LBCF 1:5 - The Subjective Authority of Scripture
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Opening Thoughts on LBCF 1:5
Opening Thoughts on LBCF 1:5
Paragraph 5 was directed against Roman Catholicism. Roman Catholicism affirms that the church is able to give an infallible attestation of the Bible.
Any view which invests the church with infallible authority must be unacceptable to Protestants, but the Reformers were faced with a dilemma. If they rejected the opposite extreme, the radical Anabaptists and their claims to direct revelation, in what way could they authenticate the Bible? The Charismatic movement has direct lineage to these Anabaptist groups; there is nothing new under the sun...
Their dilemma drove them to the Bible and the articulation of a penetrating insight into its authentication.
While they recognized that the testimony of the church had a certain value, it was the divine excellencies of Scripture itself applied by the Holy Spirit to the heart which were the genuine and effective authentication of the Scripture. (Matthew 16:17; 1 Corinthians 2:14–16.; John 3:3–8; 1 Corinthians 2:4–5; 1 Thessalonians 1:5-6; 1 John 2:20-21, 27)
Calvin, Let it be considered then as an undeniable truth that they who have been inwardly taught by the Spirit feel an entire acquiescence in the Scripture, and that it is self-authenticated, carrying with it its own evidence, and ought not to be made the subject of demonstration and arguments from reason; but it obtains the credit which it deserves with us by the testimony of the Spirit.
I have understood 1 Cor. 2:14-16 as teaching on clear truth - we cannot understand the Word of God without the Spirit.
This statement also speaks to why we understand the Word of God in salvation - the Spirit has enlightened us and made us alive.
They taught, therefore, the self-authentication of the Scriptures (Deuteronomy 31:11–13; John 20:31; Galatians 1:8, 9; Mark 16:15–16).
Calvin, But with regard to the question, “How shall we be persuaded of its divine original, unless we have recourse to the decree of the church?” This is just as if anyone should enquire, “How shall we learn to distinguish light from darkness, white from black, sweet from bitter?” For the Scripture exhibits as clear evidence of its truth, as white and black things do of their colour, or sweet and bitter things of their taste.
The Bible everywhere asserts that the Scriptures are never to be viewed as a dead letter, but as the living Word of God.
The Scriptures in and of themselves demand to be believed and oblige all who hear them to believe.
LBCF 1:5
LBCF 1:5
We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church of God to an high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scriptures; and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, and the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man's salvation, and many other incomparable excellencies, and entire perfections thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God; yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth, and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.
Survey of Scripture
Survey of Scripture
We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church of God to an high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scriptures; [2 Timothy 3:14–15]
But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, and the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man’s salvation, and many other incomparable excellencies, and entire perfections thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God; [Deuteronomy 31:11–13; Jeremiah 23:28–29; Mark 16:15–16; Luke 16:27–31; John 6:63; John 20:31; Galatians 1:8–9; 1 Peter 1:23–25; Hebrews 4:12–13]
when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Gather the people together, men and women and little ones, and the stranger who is within your gates, that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the Lord your God and carefully observe all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as you live in the land which you cross the Jordan to possess.”
“The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?” says the Lord. “Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
“Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, But the word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth, and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts. [Matthew 16:17; John 16:13-14; 1 Corinthians 2:4-5,10-12, 14; 1 Thessalonians 1:5–6; 1 John 2:20–21, 27)
Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit,
But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
What Does This Teach Us?
What Does This Teach Us?
Opening Thoughts
Opening Thoughts
Last week the question was asked, How can I convince another of the worthiness of Scripture when they do not believe?
The statements of the Confession, and the passages reviewed, tell us several things:
We believe because of the Spirit’s work in us - we cannot “short-cut” the Spirit’s work.
We believe because we accept the testimony of the church.
As a result, if you do not have the Spirit, Scripture is clear you cannot understand the Word of God.
People may accept the testimony of the church, but that cannot nullify the work of the Spirit.
This brings together 1 Cor. 2:14 and Ephesians 2:1-5
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
The authentication of Scripture’s divine authority
The authentication of Scripture’s divine authority
The Testimony of the Church [2 Timothy 3:14-15]
But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
There is a certain testimony of Scriptures by the church that must be accepted.
We do not succumb to the error of Roman Catholicism that something is Scripture because they said it is so.
Early church fathers are of value but not the same value as Scripture.
Papal utterances are often full of error and contradictions to God’s Word.
The testimony of the church shows that men were willing to die for the communication and preservation of Scripture.
Tyndale and others gave their lives for Scripture; you would not do this for any book.
Through the ages people have labored at great cost in giving the Bible to others in their language.
The church provides examples of men willing to die for the Word of God.
In our second lesson we gained understanding of how we got our Canon, it is this Canon we refer to as Scripture.
The Internal Evidence and Excellency of Scripture [John 20:31; Hebrews 4:12-13]
but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
Scripture is like no other book - man would not have dreamed up such a means of salvation.
Scripture speaks of God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - in ways that speak to its divine origin.
Scripture has a quality to it where its words, when read, have a power unlike anything else.
The External Moving of the Holy Spirit [John 16:13–14; 1 Cor. 2:10-12,14]
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
The power I spoke of, previously, is not found in Scripture alone, it is found in conjunction with the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the One who opens our eyes to the truths - not your intellect or superior cognitive abilities.
The Holy Spirit takes the Word of God and makes it effectual to us