Doesn’t it seem like the Belgic goes in circles, making the same point in different ways? Did we not already discuss the sufficiency of Scripture in previous articles? Well, no. The fifth article addressed the question of which books should be considered authoritative. Now that the canonical books are declared authoritative, the seventh article addresses the question of how we should understand these books compared to other works of literature. Are any outside sources binding on Christians for saving grace? The seventh article clearly states that no "custom, nor age, nor the passage of time or persons, nor councils, decrees, or official decisions above the truth of God, for truth is above everything else." The reason is because “all human beings are liars by nature and more vain than vanity itself." The written Word of God, however, is “from God and also because they prove themselves to be from God” (Belgic Confession, Article 5). The difference, in other words, is origin.
Paul declares the origin of the Scriptures in God: “All Scripture is breathed out by God” (2 Tim. 3:16a). God did not breathe into the Scriptures, making them simply a witness to God’s revelation. Rather, God breathed out the written Word of God. They are from God.
What is the role of the human writers? Are they machines? No. Peter writes, “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” (2 Pet. 1:21). Men spoke “from God”, which means that all words originated in God. At the same time, “they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” God worked with the distinct personalities of each writer for his written Word. Human authors acted more like instruments, each with their distinct sound.
What does it mean that Scripture is sufficient? It means that it "contains all that the Church needs to know in this world for its guidance in the way of salvation and service, and it contains the principles for its own interpretation within itself" (J.I. Packer, Fundamentalism and the Word of God). It does not mean that other books are forbidden to read. Actually, we’re encouraged to read other works of literature, like searching for gold in the hills of California. But we mine with the belief that the standard of gold is the written Word of God. God already revealed our riches in Christ.
Notice that the article uses the word “infallible”. Infallible means that something cannot be in error. As the written Word of God, Scripture cannot deceive. The reason is because their origin is God. God is true. All that comes from God is true. Therefore, the Word is true. The history revealed in Scripture is true. The commands revealed in Scripture are true. The message of Jesus is true. But perhaps the issue is less about the truthfulness of Scripture and rather the implications of what that means for us. (This is a topic for another day.)
Let me end by addressing a common statement I hear today. Some say that Scripture is only true in “faith and practice.” They imply, most likely, that the history of the Bible is untrue. “God didn’t really create the world in six days! It’s scientifically inaccurate!” Now, it is true that the written Word of God presents many difficulties. But why assume that the error is automatically in the written Word of God? Is it not more proper to assume that we fallible creatures misunderstand God’s written Word? Plus, let me simply point out a contradiction in the statement above. The person wants it both ways: he wants the Bible true in “faith” but not in history. But they also claim that their faith is in the historical person Jesus Christ. But that doesn’t work. If the history recorded in Scripture is not trustworthy, then it follows that the resurrection of Christ is not trustworthy. If the historical event of Christ’s resurrection is not trustworthy, then “your faith is futile and you are still in your sins” (1 Cor. 15:17). The Christian faith, which is a revealed and historical faith from God, is sufficiently given to us in His written Word.
Paul declares the origin of the Scriptures in God: “All Scripture is breathed out by God” (2 Tim. 3:16a). God did not breathe into the Scriptures, making them simply a witness to God’s revelation. Rather, God breathed out the written Word of God. They are from God.
What is the role of the human writers? Are they machines? No. Peter writes, “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” (2 Pet. 1:21). Men spoke “from God”, which means that all words originated in God. At the same time, “they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” God worked with the distinct personalities of each writer for his written Word. Human authors acted more like instruments, each with their distinct sound.
What does it mean that Scripture is sufficient? It means that it "contains all that the Church needs to know in this world for its guidance in the way of salvation and service, and it contains the principles for its own interpretation within itself" (J.I. Packer, Fundamentalism and the Word of God). It does not mean that other books are forbidden to read. Actually, we’re encouraged to read other works of literature, like searching for gold in the hills of California. But we mine with the belief that the standard of gold is the written Word of God. God already revealed our riches in Christ.
Notice that the article uses the word “infallible”. Infallible means that something cannot be in error. As the written Word of God, Scripture cannot deceive. The reason is because their origin is God. God is true. All that comes from God is true. Therefore, the Word is true. The history revealed in Scripture is true. The commands revealed in Scripture are true. The message of Jesus is true. But perhaps the issue is less about the truthfulness of Scripture and rather the implications of what that means for us. (This is a topic for another day.)
Let me end by addressing a common statement I hear today. Some say that Scripture is only true in “faith and practice.” They imply, most likely, that the history of the Bible is untrue. “God didn’t really create the world in six days! It’s scientifically inaccurate!” Now, it is true that the written Word of God presents many difficulties. But why assume that the error is automatically in the written Word of God? Is it not more proper to assume that we fallible creatures misunderstand God’s written Word? Plus, let me simply point out a contradiction in the statement above. The person wants it both ways: he wants the Bible true in “faith” but not in history. But they also claim that their faith is in the historical person Jesus Christ. But that doesn’t work. If the history recorded in Scripture is not trustworthy, then it follows that the resurrection of Christ is not trustworthy. If the historical event of Christ’s resurrection is not trustworthy, then “your faith is futile and you are still in your sins” (1 Cor. 15:17). The Christian faith, which is a revealed and historical faith from God, is sufficiently given to us in His written Word.
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