I pondered this after realizing the way some people use abuse the Scriptures. I asked myself, “have I placed the Bible and its contents before my relationship with God? Have I turned the Bible into an idol?”

It was a serious question, and one that caused me to turn to my Heavenly Father for answers. I was reminded of the Pharisees who knew the Scriptures so well, but could not recognize that Jesus was the Son of God who came to fulfill the Scriptures. In today’s world, there are many (legalists, fundamentalists, etc.) who rely on the Scriptures to fight their agendas, but still do not understand the purpose of the Bible.

Consider 2 Timothy 3:14-17 which says:

Notice the part that I have emphasized does not say, “through the Holy Scriptures, you have been given salvation.” Instead, we are told that the Scriptures will make us “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” The Scriptures are there to point to Jesus, and to tell us why we need Him. They are not there to replace Him!

So is it possible to make the Bible an idol? Yes. The bible is one of the gifts God has given us to understand Him, and to understand why we need Him as our Savior. Essentially, it is a manifestation of His will. It’s called the “written Word”, because it speaks about God. However, Jesus is the “Living Word”, and it is only through Him that we are saved. The Bible also helps us to live a life that is pleasing to God, but once we leave this earth, it is only through Jesus that we will come into His Kingdom.