As we are remembering the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, it would do us well to ponder the blessing of the recovery of the sufficiency and authority of Scripture. Kevin DeYoung provides a marvelous resource to the church in underlining the priority of God's Word for God's people. 

The subtitle says it all: “Taking God at His Word: Why the Bible is Knowable, Necessary, and Enough and What That Means for You and Me.” Kevin DeYoung unpacks the knowability, necessity and sufficiency of Scripture in 129 pages.

Just a cursory reading will show that Pastor DeYoung faithfully uses Scripture to defend Scripture. In other words, he appeals to the authority of Scripture to defend the authority of Scripture.

He argues that ultimate authority must be treated as ultimate authority. Any attempt to relegate Scripture to a subordinate position under the authority of man to prove the Bible underhandedly attacks the authority of Scripture.

It was refreshing to see Pastor DeYoung’s commitment to Scripture and recognition that this is the way Scripture presents itself. Jesus said that “if you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). Only by first abiding in the truth are we enabled by that truth to know the truth and be set free from our folly. 

In chapter 1, “Believing, Feeling, Doing”, Pastor DeYoung walks through Psalm 119 to show that when Scripture reflects on itself it shows “us what to believe about the word of God, what to feel about the word of God, and what to do with the word of God” (16). This chapter sets the tone for the whole book.

Our experience does not shape the Bible, but rather the Bible provides a foundation for faith, ignites passion and directs behavior. Chapters 2 through 8 unfold the character of Scripture as Sure, Enough, Clear, Final, Necessary and Dependable.

Kevin DeYoung begins each chapter with Scripture's own statement on Scripture, explains the text, vividly illustrates it and applies it to the Christian's thinking and life.

I will leave you with this provoking quote from page 90, “So this is the necessity of Scripture in a nutshell: We need the revelation of God to know God, and the only sure, saving, final, perfect revelation of God is found in Scripture.”