The Divine Authority and Sufficiency of Scripture (Chapter 1, Paragraphs 4–6)

How do we know the Bible is truly the Word of God? Can we be certain it is trustworthy and sufficient for salvation, worship, and life? Paragraphs 4–6 of the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith provide deep and practical answers to these questions. These truths, though written long ago, remain vital for today’s Christian—especially in an age when feelings, traditions, and institutions often claim authority over Scripture.

Paragraph 4 opens with a bold and liberating truth: The Bible’s authority does not rest on any man or church, but upon God Himself, who is Truth. This statement strikes at the heart of one of the most enduring religious errors—the idea that the church gives us the Bible. Roman Catholicism, for example, teaches that the church is the “mother” of Scripture, and thus the final authority over what it means. But Scripture teaches the opposite: God alone is the Author of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16), and He speaks with authority because He is the Truth (John 17:17).

This matters profoundly. If the Bible’s authority depended on men or councils, then its truth could rise or fall with human approval. But because its authority flows from God, it remains unchanging, regardless of culture or opinion. That is why we believe and receive the Bible: because it is the Word of God. The apostle Paul commended the Thessalonians because they received his words “not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God” (1 Thess. 2:13). That same humble submission is our calling.

Paragraph 5 explains how believers come to recognize and rejoice in this divine authority. Several evidences lead us to esteem the Bible highly: the majesty of its content, the life-transforming power of its doctrine, the unity of its many parts, and its singular focus on God’s glory and man’s salvation. When we read Scripture, we are struck by its supernatural character. Where else do we find such exalted truth spoken with such simplicity and depth? Where else is man’s guilt so honestly confronted and God’s grace so gloriously displayed?

The Confession lists many features that show the Bible is divine: its heavenly message, its moral power, its beautiful structure, and its singular aim to glorify God and save sinners. And these internal qualities are powerful. But ultimately, they are not enough to bring full assurance. Why? Because our hearts are darkened by sin (1 Cor. 2:14), and we need more than arguments—we need illumination.

That is why the Confession concludes with this essential truth: Our full persuasion and assurance of the Bible’s divine truth comes only from the inward work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit who inspired the Word (2 Peter 1:21) must also convince our hearts that it is true. Jesus said the Spirit would guide us into all truth (John 16:13), and Paul wrote that only the Spirit can reveal to us the things freely given by God (1 Cor. 2:10–12). This is not mystical or irrational—it is spiritual. The Spirit opens blind eyes, softens hard hearts, and brings us to the conviction that “God has spoken, and I must believe Him.”

This brings us to Paragraph 6, which lifts our eyes to the sufficiency of Scripture. The Bible contains “the whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary” for His glory, our salvation, our faith, and our life. That doesn’t mean the Bible tells us everything about everything—it means it tells us everything we need to know in order to be saved, to live godly lives, and to worship God rightly. Nothing is lacking.

Therefore, the Confession boldly affirms: Nothing is to be added to Scripture. No so-called “new revelation,” no tradition of men, no word from a modern prophet can stand alongside God’s completed Word. The canon is closed, and God’s voice is not silent—it is found in the pages of Scripture.

And yet, the Confession wisely clarifies that while Scripture is complete and sufficient, we still need the Holy Spirit to understand it rightly. The natural man cannot grasp the things of God (1 Cor. 2:14). So we must come to the Word prayerfully, dependent on the Spirit who inspired it, to illuminate it for our minds and hearts.

Finally, some matters of church life and worship—such as how to arrange chairs or set a meeting time—are not directly commanded in Scripture. For these, the Confession encourages us to use “Christian prudence” guided by the general principles of God’s Word. This is not license to innovate, but a call to walk in wisdom under the rule of Scripture in all things.

In a world that chases trends, feelings, and new revelations, these paragraphs call us back to what is sure and unchanging: God’s Word is sufficient, certain, and alive. Let us treasure it, submit to it, and live by it. Corby