Basic Reformed Baptist Beliefs
Question 5 – How do we know that the Bible is the Word of God?
Q/A
Q. How do we know that the Bible is the Word of God?
A. The Bible evidences itself to be God’s Word by the heavenliness of its doctrine, the unity of its parts, its power to convert sinners and to edify saints; but the Spirit of God only, bearing witness by and with the Scriptures in our hearts, is able fully to persuade us that the Bible is the Word of God.
Scripture References
| Psalm 19:7‑9 | The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. |
| Psalm 119:18,129 | Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law… Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. |
| John 16:13‑14 | When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. |
| Acts 10:43 | To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. |
| Acts 18:28 | He [Apollos] powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus. |
| Acts 26:22 | To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: |
| Romans 15:4 | For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. |
| 1 Corinthians 2:6‑7 | Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. |
| 1 Corinthians 2:13‑16 | And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. |
| 2 Corinthians 3:14‑17 | But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. |
| 2 Corinthians 4:4,6 | In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God… For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ |
| Hebrews 4:12 | For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. |
| 1 John 2:20‑27 | But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life. I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him. |
Applying the Doctrine
Multitudes of philosophies militate against this answer. Internally, the Bible displays unfathomable, documented answers to promises God has made throughout history. Its power is supreme in the Holy Spirit’s use: bringing someone from the captivity of sin into acceptance of God’s unique offer of peace through Jesus Christ. For those who are predetermined to reject any evidence for the Bible’s divine origin, no amount of evidence will suffice unless the Spirit illumines. But the failure of God’s people to perfectly obey does not question the perfection of Scripture any more than the penalties of a football team deny the rules’ validity.
About the Catechism
In this series, we will take a look at the questions and answers contained in a Reformed Baptist Catechism. Most of these entries will be based on the 1677 catechism known popularly as “Keach’s Catechism”, but some freedom may be taken with regard to updating language or adding additional Scripture references found in other sources. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references will be from the English Standard Version of the Bible, ©2016 by Crossway Bibles.