The Scripture is the Word of God

Excerpts from Jonathan Edwards sermon on 2 Timothy 3:16, All scripture is given by inspiration of God." The whole sermon can be found here.

There must be some Word of God. ’Tis unreasonable to think that God would always keep silence and never say anything to mankind. God has made mankind and given him Reason and Understanding. Has made him the chief of all the creatures. Given him reason that he might know God and serve Him. Did not give the other creatures reason: He did make ’em to serve Him. Other creatures are made for man. Man was made for God: to serve God, or else he was made for nothing.

But we may be sure He did not make such a creature as man for nothing. But how unreasonable is it to think that God would make us for Himself and never say anything to us. God is the King that rules over all nations. But how unreasonable is it to think that God would make us for Himself and never say anything to us. God is the King that rules over all nations. But how unreasonable is it to suppose that He should be a King and never say anything to His subjects.... be a King and never tell them what His will or what His commands are, that His subjects may obey Him. Is as a Father: all His Family. But will a father be always dumb and silent, etc.?

God has given mankind speech: so that they are able to speak and make known their minds to one another. And therefore ’tis unreasonable to think that God never would speak to men and make known His mind to them. We need to have God teach us as much as a child needs to be taught by his father. And since God has given mankind understanding He doubtless will teach him and instruct him How can we know Him to worship God if we have no Word of God to tell us? We should not know what way of worship would please Him... whether to pray to Him or to sing or to keep the Sabbath, or be baptized, or come to sacrament, or what else we shall do.

The Bible gives right notions concerning God. Tells how God made the world.... made men.... how men became wicked. What God will do with men in another world. What way we may have the forgiveness of sin. What is the way of salvation? What God’s mind, and [what His ] will, is.

All the Rules and Commandments in the Bible are holy. Here told what man’s duty is in many things.  All sin is forbidden. How God will be served. The great things God has done for His people through all ages. What the Savior did and suffered: how He ascended into Heaven.  How the world will come to an end.  How God will judge the world. Another thing that shows that the Scriptures are the Word of God is this: — That when God told the wise and holy men to write the Bible He gave ’em power to work great MIRACLES, to convince men that it was His work.

Moses was a man that wrote all the first part of the Bible. And God, to show that the Word he wrote was His word.... And so the other Prophets that wrote other parts. Jesus Christ gave us the Scriptures of the New Testament. He spoke the Word of God. He, to show that His Word was the Word of God, wrought great miracles. He told His Disciples to write down what He said.... enabled them to do great miracles. The Apostle Paul. That there was such a man as Christ.... that great miracles [were wrought] even His enemies own: none deny it.   Another thing that shows the Scriptures to be the Word of God is that the Scripture FORETELLS a great many things. The Old Testament that was given to the Jews a great while before Christ was born foretold Christ’s coming. And a great many things concerning Him. All which are FULFILLED. The Scriptures of the New Testament foretell a great many things.... all came to pass.

The Scriptures we here read is the same Word that was given of old. The same Word has been kept all along: it has not been changed…no Book reaches the hearts of men so much. No word so AWAKENS the conscience. No word is so powerful to change the heart. Great many have been made ‘new men:’ very wicked men. No word so powerful to the Bible. Better they are the more they love it... the more they are convinced that it is the Word of God. The more wicked men [are] the more they are AGAINST IT.