Sunday, February 27, 2011

What to say if you are accused of bibliolatry.....

Those who hold to the inerrancy of Scripture are sometimes accused of bibliolatry - of worshiping a book. Here's a good reply from J. I. Packer that answers this objection.

But, it is objected, does not the Christian stand directly under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, and is not Jesus Christ Lord also of the Scriptures? And if so, how can the Christian be said to be bound to the authority of the Bible?

The answer is very simple. The antithesis is a false one. Jesus Christ is Lord of the Scriptures in the same sense in which any absolute monarch is Lord of the laws and proclamations which he sees fit to issue for the government of his subjects. The ruler's laws carry his personal authority, and the measure of one's loyalty to him is the consistency of one's observance of them.

But Holy Scripture...is Christ's instrument of government: it comes to us, so to speak, from His hand, and with His seal upon it, for He Himself commended the Old Testament to us as having His Father's authority, and He Himself authorized and empowered the apostles to speak in His name, by His Spirit and with His own authority. So the way to bow to the authority of Jesus Christ is precisely by bowing to the authority of the inspired Scriptures.
('God Has Spoken', J.I.Packer, pp.96-97)

see also - http://www.aletheia.org.uk/sole-authority-in-all-matters-of-faith-and-practice.php

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Shorter Catechism Question # 4

Q4: What is God?

A4: God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.


Question 3 says that there are two major headings in the teaching of the Bible:

1) What man is to believe concerning God.
2) What duty God requires of man.

Question 4 is the first in a series of questions that addresses “what man is to believe concerning God.”

1. The first truth we must know about God is that “God is.”

“In the beginning God…” ~ Genesis 1:1
“He who comes to God must believe that He is.” ~ Heb 11:6
And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’" ~ Exodus 3:14

2. The existence of God is known by all men innately, though this knowledge is suppressed on account of sin. Creation, providence and conscience all testify that God exists, but we rebel against this truth. All men “are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful.” ~ Romans 1:20-21

3. Though God is revealed to all men in creation, providence and conscience, both the Scriptures and the regeneration of the Holy Spirit are necessary for man to have saving knowledge of God and detailed knowledge of His character.

4. God is revealed most clearly in His Son. We must go to the Scriptures to learn of the Son.

“No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” ~ John 1:18
“You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.” ~ John 5:39

5. “God is a Spirit.” Therefore, we must not conceive of any images of God in our minds or form any visible representation of Him. (Deuteronomy 4:15-16) Since God is a Spirit, we must worship Him “in spirit and in truth.” ~ John 4:24

6. We were created to know God. We must study the Scriptures and learn of the names and the attributes of God in order to know Him well. We must know Him well if we would love Him and worship Him as He deserves.

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” ~ John 17:3
“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.” ~ 1 Chronicles 28:9

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

The Shorter Catechism - Q # 3


Q3: What do the Scriptures principally teach?
A3: The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.
  1. The Shorter Catechism is divided into these two main headings. Questions 4-38 contain a summary of what the Bible teaches us to believe concerning God. Questions 39-107 contain a summary of what the duty God requires of man.
  2. Whatever the Scriptures teach, we must accept upon the authority of God Himself, since the Scriptures are His inspired, inerrant and infallible Word.
“For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 2:13
  1. The two main headings in the teaching of Scripture are “faith and practice” or “doctrine and duty.” Faith, or more properly Christ, is the foundation for duty and not the other way around.
“This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works.” ~ Titus 3:8
  1. Sound doctrine, or theology, is absolutely essential for the Christian to know. We must know the Lord and His covenant of grace before we are fit to serve Him. Those pastors and churches today who disparage and sneer at the study of sound doctrine are in opposition to Scripture.
“Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” ~ 1 Timothy 4:13
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers.” ~ 2 Timothy 4:3
  1. Without true faith in Jesus Christ, our good works are only filthy rags and do not please God in the least. Without faith, our works are “dead works.”
“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” ~ Hebrews 9:14
“But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags.” ~ Isaiah 64:6
  1. Scripture alone prescribes the duty of the believer. Our conscience cannot be bound by the commandments of men.
“And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” ~ Matthew15:9
  1. True faith is seen or proven by one’s obedience. Faith without works is dead. Works without faith are dead. Faith in Christ comes first, then works will follow. (i.e. only what is done according to God’s command)
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” ~ Ephesians 2:10
  1. If we truly love God, and are thankful for His mercy in Christ, we will keep His commandments.
“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” ~1 John 5:3
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” ~ John 14:15

The Shorter Catechism - Q # 2


Q2: What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy Him?
A2: The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy Him.
1. Why do we need a rule to direct us in glorifying God? Because as sinners we are ignorant of His will and His ways. General revelation is not enough – we need the special revelation of Scripture.
Ephesians 4:18 “having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.”
Romans 1:21 “although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”
Psalms 119:130 "The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple."
2. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the “Word of God.” They are God-breathed, therefore infallible, inerrant and authoritative. When the Catechism says that the Word of God is “Contained in the Scriptures”, it simply means that every word in the Bible is the Word of God. The Scriptures are the only place the Word of God is found today, “those former ways of God's revealing his will unto his people being now ceased.” (WCF)
2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”
2 Peter 1:21 “for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
3. All doctrine and practice must be judged by the Scriptures.
Isaiah 8:20 “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”
1 Thessalonians 5:21 “Test all things; hold fast what is good.”
1 John 4:1 “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
4. “All synods or councils”, such as the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms, “may err; and many have erred. Therefore they are not to be made the rule of faith, or practice; but to be used as a help in both.”
The “Bible alone” or “Sola Scriptura” is a foundational teaching that was recovered by the Protestant Reformers. Holy Scripture alone is our infallible authority for all matters of faith and practice.
5. Why are the Scriptures said to be the “only rule” to show us how to glorify God? Because only God can show us how he himself wants to be glorified. Anything else is “will worship.” God must teach us how to glorify Him.
Psalms 86:11 “Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name.”
Mark 7:7 “And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

The Shorter Catechism - Q # 1


Question 1: What is the chief end of man?
Answer 1: Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him for ever.

A couple of thoughts -
1. Our chief end ought to be the glory of God, because it is God's chief end in creating, preserving and redeeming us. Proverbs 16:4 says, "The LORD has made all for Himself." 1Cor. 6:19, 20 "You are not your own; for you are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

2. We are commanded plainly in Scripture to seek God's glory in all that we do. 1 Corinthians 10:31 "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

3. On account of sin, we fail to give God the glory due His name. Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

4. As sinners, we begin to glorify God only when we repent and trust in Christ as our Lord and Savior. Hebrews 11:6 "Without faith it is impossible to please him."

5. Having believed in Christ alone for eternal life, our faith "works through love." Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." (John 14:15) We glorify God by obeying His commands. There is no other way to do so.

6. Just as God made us for His own glory, He also created us to enjoy fellowship with Him. How do we begin to enjoy God? We enjoy Him only as we glorify Him. When we aim at His glory, we find our happiness in Him.

7. As Scottish preacher James Fisher said, we enjoy God especially "In all the ordinances of his worship, public, private and secret; such as the word read and heard, the sacraments, prayer, meditation, fasting, thanksgiving, and the like."

8. Since God is eternal and has also given eternal life to His children, we will enjoy Him forever. The best is yet to come! It is the presence of God that will be the joy of heaven.