I. SCRIPTURE A. Inspiration 1. All of the Bible is given by inspiration of God and is thus without error. It is the very Word of God. It does not merely contain the Word of God, as if it contained the erroneous words of men mingled with the perfect words of God. The doctrine of inspiration is the first principle from which all biblical doctrines are derived. Its truth is revealed to man by God. (2Sa 7:28) And now, O Lord Jehovah, You are God, and Your words are truth, and You speak this goodness to Your servant. (2Sa 23:2) The Spirit of Jehovah has spoken by me, and His Word is on my tongue. (Psa 12:6) The words of Jehovah are pure words, like silver refined in an earthen furnace, purified seven times. (Psa 25:5) lead me in Your truth and teach me; for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day long. (Psa 111:7-8) The works of His hands are truth and all His commandments are true, standing firm forever and ever; they are done in truth and uprightness. (Psa 119:43) And do not take the Word of truth completely out of my mouth; for I have hoped in Your judgments. (Psa 119:89) LAMED: Your Word is settled in Heaven forever, O Jehovah. (Psa 138:2) I will worship toward Your holy temple, and give thanks to Your name for Your mercy, and for Your truth; for You have magnified Your Word above all Your name. (Dan 10:21) But I will tell you what is inscribed in the Writing of Truth. And no one makes himself strong with me in these things except Michael your Ruler. (Joh 17:17) Sanctify them in Your Truth; Your Word is Truth. (Act 3:18) But what things God before proclaimed through the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ should suffer, He fulfilled in this way. (1Co 2:4) And my word and my preaching was not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in proof of the Spirit and of power, (1Co 2:12-16) But we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit from God, so that we might know the things freely given to us by God. Which things we
also speak, not in words taught in human wisdom, but in words taught of the Holy Spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things. But a natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he is not able to know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But the spiritual one discerns all things, but he is discerned by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord? Who will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ. (2Ti 2:15-17) Be eager, study to present yourself approved to God, a workman unashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. and that from a babe you know the Holy Scriptures, the ones being able to make you wise to salvation through belief in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, having been fully equipped for every good work. (Heb 1:1-2) In many ways and in various ways of old, God having spoken to the fathers in the prophets; in these last days He spoke to us in the Son, whom He appointed heir of all things; through whom He indeed made the ages; (2Pe 1:20-21) knowing this first, that every prophecy of Scripture did not come into being of its own interpretation; for prophecy was not at any time borne by the will of man, but being borne along by the Holy Spirit, holy men of God spoke. (2Pe 3:15) And think of the long-suffering of our Lord as salvation, as also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom having been given to him; 2. There is no part of Scripture that contradicts any other part of Scripture. (Psa 19:7-9) The Law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring the soul. The Testimony of Jehovah is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of Jehovah are right, rejoicing the heart. The command of Jehovah is pure, giving light to the eyes. The fear of Jehovah is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of Jehovah are true, they are righteous together. (2Co 1:18-20) But God is faithful, that our word to you did not become yes and no. For Jesus Christ the Son of God, the One proclaimed among you by us, through me and Silvanus and Timothy, did not become Yes and No, but has been Yes in Him. For as many promises as are of God, in Him they are Yes, and in Him are Amen, for glory to God through us. (Heb 6:17-18) In which God purposing to more fully declare to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, He interposed by an oath, that through two unchangeable things, in which it was not possible for God to lie, we
might have a strong consolation, the ones having fled to lay hold on the hope being set before us, B. Preservation It has been God's special care to providentially preserve the Bible whole and unblemished through every age. (Deu 31:11) when all Israel comes in to see the face of Jehovah in the place which He chooses, you shall proclaim this Law before all Israel, in their ears. (Psa 12:5-7) For the pain of afflicted ones, for the sighing of the needy ones, I will now rise up, says Jehovah; I will set in safety; he pants for it. The words of Jehovah are pure words, like silver refined in an earthen furnace, purified seven times. You shall keep them, O Jehovah; You shall preserve them from this generation forever. (Psa 111:7-8) The works of His hands are truth and all His commandments are true, standing firm forever and ever; they are done in truth and uprightness. (Psa 119:152) Of old I have known from Your testimonies, for You have founded them forever. (Isa 40:8) The grass withers; the flower fades; but the Word of our God shall rise forever. (Isa 59:21) As for Me, this is My covenant with them, says Jehovah: My Spirit who is on You, and My words which I have put in Your mouth, shall not depart out of Your mouth, or out of the mouth of Your seed, or out of the mouth of Your seed s seed, from now and till forever, says Jehovah. (Act 15:21) For in according to a city from ancient generations Moses has the ones proclaiming him, being read in the synagogues according to every sabbath. (Rom 3:1-4) What then is the superiority of the Jew? Or what the advantage of circumcision? Much according to every way. For firstly, indeed, that they were entrusted with the words of God. For what if some did not believe? Will not their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? Let it not be! But let God be true, and every man a liar; even as it is written, That You should be justified in Your words, and will overcome in Your being judged. (Eph 2:20) being built up on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the cornerstone,
C. Scripture Alone 1. Only the Bible is to be received as authoritative, to the exclusion of all other writings, because it is the only inspired Word of God. In it God has given His church everything necessary for life and godliness. It is forbidden to add unto or take away anything from the Word of God; the doctrine within it is most perfect and complete in all respects. God has not given any new revelations to His people since the close of Scripture, and there is no unwritten tradition equal or superior in authority to the Scriptures. (Deu 4:2) You shall not add to the Word which I command you, nor take from it, to keep the commandments of Jehovah your God which I command you. (Deu 11:18-21) And you shall lay these words up in your hearts, and in your souls, and shall bind them for a sign on your hands. And they shall be for frontlets between your eyes. And you shall teach them to your sons by speaking of them as you sit in your house, and as you walk in the way, and as you lie down, and as you rise up. And you shall write them on the side posts of your house, and on your gates, that your days and the days of your sons may be multiplied in the land which Jehovah has sworn to your fathers, to give to them, as the days of the heavens over the earth. (Deu 12:32) All the things that I command you, take heed to do them, and you shall not add to it and not take away from it. (Jos 1:8) This book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, and you shall meditate on it by day and by night, so that you shall be on guard to do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall prosper your way, and then you shall act wisely. (Psa 19:7-11) The Law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring the soul. The Testimony of Jehovah is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of Jehovah are right, rejoicing the heart. The command of Jehovah is pure, giving light to the eyes. The fear of Jehovah is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of Jehovah are true, they are righteous together. They are more desirable than gold, even much fine gold, and sweeter than honey, even drops from the honeycomb. Also Your servant is warned by them; in keeping of them is great reward. (Pro 30:5-6) Every Word of God is refined, He is a shield to those seeking refuge in Him. Do not add to His words, that He not reprove you, and you be proven to be a liar. (Isa 40:6-8) A voice said, Cry! And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all its goodness as the flower of the field! The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of Jehovah blows on it. Surely the people is grass. The grass withers; the flower fades; but the Word of our God shall rise forever. (Mat 15:5-9) But you say, Whoever says to the father or the mother, A gift,
whatever you would gain from me; and he does not honor his father or his mother, not at all. And you nullified the command of God on account of your tradition. Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you, saying: This people draws near to Me with their mouth, and with the lips honor Me; but their heart holds far away from Me. But in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men. (Luk 16:31) And he said to him, If they will not hear Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone from dead ones should rise. (Gal 1:10-17) For do I now persuade men or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I would not be a slave of Christ. And, brothers, I make known to you the gospel preached by me, that it is not according to man. For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but by a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you heard of my way of life when I was in Judaism, that with surpassing zeal I persecuted the Assembly of God and ravaged it. And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my own age; in my race being much more a zealot of the ancestral traditions of my fathers. But when God was pleased, He having separated me from my mother s womb, and having called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the nations, immediately I did not confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to the apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia and returned again to Damascus. (2Ti 3:15-17) and that from a babe you know the Holy Scriptures, the ones being able to make you wise to salvation through belief in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, having been fully equipped for every good work. (2Pe 1:3-4) As His divine power having given as a gift to us all things pertaining to life and godliness through the full knowledge of the One calling us through glory and virtue, through which have been given as a gift to us the very great and precious promises, so that through these we might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption in the world by lust. (Rev 22:18-19) For I testify together with every one hearing the words of the prophecy of this Book, if anyone adds to these things, God will add upon him the plagues having been written in this Book. And if anyone takes away from the words of the Book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the Book of Life, and out of the holy city, and of the things having been written in this Book. 2. Let all men and all doctrines, including this Confession, be judged by this standard alone. Whatever is taught in any book or by any man that is contrary to the Bible is to be
rejected. (Deu 13:1-4) If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams rises among you, and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder which he spoke to you occurs, saying, Let us go after other gods which you have not known, and let us serve them, you shall not listen to the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams. For Jehovah your God is testing you, to know if you love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after Jehovah your God, and you shall fear Him. And you shall keep His commandments, and you shall hear His voice, and you shall serve Him, and you shall cling to Him. (Isa 8:20) To the Law and to the Testimony! If they do not speak according to this Word, it is because there is no dawn to them! (Joh 7:24) Do not judge according to sight, but judge righteous judgment. (Act 17:11) And these were more noble than the ones in Thessalonica, who received the Word with all readiness, according to a day examining the Scriptures if these things might have been so. (Gal 1:8-9) But even if we, or an angel out of Heaven, should preach a gospel to you beside the gospel we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, and now I say again, If anyone preaches a gospel beside what you received, let him be accursed. (1Jn 4:1) Beloved ones, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone forth into the world.