All Scripture is breathed out by God… 2 Timothy 3:16
Think about some of the great promises of Scripture: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory” (Phil. 4:19).
Who said these things? If these words came from the mouth of God, they are promises you can depend on. You can take them to the bank. But if God has not spoken, then His promises are replaced by our wishes.
The Bible says that God is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in love (Ex. 34:6; Neh. 9:17; Psa. 86:15, 103:8, 145:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2). But whose words are these? If God spoke them to Moses and the prophets, we can be sure that He is indeed these things, because He has disclosed this Himself. But if God has not spoken, then His truth is replaced by our opinions.
The Bible is full of invitations like “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (Jas. 4:8). Or “Come now, let us reason together… though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isa. 1:18). Who said these things? If God said them, you can be certain that He is reaching out to us in love. That means we can come to Him with confidence. We can enjoy an authentic relationship with God because He has invited us to come to Him. But if God has not spoken, then His welcome is replaced by our journey.
If the Bible is our word about God rather than God’s word to us, then God’s promises are replaced by our wishes and we lose the basis of hope, God’s truth is replaced by our opinion and we lose the foundation of faith, God’s welcome is replaced by our journey and we lose the assurance of His love.
Do you view the Bible as God’s Word to us, or as man’s words about Him? Do you see how much is at stake here?
