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The Majesty of the ible
Bible, as when He speaks nothing less than
The Larger Catechism
with aWesome power,
wonderful, Le., causing
speak simply of the
tend
not only to grab our
wonder,
awe
and
majesty of the Bible,
attention, but also strike
adoration, because this
whereas the Confession of
us with awe
and
fear of revelation is
Faith
expands
the
idea
to
God, before the incomprehensible to the
the majesty of the style
description
and
display of
human mind, since God's
in which
the
Bible was
the splendor of His
thoughts are so infinitely
written.
The
divine
majesty, Isaiah 2:19,
2L
higher than ours. What
majesty of the style in
The Bible reveals great
the Bible reveals is a
which the Bible was
things, Hosea 8:12. It
is
mystery, in that none of
written shines forth no
full of wisdom ... yet not
its message would have
less from
the
simplicity
the wisdom of this world,
occurred
to
the human
than
the
weight of
nor of the princes of this
mind, without the
expression and revelation of
that consummate
God.
boldness in
The Purity
of
commanding all
the
ible
without
The divine
distinction,
both
authority of the
the
highest and
Bible is seen in
the lowest. - the purity of its
Francis Turretin, Institutes
world, that come to
doctrines. t is Holy
of
Elenctic Theology,
VoL
1,
nothing: but we speak the Scripture precisely
pg 64. Although some
wisdom of God in a
because its puri ty excels
Biblical passages have
mystery, even the hidden
all other compositions,
more plainness, while
wisdom, which God
since it
is
God-breathed.
others are written
in
a
ordained before the world
Everyone that weighs
loftiness of style,
unto our glory. Which
the subject-matter of it
nevertheless, a definite
things also we speak, not
may behold therein the
majesty characterizes the
in
the words
which
man's
displays of the glory of
entire Bible, because
wisdom teach, but which
the holiness of God. -
throughout
its passages it the Holy Spirit teaches, 1 Thomas Ridgeley,
reveals
the
sovereignty
Corinthians 2:6-13. God s
Commentary
on
the Larger
and
gloriOUS
splendor of
Word is wonderful, Psalm
Catechism, Vol. 1,
pg.
40.
the High and Holy One,
119:129.
In other words,
It is absolutely pure in
who inhabits eternity, and
the Bible has too milch
and of itself - The words
who is majestiC in
majesty of style, sublimity
of the Lord
are
pure words;
holiness. Such expression
of doctrine
and
too much
as silver tried in a furnace
of God's sovereignty and
divine wisdom in it to
of earth, pUrified seven
majesty, interspersed
have been invented by
times , Psalm 12:6. Thy
throughout
the entire men. Its contents are
word
is
very pure: therefore
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Thy servant loves it
Psalm 119:140.
Being impeccably pure,
it lays open the vile and
detestable nature of sin,
to render it abhorred
by
us. .
I t
also presents
to
our
view various
instances of the divine
vengeance, and shows us
how the wrath of God
is
revealed against the
unrighteousness of
sinners, to make them
afraid
of
rebelling against
Him. - Moreover, the
Scripture warns sinners of
that
eternal ruin which
they expose themselves to
in the other world .. Nor
does Scripture ever give
the least indulgence or
dispensation to sin, or in
any
of its doctrines, lead
to licentiousness. And it
.not only reproves sin in
the life and outward
behavior of men, but also
discovers its secret
recesses in the hearL.and
guards against its first
motions, tending thereby
to regulate the secret
thoughts of men. - The
Scripture . .leads us to the
practice of Christian
virtues
for
better motives,
and
considers us not
barely
as
men, but as
Christians, under the
highest obligations to the
blessed Jesus, and
constrained to a virtlloUS
life by His condescending
, love, expressed in all that
He has done and suffered
for our redemption and
salvation. - Ridgeley, Vol.
. I pg. 41f.
How does the purity of
the Bible argue for its
divine authority? 0 .
Man who is prone to sin,
naturally blinded and
prejudiced against divine
truth and holiness, could
never compose a book
which is so consonant to
the divine perfections,
and contains such a
display of God's glory,
and is so adapted to make
us holy. - 2) It is plain
that the world without
Scripture could not attain
holiness. - Ridgeley, Vol
1.,
pg. 43.
The Consent of ll
the
Parts
of
the Bible
The Bible is completely
harmonious. It contains
no contradictions or
inconsistencies. This
exact and harmonious
consent of all the parts of
the Bible proves it to be
of divine origin and
divine authority. Not only
is there perfect unity
between the Old and New
Testaments, but perfect
unity also exists between
the particular books of
the Bible.
Now nothing
preserves the boo1;s of
Scripture from such
inconsistency and
contradiction as are
found
in
all other
compositions, except that
they were written by
divine inspiration. This
will appear, if we
consider that the
penmen
were in themselves as
liable to mistake as other
men.
Had
they been left
to themselves,
they would
have betrayed as much
weakness, confusion
and
self-contradiction as any
other writers have done.
- But they were
taken
from mean employments,
and made use of by God
as penmen
of Scripture,
that we might,
in
their
lack of human learning,
see more of the divinity
of the writings which they
were employed to
transmit to us. Besides,
they lived
in
different
ages
and
places, and so
could not consult
together what to impart;
and yet we find ...that
they all agree together.
The harmony, of their
writings, therefore, is an
evident proof that
they
were inspired by the same
Spirit,
and
consequently
that these writings are the
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Word of God. Ridgeley,
revealed in the Word, for put us upon adoring
and
VoL I, pg. 44.
the authority of God worshiping Him as God.
Not only do the
Himself speaking
It may also, by a just
Westminster Standards
therein, because God has consequence, be said to
teach us that the Bible
spoken whatsoever is in
give all glory to Him,
manifests itself to be
the
the written Word. As
when it represents the
Word of God because of simple historical emptiness
and
even
the consent of all the
students, then, we must
nothingness of all
parts of the Bible, it also
hold that the Confession
creatures as compared
teaches us that the
(and Catechisms) teaches
with
Him,
and
thereby
inspired books of the
that God is in such a
recommends Him as all
Bible are not human
sense the author of
alL Ridgeley,
VoL
I, P
writings, I, 3, but they
Scripture that He speaks
5l.
I
have God (who is truth
all that stands written in
How does this point
I
itselD for their author,
it; and all that stands
testify to the divine
1,4. The original
written in it is, therefore
authority of the Bible?
manuscripts of the Bible
true. Benjamin
B.
Had the Bible been a
I
are immediately inspired
Warfield,
Shorter Works
invention of human
by God, 1,8, and are
in
VoL n pg. 578.
beings, or had the autho
fact
the
very Word of
The Scope o the
falsely pretended to hav
God, Larger Catechism
Whole Bible:
To Give
received it by divine
Q.
4, so that they are His
AU Glory
to
God
inspiration, its great
own revealed will, XXI, l.
The exaltation of God
purpose would have bee
The Westminster
and the humiliation of
to the exaltation of man
Confession of Faith even
man comprise the
They would have written
speaks of its purpose of the Bible
as
the Bible
in such
a way
many . .incomparable
deSigned by God; and
that is agreeable to their
excellencies,
and
the
everything in the Bible
sinful inclinations
and
entire perfection thereof,
advances that purpose,
self centered desires, th
1,5, whereby the Bible
Isaiah 2:10 22. Not only
tends to indulge in,
abundantly evidence
does
excuse, or down play sin
itself to be
the
Word of
Scripture .. occasionally
And their Bible certainly
God, infallibly true and
ascribe adorable
would
not
have set forth
divinely authoritative.
perfections to God; but
the holiness of God and
Therefore, because of
every part of it displays
His fiery anger against a
the
divine authority of His glory
in
so
illustrious sin. In their doctrine of
the
Bible manifested in
a manner, as gives ground
salvation, they would
the
consent of all its parts
to conclude, that the
have made it easy to
and its entire perfection,
great design of it is to
obtain, and in the
a Christian believes to be
raise in us becoming
obtaining of it, man
true, whatsoever
is
apprehensions of Him, to
surely would have
6' THE COUNSEL of ChaIcedon
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February/March, 1998
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received some credit.
They would have created
a religion in it that makes
man
independent of God,
in
some sense, for his life
and
salvation.
The Light and Power o
the Bible
to
Convince
and Convert Sinners,
and to Comfort and
Build Up Believers
Unto Salvation
The effects of the Bible
testify to its divine
authority, for it
accomplishes what only
God can do. It is sharper
than any two-edged
sword, pierCing to the
soul itself and generating
faith and piety in the
hearts, minds and lives of
its hearers, as well as
invincible firmness in its
professors, and always
victoriously triumphs
over the kingdom of
Satan and false religion.
- Francis Turretin, Vol. I,
pg.
64.
The Bible verses
making this point are
many. He mightily
convinced the
Jews
... showing
by the
Scriptures that
Jesus
was
the Christ, Acts
18:28.
For
the Word of God is
living,
and
powerful,
and
sharper than
any
tow-edged
sword, piercing even to the
dividing asunder of
soul
and
spirit, and of the joints
and
marrow, and is a
discerner of the
thoughts
and
intents of the heart,
Hebrews
4:12.
Of His
own will He
begat us
with
the
word
of truth,
James
1 : 18.
The Law of the Lord
is perfect, converting the
soul;
the testimony of the
Lord
is
sure,
making wise
the
simple;
the statutes of
the
Lord are right, rejoicing
the
heart;
the
commandment of the Lord
is
pure,
enlightening the
eyes,
Psalm
19:7-9.
For
whatever
things were
written aforetime were
written for our
learning;
that we, through patience
and
comfort of the
Scriptures, might have
hope, Romans
15:4. And
now, brethren, I commend
you to God,
and to
the
words
of
His
grace,
which
is
able
to build you up, Acts
20:32. These passages
give us ample evidence to
believe the Bible the
Word of God, because
they describe things the
Bible does in us and to
us, which things only
God
is
capable of doing.
The Summary By
A A
Hodge
The internal marks of
a divine origin in the
Bible are such as - 1) .
The phenomena it
presents of a supernatural
intelligence: in unity of
design developed through
its entire structure,
although it is composed
of sixty-six separate
books, by forty different
authors, writing at
intervals through sixteen
centuries; in its perfect .
freedom from all
the
.errors incident to the ages
of its production,
with
regard to facts or
opinions of whatever
kind; in the marvelous
knowledge it exhibits
of
human nature under all
possible relations ancl. .
conditions; in the original
and luminous solution it
affords of many of the
darkest problems of
human history and
destiny. 2). The
unparalleled perfection of
its moral system:
in
the
exalted view it gives of
God, His law
and
moral
government; in
its exalted
yet practical and_
beneficent system of
morality, set forth and
effectively enforced; in its
wondrous power over the
human
conscience;
and in
the unrivaled extent and
persistence of its
influence over
communities of men. -
ConfeSSion o Faith, pg.
36.
February/March, 1998 THE COUNSEL
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Chalcedon 7