by Elder Mike Chon

In a culture that celebrates “equality,” when there are no distinction between those in authority and those under that authority, there is a loss of what it means to submit with reverence and awe.  In a culture where expressing yourself is more important than obeying your parents, a bumper sticker that says “Question Authority” will sound like a profound truth. Some of us in the church have lost that sense of what it means to humble ourselves under authority, particular when it comes to being under the authority of God and His Word.

Many of us have come before God with a “God is my buddy” attitude and the idea that His Word is a self-help book in times of crisis. However, those who have understood the greatness of God and His Word will approach both of them with a trembling and humble heart (Isaiah 66:2). God’s Word has constantly been questioned and attacked by those outside of the church, but to see attacks that actually come from inside the church, from those that profess to love God, is another example of a heart that does not tremble at His Word. If the Scriptures are God’s word, they should be revered since the source of those words is God Himself.

What should our response be to the Word of God?

1. We should not read the Word of God like we read any other book in this world. It is not written by men, but God Himself. The words are not mere words, but are words that change and save lives (Rom. 10:17; John 1:1) The Scriptures are not just facts about God or about history, but truths that conform us to the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18).
2. We should approach the Word with reverence and awe. When we read or hear God’s Word we should not approach it with familiarity. It is the very word of God. It is how God has revealed Himself to us. To know God’s word is to know God. Let us approach the Scriptures with trembling knowing that it is God’s word to us (Psalm 138:2).
3. We should submit to the Word of God. There is nothing else in this world that can lay claim to being the word of the true and living  God. Therefore there is nothing that is more authoritative than the word of God. If you think about it, that fact alone ought to lead us to submit to it. Not only that, but it is completely trustworthy because it is from the omniscient, omnibenevolent God. What is written in the Scriptures are not mere suggestions or stories, but instead are the living and active words of God that pierce our heart (Hebrews 4:12). It is the word of God that guides and directs us to what is right and good (Psalm 119:105). There is nothing better to follow than the word of God.
4. We should trust in the promises of His Word. Even though life can fraught with difficulty and hardship, we can whole-heartedly trust in God’s word. Nothing is more sure than the word of God. There is no other person or book that will fulfill all that it says except for the Scriptures. If God promises to do something, it will happen. No excuses. No disappointments. No failures. God’s promises will never fail (Joshua 21:45).

If you want to learn more about the infallibility, inerrancy and sufficiency of Scripture, please listen to the recent sermons by Pastor Patrick on the Scriptures.