Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Oct/93

Contributor - John H. Muller

Title - I Believe in the authority and sufficiency of Scripture

Topic - Scripture

Last month we noted what Article HI of our BELGIC CONFESSION says about the inspiration of the Scriptures. This month we will note ARTICLE IV - VU, as they give us more detail about the Bible books themselves and the authority with which they speak, ending with a statement of their sufficiency.

ARTICLE IV lists the 66 books which we have in our Bible today, except for Lamentations, which was probably then considered to be a part of Jeremiah. These are called "holy and canonical." The word 'canon' refers to a carpenter's measuring rule. Hence the books within the canon are the church's "rule of faith." Then the CONFESSION states that these books are "for the regulation, founding and establishing of our faith." They are authoritative for the Christian life. They are basic to our faith. They found and establish that faith, and then regulate it.

We believe what the Bible teaches because of the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. ARTICLE V says: "We believe without a doubt all things contained in them - not so much because the church receives and approves them as such, but above all because the Holy Spirit testifies in our hearts that they are from God."

Calvin in Chapter 7, Book 1, of his Institutes deals at length with this question. He refutes the ideas prevalent in his day that the Church determines the validity of Scripture. He asserts "that the testimony of the Spirit is superior to all reason - the Word will never gain credit in the hearts of men till it be confirmed by the internal testimony of the Spirit - it is self-authenticated - it obtains the credit which it deserves with us by the testimony of the Spirit - it never seriously affects us till it is confirmed by the Spirit in our hearts - that alone is true faith which the Spirit of God seals in our hearts."

Thus the outward Word is confirmed by the inner witness: Osterhaven puts it thus: "The spectacles of Scripture in themselves are insufficient to cause the blind man to see. He also needs new eyes so that he can apprehend the divine revelation of God for what it is. The power and effects of sin are such that there is no possibility of a person knowing God without a divine work of grace on his mind and heart."

ARTICLE VI of the CONFESSION differentiates between the Canonical Scripture and the Apocryphal books. The fifteen that are listed are all Old Testament Apocrypha, mostly written between 200 B.C. and 100 A.D. There are also New Testament Apocrypha, but they are not listed. These include spurious gospels that contain superboy legends of Jesus, etc. Since no church accepts them the CONFESSION does not list them.

The term 'apocrypha' originally referred to secret things. Later it came to refer to books whose value for faith and life was questionable. For Protestants, apocrypha now refers to extra- canonical books. The CONFESSION states that "the Church may read and take instruction from them, so far as they agree with the canonical books." The CONFESSION takes the position that Christians are able to discern the difference between the canonical and the apocryphal books. The difference is clear when they are compared. The WESTMINSTER CONFESSION of 1648 insists that these books are "of no authority in the Church of God, not to be in any otherwise approved, or made use of, than other human writings."

In the last ARTICLE (VII) of this section on the Word of God the emphasis is on the sufficiency of the Scriptures. "These Holy Scriptures fully contain the will of God." From a practical point of view, there are at least two angles to this truth. One is that we should not expect to know more than the Scripture reveals about spiritual matters, and the other is that we do not believe in "extra" revelations beyond those already given in the Bible.

We cannot expect God to tell us everything. All the secrets of creation, all the mysteries of His being, and all the wonders of our salvation are not fully revealed. The Scriptures do not intend to answer every question that the human mind can concoct. The human mind is full of curiosity, and people like to question and debate all kinds of irrelevant details. The CONFESSION states "that everything one must believe to be saved is sufficiently taught in it [the Bible]."

"The person who is spiritually immature troubles himself and others because he has not yet learned to find his satisfaction in what God has written." (Osterhaven) In Psalm 119 we find a good commentary on this confessional article. The Psalmist has found the Word of God sufficient for his needs.

The final aspect of the sufficiency of Scripture is that we do not expect further revelations beyond the Scripture.

The CONFESSION says that "we must not consider human writings... equal to the divine writings." It also warns against placing decisions of councils, or decrees, or official decisions above the truth of God. This certainly refers to the tendency in the Roman Church to place "tradition" on the level of the Scriptures. The Council of Trent in 1546 elevated tradition to the same level as the Bible. Present day sects do the same. The Latter Day Saints place the Book of Mormon alongside the Bible. (What a travesty that is!) The Christian Scientists consider the Bible incomplete without Mary Baker Eddy's book. The Jehovah Witnesses teach the Bible according to Russell, Rutherford and others of their sect. Some present day charismatics place their "word of knowledge" and "revelations" on a par with the Scriptures.

The conclusion is most relevant. "Therefore we reject with all our hearts everything that does not agree with this infallible rule." Then follows two Scriptural quotes: "Test the spirits to see if they are of God" (I John 4: 1) and "If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house" (II John 10).

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