The God-Breathed Scripture: The Bible and the Christian Faith -- By: Edward Joseph Young

Journal: Grace Journal
Volume: GJ 07:3 (Fall 1966)
Article: The God-Breathed Scripture: The Bible and the Christian Faith
Author: Edward Joseph Young


The God-Breathed Scripture: The Bible and the Christian Faith

Edward J. Young

The question with which we are to concern ourselves in this lecture is the relationship of the Bible to the Christian faith. Our purpose will not be to discuss that question in great detail or fulness for in one lecture such a procedure would manifestly be impossible. For that matter it will not be possible even to consider every aspect of the question. What we are principally to be concerned with is whether the Bible is really important for our Christian faith or whether we can be good Christians even if we did not have the Bible.

At first sight such a question might seem almost irrelevant or flippant. Of course, we must have the Bible, one is tempted to retort, who would deny that? On closer examination, however, we find that there are those who do in effect deny that the Bible is really essential to Christianity. There are many who so depreciate the Scriptures that when they have finished, one wonders just what use the Scriptures do serve. At any rate, it is necessary that we devote some attention to this all important question.

An Evangelical Testimony

Before we proceed further it may be well to consider what one of the great creeds of Christendom has to say concerning the importance of the Scriptures for faith. We shall turn to the Westminster Confession. In the first chapter we read: “The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word; and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature, and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed” (I:VI). This is a strong statement, and also, unlike many modern attempts to state doctrine, it is a clear statement. One knows just what the Confession is talking about.

According to the Confession there is a counsel of God on certain very important matters. That means that God has given to man His will and design concerning these subjects. Where, however, are we to find this counsel of God? Not in the “Mind of the church” according to the Confession. Nor do we find it in the individual local churches. Indeed, we do not find it in man at all. We find it rather in a Book, and that Book is the Bible. Furth...

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