Q. 2. What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?
A. The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.
The bible is utterly unique because it is the authoritative revelation of God. He has revealed to us His character, His purpose for creation, His law for how we ought to live, and His way of saving men from their sins. It contains everything that God desires for His church to know so that we might be fully equipped to grow in love and knowledge of Him. When the catechism says that the Word of God is the “only rule” it does not mean that things like sermons, devotionals, godly conversation, Christian books, and the like are not helpful, but rather it is confessing the absolute supremacy of the Word of God. It is the yardstick by which to judge all other things. Secondary resources are only helpful for your Christian life in so far as they agree with the truths revealed in the scriptures. Would a map that was pulled from the imagination of an artist be what you want in your glovebox on a cross country journey? No! You would want a map that faithfully and truthfully represents the real world. So you must test all things against the truth revealed in the scripture.
How does it direct your life? By showing you how to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. I do not want it to escape your notice that just as the purpose of your life is centered in God, so too the bible is first and foremost about God. It is not a book about you. It leads you to salvation, but it does so by revealing God to you. It gives you the context to understand the pain and suffering of this world from the perspective of God’s glorious plan of salvation. Through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, it teaches you how to dethrone the idols of your heart and restore God to His rightful place. The scriptures are a gift from the Lord to teach you how to honor God as God and thus fulfill your purpose in life!
Please Read Psalm 119:105-120