Biblical Authority
The Bible is the final authority in all matters of belief and practice because the Bible is inspired by God and bears the absolute authority of God Himself. Whatever the Bible affirms, Baptists accept as true. No human opinion or decree of any church group can override the Bible. Even creeds and confessions of faith, which attempt to articulate the theology of Scripture, do not carry Scripture’s inherent authority.
2 Timothy 3:15–17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:20, 21
Biblical Authority is the foundational doctrine of Baptist's. Everything else that follows as a defining characteristic comes directly from this viewpoint. ALL viewpoints of the Bible revolve around how much authority they give the the Scriptures over other things. Some groups hold more to traditions, some personal experiences, and yet others to scholarly endeavors. They will often say, I believe in Biblical authority AND BLANK. Usually in those situations, BLANK takes precedence over Biblical Authority.
The reason it is a distinctively Baptist doctrine, is that to us, the Bible stands alone in its authority. There is no other place that authority is derived. If it conflicts with Tradition, Experience, or even Scholarship, Biblical authority will be preeminent, and the other should be discarded. Baptists alone truly hold to this doctrine. I can say that, because even if someone hasn't used the name Baptist specifically, these doctrines are what define the historical groups of like faith((I will be covering Baptist history sometime in the future where I will expound on what I mean here)).
Biblical Authority is the WHAT, but WHY?
2Timothy 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
We see here in 2 Timothy, the Source, the scope, and the substance of Scripture. The Source is seen in verse 16: God. The word inspiration means "God-breathed", or from the mouth of God in my vernacular. He used the prophets and other writers of the Word as vessels, through their personality and ability. Many((Scholarship)) will try to put many doubts to the validity of many of the books, but their reasoning is easily summed up: they were too accurate with future events and so couldn't have been written by who they say wrote them. We believe by faith and much evidence, that the Bible was physically written by many men over hundreds of years. Because God was the Source and Author, there is a beautiful unity and perfection to the Word that could not have come any other way((Ask just five people to write on a topic at the same time, and then count the contradictions. You would probably be surprised)).
The scope of what Scripture applies to is also covered in these three verses quite clearly: All that is needed for good works. I have yet to find, and am convinced I will never find, something in my life that God's Word does not apply to. The more I conform my life to the Word, the more I am whole and able to do truly good things. It applies in all areas of life as well. At home, a family devoid of Scripture will be unable to be complete in the way God designed the home to be. In marriage, strife will exist where Scripture doesn't. At work, dishonesty will reign without the Word. Even at church, without people conforming to the Word, people will be people. The scope is all encompassing.
Last is the substance. The most important substance of the Scripture is what it has to say about salvation. Salvation is only in Jesus, and only in how He is revealed in the Word. When you deviate on that topic from what the Word actually says about Jesus and Salvation, everything else is put into question. It is THE foundation, and to view salvation properly, in its entirety, requires the Word to stand alone and supreme on the topic. Tradition puts "priests" and "bishops" etc between man and God. Experience puts your own feelings in the way."If you sin, and feel guilty, you obviously can't be saved, you must have lost it" they might say. The flip side, is a good experience can leave you feeling saved, when no real repentance was made and therefore, no salvation. Doctrine, and how/what we reprove and correct, and how we instruct in righteousness will be borne out of the Scripture, and will rely on what we believe about salvation. The content of the Word must override all other ((false)) sources of information about God.
This is THE defining doctrine of true Baptists. Everything, and I mean everything, flows out of it. Without a sure faith and trust in the Word to stand on its own and define our belief and very life, nothing else is sure. Get off here in the beginning of doctrine, and everything else will be wrong. If you are following a map with a specific start location, and a specific route, and a specific end, but you start at the wrong place, even if you tried to follow the route exactly, you would never get to the correct end. The same is true of doctrine. Remember the Source is God, the Scope is all of life, and the Substance is salvation itself.
Below I will include some other verses on this topic.
(1 Thessalonians 2:13) For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
(2 Peter 1:16) For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
(2 Peter 1:17) For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
(2 Peter 1:18) And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
(2 Peter 1:19) We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
(2 Peter 1:20) Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
(2 Peter 1:21) For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
(Psalm 12:6) The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
(Psalm 12:7) Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
(Psalm 119:89) LAMED. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
(Psalm 138:2) I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
