Introduction
Being divine, Scripture has many more attributes that must follow from this truth. I have opted to discuss all the attributes of Scripture together due to them being so intertwined and address the polemics surrounding each in the next article. By doing this, the interconnectedness of the properties will better be shown and a more fuller understanding of Scripture from the Reformed perspective will be attained before addressing the disagreements from different sects. There are seven: necessity, authenticity, authority, infallibility, perspicuity, sufficiency, and efficacy. Almost all of them have a polemic attached to them.
Positive Statement of the Attributes of Scripture
NECESSITY: That written divine revelation is necessary and what type of necessity this is has already been explicated upon in a previous article. Furthermore, it was also defended against the claims of rationalists and papists who deny the necessity thereof. AUTHENTICITY: The attribute of authenticity was already explained in the last article and was shown to be more probable than not through various proofs. It can be further asked how we know Scripture is divine. Le Blanc answering the question of why we believe something and why we appeal to Scripture says this, “because this is contained in Scripture divinely inspired, and we indicate the place. But if we are further asked why we believe that Scripture to be divine, we no longer put forward another principle of faith by which Scripture is proven: but we advise that one must stop at that principle. We do indeed adduce arguments by which we try to prove that Scripture is divine, and that it is rightly believed as divine. Yet those arguments are not the principles of our faith properly so called, and that foundation on which our faith chiefly rests: but we believe Scripture, that is, God speaking in the Scriptures, immediately, moved to that by the internal impulse of the Holy Spirit.” Since our belief in Scripture is an act of faith, we do not assent on the basis of demonstrable proof, but upon the basis of testimony. Scriptures testifies that it is from God and we believe due to the inward testimony of the Holy Spirit to us that it is God’s Word. This gets into the relationship of faith and Scripture which will be more fully discussed after the attributes have been fully declared. AUTHORITY: Due to it being divine, Scripture necessarily has divine authority. Something has authority when it obligates someone to believe what it declares and obey what it commands. That Scripture has such authority is here proven. P1: Scripture is from God (proven in previous article). P2: That which is from God is authoritative. Therefore, Scripture is authoritative. Proof of the second premise comes from understanding who God is. Since God is the ultimate sovereign he has ultimate authority and binds man to believe what he says and do what he commands. Furthermore, it is right for man to believe what he says since he is the source of all truth. And, it is right for man to obey since God wills his creatures’ good. The creator-creature distinction holds true here, namely that the creator has sovereign rights over his creation. He can do with them as he so pleases (see Rom. 9). Therefore, as the decrees of the king hold the king’s authority, Scripture holds the same authority God has. This authority is both historical, insofar as the narrative accounts of Scripture must be believed, and norming, insofar as one must have faith in the teachings and follow the commands. Because of this, Scripture decides theological doctrines (Isa. 8:20; Mt. 22:29), all moral practices (Dt. 4:1-2; 12:28; Mt. 5:17-20), and judges our souls (Heb. 4:12). Such authority is not dependent upon anything else in itself or as to us, for since it is from God and we know this by the internal testimony of the Spirit, no other revelation is needed for us to assent to the divine authority. INFALLIBILITY: Affirming infallibility means Scripture is without fault, error, deception which means Scripture is certain in what it declares to be true. It is infallible in it’s doctrine, historical narratives, moral commands, prophecies, promises, and threats. Not only does it merely state what is true (material), but the author himself is faithful in what he says (formal). Thus, when we say Scripture is infallible, the assertions made are not only true but the author asserts it in a way that is without deception. That Scripture is without falsity is here proven. God is truth, the sources of all truth, and cannot lie (Num. 23:19; Titus 1:2; Heb. 6:18). P2: Scripture is God’s Word (proven in previous article). Therefore, Scripture is truth and cannot lie. Scripture is a sure and confirmed testimony (2 Pet. 1:19; Ps. 19:7), truth itself (Jn. 17:17), and truth for eternity (1 Pet. 1:23-25). PERSPICUITY: Scripture is perspicuous since it clearly reveals that which is necessary unto salvation. For, God’s Word is like a lamp which does not darken the mind in muddy waters, but enlightens it to understand higher truths (Ps. 119:105; 2 Pet. 1:19). However, this perspicuous light is only given to those whom God chooses to enlighten (2 Cor. 4:3-6). Therefore, seeming unclearness in Scripture is not on the part of the Word itself, but upon the subject who either lacks the Holy Spirit’s illumination or, although born again, the remains of original sin still taints the human mind. Because the Word of God is so clear, it can profitably be read by anyone whom the Spirit enlightens without an external teacher which means everyone ought to read the Word of God themselves. Many more proofs can be elucidated for this point. For example, Scripture is to be taught to children which assumes even they can know what it means (Dt. 6:6-7). It is able to make wise the simple (Ps. 19:7). Furthermore, anytime Jesus corrects people for a misunderstanding of Scripture he places blame on the reader (Mt. 12:3, 5; 19:4; 21:42; 22:31, 29). Finally, Paul assumes that the whole congregation will comprehend his letters since he addresses it to all of them and are to be read aloud in the congregation (Col. 4:16). Even Revelation itself was to be read aloud. SUFFCIENCY: The sufficiency of Scripture means that it lacks nothing necessary to be believed or done. No other revelation is necessary. Paul so clearly teaches this saying, “and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:15-17). The sacred writings themselves are able to make us wise unto salvation, but also equip us for every good work. David further makes this point clear crying out that “The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple” (Ps. 19:7). We can also call this attribute the perfection of Scripture, insofar as it is complete, for something that is perfect needs nothing to be added to it. EFFICACY: Finally, Scripture is efficacious for it provokes guilt in its readers, exhorts man to repentance and belief, cultivates immense virtue, and comforts the weary soul. The instrumentality of Scripture is not physical, as if the very graphical signs (the words) work, but rather it is a moral instrument as the Spirit works through the Word to bring about these things. This is why Scripture is compared to water (Dt. 32:2), fire (Lk. 24:32), a sword (Heb. 4:12). Paul specifically says that “the word of God…is at work in you believers” (1 Thess. 2:13).
Tying all these attributes together, since Scripture is from God, it has divine authority. What God says must be believed and what God commands must be done. This authority is infallible since God is truth and tells no lie and is a sufficient authority insofar as it does not need something else added to it for things necessary unto salvation and perfection. Furthermore, this infallible sufficient authority is clear in its presentation so that all readers may benefit and be made knowledgeable unto salvation if the Holy Spirit so works. Finally, it is efficacious since it brings about guilt, repentance, true belief, and virtue in its reader. What an amazing thing we have at our hands! We should thank God everyday that he would gift us with something so holy despite our sinful and feeble minds. That we should be raised to the knowledge of his supernatural works is something that should be with gratitude received in humbleness. Sadly, many of these attributes are under attack by non-Christians and unfortunately many Christians alike.
List of Polemics
In the following articles, controversies will be addressed. Herein will be provided a list of those controversies we Reformed have with other traditions. Due to the overlap in many of the properties, the polemics will also see some overlap. The disagreements can be divided into those who object in principle to divine revelation, those who accept divine revelation but recognize different writings as authentic or non-authentic, and those who accept Scripture to be divine revelation but speak differently of the nature and purpose of it. In the first category, atheists, agnostics, deists and the like object to Scripture for either there is no God (and therefore no divine revelation) or God has chosen not to reveal himself. The argumentation in this category can follow two different methods. Firstly, a priori argumentation works from cause to effect. Thus, negation of the cause (God, or at least a revealing God), necessarily negates the effect (divine revelation). Secondly, a posteriori argumentation works from effect to cause. Thus, negation of the effect by showing contradictions within it, by necessity negates the cause (an infallible God). Regarding the second category, all who disagree with the 66 book canon of Scripture lie here. This polemic concerns itself with the attribute of authenticity and is properly addressed under the canon of Scripture. Herein are Muslims who affirm the Quran is authentic, the Jews who deny the New Testament, and the papists and Easterners who include the apocrypha and other writings in the case of the latter. Concerning the third category, much of the controversies lie with the papists with some other disagreements with different sects. Firstly, under the attribute of authority, the Anabaptists of late and people like Andy Stanley of more recent times deny the binding authority of the Old Testament for Christians today. We also disagree with Romanists over other sources of divine authority such as the pope, councils, and oral tradition which can also be placed under the sufficiency of Scripture. The denial of these as divinely authoritative necessarily entails the sufficiency of Scripture. Finally, papists also deny the perspicuity of Scripture which for them necessitates the magisterium as its infallible interpreter.
Conclusion
Delineating the attributes of Scripture has given us a more comprehensive understanding of it. The holy Word of God is our necessary authority in doctrine and practice, which clearly reveals all of which is necessary for salvation which effects our very souls. God’s Word is powerful and without fault; and therefore, it is right to submit our mind and will to it, and from it all supernatural theology follows. This article greatly establishes Scripture as the rule of faith and epistemic principle of all supernatural theology. We must rest upon it as our guide and may we never seek to deduce a system of theology without it. Any system that does not rely upon the revealed Word of God will be clouded by the human intellect, darkened by sinful desires, and led astray by human philosophies (Col. 2:8).