Why We Trust the Bible
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You may hear people in certain circles of evangelicalism claim that they do not need teachers or instructors of Scripture, for, as Jeremiah says, "And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more" (Jer. 31:34). The New Testament affirms Jeremiah's message, and it explains that the fundamental message of the gospel is clear and easy to understand if the Holy Spirit enables the heart. However, as Peter declares in his second epistle, clarity does not equal simplicity—as Paul's epistles frequently remind us. Understanding and interpreting Scripture requires the illumination of Scripture, a heart for the Lord, and discipline, as Dr. Nichols reveals to us in this lesson.
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Stephen Nichols
Dr. Stephen J. Nichols is president of Reformation Bible College, chief academic officer for Ligonier Ministries, and a Ligonier Ministries teaching fellow. He is host of the podcasts 5 Minutes in Church History and Open Book. He has written more than twenty books, including Peace, A Time for Confidence, and R.C. Sproul: A Life and volumes in the Guided Tour series on Jonathan Edwards, Martin Luther, and J. Gresham Machen. He is coeditor of The Legacy of Luther and general editor of the Church History Study Bible.
