by offering guidance on how tostudy the Bible, how to
understand the Bible better andhow to remain faithful to
historic Christianity in acontemporary society.
Is God's Word enough?
Why should it be enough for usas believers?
Or why is the Bible essentialfor us as believers?
(00:50):
Why should it be important?
Well, find out more on thisepisode.
To affirm the sufficiency ofscripture is not to suggest that
the Bible tells us everythingwe want to know about everything
.
In a world that is filled withever-changing ideologies,
(01:21):
shifting cultural norms, thequestion of where to find truth
and guidance becomesincreasingly pertinent for us as
Christians.
So, as Christians, the answerlies in the sufficiency of
scripture.
It's a foundational doctrinethat asserts that the Bible is
the supreme authority thatmatter in matters of faith and
(01:45):
practice.
So let's first, as always, lookat a definition, and this
definition is coming from WayneGoodham's Systematic Theology.
It says the sufficiency ofscripture means that scripture
contains all the words of God weneed for salvation, for
trusting him perfectly and forobeying him perfectly.
(02:05):
So, at the core, thesufficiency of scripture affirms
that God's word contains withinthe pages of the Bible is
entirely adequate for allaspects of our Christian life
and belief, and this doctrinestands as a pillar of christian
(02:25):
faith, offering assurance anddirection amongst the
complexities of this world thatwe live in.
So we need the bible to equipus for faith and service to god.
It clearly demonstrates god'sintention to restore the broken
relationship between god andhumanity through his son, jesus
(02:48):
christ, our savior, through thegift of salvation and faith.
So no other writings arenecessary for this good news to
be understood, or any otherwritings are required to equip
us for a, for a life of faith.
So the Bible contains all thewords of God for a person to
(03:09):
become a follower of Christ, tolive and grow as a believer in
Christ.
Christians can confidently relyon the scriptures as our
ultimate guide, knowing that itcontains all we need to know
about God, his will and hisredemptive plan.
The Bible is important becauseit is the inspired word of God,
(03:36):
revealing his character, hiswill and his plan for humanity.
Billy Graham, billy Graham.
So the sufficiency of scripturehighlights the completeness of
God's revelation to humanity,and it also emphasizes the
reliability and authority ofGod's word.
(03:57):
Unlike wisdom we get from theworld, philosophies we get from
the world, which are subject toerror and change, the bible
stands firm as an unchangingstandard of truth.
In psalm 19 89 it says forever.
Oh lord, your word is firmlyfixed in the heavens.
(04:18):
This foundation that we have asChristians, the Bible, provides
us stability and certainty in aworld of uncertainty and serves
as our anchor in truth when wehave confusion or we have doubts
.
So we live in a world that ismarked by skepticism and
(04:40):
uncertainty, and the reliabilityof God's word stands as an
unshakable foundation for us asbelievers.
The Bible comprises both of theOld and New Testament, and it's
not merely a collection ofancient texts, but it is the
inspired word of God, offeringus timeless wisdom and truth and
(05:04):
guidance for those of us whoseek it.
From Genesis to Revelation, weknow that the Bible bears the
imprint of divine authorship.
Knowing that it is God's wordto us, it transcends all of our
(05:25):
human limitations and reflectsthe wisdom and truth of God
himself.
So every word contained withinits pages carries authority and
significance because of hisauthor.
And the reliability of God'sword is attested by its
historical accuracy andconsistency.
(05:46):
You know, despite being pennedby many authors over the course
of centuries, the Biblemaintains a remarkable adherence
and unity of message of the OldTestament to the fulfilling of
those prophecies.
In the New Testament theoverarching narrative of
(06:12):
redemption unfolds seamlesslyand it gives testimony to the
orchestration of the plan Godhad for us from the beginning of
time.
So we see the reliability ofGod's word as demonstrated by
God's.
It's transforming power in thelives of believers.
So countless people throughouthistory have had profound impact
(06:38):
by truth contained withinscriptures, experiencing
spiritual renewal, moraltransformation and a newfound
purpose as a result.
So in Hebrews 4.12, it says Forthe word of God is living and
active, sharper than anytwo-edged sword, piercing in the
(07:02):
vision of soul and of spirit,of joint and of marrow, and
discerning the thoughts andintentions of the heart.
So our world can be.
The world that we live in canbe characterized by a lot of
fluctuating opinions and values,but we can know that God's word
(07:22):
stands.
You know it stands, it remains.
It's something that's stable inour lives.
It doesn't change.
In Isaiah 48, it proclaims thegrass withereth and the flower
fades, but the word of our godstands forever.
So the truth that's revealed inscripture serves as a light for
(07:43):
us in the midst of darknessthat we might feel while we live
in this world, and it guides usas believers that to show us
that it has clarity andcertainty, certainty.
So it's important to realizethat the reliability and
authority of god's word is notcontingent on, you know, human
(08:07):
approval or validation, butrather it stands on eternal
truth that transcends time andculture and offers hope and
direction to all those who whoheeds his message.
So, as christians, we shouldhold fast to the unchanging
(08:28):
truths of the bible, and it'sgoing to allow us to shape our
beliefs, inform our decisionsand guide our lives according to
the will of God.
Throughout the Bible, weencounter the living God who
invites us into relationshipwith him and empowers us to live
(08:52):
lives of purpose andsignificance, dietrich
Bonhoeffer.
Alright, so let's talk a littlebit about some history here.
So during the Reformation, theReformers formulated the
Protestant principle SolaScriptura, formulated the
Protestant principle solascriptura scripture and
(09:14):
scripture alone, which meansthat scripture is enough to
equip people to know God andfully do God's will.
So, to clarify, they werereferring to both the Old and
the New Testament.
So in the 16th century, theRoman Catholic Church was the
authority on religious matters,and men like Martin Luther, john
(09:38):
Calvin, just to name a few,questioned some of the church's
and the Pope's practices.
They also questioned thechurch's belief on, you know,
the Pope and traditions had onthe authority over god's word.
And then, as time passed, thereformers, as they recall, began
(10:01):
to stress the infallibility andauthority of scripture, which
led to the bible beingtranslated so that ordinary
people could read it forthemselves.
So in part, partly because ofsola scriptura, scripture and
scripture alone, that theProtestantism took root.
(10:23):
The Apostle Paul stated in theHoly Scriptures are able to make
you wise for salvation throughfaith in jesus christ.
And he also said all scripturesbreathe out and is useful for
teaching, rebuking, correctingand training and righteousness,
so the man of god may bethoroughly equipped for every
(10:43):
good work.
The scripture is god's free.
Is god breathe then?
Is not man breathe?
And although you know, mentended, those men spoke from God
as they were carried about bythe Holy Spirit.
So the Holy Spirit guided thesemen, the authors of the Bible
(11:03):
to write what God wanted them towrite.
So no man may Writing issufficient to equip us for good
works.
Only the word of God can dothat.
So scripture is sufficient tothoroughly equip us and nothing
more is necessary.
So, because God is all wise,sovereign, merciful and many,
(11:29):
many other attributes, god hasgiven us all things necessary
for the proper understanding ofwho he is, who we are and how he
has acted in the past and whathe expects from us.
The Bible is just not a book ofancient wisdom.
It is a living and active wordthat continues to speak to us
(11:53):
today, transforming hearts andrenewing minds, nt Wright.
So the Bible is a record of allthe things that God wanted us
to know about him.
So, in other words, the Bibleis complete and sufficient for
(12:13):
belief and behavior and nothingneeds to be added to it.
So our belief in thesufficiency of scripture guards
against the dangers of adding orsubtracting from god's word.
While, you know, humantraditions and cultural norms
may hold significance, they mustalways be evaluated in the
(12:37):
light of scripture, asRevelation 22, 18 through 19
warns.
I warn everyone who hears thewords of the prophecy of this
book if anyone asks them, godwill add to him the plague
described in his book.
And if anyone takes away fromthese words, of these book of
(12:59):
prophecy, god will take away hisshare in the tree of life and
in the holy city which aredescribed in his book.
So there are instances wherepeople think that they need to
add to the Bible or the Bibleisn't giving us enough and we
don't need to add to God's word,because God's word is enough
(13:21):
enough, because it's God's wordand God is complete in the word
that he has given us.
And God warns us, as you'veheard when I read Revelation 22,
about this in his words.
So we shouldn't be adding to theBible or considering making
(13:42):
other writings significant tothe Bible.
You can see this in Mormonism,where they claim to believe the
Bible but also hold the Book ofMormons at the same level of
scripture, also hold the book ofmormons at the same level of
scripture.
Then you have christianscientists.
Also claim to believe the bible, but their founder, mary baker,
eddie, wrote science and healthwith a key to the scripture,
(14:07):
which they hold above scripture.
So what does the bible sayabout this?
It says in deuteronomy 4 2 saysyou should not add to the word
that I command you, nor takefrom it that you may keep the
commandments of the Lord, yourGod, that I command you.
And then Psalms 35 through 6says every word of God proves
(14:32):
true.
He is a shield to those whotake refuge in him.
Do not add to his words, lesthe rebuke you and you be found a
liar.
To sum it up, the Bible shouldbe and is enough for us as
followers of Christ.
So we shouldn't, you know, addor ignore certain parts because
we don't like it.
And it has everything we needto know about God and his will
(14:56):
for us.
Through the Bible, god speaksdirectly to us, offering comfort
in times of trial, convictionin times of doubt and direction
in times of confusion CharlesHatton Spurgeon.
And direction in times ofconfusion Charles Hatton
(15:18):
Spurgeon.
So the sufficiency of scriptureremains a timeless truth that
anchors us in our faith and itreminds us, as believers, of the
authority and reliability ofGod's word that offers us
guidance, comfort and hope forevery season of our lives.
And as Christians, it'simportant that we uphold the
(15:41):
sufficiency of scripture andallow its truths to shape our
beliefs, our decisions and alsoour actions.
So I hope this episode washelpful to you, you
understanding why the bible isenough for us as believers in
christ, and that we shouldn't beadding or ignoring certain
(16:01):
parts that we don't like, andthat god has everything we need
to know about him and his willfor us.
So the doctrine of thesufficiency of scripture is
foundational for us as followersof Christ.
All right, that wraps up thisepisode and until next time,
remember God is always good andhe's always able.
(16:23):
Thank you for listening to thepodcast.
Do me a favor by following thepodcast and leaving a review to
help spread the word.
I look forward to hearing fromyou.
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