Overview

The Confession opens not with God in the abstract but with the Word by which God is known. Before it says anything about God, decrees, creation, or salvation, it establishes how we know any of it: by Holy Scripture. This is deliberate. Everything that follows is offered as the teaching of the Bible, and chapter 1 sets the rule by which the whole Confession asks to be judged. It confesses Scripture’s necessity, its canon, its divine authority, its sufficiency, its clarity, and — crucially — that the Standards themselves stand under it (1.10).

The Confession, Section by Section

1.1 — The necessity of Scripture

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 of his will, which is necessary unto salvation. Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his Church; 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 Scripture to be most necessary; those former ways of God’s revealing his will unto his people being now ceased.

Scripture Proofs (ESV):

“For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (Rom. 1:20, ESV)

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.” (Heb. 1:1–2, ESV)

Further proofs: Rom. 2:14–15; Ps. 19:1–3; 1 Cor. 1:21; 2:13–14; Prov. 22:19–21; Luke 1:3–4; 2 Tim. 3:15.

Exposition: General revelation is real and leaves all “without excuse,” but it cannot save; it shows God’s power and our guilt, not the gospel of Christ. So God spoke — progressively, “at many times and in many ways,” — and then committed His Word wholly to writing. The closing clause (“those former ways… being now ceased”) confesses that special revelation has reached its fullness in the completed canon; we do not await new words from God.

1.2 — The canon

Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testament, which are these: [the sixty-six canonical books listed]… All which are given by inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life.

Scripture Proofs (ESV):

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” (2 Tim. 3:16, ESV)

Further proofs: Luke 16:29, 31; Eph. 2:20; Rev. 22:18–19.

Exposition: The Confession names the sixty-six books — thirty-nine in the Old Testament, twenty-seven in the New — as together constituting the written Word. These, and these alone, are “given by inspiration of God.” The canon is the rule; nothing is added to it.

1.3 — The Apocrypha excluded

The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine inspiration, are no part of the canon of the Scripture; and therefore are of no authority in the Church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved, or made use of, than other human writings.

Exposition: The Apocryphal books may be read as human literature, but they carry no canonical authority. This guards the sufficiency confessed in 1.6.

1.4 — Authority rests on God, not the Church

The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed and obeyed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man or Church, but wholly upon God (who is truth itself), the author thereof; and therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God.

Scripture Proofs (ESV):

“…when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God.” (1 Thess. 2:13, ESV)

Further proofs: 2 Pet. 1:19–21; 2 Tim. 3:16; 1 John 5:9.

Exposition: The Bible’s authority is intrinsic, grounded in its divine Author. The Church recognizes the canon; it does not confer authority on it. We believe Scripture because it is God’s Word, not because the Church endorsed it.

1.5 — How we come to be persuaded: the inward witness of the Spirit

We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the Church to an high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scripture; and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style… 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.

Scripture Proofs (ESV):

“The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God… But the spiritual person judges all things.” (1 Cor. 2:14–15, ESV)

Further proofs: 1 John 2:20, 27; John 16:13–14; 1 Thess. 1:5.

Exposition: Many marks “evidence” Scripture to be God’s Word, but full assurance is the Spirit’s gift, witnessing “by and with the Word” in the heart. Word and Spirit are never set against each other.

1.6 — The sufficiency of Scripture

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… 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.

Scripture Proofs (ESV):

“…the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim. 3:15, ESV)

Further proofs: 2 Tim. 3:16–17; Gal. 1:8–9; 2 Thess. 2:2; 1 Cor. 11:13–14; 14:26, 40.

Exposition: Scripture is sufficient — by express statement and by “good and necessary consequence” it contains all things needful for faith and life. Nothing is to be added. Two careful qualifications follow: the Spirit’s illumination is still needed to understand it savingly, and matters of mere “circumstance” (time, place, order) are governed by Christian prudence under the Word’s general rules.

1.7 — The clarity (perspicuity) of Scripture

All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all: yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them.

Scripture Proofs (ESV):

“The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.” (Ps. 119:130, ESV)

Further proofs: 2 Pet. 3:16; Acts 17:11; Deut. 30:11–14.

Exposition: Not every text is equally easy, but everything necessary for salvation is somewhere set down plainly, so the ordinary believer using ordinary means (reading, preaching, prayer) may grasp it.

1.8 — The original languages and translation

The Old Testament in Hebrew… and the New Testament in Greek… being immediately inspired by God, and by his singular care and providence kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical… But because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God… therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar language of every nation unto which they come.

Scripture Proofs (ESV):

“For if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say ‘Amen’… when he does not know what you are saying?” (1 Cor. 14:16, ESV; cf. 14:9, 11–12, 24, 27–28)

Further proofs: Matt. 5:18; John 5:39; Acts 15:15; Col. 3:16.

Exposition: The Hebrew and Greek originals are the final court of appeal, kept pure by God’s providence. But because the people must understand, Scripture is to be translated into every language — the warrant for vernacular Bibles, and the reason this companion quotes the ESV with reference.

1.9 — Scripture interprets Scripture

The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself: and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly.

Scripture Proofs (ESV):

“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24:27, ESV)

Further proofs: 2 Pet. 1:20–21; Acts 15:15–16.

Exposition: The Bible’s sense is “not manifold, but one.” Obscure passages are read in light of clear ones; Scripture is its own best interpreter. This is the engine of the whole Confession: doctrine is built by gathering and comparing texts.

1.10 — The supreme judge

The supreme judge, by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture.

Scripture Proofs (ESV):

“To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.” (Isa. 8:20, ESV)

Further proofs: Matt. 22:29, 31; Acts 28:25.

Exposition: This is the hinge for everything that follows. The final judge in all religious controversy is “the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture.” Councils, creeds, and confessions — including the Westminster Standards themselves — are to be examined by it. That is what makes the Standards “subordinate”: they are summaries to be tested by the Word, not rivals to it.

Doctrinal Summary

Holy Scripture is the inspired, authoritative, sufficient, clear, and self-interpreting Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and life. Its authority rests on God its Author; our assurance of it rests on the Spirit’s inward witness. Everything needful for salvation and godliness is contained in it, and the Holy Spirit speaking in Scripture is the supreme judge of all controversy. The doctrine of Scripture is therefore the foundation of the entire Confession.

Connections

• WLC Q1–5 — the right knowledge of God, the Word of God as the only rule, and what Scripture principally teaches (faith concerning God and the duty He requires).
• WSC Q2–3 — “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”; what the Scriptures principally teach.
• Loci: Bibliology (revelation, inspiration, canon, authority, sufficiency, perspicuity). Compare 2 Tim. 3:14–17; 2 Pet. 1:19–21; Ps. 19; 119.

Pastoral & Practical Significance

Because Scripture is sufficient and clear, the ordinary Christian — not only scholars — may go to the Bible and find God’s saving will. You are not at the mercy of experts or institutions for assurance; the Spirit witnesses to the Word in the heart of the humblest believer using ordinary means. This frees the conscience: no human authority may bind it beyond the Word (a theme picked up in ch. 20). It also disciplines us — including our love of our own traditions and confessions — under the one supreme judge. Grace meets us not through private mystical words but through the Word read and preached, where the Spirit gives light to the simple (Ps. 119:130).

For Reflection

• Where am I tempted to seek assurance from something other than “the Spirit speaking in the Scripture” — feelings, experiences, or human authorities?
• If everything necessary for salvation is “clearly propounded” somewhere in Scripture, am I using the ordinary means (reading, hearing it preached, prayer) to find it?
• The Confession submits even itself to the Word (1.10). Do I hold my own convictions with the same humility — ready to be corrected by Scripture?