I Believe in the Bible

Note: The sermon summary below was generated and formatted with the help of AI. If you spot anything that seems out of left field, let us know so we can fix it!

I Believe in the Bible

Pastor Jeff McNicol opens this sermon by noting the Bible’s unparalleled reach: an estimated 500 billion copies printed, roughly five for every person who has ever lived. It’s been translated into 756 languages fully, with portions in over 3,000, including quirky versions like Klingon and emoji translations. Bible sales rose 22% last year, with Gen Z (ages 13-28) showing notable interest, often buying their first copy. Yet, at Pathway Church, the Bible isn’t just popular—it’s revered as God’s word. In this sermon from the “I Believe” series, Pastor Jeff examines the church’s doctrinal statement on the Bible, exploring its content, reliability, purpose, and how we should respond.

The Bible’s Significance Today

The sermon centers on the second point of the church’s statement of faith: “We believe that God has spoken in the scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of his will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it’s to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises.” Pastor Jeff unpacks this statement through four key aspects, guiding us to a deeper trust in the Bible.

1. The Bible’s Content

The statement begins by affirming the Bible as God’s word to mankind. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path,” guiding us in God’s desires. Paul states in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All scripture is God-breathed,” a direct communication from God.

Old and New Testaments

The Bible comprises the Old and New Testaments, meaning “covenant”—God’s promises, will, and our responsibility. The Old Testament has 39 books, the New Testament 27, totaling 66, written over 1,500 years by 40 authors across three continents (Europe, Asia, Africa) in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. Despite this diversity, it maintains unity. Jesus classified the Old Testament as the law, prophets, Psalms, and wisdom literature, often quoting it, as did New Testament authors, affirming its relevance. The New Testament starts with four Gospels, followed by the church’s history, epistles, and Revelation, which Pathway studied last year.

Determining the Canon

In the first century, false teachings arose, so the church had to identify God’s true word, not create it, but discover it. Tests for canonicity included apostolic authority, internal and external consistency, and acceptance by early churches, many of whom were eyewitnesses. This process confirmed the 66 books as the canon.

Through Human Authors

The Bible was written by 40 authors—kings, fishermen, a rabbi, a doctor, prophets—each with unique contexts. Luke writes in Luke 1:1-4, “Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good to me to write an orderly account for you.” 1 John 5:13 says, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” Paul notes in Philemon 1:21, “Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.” Recognizing this context, the grammatical-historical method ensures we interpret accurately, avoiding errors like a prayer chain mix-up Pastor Jeff shared about his wife, Carolyn, mistakenly thought to be expecting twins.

2. The Bible’s Reliability

If human authors wrote the Bible, can we trust it, given human fallibility? The statement affirms its reliability through three claims.

Verbally Inspired

The Bible is verbally inspired, meaning the Holy Spirit guided the authors to the very words, not just concepts. 2 Peter 1:20-21 states, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things, for prophecy never had its origin in human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” This guidance preserves the authors’ styles—James differs from Paul—but ensures God’s intent.

Without Error

The Bible is inerrant in its original writings, as Proverbs 30:5 says, “Every word of God is flawless.” We lack the originals, written 2,000+ years ago on fragile materials, but copies are reliable. The New Testament has 5,686 manuscripts (25,000 with translations), compared to Plato’s seven or Caesar’s ten, with copies dating within 20 years of the originals, close enough for eyewitness correction. The Old Testament’s care is evident in the Masoretes’ meticulous copying—counting letters and burning scrolls with errors. The Dead Sea Scrolls (1947 discovery) closed a 1,000-year gap, with the Isaiah scroll 95% identical to later copies, variations being minor slips or spelling changes.

3. The Bible’s Purpose

The statement highlights two primary purposes of the Bible.

Revealing God’s Will

2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” It’s a living book, speaking through the Holy Spirit today, but we must engage it to hear God’s direction, not shortchange it by assuming it doesn’t apply.

Establishing Authority

The Bible is the ultimate authority. In John 6:68, Peter says to Jesus, “Lord, to whom should we go, you have the words of eternal life.” It doesn’t cover everything—like building spaceships or winning Pirates’ seasons—but all knowledge must align with it. Today’s world often prioritizes man’s truth over God’s, leading to a lack of fellowship with Him.

4. So What? How Belief Behaves

Believing in the Bible demands action. Pastor Jeff outlines four steps from the statement and his own encouragement.

1. Believe It

The statement urges, “It is to be believed in all that it teaches.” Ephesians 1:13 says, “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word, the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, when you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.” If you feel distant from God, it may be because you’re not fully accepting the Bible’s truth.

2. Obey It

1 John 2:5 states, “But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them, this is how we know we are in him.” Intellectual assent isn’t enough; disobedience hinders the Spirit’s fullness. Jesus warned the Pharisees, saying in Matthew 7:23, “Away from me, I never knew you,” for claiming belief without action.

3. Trust It

Psalm 145:13 declares, “The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.” The Bible offers hope, peace, joy, love, forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life—promises God fulfills if we trust Him.

4. Read It

Pastor Jeff adds, read it. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active,” speaking into our lives today. We won’t find peace in its promises without knowing them, so we must engage faithfully to hear from God.

Living Out Our Belief

Pastor Jeff closes by urging us to move beyond declaring “I believe in the Bible” to living it—believing, obeying, trusting, and reading it. Despite its accessibility, familiarity can breed contempt, leaving us unchanged if we don’t engage. Let’s commit to letting God’s word shape us, experiencing the fullness of life He intends through its truth.

SERMON DETAILS

Speaker: Jeff McNicol
Series: I Believe
Sermon Title: I Believe in the Bible
Date: May 4, 2025

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

• Psalm 119:105

• 2 Timothy 3:16-17

• Luke 1:1-4

• 1 John 5:13

• Philemon 1:21

• 2 Peter 1:20-21

• Proverbs 30:5

• John 6:68

• Ephesians 1:13

• 1 John 2:5

• Matthew 7:23

• Psalm 145:13

• Hebrews 4:12

SHARE