The May 1, 2015 issue of the Standard Bearer, the semi-monthly Reformed magazine published by the RFPA (rfpa.org), is now published and being distributed. This issue too contains a variety of edifying articles – from a meditation on Ps.55:22, to another editorial on “What It Means to Be Reformed”, to matters “all around us” of interest to Christians, to an article on raising children in a covenant home – and an important book review (By Faith Alone).
One of the new series of articles is on the historic Reformed confession, the Second Helvetic (Swiss) Confession. In this issue Prof.R.Cammenga begins to treat the specific articles of this creed, starting with Art.1 on the doctrine of holy Scripture. Today, I take a brief quote from this article to show you how significant a confession this is and why you and I ought to become better acquainted with it.
First, Prof.Cammenga quotes from the first article itself, which reads this way:
We believe and confess the canonical Scriptures of the holy prophets and apostles of both Testaments to be the true Word of God, and to have sufficient authority of themselves, not of men. For God himself spoke to the fathers, prophets, apostles, and still speaks to us through the Holy Scriptures.
And in this Holy Scripture, the universal Church of Christ has the most complete exposition of all that pertains to a saving faith, and also to the framing of a life acceptable to God; and in this respect it is expressly commanded by God that nothing be either added to or taken from the same.
Then he adds this opening commentary:
The Second Helvetic Confession begins its exposition of the Reformed faith with the doctrine of Scripture. This is altogether proper. This is necessary. Everything depends on one’s view of Scripture. More than anything else, this is what distinguishes the Reformed faith. What distinguished the Reformed faith at the time of the Reformation was its view of Scripture. This is what set the Reformed apart from the Roman Catholics, on the one hand, and the Anabaptists and enthusiasts, on the other hand. Both Rome and the Anabaptists erred in their view of Scripture. That aberrant view of Scripture affected everything. And as different as they were from each other, both Rome and the Anabaptists were alike in that they denied the sufficiency of Scripture, that in Scripture “the Church of Christ has the most complete exposition of all that pertains to a saving faith, and also to the framing of a life acceptable to God.” Rome denied the sufficiency of Scripture by adding to Scripture, as an equal authority alongside of Scripture, tradition. That tradition consisted of the writings of the church fathers, the decisions of the church councils, and the Apocrypha. The Anabaptists denied the sufficiency of Scripture by adding direct revelations and immediate promptings of the Spirit. The Reformers said, “A plague on both your houses.” And they affirmed the sole authority and complete sufficiency of Holy Scripture, with appeal to Revelation 22:18 and 19, where “it is expressly commanded by God that nothing be either added to or taken from” the Word of God.
And finally, he makes this application to us today:
Still today, this is the issue and still today this is what distinguishes the Reformed faith, at least the Reformed faith properly understood. Scripture alone is the arbiter of truth. Scripture alone is the authority for faith and life. Scripture alone is determinative in the life of the church, both the local congregation and the broader assemblies. And Scripture is determinative for the walk of the individual believer in the midst of the world. The method employed by Bullinger in the Second Helvetic Confession of beginning with the doctrine of Scripture is the distinctively Reformed method. All the truth that we confess and that is summarized in the confession is revealed in Holy Scripture. The Reformed view of Scripture is that it is “the true Word of God.” Fundamental to the Reformed faith is its view of Scripture.
To receive a sample of this Reformed magazine, or to subscribe, visit this SB page on the RFPA website.
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