TAKING GOD AT HIS

WORD

GOD’S WORD IS ENOUGH

3/1/2018
GOD’S WORD IS ENOUGH
CHAPTER 3 PAGES 43-55

O Hebrews 1:1-4
• We daily struggle with the sufficiency of
Scripture.

• We are very familiar with the Attributes

of God but fail on the Attributes of
Scripture

3/1/2018
4 Attributes of Scripture highlighted by
Protestant Theologians
Essential Characteristics of Scripture
Acronym SCAN- to protect an important
truth about Bible.
• Sufficiency
• Clarity
• Authority
• Necessity
3/1/2018
Attributes of Scripture
SUFFICIENCY
i. The Scriptures contain every thing
we need for knowledge of Salvation
and godly living.

ii. We don’t need any new revelation

from heaven.

3/1/2018
Attributes of Scripture
CLARITY
i. The saving message of Jesus Christ
is plainly taught in the Scripture and
can be understood by ALL who have
ears to hear.
ii. We don’t need an official
Magisterium to tell us what the Bible
means.
3/1/2018
Attributes of Scripture
AUTHORITY
i. The last word always goes to the
word of God.
ii. Never allow the teachings of
Science, human experience or
church councils to take precedence
over the Scripture.

3/1/2018
Attributes of Scripture
NECESSITY
i. General Revelation is not enough to
save us.
ii. We cannot know God savingly by
means of personal experience and
human reason.
iii. We need God’s word to tell us how
to live, who Christ is, and how to be
saved.
3/1/2018
REARRANGING THE ORDER
OF ATTRIBUTES
• God’s word is final.

• God’s word is understandable.

• God’s word is necessary.

• God’s word is enough.

3/1/2018
 Scripture: More than Enough
 The Doctrine of Sufficiency of Scripture is The
Perfection Of Scripture.
“Scripture is clear enough to make us responsible for
carrying out our present responsibilities to God.” John
Frame
 It’s an Ethical Doctrine – no excuse for
disobedience
• No one can say God has not revealed enough for
us to be saved or to live a life pleasing to him.
• Scripture makes us competent and “equipped for
every good work.” 2 Timothy3: 16-17!!!

3/1/2018
 Scripture: More than Enough
• No need to add to it Or subtract from it to meet
or mesh with today’s challenges and ideals.
• The Word of God is Perfect and Complete,
giving us all we need to know Christ, Salvation
and godliness.
“The sacred and divinely inspired Scriptures
are sufficient for the
exposition of truth.”
Athanasius-Church Father
 Other peoples testimonies make us to operate as if the Bible is not
enough.
 When life gets difficult we look for new words, new revelation and new
experiences to bring us closer to God. 3/1/2018
 God’s Superior Son
• First verses of Hebrews= The Big Idea for
the whole Book of Hebrews.
God has spoken by His Son.
This Son is superior to all,
heavenly beings, institutions,
rituals, and previous means of
revelations and redemption.

3/1/2018
 Verses 1 and 2 = series of contrasts

• ERAS
• Age gone by was “long ago” but we are in
“these last days.” (New Age-the age of the
Spirit- The fullness of time in which great acts
of salvation have taken place.)
• RECIPIENTS
• Long ago God spoke “to our father”
• Now God has spoken “to us”
• AGENTS
• The prophets and His Son
• WAYS
• Many times and in many ways

3/1/2018
Discussion Questions
1. Read the first paragraph on p. 43. Which of
these questions would you answer “yes” to?
Why did you want something more than the
words of Scripture?
2. Briefly explain the four contrasts on pp. 46–
47. What conclusion do these four contrasts
lead us to?

3/1/2018
 Discussion Questions
3. On pp. 49–52 DeYoung explains that the finality
of God’s redemption in Christ implies the finality of
God’s revelation in the Bible. He states on p. 50, “If
we say revelation is not complete, we must admit
that somehow the work of redemption also remains
unfinished.” Unpack the logic of this statement. Do
you agree?

4. How would you respond to someone who said,

“You Evangelicals are too bound to the written
words of the Bible. What’s really important is the
living word, Jesus”?
3/1/2018
 Discussion Questions
5. Give examples of overemphasizing
and underemphasizing the role of
tradition in the life of the church. How
does the Reformation cry of sola
Scriptura keep tradition in its proper
place?

3/1/2018