I recently watched a debate on Instagram Live that boiled down to discussing the authority of the Bible and the divinity of Jesus. I’m not sure what made me stop and watch, but I’m glad I did.

One of the participants, let’s call her Jane, made an interesting statement. While discussing the inspiration and inerrancy (no errors) of Scripture, Jane said she loves the Bible, but her god is “bigger than a book.”

This was reminiscent to me of a statement in William P. Young’s book The Shack. One of the characters in his book says, “Nobody wanted God in a box, just in a book. Especially an expensive one bound in leather with gilt edges, or was that guilt edges?” (For a full review of the book The Shack, click here.)

On the surface, these statements sound good. Who wants to worship a god who is limited to a book? But that’s just it—He’s not limited by a book; He makes the book limitless!

Who put God in a book?

First, it’s important that we make something very clear: Man did not put God in a book. God chose the written word as the medium by which we get to know Him. He chose the men who penned His Word. And He chose the very words that were written. He did all of this with us in mind. As our Creator, He knows how best to communicate with us.

As a result, the Bible isn’t an ordinary book. The Bible was written by some 40+ men over a period of 1,600 years, and yet has a common thread woven through its entirety. Its pages contain God’s beautiful love story as He pursues us and gives us the means to participate in a relationship with Him.

This is what the author of Hebrews says about the Bible:

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Hebrews 4:12 ESV

No other book does what the Bible does. And anyone who spends time in the Word can tell you it is life-giving and life-changing.

Why is the Bible different?

What makes the Bible different from other books is the fact that it is inspired by God. It was literally breathed out by God to the men who wrote it down. However, Jane argued that the inspiration the writers of the Bible received was no different than the inspiration an artist feels before he creates a work of art.

While it is true that our only measure of beauty comes from God and, therefore, beauty in art has a shadow of inspiration, it is not the same inspiration of Scripture. Artistic inspiration is not equal to divine inspiration. Art doesn’t speak to everyone. Different types of beauty appeal to different people. But the word of Scripture is universal.

If this is a struggle you have been facing, I urge you to spend time in the Word. Many have set out to disprove Scripture only to be changed by it and embrace it once they really studied it. If you need some direction for Bible study, I invite you to download my free workbook, 6 Steps to Study the Bible on Your Own.

If you want to know more about how it was determined if a book was inspired and, therefore, it was included in the canon of scripture, I recommend you listen to the second season of Phylicia Masonheimer’s podcast Verity. Click here to check it out. (And when you’re done with season 2, go back and listen to season 1 because it is fire, too!)