Who wrote Scripture?

The Iglesia Ni Cristo teaches that the Father is God, but they also teach that Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are not God. However, when we examine the scriptures, we find that each of them play a part in authoring scripture. Could Jesus and the Holy Spirit author scripture if they were not God?

The Bible teaches that the Father, Son, and Spirit are all three authors of scripture and that all three are God.

The Father speaks the words of God.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 (ESV) - 13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God

Scripture is called the "word of God", and rightly so. It is the very words of God, passed on to man. The Old Testament uses the phrase "Thus says the Lord" hundreds of times. The Father spoke the words of the Bible.

The Holy Spirit speaks the words of God.

2 Peter 1:21 (ESV) - 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Old Testament prophets were known for delivering the words of God to God's people, the Israelites. But how did the prophets get God's words? Peter tells us: the Holy Spirit inspired the prophets to speak the words of scripture. Through men, the Holy Spirit authored the Bible.

Jesus Christ speaks the words of God.

Hebrews 1:1-2 (ESV) - 1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.

The author of Hebrews tells us that in these last days, Jesus has replaced the prophets in the role of bringing God's word to us. Instead of having many prophets proclaim God's word, we now have Christ. The apostles had authority to write scripture because they receieved the message from Jesus Christ, who is God's messenger in these last days.

2 Peter 1:16 (ESV) - For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

Only God can author scripture.

2 Timothy 3:16a (ESV) - All Scripture is breathed out by God

No other being is able to "breathe out" scripture; only God is able to do this. If both the Holy Spirit and Jesus can do this, then they must be God.

Scripture did not originate with the human authors.

The argument could be made that since the apostles were able to write scripture without being God, then Jesus and the Spirit do not have to be God just because they wrote scripture.

This is a misunderstanding of the origin of scripture. For example, Paul wrote 2 Timothy: his thoughts, phrasing, and pen were necessary in its authorship. However, Paul was not the source of the infallible message, which he wrote. The true origin of scripture must come from God himself as 2 Timothy 3:16 says. While acknowledging intermediary aspects of their functions, these passages that speak of the Holy Spirit or Jesus as giving scripture speak of them as the source of message, not mere instruments in writing. The divine aspect of scripture, the true origin of scripture, can only come from God himself - the Father, the Son, and the Spirit.

Conclusion

The Bible teaches that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have all authored scripture as divine sources of the message. The Bible also teaches that only God can author scripture in this way. In order to reconcile these things, we must believe in the biblical doctrine of the Trinity.

INC members should submit to what scripture teaches, and to the true God who gave us scripture. A Jesus or a Holy Spirit that is less than God cannot give a true gospel.