6. The Bible is the written Word of God. It is true, holy men have written the Bible, but they wrote being moved by the Holy Ghost, and moreover, they wrote what God told them to write, they wrote by inspiration of God. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God." 2 Tim. 3,16. God inspired His prophets and apostles, that is, He taught and told them what to write, He taught and gave them the very words which they were to use. When a teacher dictates to his pupils, the children, indeed, write the words; yet they do not write their own words, but the words of their teacher. In a similar manner, God, as it were, dictated His Word to the holy men; He told them what to write, and how to write it. So the whole Bible is God's Word. Therefore it is wholly free from every error, it is infallible. Everything it tells us is the truth. God will not and cannot tell us an untruth.
7. For what purpose did God give us His Word in the Bible? The Holy Scriptures "are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." 2 Tim. 3,15. God's Word is to make us wise, not wise unto the things of this world, unto our daily life and work, but wise unto salvation. It teaches us how we who are sinners can be saved from damnation. Nobody can teach us this but God in His Word.—Our salvation is in Christ Jesus. We are saved solely by faith in Him who has taken away the sins of the world. The Scriptures testify of Christ.—The Word of God is able to make us wise unto salvation. In it we find all we must know, all that is necessary to save us, to give us eternal life. "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Ps. 119,105.
8. How should we use the Scriptures? Our Savior says: "Search the Scriptures; for in them, ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of Me." 3 John 5,39. We should search the Scriptures, that is, we should read and study them diligently. We hear God's Word preached in our churches, we learn it in our schools, we should read it daily in our homes. We should not only read, but study it with earnest prayer to God that He would open our eyes that we may understand His Word.—We should read it so as to seek and to find in it Christ, our Lord and Savior, and through faith in Him have eternal life. "Blessed are they that hear the Word of God, and keep it," Luke 11,28.
9. From the Word of God our Catechism is taken. Luther took the most important doctrines from the Bible for his Catechism. It may be called a small Bible. Gladly should we study this little book. As new-born babes long and cry for their milk and grow thereby to become strong men or women, so children of God, newly born in Holy Baptism, should desire the pure milk of the Word set before them in their Catechism and grow thereby in knowledge and faith unto salvation. 1 Pet. 2,2.
REMEMBER:—
The Bible is the Word of God, written by inspiration of the Holy Ghost. God gave us His Word to make us wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
We should diligently search the Scriptures to find in them Christ, our Savior, and in Him, everlasting life.
MEMORIZE:—
And that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. 2 Tim. 3,15.16.
Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of Me. John 5,39.