The phrase “God-breathed” comes from 2 Timothy 3:16 which states, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” This verse teaches that the Bible originated from God and was inspired by Him. But what exactly does it mean that Scripture is “breathed out by God”?
First, the word “breathed” or “breathed out” indicates that Scripture comes directly from God. Just as we breathe out air from our lungs, God imparted His words and truth into the minds and hearts of the biblical writers. The Bible did not come from human initiative or will, but through men moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). The authors wrote using their own personalities and styles, but the words themselves came from the Lord.
Secondly, since Scripture comes from the mouth and mind of God, it carries the authority, power, and truth of God Himself. Every word of the Bible is completely trustworthy, infallible, and without error because God cannot lie or speak falsely. The Bible is called the Word of God because it comes directly from Him and accurately expresses His thinking and purposes. His words are pure, flawless, and perfectly reliable (Psalm 12:6; Proverbs 30:5).
Thirdly, the Bible is a living book because it comes from the mouth of God. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active…” Jesus said His words “are spirit and they are life” (John 6:63). As the very breath of God, Scripture is dynamic, active, and powerful. It transforms hearts and minds each time it is read or proclaimed as God’s Spirit takes His Word and applies it to people’s lives.
In summary, the Bible is called God-breathed because:
- It originated from God and was imparted by Him into the minds of the human writers.
- It fully carries God’s truth, authority, and power since it comes directly from Him.
- It is a living and active word from God that transforms lives.
The Human and Divine Aspects of Scripture
Since the Bible is called the Word of God, does this mean the human writers had nothing to do with it? Absolutely not. God did not ignore or override the personalities, writing styles, vocabularies and cultural backgrounds of the human authors. The Bible is 100% the words of God AND 100% the words of men.
There is a divine aspect of Scripture along with a human aspect. The Holy Spirit guided and supervised the human writers so that what they produced was exactly what God wanted written (1 Corinthians 2:12-13). The biblical authors were not passive typists or channels, but active participants in the process as they freely used their own minds and expressions. Yet God sovereignly worked through their human personalities to write His revelation without any mixture of error. He generated the Scriptures through the sanctified thought processes of men.
So the Bible has a dual authorship – divine and human at the same time. God superintended the process to guarantee that what was produced was His infallible Word, free from all error, and at the same time the writers actively used their own vocabularies and styles. The human element guaranteed the words would be understandable to people, while the divine element guaranteed they would be completely authoritative and true.
The Attributes of the God-Breathed Scriptures
Let’s delve deeper into the key attributes of the Bible that originate from its God-breathed essence:
The Bible is infallible and inerrant
Because the Bible comes from the perfect, flawless God, it shares His nature and glory. There is not one single mistake in the original writings – not one verse or word or grammatical detail that is in error or false. God’s Word is totally true in everything it affirms. It is trustworthy in matters of history, science, geography, theology, ethics and every other subject it touches on (Psalm 19:7; John 17:17).
The Bible is clear and understandable
Although the Bible was written thousands of years ago, with enough effort and study the average person can comprehend its message. God wants His Word to be accessible, so He moved through the personalities of the writers to produce a revelation any ordinary person can grasp when they apply adequate effort (Ephesians 3:4-6). Yet the Bible also has depths of meaning that scholars can mine for a lifetime.
The Bible has practical instruction for daily life
Since all Scripture comes from God, it is immensely practical for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in godliness (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Bible is not an abstract theological treatise, but a practical guide for daily living before God and people. It addresses real-life issues and interpersonal relationships with timeless principles and commands that bring order, health and joy when applied.
The Bible carries divine authority and power
The Bible is called the Word of God, meaning it carries the authority of God Almighty Himself. To disbelieve or disobey any teaching of Scripture is to disbelieve or disobey God. When the Bible speaks, God speaks. The words of the Lord that made the universe are powerful and active enough to transform hearts and lives beyond anything human words could do (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
The Bible provides everything needed for life
The Bible claims that Scripture provides us with everything necessary for living a godly life to please God. It equips us for “every good work” (2 Timothy 3:17). Through the Bible, believers have access to God’s own wisdom for managing life successfully (2 Peter 1:3). The divine commands and principles we need for spiritual maturity and fruitfulness can be found in God’s Word (Joshua 1:8).
How the Bible was God-Breathed
The actual process the Holy Spirit used to breathe out God’s words into the biblical writings involved several phases:
1. God took the initiative to inspire the Scripture writers
The writing of Scripture did not originate with man, but with God. He chose when and how to initiate the recording of His revelation. Sometimes prophecy came through a direct encounter with God, other times through a dream or vision. But Scripture originated with the Lord, not man (2 Peter 1:20-21).
2. God prepared and chose the human writers
God sovereignly selected the personality, time period, vocabulary and experiences of the authors He wanted to use. Their backgrounds suited the material they were to write. Moses was prepared to write the first five Bible books over 40 years in the desert. Luke, a doctor, researched and investigated details for his gospel (Luke 1:1-4). The writers were vessels set apart and ready when God’s timing came.
3. The Spirit guided the thought processes of the writers
God did not ignore the minds, language skills, and writing abilities of the human authors. The Holy Spirit guided and guarded their thought processes so that they chose concepts, vocabulary and sentence structure that perfectly expressed God’s revelation as He desired. He did not dictate or override their styles, but rather illuminated their thinking so that what they produced was the inerrant Word of God (1 Corinthians 2:12-13).
4. The Spirit ensured the written product was error-free
After the writing was finished, the Holy Spirit providentially safeguarded the recording and copying of the manuscripts throughout centuries of transmission, until the invention of the printing press. God protected His Word from being lost or changed, so that His pure, unaltered, perfect revelation was available for future generations (Psalm 12:6-7; Matthew 5:18).
How the God-Breathed Bible Changes Us
Here are some key ways exposure to the living and active Scriptures impacts believers:
- Sanctification – the Bible renews the mind and transforms the inner person. It increases spiritual maturity as it shapes believers into the image of Christ through its commands and principles (John 17:17).
- Guidance – the Scriptures give wisdom and discernment for all decisions in life. They show the right path we should take in confusing situations (Psalm 119:105).
- Nourishment – just as food nourishes the body, the words of Scripture nourish the soul of man. It is milk and meat for growing Christians, and bread that sustains the spirit (Matthew 4:4).
- Purification – absorbing and obeying the Bible cleanses believers from sinful habits, attitudes and lifestyle patterns that offend God (Psalm 119:9).
- Hope – the promises and truths of Scripture give stability, courage and optimism for the future. It anchors believers emotionally despite changing circumstances (Romans 15:4).
- Guidance – the Scriptures give wisdom and discernment for all decisions in life. They show the right path we should take in confusing situations (Psalm 119:105).
As the very breath of God, the Bible is powerful and active enough to transform anyone who exposes their mind and heart to its message. God’s Word will cut to the core of the human personality, requiring repentance, renewing the mind, and conforming the life to truth under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. It brings refreshing words of hope, direction and clarity for all who let it dwell in them richly (Colossians 3:16).
Practical Principles About the God-Breathed Bible
In closing, here are some key truths for believers to remember about what it means that the Bible is God-breathed:
- All Scripture from Genesis to Revelation shares one divine Author even though it has many human writers.
- The Bible has no errors or contradictions because it comes from the flawless God who cannot lie or confuse truth.
- The words of Scripture are perfectly authoritative for testing all matters of doctrine, reproof, and righteous living.
- No other book shares the unique attributes of complete trustworthiness and life-changing power found in the Bible.
- Scripture transforms hearts and renews minds to be more like Christ as we submit to its commands and teaching.
- Even the average Christian can comprehend the message of the Bible by proper study habits and reliance on the Holy Spirit.
- The Bible provides all the divine wisdom and principles needed for a godly, successful life.
The Bible stands alone as the written Word of God. It is an infallible, authoritative guidebook for this life and a roadmap that leads directly to eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. We must approach Scripture with reverence and care, eager to conform our thinking and behavior to its commands. For the God who made us still speaks through the Bible today, the only book that carries the very breath and mind of God within its words.