This is the first in the posts I mentioned last week that we are going to embark on in working through the Baptist Faith & Message (2000). It is over the first article of the BF&M, which concerns itself about the general heading of “The Scriptures.” Here is what our confession states about the Scriptures (including the supporting texts):
I. The Scriptures
The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God’s revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine
revelation.
Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 4:1-2; 17:19; Joshua 8:34; Psalms 19:7-10; 119:11,89,105,140; Isaiah 34:16; 40:8; Jeremiah 15:16; 36:1-32; Matthew 5:17-18; 22:29; Luke 21:33; 24:44-46; John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; Acts 2:16ff.; 17:11; Romans 15:4; 16:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21.
We must first note importantly what things this statement affirms. It affirms the inerrancy of Scripture (“It has . . . truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter”), it affirms the centrality of Scripture (“[It is] the true center of Christian union”), and it affirms the authority of Scripture (“[It is] the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried”). To be honest, coming right out of the gate, this is one of the reasons why I am proud to be a Southern Baptist. I myself am too young to recall a time when the SBC seriously questioned the inerrancy or authority of Scripture, though I know it did occur, but now, in a “Christian” realm full of men like Brian McLaren and Bart Ehrman, I am thankful that this issue does not even seem to be considered in our SBC congregations or seminaries.
I am also enamored by the final line of the statement: “All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.” There are few things more important in this present age of emergent/post-modern confusion to understand than that it is not just the four gospel accounts of the incarnation of Christ that matter, but that we also need to be focusing on the other 62 books which have Jesus, though not necessarily the incarnate son, as their subject matter. It is easy to look at the Jesus who healed blind men and ignore his wrath in the coming judgment. It is not so easy to do that when looking at the Jesus of Revelation. It is easy to blame the cross on the foolishness of man when seeing Judas, in a moment of time, sell out Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. It is not so easy to deny God’s sovereignty in crucifying his son when reading Psalm 22 or Isaiah 53. Jesus and his work, both in incarnation and exaltation, are supremely the focus of the whole Bible and unless we treat it, read it, and preach it as such we are doing a great disservice to God’s glory in manifesting his revealed Word to us.
