Sufficiency

 I’ll be the first to admit that I often wish God had given us more information about almost every topic. I wish I knew more about heaven, about creation, about the spirit world, about our human makeup, about God Himself, about well honestly, about everything! But God has given us all that we need to know about Him and His purposes in the Bible. We can say that the Bible is sufficient.

Second Peter 1.3-4 tells us, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” God has given us everything we need to live spiritual lives. He has revealed these great and precious promises in His Word.

The sufficiency of the Bible teaches us that the Word of God has the answers to life’s most puzzling questions. Granted, the Bible won’t necessarily answer our questions in specific ways. For example, we may wonder why God has allowed a close family member to suffer an illness or why we’re experiencing a personal financial setback. We may never know the complete answer, but God’s Word reveals all that we need to know for now. The Bible tells us that trials build faith and character. James 1.2-3 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” When I go through personal trials, I can be confident that God is at work in my life. He’s promised this in the Bible. Therefore, the Bible is sufficient for my need.

Because the Bible is sufficient for my spiritual life, I shouldn’t attempt to add to its content. Revelation 22.18-19 warns that we should not add anything or take away any words from that particular book, hinting that there is no need for further revelation about God’s plan for His universe. It would be wrong for us to claim to have greater knowledge about such things than the Bible.

Of course, the doctrine of the sufficiency of the Bible doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t pursue other lines of study. God has created us as thinking, inquisitive beings. We should study God’s universe and learn its intricate laws. We should study the human body, mind, and soul in our quest to offer help to hurting people. But when it comes to knowledge about God, the Bible is our only reliable and sufficient source of truth.

The Bible points us to Jesus Christ. He alone is our path to eternal life. To suggest other ways to God is to step beyond the bounds of Scripture. Rather than inventing our own path, why not take the Bible at it’s word? Turn to Jesus Christ for His free gift of salvation, and then take time to study the Bible for all it’s worth. You won’t be disappointed.