Q: What is the word of God?

A: The holy scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the word of God, and the only certain rule of faith and obedience.

If the word of God is necessary for a saving knowledge of Him (Q3), then what is the word of God? With the importance being placed upon God’s word, we must be careful to communicate what constitutes the word of God. Question 4 answers this question by affirming all the scriptures of the Old and New Testament as coming from God. These 66 books are the very words of God communicated through men who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Since these books are God-breathed, they carry the authority of God Himself. This is why the Bible serves as the church’s only certain rule of faith and obedience. In all questions concerning our faith and obedience, we must look to the standard of God’s word as our ultimate authority.

Scriptural Basis:

2 Timothy 3:16 (ESV) All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.

While Paul was communicating the importance of God’s word for Timothy’s ministry, he told him that all scripture is breathed out by God. Although men wrote these books, they were carried along by the Holy Spirit so that the words communicated were exactly what God intended. Scripture has this quality in and of itself because of its divine origin. There is a common belief that scripture is merely a group of flawed documents written by men which God uses from time to time to communicate His Word. This is dangerous because it leaves God’s word in the hands of subjective individuals while ignoring Paul’s clear teaching that all scripture is God-breathed. If all of scripture is not God’s word at all times, then it cannot have the authority that it claims over our lives. Surely this reveals the motivation behind such false theories.

Ephesians 2:20 (ESV) built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.

The church herself is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. By saying “apostles and prophets”, Paul is speaking of the entirety of scripture. The Old Testament was written by prophets while the New Testament was written by apostles. Both the Old and New Testament reveal the necessity and work of Christ who is the cornerstone. The church is built on this revelation which acts as her ultimate authority in all matters of faith and obedience. To reject the foundation of the apostles and prophets would be to reject the cornerstone to which they point.  

    Worldview Challenge:

Charles Spurgeon once said, “Visit many good books, but live in the Bible.” This quote is so valuable because it reveals what we find as authoritative. Many well-meaning Christians will read plenty of books that explain Biblical truths while spending very little time in the Bible itself. Although they may claim that the Bible is their highest authority, their actions do not reveal that claim in practice. We must live in scripture and have it mold our mind, heart, and actions. When we make a daily practice of submitting to God’s word, we will be less susceptible to bowing to other authorities such as reason, emotion, or pragmatism. Stay grounded in God’s word because all other “authorities” will lead you astray.

Remember: Catechisms should be used as a helpful tool alongside a healthy intake of Holy Scripture. They should never replace God’s Word because their usefulness depends upon their accurate representation of God’s Word. When using these tools, always ground the answers in the scripture references provided.