What modern man calls the Bible, Jesus and the apostles called the scriptures – a word that means “writings” (see John 5:39; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 3:15-16). Those writings include the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament. These writings are said to be “inspired of God,” an expression that means that they were uttered from the mind of God by the Holy Spirit. Paul said “all scriptures are inspired of God” and Peter says they were written when “men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit” (see 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21).

Peter says further that these scriptures did not come by “will of man,” meaning that they have a higher source and authority than the wisdom and thinking of man. Jesus during his public ministry often quoted scripture to settle issues, whether debating the devil or Jews who were hardened against him. When being tempted of the devil, he would answer by quoting scripture with the simple introduction, “It is written” (see Matthew 4:1-11). He would respond to his fellow Jews with the charge: “You do err, not knowing the scriptures” (Matthew 22:29).

After Jesus ascended to heaven, he sent, as he had promised, the Holy Spirit to the apostles to “teach them all things” and to “guide them into all truth” (John 14:25-26; John 16:13). The apostle Paul told the brethren at Corinth to “take knowledge of the things which I write unto you, that they are the commandment of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 14:37). The apostle Peter said that when men twist and distort what has been written in scriptures that it will bring them to destruction (2 Peter 3:16-17).

Both Jesus and the apostles are informing us that the scriptures contain the mind and will of God and are the standard of right and wrong – and that they determine whether a man will be saved or lost. Jesus, the scriptures say, “became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation” (Hebrews 5:9). The inspired writings also say that he will return “with the angels of his power in flaming fire, rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8).

What this means is that the authority of God and Jesus is found in the scriptures, and that obedience to those scriptures determines whether man will be saved or lost. Paul affirms that if any man preaches any other gospel than what was preached and received in the first century, he shall be accursed (Galatians 1:8-9). The apostle John said that whoever goeth onward and abides not in the teaching of Jesus has not God (2 John 9).

Luke tells us when Paul entered the Jewish synagogues he preached to them from the scriptures. He likewise commends the Jews at Berea because they examined the scriptures to determine whether the things Paul preached were true (see Acts 17:1-3; Acts 17:10-11). Those who want to know the truth and find salvation in Christ must have that same spirit today. Read, study, and obey the scriptures!

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