How do Christians know for certain that the Bible is the inspired and authoritative word of God? Because the Bible says so.
But wait… isn’t that a circular argument?
It’s true that you aren’t supposed to appeal to your premise to prove your conclusion. But when you’re trying to establish the source of ultimate authority, the laws of logic have to yield slightly to the limitations of human finitude. All thoughtful people—Christian or non—must argue in a circle when trying to establish their ultimate source of authority. An appeal to any other source would be self-defeating. Consider the poor dad who tries to establish his authority in the home by saying, “I’m in charge here, because Mom said so.”
It’s important for Christians to recognize that this is true for everybody, not just Christians who appeal to the Bible. Here’s an example of how it might work with a rationalistic atheist:
ATHEIST: Why do you accept the Bible as the authority for your life?
CHRISTIAN: Well, as it says here in 2 Timothy 3:16…
A: Wait. You’re arguing in a circle. You can’t use the Bible as evidence to prove why the Bible is a proper standard.
C: Well, what is your standard?
A: Human reason and rationality.
C: Why do you accept that standard?
A: Nothing else makes any sense. It’s the only reasonable choice.
C: So reason tells you that reason is the best standard? Welcome to the world of ultimate authority, where circular arguments are the only option.
Christian friend, don’t be embarrassed to let the Bible define itself! After all, if we truly believe the Bible is our highest authority, we couldn’t possibly appeal to any better source. Yes, it’s a circular argument to let the Bible define itself, but it’s not a vicious, futile circle. It’s the one, true circle of life!
Let’s make it practical. How can you know for sure the Bible is God’s word? Read it! God’s word has self-authenticating power. Things that are self-authenticating don’t require confirmation, proof, or well-reasoned arguments. Their very nature makes the case for them. You wouldn’t try to prove the sun is bright by shining a flashlight on it. To experience the sun is to know it is bright. Likewise, God’s word doesn’t just require faith; it produces faith. It has a power of its own, not just for people who believe, but for power to believe.