The London Confession of 1689 Lesson 3

London Confession of faith
Lesson 3
Chapter 1 Paragraphs 1-5

I. Scripture is the Rule of all Knowledge, Faith and Obedience (1.1)
A. General Revelation is Witnessed through Nature, Creation and Providence
1. What General Revelation Can Manifest
2. What General Revelation Cannot manifest
B. God Declared His Will Through Special Revelation
1. At Sundry Times and Divers Manners (Theophanies, Dreams, Visions, etc.)
2. God Determined to Commit His Word Presently in Written Form

(1. 1) The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith and obedience [2Ti 3:15-17; Isa 8:20; Lk 16:29,31; Eph 2:20], although the light of nature and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and His will which is necessary unto salvation [Ro 1:19-21; 2:14-15; Ps 19:1-3]. Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and in divers manners to reveal Himself, and to declare that His will unto His church [Heb 1:1]; and afterwards for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan, and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing; which maketh the Holy Scriptures to be most necessary, those former ways of God's revealing His will unto His people being now ceased [Pr 22:19-21; Ro 15:4; 2Pe 1:19-20].

II. The Content of God’s Word (1.2-3)
A. God’s Word Includes 66 Books of the Old and New Testaments
B. God’s Word Excludes the Apocrypha
C. All 66 Books are Inspired by God

(1.2) Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments, which are these:
Of the Old Testament
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
Of the New Testament
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation
All of which are given by the inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life [2Ti 3:16].
(1.3) The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine inspiration, are no part of the canon or rule of the Scripture, and, therefore, are of no authority to the church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved or made use of than other human writings [Lk 24:27,44; Ro 3:2].

III. The Authority of God’s Word (1. 4-5)
A. The Authority for God’s Word Rests With God
B. Proof of Authority
C. Persuasion and Assurance of Proof Comes by the Internal Persuasion of the Holy Spirit

(1.4) The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon God(who is truth itself), the author thereof; therefore it is to be received because it is the Word of God [2Pe 1:19-21; 2Ti 3:16; 2Th 2:13; 1Jn 5:9].
(1. 5) We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church of God to an high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scriptures; and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, and the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole(which is to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man's salvation, and many other incomparable excellencies, and entire perfections thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God; yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth, and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts [Jn 16:13-14; 1Co 2:10-12, 1Jn 2:20,27].