Authority and the Word By J. G. Vos

This sermon by J. G. Vos titled “Authority and the Word,” arguing that the Bible is the only infallible, objective authority for faith and life in a modern world that rejects absolute truth. Vos critiques contemporary philosophies and movements—including Enlightenment thought, pragmatism, rationalism, mysticism, liberal theology, neo-orthodoxy, and the Amsterdam/Toronto (Dooyeweerdian) philosophy—for making human reason, feelings, or cultural analysis the final standard instead of Scripture. He contrasts these “subjective” authorities with the historic Reformed view that Scripture is God-breathed, unchanging, self-interpreting, and sufficient, insisting that once biblical authority is surrendered, the church becomes an empty shell and Christianity itself is imperiled.