All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
We hear a lot about fake news.
We have actually been in a truth crisis since the 1990’s when postmodernism went mainstream and made it acceptable to question truth and to dismiss facts. Now we are at the point where people believe they can create their own truth and their own reality without any consequences.
You may have had to deal with a camper who was caught lying. The challenge comes in helping campers understand what truth is and why lying is wrong. Of course the root reason for why lying is wrong is because God is a God of truth, and we are to reflect his character.
God’s character is revealed in the Bible which is truthfully true and speaks authoritatively. It contains all things necessary for salvation and how to live a faith-filled life. It has authority and power over those whom God created. (For more on God’s character, see The Power of Lightning.)
According to today’s verses we learn that the reason the Bible is true is because it was inspired by God, which means it was breathed out by God. It has its origins in God’s will. Inspiration means that God directed the writers of various books of the Bible to keep them from falsehood and distortion. God preserved the message he wanted communicated.
Theologians have several words they use to describe the Bible. One is inerrant. The words of the Bible are true and trustworthy. They are not false, deceptive, or fraudulent. When you use a faithful translation you are reading the truth that God has preserved through the generations to guide and direct his church. (To go deeper on the word Integrity.)
This is why Christians need to know the Bible. This is why Christians need to submit to the word. In conjunction with the Holy Spirit when you read the Bible you are receiving God’s truth that teaches you how to live, rebukes you when you go astray, corrects you and brings you back to the right path, and trains you to be a faithful follower of Christ.
