Jan 24
28
Baptist Catechism 4
Q. 4. What is the Word of God?
A. The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, and the only certain rule of faith and obedience. (2 Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 3:16,17; Isaiah 8:20)
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Introduction
To appreciate question 4 of our catechism, we need to remember question 3.
Question three addresses the question of knowing when it asks, “How may we know there is a God?” The answer that is given is helpful both to the general question, how may we know?, and to the more specific question, “How may we know there is a God?”
The answer given is, “The light of nature in man and the works of God plainly declare that there is a God; but His Word and Spirit only do it fully and effectively for the salvation of sinners.” So here we learn a most foundational truth. We may know things in general, and we may know that God exists in particular, because God has revealed truth to us. God has spoken both through nature and his Word. We call these two forms of revelation general or natural revelation and special revelation. God reveals himself, and certain truths about himself generally through the world that he has made. And God reveals himself, and truths about himself much more specifically through his Word. The way of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ is only revealed in God’s Word.
So then, question 3 mentions the “Word of God”, and now question 4 asks, “what is the Word of God?” The answer that is given is very basic and very important. “The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, and the only certain rule of faith and obedience.” Let us consider the answer piece by piece.
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The Holy Scriptures
Here the “Holy Scriptures” are said to be “the Word of God”.
Scripture means writing. The writings that are being referred to here are (for the most part) the writings of men. Men like Moses, David, and Paul wrote the Scriptures that we now have. But here we are confessing that these writings are not ordinary writings — they are holy. The word “holy” reminds us that the Scriptures are from God and they are pure.
We confess that the Scriptures are inspired by God. Did men write them? Yes, indeed. Did men choose the words? Yes, they did. Can we get a sense of their education or their personalities through their writings? Yes, I think we can. Men wrote the Scriptures. But with the Holy Scriptures, there is more to the story. These men we inspired by God. God’s Spirit moved or carried them along to write what they wrote so that at the end of the day we are correct to refer to their words as the Word of God. This is what Peter says in 2 Peter 1:20–21: “knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 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 Peter 1:20–21, ESV). This is a marvelous description of inspiration. Again, “no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
The Holy Scriptures are the Word of God, and they are therefore pure. If I had the time I would expand upon the word “Holy” and the phrase “the Word of God” and explain that the Scriptures are inerrant and infallible, trustworthy and sure, clear, sufficient, and authoritative (see Second London Confession chapter 1 for a more detailed statement on Holy Scripture).
Q: “What is the Word of God?” A: “The Holy Scriptures… are the Word of God…”
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Old And New Testaments
More precisely, our catechism states that “the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God…” The phrase, “of the Old and New Testaments”, is very important, for it identifies what “Scriptures” we have in mind. Not just any Scriptures (writings), but the Scriptures “of the Old and New Testaments”.
As you know, our catechism summarizes our confession of faith. And our confession of faith is more detailed on this point. The books of the Holy Scripture are listed in chapter 1, para 2.
Brothers and sisters, I think it is important to understand something about the structure of the Scriptures. The Holy Scriptures are made up of two testaments. And what divides the Old Testament from the New? What distinguishes them? Well, it is the birth and life of Christ. Matthew 1 is the beginning of the New Testament and it begins by telling us about the birth of Jesus the Messiah.
This is a bit of an oversimplification, but it is true nonetheless – both the Old Testament and the New testament are about Jesus the Messiah and our salvation in him. Though it is right for us to distinguish beetn the Old and New Testaments, we must not divirce them. Together, they tell one story – the story of God’s creation, man’s fall into sin, and our redemption in Jesus the Messiah. Saint Augustine once famously described the relationship between the Old and New Testament like this: “The New is in the Old concealed; the Old is in the New revealed.”
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The Works Of God
After saying that “the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God”, our catechism then declares that they are “the only certain rule of faith and obedience.
Rule means standard. What is the standard for what we should believe and for what we should do? The Scriptures are. They are the rule of faith and obedience.
What should we believe about God? To the Scriptures, we must go! What should we believe about ourselves? To the Scriptures, we must go! What should we believe about salvation? To the Scriptures, we must go! And how should we live? How should we worship? To the Scriptures, we must go! Natural revelation can help us in many ways, but it is not the rule of faith and obedience.God’s Word is, and the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God.
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Conclusion
Do you know the Scriptures, brothers and sisters? Do you love to listen to them read and preached? Do you read them for yourselves? Do you cherish them and store them in your heart? We ought to, for the Scriptures are God’s word to us.
