Biblical Authority

How might the bible be authoritative?

"I believe in the bible" someone tells me. They are telling me "I'm on your side."

"Why do you believe in the bible?" I ask. I'm thinking, what is belief? and How is this possible?

"Because God wrote it?" Oh.

"How do you know that?" I wonder. Because other people have said so? Because people in the bible have said that the Torah, or the prophets are the Word of God?

When we ask "why do we know God wrote the bible" we could easily enter circular logic. The bible said so. Why did the bible say God wrote the bible? Because the bible is true. Why is it true? God said so. How do we know? It's in the bible.

Some might say "I have faith." Because faith is self-justifying, we go from one set of circular logic to another. It's better, but not enough.

Going deeper - "I have faith because my faith has proven to be reliable, a reliable witness to orienting my life." At this point we can begin asking questions about faith patterns. "I believe the bible because it is [I have experienced it] as a reliable witness to [my own] faith."

But we're back at experience again.

Personal experience is what justifies.

Comments

[Pat]

I agree with you. Without some personal experience(s)for what we read in the Bible to ping off of, the Bible doesn't mean much -- just dusty stories about people who lived long ago.

[Samuel]

Pat, what happens when the 'ping' from the Bible says what your 'personal experience' is not what God intended for His children?