Our focus for chapter one is on the Holy Scriptures. Today, we look at the authority of the Holy Scripture. Where does its authority come from? We will touch on the Catholic Church's position that the Church has a role, and we'll briefly look at a couple of the phrases our paragraph uses, truth itself and to be received. First, let us look at the authority of the Bible. From this paragraph, we confess that the authority of the Scripture depends not on any man or church, but wholly upon God, who is the author." Let's start with who gives us the holy scriptures, and that's pretty easy. God does. But how do we know that? 2 Timothy 3.16 tells us they are given by inspiration of God. And Peter tells us that they were written by holy men of God who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. But let us remember context. In the preceding verse in the letter to Timothy, Paul notes that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus," that's 2 Timothy 3.15. The scripture Timothy studied as a child and that Paul is speaking about is the Old Testament. And Peter also is speaking of the prophets of the Old Testament pointing to Christ. To be more thorough, I'd like to address the question of authority by taking the Old Testament and the two New Testaments separately. What can we turn to in the Old Testament that provides evidence of its authority? There are many phrases in the Old Testament that explicitly state that these are the words of God himself. Thus says the Lord. God said, hear the words of the Lord, the words the Lord proclaimed. And there are many others of these types of phrases. When I put the phrase, thus says the Lord, into the Bible Hub application, I find 432 verses using that exact phrase. The Old Testament prophets used these terms to clarify that their words were God's words. They were the spokesmen for God and their words, which were God's words, had His authority behind them. In the Old Testament, we find that God's words are reliable. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through? Numbers 23, 19. They are eternal. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. Isaiah 40, verse 8. They are immutable. O Lord, your instructions endure. They stand secure in heaven. Psalm 119, 89. They are powerful. So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth. It shall not return to me void. It shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55, 11. They are true. The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making the simple wise. Psalm 19, 7. And they are practical. Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119, 105. Next, what does the New Testament say about the Old Testament? We find here also that they are God's words. Paul writes, they are the oracles of God in Romans 3, 2. Peter describes how they were penned. Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit in 2 Peter 1, 21. Again, Paul writes, all scripture is given by inspiration of God in 2 Timothy 3, 16. When Jesus was tempted in the desert by Satan, how did he respond? He spoke scripture. John records this in John chapter 4, verses 1 through 11. And in verse 4, Jesus first responded with, it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8.3. He uses God's words to combat Satan. In doing this, Jesus correlates God's words with the Old Testament and demonstrates its authority. Finally, how can we prove the authority of the New Testament that the New Testament comes from God? Samuel Waldron suggests that the presupposition and primary ground for the extension of the authority of the Old Testament to the New Testament is the specific relationship of organic unity which exists between them. The prophetic character of the Old Testament calls for a New Testament. The New Testament proclaims itself to be that fulfillment. In the organic unfolding of redemptive history, it must therefore exist on at least the same plane as the old. This fact demands that an equal authority and inspiration be attributed to the writings also of the New Testament. We find it stated that God is speaking through prophets in the Old Testament and through Jesus in the New. From Hebrews 1, verses 1 through 2, God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets. has in these last days spoken to us by his son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds. The Old and the New Testaments are God's words and come from God himself and thus carry his authority. Dr. Sproul concludes this idea by stating, the confession asserts that the Bible's authority is so strong, so supreme, that it imposes on us a moral obligation to believe it. If we do not believe it, we have sinned. It is not so much an intellectual issue as a moral issue. If the Lord God Almighty opens His mouth, there is no room for debate and no excuse for unbelief. We can all agree that the Word of God comes from God and is authoritative, and there are so many verses that clearly support this. However, this paragraph was included to address the differences between the Protestant churches coming out of the Reformation and the Roman Catholic church regarding the authority of the Word of God. The Roman Catholic Church claims that the authority of the Word of God is derived from the church. The Protestant churches claim sola scriptura. So I'd like to give a little background I found from a Catholic website to help us understand where the Catholic Church is coming from. The three pillars of the Catholic Church are sacred scripture, sacred tradition, and the magisterium. These three pillars work together to form the foundation of Catholic teaching and authority. And I would note the term Word of God used within the Catholic Church would include both the holy scriptures and the traditions, the sacred traditions. So one, sacred scripture, which refers to the Bible, including both the Old and New Testaments. Catholics believe the Bible is the inspired word of God. It is the foundational text for Catholic faith and morals, read and interpreted within the context of the church's tradition and teaching authority. Two, sacred tradition. This encompasses the living transmission of the church's doctrine, life, and worship. handed down from the apostles through their successors. This includes practices, customs, and teachings not explicitly found in scripture, but passed down orally. Tradition complements and clarifies the understanding of scripture, ensuring that the teachings of Jesus and the apostles are faithfully transmitted through the generations. Number three, the magisterium. This is the official teaching authority of the Catholic Church, consisting of the pope and bishops in communion with him. It interprets both scripture and tradition authentically. The magisterium provides authoritative guidance on issues of faith and morals, ensuring that the church's teachings remain consistent and true to the apostolic faith. These three pillars are intrinsically connected and mutually supportive. Together, scripture and tradition contain the deposit of faith. Tradition helps to interpret and understand scripture, and the Bible itself emerged from the early Christian community's traditions. The magisterium interprets scripture, providing clarity and doctrinal consistency, and the magisterium safeguards and interprets tradition ensuring its correct application in contemporary contexts. Together they form a single sacred deposit of faith which the church faithfully preserves and transmits. Many non-Catholic Christian denominations emphasize sola scriptura as the sole authority for faith and practice. This differs significantly from the Catholic approach, which balances scripture with tradition and the authoritative teaching of the magisterium. Without a central teaching authority like the magisterium, many Protestant denominations interpret Scripture independently, leading to a wide variety of doctrines, practices, and denominations. But we know God's Word is inerrant and infallible. We know that the church is comprised of sinners. fallible and prone to error. And yet the Catholic Church believes that Christ has established an authoritative and infallible authority on earth named the Church, the Catholic Church, and that God's spokesman on earth, the Pope, considered to be the successor of the Apostle Peter, when making official pronouncements or speaking ex cathedra, speaks infallibly or speaks the very words of God himself. But what if he doesn't? There have been popes in the past who taught heresy. Pope Honorius, who was even condemned by one of the church's councils, the Sixth Catholic Council. What happens when there is more than one pope at a time? This has happened also. This position is a bridge too far for the Protestants. We are reminded of Martin Luther's famous words spoken at the Diet of Worms, unless I am convinced by the testimony of the scriptures or by clear reason, for I do not trust either in the Pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves. I am bound by scriptures. I have quoted, and my conscience is captive to the word of God. I cannot and will not retract anything since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. May God help me. Amen. For Luther and for us, scripture and the scriptures alone must be the final arbiter of what we believe. So let's get back to the primary question here. Does the source of divine authority of the scripture depend on the testimony of the church? Francis Turretin argues that it does not. One, because the church is built upon the scriptures, Ephesians 2.20. and borrows all authority from it. Two, because the authority of the church would have to be prior to that of the scriptures, and so would be the first thing to be believed upon which our faith at first would depend. But this is not the case. Number three, because a manifest circle would be made since the authority of the church is proved from scripture, and in turn, the authority of the scripture from the church. That would be a circle. Four, because there is no agreement by what is actually meant by church, whether modern or ancient, whether collective or the representative, whether a particular or the universal. And finally, number five, because a fallible and human testimony as that of the church cannot form the foundation of divine faith. Furthermore, Dr. Sproul argues, where does ultimate authority lie? Is it in the scriptures alone, or is it in the scriptures and the tradition? If it is both scripture and tradition, tradition trumps everything by giving the binding interpretation of scripture. So for all practical purposes, there are not really two sources of authority, scripture and tradition, but one, tradition, which becomes more important than the word itself. Scripture and Scripture alone is the ultimate standard, the final authority, and the rule of all faith and obedience. Scripture is the Word of God and its authority is dependent on God Himself, not on a man, not on a church. Peter confirms this in his second epistle. We also have the word of the prophets as confirmed beyond doubt. And you will do well to pay attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your heart. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of scripture comes from one's own interpretation. For no such prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." 2 Peter 1, 19-21. This takes us to our final two phrases we will look at. Why does our confession use the phrase, who is truth itself? When we know someone is truthful, his writings will also be truthful. The psalmist declares, into thy hand I commit my spirit. Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, God of truth. Psalm 31 5. Isaiah states that he who blessed himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth. And he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth. because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes." Isaiah 65, 16. We are all familiar with Jesus's words, I am the way, the truth, and the life. John 14, 6. And in John's epistle, we read, and it is the spirit that beareth witness, because the spirit is truth. 1 John 5, 6. We see that God is true. He is the God of truth. Thus, we know that what He writes, we can trust and we can believe. We can believe in the Holy Scriptures. And let's look at the last phrase. Therefore, it is to be received because it is the Word of God. Dr. Sproul explains, when the early church settled on the books of the canon, it spoke of receiving the books those books as canonical. They did not declare the books of the Bible to be the books of the Bible, as if the Bible's authority were dependent on them. They said, Recipimus, Latin for we receive. The church fathers were humbly recognizing the authority of these books. not presuming to give them authority. The church no more gave the Bible its authority than an individual gives Christ his authority by embracing him as Lord. He is Lord. We are simply called to recognize it. The authority of scripture does not depend on the testimony of any man or on any testimony of the church, but wholly on God alone. This is the authority of the creator God, the king of the universe, sovereign over all that is seen and unseen. What is your response? Do you treat your Bible with respect and reverence it? Do you use your Bible? Do you read it often? Have you misplaced it? Or does it sit up on the shelf collecting dust? Paul, in writing to the church in Thessalonica, said, for this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the word of God which you heard from us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe, 1 Thessalonians 2.13. Do you give thanks for your Bible, for the word of God, For the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of the soul and spirit. Jeremiah writes, thy words were found, and I did eat them. And thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart. For I am called by thy name, O Lord, God of hosts. Jeremiah 15, 16. Are you reading God's word daily? Are you eating it up? Are God's words the joy and rejoicing of your heart? Let's close with some words from Paul. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord, Colossians 3.16. Is there grace in your heart? is the Word of God in your heart. I pray that God's words would dwell in you richly, that you would hide the words, His words, in your heart, and that you would meditate on them day and night, and that you would not just obey, but delight in obeying all of His commands. Amen.