Where do you look for authoritative opinions to help form your own convictions on life and truth? Some people look to the authority of media personalities or the latest self-help guru.
Yet, throughout human history there have been people who choose to allow their lives, thoughts, opinions, and decisions to be molded by God’s teachings. In fact, a quick review of the history of Israel believers in the New Testament , shows the blessings of aligning with God’s truth and the perils of going one’s own way! Sometimes God, in His mercy, allows us to go our own way and we get stuck in an unfortunate and destructive rut.
Paul’s words to his spiritual son, Timothy, speak boldly of the authority of the Scriptures. As he discusses with Timothy the people who speak lies and deceive, he goes on to say to those in the faith,
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:14-17 NIV, emphasis added).
For our own lives, and those we teach or disciple, the words of Scripture are:
- priceless truth for living
- a basis for teaching
- a standard to rebuke and correct those who stray from God’s ways
- a curriculum for training others in the path of right living
By the influence of the Scriptures we become “thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
That’s authority worth aligning our lives with!