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The Authority of God’s Word

Proverbs 30:5-6: "Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar."

Proverbs 13:13: "Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded."

Isaiah 40:8: "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever."

Matthew 24:35: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away."

Explanation

The authority of God’s Word as the ultimate standard of truth is foundational for Christians and a critical topic to address when witnessing to LDS members as they often question and diminish the role of the Bible. The key take away from these verses is the divine authority, reliability, and immutability of God's Word, standing firm even when all else fades or passes away. It also highlights the danger of adding, taking away, or neglecting any words in Scripture.

Translation

Article of Faith 8, written by Joseph Smith, says, "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God." That qualifier is often used to deny the clear testimony of Scripture about fundamental articles of the Christian faith.

In response to this, you should know the difference between the transmission and translation of the Bible. Although the Bible has had many translations, the process of expressing the biblical text in a language different than the one it was written in, the transmission of the text, the passing down of the scriptures through the centuries, has happened reliably and in the original languages they were written in. You can still learn the biblical languages to this day, and read it for yourself with great confidence that the text has been preserved by God.