Sufficiency of the Bible

The sufficiency of the Bible means that scripture contains everything we need God to tell us for salvation, for trusting Him perfectly, and for obeying Him perfectly.

Because Scripture is sufficient, we have no need to look outside the Bible to find information about God, or His purpose and plan for our individual lives.

There are many things that we can learn from other resources outside of the Bible, however none of those things will ever be authoritative, inspired by God, or sufficient. Which is why the Bible must be our foundation for truth by which all other things are judged.

1. The Bible is sufficient for salvation.

2 Timothy 3:15 ESV

15 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.

James 1:18 ESV

18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

1 Peter 1:23 ESV

23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;

By salvation we are not referring to the narrow sense of the word that most people understand salvation to be. (A single moment in time in which you are saved from punishment God’s wrath) Here we are referring to the comprehensive and biblical definition of salvation.

1 Peter 1:5 ESV

5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1 Peter 1:9 ESV

9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

The biblical definition of salvation encompasses our justification, our sanctification, and our glorification.

2. The Bible is sufficient for trusting God perfectly.

The Bible reveals to us the character of God and it is His character that enables us to know that we can trust Him.

Psalm 19:7 ESV

7 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;

Numbers 23:19 ESV

19 God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

James 1:17 ESV

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

3. The Bible is sufficient for obeying Him perfectly.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

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

Everything that we need in order to obey God and carry out His will is found in the Bible.

Of course we will never be able to trust or obey God perfectly but the reason for this is not because God has not shown us how to do it but rather that our own indwelling sin holds us back from doing it perfectly.

This should not cause us to stop trying though, it should drive us even closer to God’s Word to find the power and help through it that we need to accomplish His Will and purpose.

Through the power of God’s Word we can accomplish His purpose for our lives, even though we will do it imperfectly.