“Sometimes the charge is made that with such a high view of Scripture, evangelicals fall into bibliolatry, the worship of the Bible. Naturally, evangelicals tend to be quick to deny this, but there can actually be something to it … That is, we can commit the sin of the Pharisees, diligently studying the Scriptures because we think that in them we have eternal life, yet failing to come to Christ, the one to whom they bear witness John 5:39-40) …The problem, though, is not the high view of Scripture, which Jesus himself had; it is thinking that life is to be had in the Scriptures by themselves, as if mere understanding of them equals saving faith. Such a view is not scriptural and therefore not truly evangelical. The Scriptures do not point to themselves: they “are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:15). They are God the Father’s revelation of the Son through the Spirit … Evangelicals therefore stand unflinchingly under Scripture, but that stand should not make us legalists, pedants, or bibliolaters. For as it was for Jesus himself, Scripture is not our end or objective: God is. The Spirit-breathed Scriptures bear witness to Christ, the living Word of the Father, that we may come to him and have life.”
– Michael reeves
Reading Reflection:
Our love for the Bible should be driven by its divine origin and its role in leading us closer to God. God is the ultimate destination of our study of Scripture. If our approach to the Bible is purely academic or if we treat it as a religious duty without seeking intimacy with God, then we miss its true purpose.
It’s crucial to maintain a balance: fully submitting to the authority of God’s Word while recognizing that it ultimately points us past itself to God Himself. This balance prevents us from either dismissing the Bible’s authority or reducing it to a mere religious text devoid of devotional significance. Let us continually turn to the Bible because it is where we encounter God—who is our ultimate longing and fulfillment.
