Ephesians 2:20
20 Built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.
Reflection: The Rule (Question #2)
Written By: Pastor Jesse Caro
Question: What rule has God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?
Answer: The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old Testament and the New Testament, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify God and enjoy him.
If you read last week’s Rooted devotionals, you might remember that the Protestant Reformation was a correction of some theology that the Catholic Church held to. One was that the Pope has the authority to claim something, and it have the same weight and authority as the Bible. The second question in Westminster Catechism (and John Wesley’s compilation) addresses this very question. Basically, the question is, “What authority gives us information as to how we should live as it relates to God?” The answer is clear: The Scriptures! We don’t look to resources outside of the Bible to learn how to relate to God and glorify him. No man can speak with the high authority of the Scripture. The Bible is our sole rule for living.
We should all affirm this, should we not? We have a “high view” of Scripture as the sole authority for our lives. And if we do, we should study it. Read it. Meditate on it. Take it seriously. Not neglect it. Cherish it. Determine to live by its precepts. I am challenged by the idea that I have a very, very high view of the role Scripture plays in the life of the church. And yet, often, I neglect it for my own life. I do not read it as I should. I do not cherish it, study it, meditate on it. In this way I have become like the man who builds his house on the sand, hearing the word but not applying it.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, may we apply the Word of God to our lives, and in this way take seriously our profession that the Scripture is our sole authority for godliness.
