John Reuther
The 2 Tim. 3 and 2 Pet. 1 passages are the two foundational NT passages in the doctrine of the word of God. They should be carefully studied. 2 Tim. 3: 16 states that the Scriptures are “God-breathed” (that is, breathed out of God, or expired) and therefore profitable…This is the doctrine called “inspiration.” But it is important to note that the picture is not of God putting something into the Bible (inspire) but that the product of Scripture is the result of God speaking (literally, breathing-out or expiration).
2 Peter 1: 21 explains how this divine speaking forth operates in conjunction with the human instruments – the men who actually spoke and wrote. The passage says that “holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” The word moved has the sense of a ship being carried along the waters by the powerful wind. Some versions render moved by the phrase “carried along”. God’s providence carried these men along in their lives so that all they spoke (in their own personalities and styles), and wrote, is exactly what God wanted them to say. God breathed out His word through the instrumentality of men who were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Look at what God has done to reveal Himself to you! Will you give all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, to seek and know Him? Since the Scripture is the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience, will you and I therefore devote our lives to the study and application of this rich treasure of revelation?
Revelation demands response. The kind of response that God desires is illustrated in the words of young Samuel –“Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3: 9) Remember that inscripturated (written) revelation is ultimately a better form of revelation than the spoken word (as Peter said in 2 Peter 1: 17-19) because it is more certain and lasting. But it also brings the spoken word of the past into our lives as the present and future word of God.
How hungry are you for the words of God? How committed are you to reading, studying, and hearing His word? Do you look for something more than the written word? Is the written word coming to life in your experience day by day? David summed up what our attitude should be when he said that the word of God is “…more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold. Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.” (Psalm 19: 10).
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