Are the Teachings of the Bible All We Need for Our Spiritual Lives?

The real question on this topic should be, "do we truly believe what the Bible says about itself?"

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (ESV)

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

This tells us that we may be complete and equipped for every good work because Scripture is breathed out by God. What does "complete" and "every good work" mean? Maybe this is all about how we help others. Even so, that means in able to help others the Bible is all we need.

Now is where I would discuss the inerrancy of Scripture, but I already did that in my post "Biblical Inerrancy" you can check out what I say about the Bible being without error due to God being the author.

The Bible being all we need to help others means anyone who points you in a direction that is not based out of the Bible is not sound leading. A key test is that whoever is trying to help someone out spiritually should have Scripture references for the help given. We live in a broken world and if there is not a medical problem, then through the Holy Spirit's guidance the Bible is the only reference needed.

2 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV)

"His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire."

Where does that "knowledge of him" that gives us "us all things that pertain to life and godliness" come from? We get that from the Bible.

I do believe what the Bible has to say about itself.

Amen.

Why then do I not read my Bible more? Why do I base my spiritual life off of feelings? Why do sometimes all I do is let worship music be my guide? Why is it sometimes I let worldly wisdom have more power in my life then the Bible? Why does the Bible feel dry and uninteresting sometimes? I go to church, don't I get the Bible there? Why doesn't God speak to me directly or at least through His word? I'm a good person, I live the Bible I don't need to read it. I am really busy, reading the Bible is time I can cut out. The living Word is in me, why would I need to read it?

The problem is not the Bible.

"His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness"

and

"that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

As Christians we need to be praying for discernment and reading our Bibles. We are made perfect through Christ and all that he asks is for us to follow Him. There is no way to know what that means or looks like unless we are in his word. There is good news for us though: The Bible gives us all we need.

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If you are needing additional convincing the book Totally Sufficient: The Bible and Christian Counseling goes in to a lot of detail on this topic. A focus is that psychiatry today is one of those groups that is trying to help, but is not based off Scripture. In fact, they are based off worldly wisdom and people that are opposed to God.