Victory Is Yours: Overcome Life’s Challenges God's Wayნიმუში

Day 3: On Authority

It really doesn’t matter what we believe.

Now, before you close this book and call me names, hear me out. Put the emphasis on we. Then read that first sentence over again.

You see, lots of folks believe lots of things, but their belief doesn’t determine what is true. For example, talk to enough people and you’ll meet at least a few who are sure the moon landing was a hoax. Others, despite photos from space, are convinced our planet is flat. And enough Americans believe in the existence of Sasquatch that Animal Planet’s TV show Finding Bigfoot ran for 12 seasons. So when I say it doesn’t matter what we believe, I’m saying we humans can be convinced of all sorts of things whether they’re true or not. What does matter is that what we believe is true. Then what we believe matters beyond words.

Do you follow me? You can’t just let what your mom or your buddy or some talking head says be the basis for your belief. Like those people, your belief is valid only if you’re getting it from a completely reliable authority. And for matters of life and faith, the Bible is that authority.

Maybe you’re skeptical or unsure about how reliable today’s Bible is. Books like The Unshakable Truth by Josh and Sean McDowell or I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist by Norman L. Geisler and Frank Turek will assure you with scholarly evidence from various fields of research.

The Bible isn’t just some collection of ancient morality tales and wisdom sayings like many people believe. It records the acts of God in human history, along with His actual thoughts and words. Not only that, but it is the authoritative record of Christ’s life. And the continuing discoveries of archaeologists and historians only further corroborate its reliability.

So the next time you read Jesus saying, “Truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Matthew 5:18 NIV)—believe it! You have it on the very best authority.

Think About It: You’re pledging your allegiance to something. If the Bible is not your authority, then something else with much less authority is.