Consideration

Authority exists whether we like it or not. Consider the speed limit on the interstate.

Many people assume authority is something granted by the reader rather than something inherent to the source. As a result, the Bible is often treated as a helpful voice rather than a binding one. How we answer the question of authority determines whether Scripture sits over our lives or beside them.

• Every person lives under some authority, whether acknowledged or not.
• The real question is not whether authority exists, but who or what has it.
• When Scripture is treated as optional, interpretation becomes selective.
• Fear often comes from realizing that authority challenges autonomy.

Key Question: Does the Bible speak with authority over us, or only when we allow it to?

Your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. –Psalm 119:89

Information 

Inspiration

• Scripture is “breathed out by God” and originates with Him, not human creativity (2 Timothy 3:16–17).
• While many books are inspiring, only the Bible is inspired.
• The Bible is God’s Word to humanity, not humanity’s thoughts about God.

Inerrancy

• Scripture, as originally given, contains no error in what it affirms (2 Peter 1:20–21).
• Because God does not lie, His Word is trustworthy.
• The truthfulness of Scripture reflects the character of its Author.

Infallibility

• God’s Word always accomplishes His purposes and never fails (Isaiah 55:10–11).
• Scripture is effective, not merely informative.
• The authority of Scripture does not depend on cultural acceptance or personal agreement.

Key Takeaway

• The Bible does not need our approval to be authoritative.
• Scripture speaks with authority because God has spoken.
• God gave His Word not to intimidate His people, but to form and equip them.

Demonstration

2 Timothy 3:14–17

Context Setup

• Paul is writing his final letter.
• Timothy is leading in a difficult environment.
• False teaching and cultural pressure surround the church.

Key Observations

• Scripture comes from God, not man.
• Scripture teaches (what’s right), reproves (what’s wrong), corrects (how to make it right), and trains (how to keep it right).
• Scripture is sufficient to equip God’s people.

Interpretive Insight

• Paul grounds Timothy’s confidence in Scripture’s origin.
• Scripture’s authority is inseparable from its usefulness because it comes from God Himself.
• The Word shapes belief and behavior.

Application

• If Scripture is authoritative, it must be allowed to correct us.
• Authority means Scripture speaks first and last.
• We do not stand in judgment over Scripture; it stands in judgment over us.

Summation   

Authority answers the question of why Scripture speaks with weight. The Bible does not carry authority because it is old, widely read, or personally meaningful. It speaks with authority because God has spoken. Long before anyone agreed with it, struggled with it, or tried to explain it away, God’s Word was already firmly fixed. Scripture stands over us, not alongside us, and that posture changes how we listen. We no longer decide whether God’s Word deserves to be heard. We decide whether we will submit ourselves to what He has already said.

Recognizing Scripture’s authority is not meant to produce fear, but clarity. God did not give His Word to intimidate His people, but to form them. Authority does not crush faith. It grounds it. When we stop treating the Bible as optional, selective reading loses its power, and trust begins to grow. With authority settled, we are finally prepared to ask the next question. If this Word comes from God, how does it all fit together? In the next session, we will explore Scripture not as a collection of disconnected texts, but as one unified story with a clear direction and purpose.