Scripture

Scripture (Latin scriptura, "writing"; Greek graphē) is the authoritative written Word of God — the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments. As God’s own speech committed to writing through human authors, it is the church’s supreme and final authority for faith and life.

Its defining quality is divine inspiration: "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16–17). This was no mere human achievement — "no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21). Thus Scripture is the work of both God and human writers, and Jesus could declare that "Scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35).

The Bible bears witness to its own growth. The Law was written and deposited as covenant testimony; the prophets spoke "thus says the LORD"; and Jesus met every test with "it is written" (Matthew 4:4), affirming that not the smallest stroke would pass from the Law until all was fulfilled (Matthew 5:17–18) and that the whole of it spoke of him (Luke 24:44). The apostolic writings were soon received as Scripture alongside the Old Testament — Paul’s letters are called "Scriptures" (2 Peter 3:16) and a Gospel saying is quoted as such (1 Timothy 5:18) — forming the canon the church recognized as God’s Word.

From these claims the church confesses Scripture’s authority, truthfulness ("your word is truth," John 17:17), sufficiency for salvation and godliness, and enduring power: it is "living and active" (Hebrews 4:12), a lamp to the feet (Psalms 119:105), and it abides forever while grass withers (Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35). Its supreme purpose is to make us "wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus," for the Scriptures testify of him (John 5:39), and through its proclamation the Spirit works saving faith (Romans 10:17).