The Sufficiency of the Scriptures

Thank Wes, Temple Baptist Church staff

Most of us just show up to an event like this, having no idea all the hard work that took place to make it happen

Reminds me of a recent baptism at PBC

Meeting in gym, migrate to chapel

Baptistery needed last-minute repairs, couldn’t get them done in time

Family drove 9 hours from out of town to see this baptism

Contacted two sister churches about borrowing a portable baptistery. . . no luck

Purchased an inflatable hot tub from Sam’s Club for the baptism

Buying it was one thing, putting it together was another

The instructions...

Weren’t thorough

Weren’t clear

Boring!

Didn’t seem to match up with what we had in the box

Even with the help of a NASA engineer— a real-life rocket scientist—we couldn’t figure them out

So we ended up doing what any sensible person would do in that situation. We searched for instructions on YouTube.

Happy to report that the hot tub got inflated, filled, and heated and the baptism proceeded without further incident.

But I couldn’t help but wonder if in that story there’s a parable about the Scriptures.

Much like our hot tub instructions, for many of us the Bible...

…seems like it’s not thorough

...seems in places to be unclear and confusing

… seems (if we’re honest) boring sometimes

...feels like it doesn’t match up with what we have in our lives

So we look elsewhere (maybe even YouTube!) to find help and hope in our time of need.

My assignment this evening is to teach on the sufficiency of Scripture.

To convince you that, regardless of how you feel about the Bible, it teaches all you need to know and follow Jesus.

Three headings:

The Sufficiency of Scripture Defined

The Sufficiency of Scripture Defended

The Sufficiency of Scripture Applied

1) The Sufficiency of Scripture DEFINED

Joel Beeke—“The doctrine of the sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures declares that everything necessary for saving faith and spiritual life is taught in the Bible.” [1]

Each of those words are very important. Let’s look at a few of them...

Everything necessary...

Not “everything possible” but “everything necessary”

In his book Taking God at His Word, Kevin DeYoung says: “To affirm the sufficiency of Scripture is not to suggest that the Bible tells us everything we want to know about everything, but it does tell us everything we need to know about what matters most.” [2]

The Bible doesn’t tell us everything about Jesus (childhood, miracles)

There are things that John saw in Revelation that he was told not to write down

Not “everything we want” but “everything we need”

The Bible doesn’t answer all our questions

Where did Cain get his wife? Who are the Nephilim? How did people live so long before Noah?

The Bible does tell us everything we need to know

Not “everything helpful” but “everything necessary”

“All we need is the Bible”

Lady who bragged about not reading commentaries or Christians from church history or historic creeds and confessions

This doctrine doesn’t say that we can’t be helped by commentaries, Christian books, seminaries, Bible teachers, etc. It simply says they aren’t necessary.

It’s possible for something to be helpful but not necessary...

Brushing your teeth, showering, using deodorant, isn’t necessary, but it’s helpful

A heater in your church building isn’t necessary, but it’s helpful

A vehicle isn’t necessary to get to work or church, but it’s helpful

Commentaries, Christian books, Bible teachers, historical creeds and confessions, can all be helpful and we should use them. But they aren’t necessary! And they must be tested by the Scriptures!

“The doctrine of the sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures declares that everything necessary for saving faith and spiritual life is taught in the Bible.”

...for saving faith...

The Bible teaches all you need to know to have saving faith.

What is saving faith?

It’s the faith in Christ and His gospel that saves!!

Not a Christian: God, Man, Christ, Response

All you need to know to be saved is taught in your Bible!

Turn in your Bibles to 2 Timothy 3:14

Written by Paul from prison near the end of his life

Writing to encourage Timothy, a young pastor

One of the most encouraging things Paul can do is point Timothy to the Scriptures...

2 Timothy 3:14-15—But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Did you see what Paul says about the Scriptures?

They are “able to make you wise for salvation”

Romans 10:17—...faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

1 Peter 1:23—...you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God.

Christian: All you need to win someone to the Lord is given to you in the Scriptures! In evangelism, the most important thing is not your ability to answer your lost friend’s objections. You’re going to find in time answering those objections is like playing “whack-a-mole,” once you respond to one another pops up. What matters more is your faithfulness to point people to the Scriptures and the gospel they proclaim:

Charles Spurgeon—“The best way to spread the gospel is to spread the gospel. I believe the best way of defending the gospel is to spread the gospel. . . . Suppose a number of persons were to take it into their heads that they had to defend a lion, full-grown king of beasts! There he is in the cage, and here come all the soldiers of the army to fight for him. Well, I should suggest to them, . . . that they should kindly stand back, and open the door, and let the lion out! I believe that would be the best way of defending him, for he would take care of himself; and the best 'apology' for the gospel is to let the gospel out.” [3]

“The doctrine of the sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures declares that everything necessary for saving faith and spiritual life is taught in the Bible.”

… and spiritual life...

The Bible teaches all you need to know faithfully follow Jesus

2 Timothy 3:16-17— All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

The Scriptures make God’s people complete.

Not mostly complete, but complete!

A Christian with only the Scriptures, has all they need!!!

For what?...

To be equipped for every good work

Not most good works. Not 99%. EVERY good work!

All the good works required of you as a follower of Jesus are given to you in the Scriptures!!

Psalm 119:1—Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord!

Whose way is blameless? Those who walk in the law of the Lord.

If all you do is completely obey everything God’s Word says, you will be blameless!

We know we can’t do that due to our indwelling sin, but the point remains that the Scriptures tell us everything we need to know to faithfully follow Jesus!

“The doctrine of the sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures declares that everything necessary for saving faith and spiritual life is taught in the Bible.”

…is taught in the Bible.

By Bible, we’re referring to the 39 books that make up the OT and the 27 books that make up the NT

But simply owning a Bible or having a Bible app isn’t sufficient

If the Bible teaches all that you need, the implication is you must work to understand what it teaches!

Many of us are like the student who says their subject is too hard and they can’t pass the class, but they've barely opened the textbook.

“The doctrine of the sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures declares that everything necessary for saving faith and spiritual life is taught in the Bible.”

But why should I believe that?

2) The Sufficiency of Scripture DEFENDED

Let me give you four simple reasons to believe this doctrine...

Because JESUS DID

One of my favorite things Jesus says to the Pharisees is “haven’t you read!?”

Implication: had they understood the Scriptures, they would’ve had everything they needed

Rich man and Lazarus...

Luke 16:31—He said to him, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.”

Believe in the sufficiency of Scripture because Jesus did.

Because it’s BIBLICAL

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers:

Adam Pontipee: “got any ketchup handy?”

Milly: “My stew can stand on its own feet!”

My stew has everything it needs. Don’t add anything! It’s sufficient!!!

One way to say something is sufficient is to say, “don’t add anything!”

We know the Scriptures claim to be sufficient because they repeatedly warn us not to ADD to them...

Deuteronomy 4:2—You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.

Deuteronomy 12:32—Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.

Proverbs 30:5-6—Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.

Revelation 22:18-19—I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

Believe in the sufficiency of Scripture because it’s what the Scripture says about itself.

Because it’s HISTORICAL

Not the first or most important argument, but it is a piece of the puzzle

The sufficiency of Scripture was clearly taught and believed by Christians throughout history...

In the second century, a pastor named Irenaeus said this about the heretics of his day: “they gather their views from other sources than the Scriptures; and... strive to weave ropes of sand.” [4]

In the third century, a pastor named Eusebius said he hesitated to write a response to a heretic because he didn’t want anyone to think he was attempting to add to the Scriptures, since they were sufficient by themselves. [5]

Athanasius—“in [the Scriptures] alone is proclaimed the doctrine of godliness. Let no man add to these, neither let him take out from these” [6]

Augustine—“Among the things that are plainly laid down in Scripture are to be found all matters that concern faith and the manner of life.” [7]

Martin Luther—“Our doctrine is in the Scripture, therefore we should not look anywhere else, but all Christians should keep this book in daily use” [8]

John Calvin— “All our wisdom is contained in the Scriptures, and neither ought we to learn, not teachers to draw their instructions, from any other source.” [9]

The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith— “The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down or necessarily contained in the Holy Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelation of the Spirit, or traditions of men.” [10]

Believe in the sufficiency of Scripture because it’s not a new doctrine, but has been handed down to us through two thousand years of Christian history.

Because it’s LOGICAL

If you believe the other doctrines about the Scriptures, it is illogical to reject the sufficiency of Scripture!

If we believe the Scriptures are breathed out by God...

…and God is good...

We must believe the Scriptures are sufficient, for a good God who breathes out Scripture will certainly breathe out all the Scripture we need.

If the Bible isn’t God’s Word, then it can’t be sufficient because we need to hear from God, so we must look somewhere else!

If we believe the Scriptures are without error...

…and God is perfect...

We must believe the Scriptures are sufficient, for a perfect God who breathes out true Scripture will certainly breath out all the truth we need.

If the Bible isn’t without error, than it can’t be sufficient because we need another more reliable source to determine what is true!

If we believe the Scriptures are authoritative

...that God’s Word “obligates [us] to entire submission”

We must believe the Scriptures are sufficient, for a good God who demands our obedience will tell us everything we need to know to obey Him.

If the Bible isn’t authoritative, then we need some greater authority and therefore the Bible isn’t sufficient!

Tomorrow Jeff will teach us why Scripture is necessary....

If we believe we must have Scripture to know who, how, and why to worship

…and God wants to be worshipped...

Then we must also believe that the Scriptures contain all the truth we need to know worship God rightly

If the Bible isn’t necessary, than we can know God without the Bible and therefore we don’t NEED the Bible!

Believe in the sufficiency of Scripture because it’s logically consistent with everything else we believe about Scripture.

Perhaps the most countercultural, radical thing you can ever do is believe that God’s Word really is enough.

But if you truly believe this, it will change how you live!

3) The Sufficiency of Scripture APPLIED

6 Applications...

STUDY the Scriptures

Imagine you inherited a mansion filled with various treasures. Some rooms had priceless art, others had invaluable antiques, others had valuable collectibles, other rooms had treasure chests filled with jewels, gold, silver, and ancient coins. The massive garage was filled with some of the rarest and most expensive automobiles in the world, all in pristine condition. How many of you would stop in the lobby?

Some of us do the same thing with the Scriptures! We have received a mansion filled with treasure, and we are content with a surface-level understanding of it’s truths!

Read your Bible! Work to read through the whole Bible! Don’t know where to start? Ask your pastor or someone sitting near you.

INTERPRET Scripture with Scripture

If the Scriptures are sufficient, than the Scriptures must contain everything we need to understand Scripture

If you need some other authority to understand the Scriptures, than the Scriptures aren’t really sufficient!

Example:

1 John 3:6—No one who abides in [Jesus] keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen Him or known Him.

Does this mean that if I sin I don’t really know Jesus?!?

1 John 1:8—If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Whatever John means, he certainly doesn’t mean that true Christians are those without sin!

TEST Everything by the Scriptures

When I first started in ministry, the Christian world was enamored with a book called The Shack. I heard so many Christians say things like, “I never understood God until I read The Shack!”

Today many Christians have said, “I never understood the Gospels until I watched The Chosen.”

Maybe for you it’s some other resource: a book, a preacher, a sermon, a conference, a podcast, a YouTube channel, a song, etc.

Not saying these things can’t be helpful. But if the Scriptures are sufficient, they must be tested by the Scriptures.

We need to be like the Jews in Berea who heard Paul and Silas preach the good news...

Acts 17:11—Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Everything should be tested by the Scriptures...

Parenting advice

Marriage advice

The counsel you get from your therapist or doctor

The teaching in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion course required for work

The news media you consume

The sermons your pastor preaches

The books you read

The shows and movies you watch

OBEY what Scripture Actually Teaches

If you ever visit my office at PBC you’ll probably notice that it’s full of various knick-knacks. Some of them are devoted to theologians like Martin Luther or superheroes like Batman and baby Groot. But there is one collection on my shelf that my kids have never been able to understand.

IT’S A COLLECTION OF COKE BOTTLES.

One of these was purchased on a trip to the World of Coke where I won an award as a McDonald’s All-Star cashier in 2001. True story. One was purchased in my first trip to the Dominican Republic. One is from Haiti.

What my kids don’t get is why anyone would have a Coke bottle with Coke in it with no intention of drinking? Coke is not for collecting and displaying, it’s for drinking.

Many of us are tempted to have the same approach to God’s Word. We go from worship service to Bible study to Sunday School to books and podcasts collecting one truth after another. But we have no intention of actually using any of these truths. They’re just nice little theological knick-knacks to keep on the shelves of our hearts and minds.

The truth is, many of us are educated beyond our obedience. The problem is not that we don’t know what Jesus requires of us, it’s that we don’t obey what Jesus requires of us.

Parents, are you faithfully teaching your children God’s Word? faithfully disciplining them as the Lord disciplines you?

Children, are you obeying mom and dad? Are you honoring them?

Husbands, are you loving your wife as Christ loved the church?

Wives, are you submitting to your husbands as is fitting in the Lord?

Singles, are you fleeing sexual immorality? are you using your singleness for yourself or for the Lord?

Employees, are you honoring the Lord with your work? are you giving away some of what you earn to bless others?

Church, are you bearing one another’s burdens? are you faithfully disciplining members who live in unrepentant sin? are you making disciples, helping each other follow Jesus? are you raising up biblically qualified leaders to come alongside Wes as he seeks to shepherd this flock? are you allowing God’s Word to inform how you are structured, how you worship, how you observe the ordinances, etc.?

Are you educated beyond your obedience? Are you striving to obey what God’s sufficient Word teaches?

If you’ve fallen short in any area, obey God’s Word by confessing your sin and believing that God is faithful and just to forgive you because Jesus died in your place!

RESIST Adding to or Taking Away from the Scriptures.

One of Satan’s chief tricks to undermine the sufficiency of Scripture is to tempt us to ADD to Scripture...

The Serpent: “did God actually say?”

Eve: adding to God’s Word (“neither shall you touch it”)

Probably wasn’t a bad idea not to touch it. That wasn’t the problem.

The problem was that Eve said, “God said we can’t touch it!”

Ever since then, God’s people have been tempted to undermine the sufficiency of God’s Word!

It’s okay for a family or a church or an organization to have “house rules” for how we operate

The problem begins when you begin to tie those requirements to the Word of God!

Modesty = every woman must wear dresses or skirts

Sobriety = nobody is ever allowed to drink alcohol

Raising children in the Lord = everybody has to homeschool

You can have personal convictions, but recognize they don’t carry the weight of Scripture unless they are clearly taught in Scripture or “by good and necessary consequence … deduced from Scripture.” [11]

Equally dangerous is the temptation to take away from the Scriptures...

Recently read about an artist in Canada who is editing the Harry Potter books by removing every instance of J.K. Rowling’s name from the cover, copyright pages, and title pages.

In recent years Rowling has grown increasingly unpopular among the left for her stance on transgender issues, so this artist has created a way to retain all of Rowling’s words without her name.

Some professing Christians try to do the opposite. Some want to retain God’s name, the name of Jesus, and the name “Christian,” but they don’t want all of God’s Words.

What the Bible teaches about gender, sex, marriage, etc. is being slowly removed or redefined.

TRUST the Scriptures are Enough

Does the Bible really tell me everything I need to know?

John Frame—"Christians sometimes say that Scripture is sufficient for religion, or preaching, or theology, but not for such things as auto repairs, plumbing, animal husbandry, and dentistry. And of course, many argue that it is not sufficient for science, philosophy, or even ethics. That is to miss an important point. Certainly, Scripture contains more specific information relevant to theology than to dentistry. But sufficiency in the present context is not sufficiency of specific information but sufficiency of divine words. Scripture contains divine words sufficient for all of life. It has all the divine words that the plumber needs, and all the divine words that the theologian needs. So it is just as sufficient for plumbing as it is for theology. And in that sense it is sufficient for science and ethics as well.” [12]

The Bible tells you everything you need to know to honor the Lord in every area of your life!

You don’t need a sign from God or a “word from the Lord” from a so-called prophet to obey God’s will! Just read His Word and obey what you read!

One evidence that we’re tempted to doubt the sufficiency of Scripture is when we look to someone or something else to feel close to God...

Kevin DeYoung suggests this is a particular issue for evangelicals: “If authority is the liberal problem, clarity the postmodern problem, and necessity the problem for atheists and agnostics, then sufficiency is the attribute most quickly doubted by rank-and-file churchgoing Christians. We can say all the right things about the Bible, and even read it regularly, but when life gets difficult, or just a bit boring, we look for new words, new revelation, and new experiences to bring us closer to God.” [13]

How often do you look for some sort of experience to feel closer to God?

How firm a foundation, ye Saints of the Lord,

Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!

What more can He say than to you He hath said,

Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?

If you can trust Jesus with your soul, can’t you trust His Word?