The Power of God's Word: Why Scripture Must Be Our Foundation

In a world filled with distractions, competing voices, and endless sources of information, believers need to understand where true wisdom comes from. While God reveals Himself through creation, pointing to His existence and glory, this general revelation isn't enough to provide the knowledge necessary for salvation and righteous living. That's why God gave us His Word - the Bible - as the most practical way to redeem our time and grow in our relationship with Him.

Why Must I Understand the Doctrine of Scripture?

Every believer must understand the doctrine of Scripture as their foundational truth. Before studying any other biblical doctrine or passage, we must first grasp that the Bible is the all-authoritative, inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of the living God. This understanding forms the bedrock upon which every other doctrine stands.

Without an inspired, authoritative, and trustworthy Word of God, we have no unified standard to appeal to for truth. We would be left to decide by our own experience and personal insight what is true, leaving everyone to do what seems right in their own eyes. There would be no way to be certain of what we believe or any basis for sharing that truth with others.

How Does Sin Make Us Fools?

One of the devastating results of sin is that it reduces all of us to fools. Sin causes us to look at truth and see falsehood, to see bad as good. A fool ignores God and puts himself in God's position, rebels against God's wise law, and writes his own moral code.

The most dangerous aspect of being a fool is that a fool doesn't know he's a fool. Without eyes to see our foolishness, we continue thinking we're wise. But God, in His grace, didn't abandon foolish humanity. He sent His Son to rescue fools from themselves and gave us the wonderful gift of His Word so that fools would recognize their foolishness and have a tool to progressively become wise.

What Does It Mean That I Need God's Wisdom?

The Apostle Paul addresses this contrast between human wisdom and God's wisdom in 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. He explains that "the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and what is weak to shame the strong. He chose what is low and despised to bring to nothing the things that are, so that no one may boast in His presence. This means that God didn't save us because He saw something special in us - we are undeserving of His grace.

How Should I Approach God's Word?

Without God's Word, we wouldn't know how to live responsibly as men and women, spouses, parents, neighbors, friends, or members of the body of Christ. We wouldn't know right from wrong, how to handle suffering, understand our purpose, or comprehend our need for rescue and restoration.

The Bible should be our lifelong friend and companion, our wisest and most faithful teacher. It confronts us when we're wrong and comforts us when we're struggling. As long as sin still lives in us, we need to approach our Bible every day as needy and thankful people, recognizing that any wisdom we have comes from the Lord written on the pages of His Word.

What Makes Scripture Accessible to Everyone?

God, in His sovereignty and grace, has ordained and guided the translation of His Word into common languages around the world. He has called generations of gifted, trained, and godly scholars to participate in ongoing translation work so that no one anywhere would be left without the gift of God's Word.

In America today, we have unprecedented access to Bible study resources - study Bibles, commentaries, phone apps, and godly scholars to learn from. Yet sadly, many Bibles sit around collecting dust while we have questions we could easily research and answer ourselves.

How Does the Holy Spirit Help Me Understand Scripture?

Not only do we have the gift of God's Word, but we also have the gift of the Holy Spirit who guides, teaches, and illuminates the Word for us. We need both the content of God's Word and the help of the Holy Spirit to understand it, apply it, live it, and share it with others.

Unlike human authors who write books and move on, God goes everywhere His Word goes. The Holy Spirit sits patiently with readers every time they open His book, teaching them from His Word. When you get the Word of God, you also get the God of the Word.

How Can I Start Growing in God's Word?

For those beginning their journey in Scripture, start with Psalms, Proverbs, and the Gospels. Read Proverbs regularly - there are 31 chapters for 31 days in a month, providing wisdom for everyday life. Don't worry if you don't understand everything at first; in time, with prayer and the Holy Spirit's help, understanding will come.

Set aside quiet time to sit with your Lord and His Word. Turn off your phone, eliminate distractions, and simply read, study, and meditate. There's incredible peace in those moments when it's just you, God, and His Word - no sin, chaos, confusion, or interruptions.

Life Application

This week, commit to establishing a daily time in God's Word. Choose a consistent time and place where you can read Scripture without distractions. Start with just 15-20 minutes, reading through Psalms or one of the Gospels. Before you read, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate the text and speak to your heart.

Remember that this is the most practical way to redeem your time - spending it in study, reading, and meditation upon God's Word. In a world full of competing voices and endless distractions, make God's Word your primary source of wisdom and guidance.

Questions for Reflection:

• Do I truly believe that the Bible is God's authoritative Word for my life, or do I allow other voices to compete with Scripture?
• How much time do I currently spend in God's Word compared to other activities, and what does this reveal about my priorities?
• Am I approaching Scripture as a fool who needs God's wisdom, or am I trying to fit God's Word into my own understanding?
• What practical steps can I take this week to establish a more consistent and meaningful time in God's Word?