I have a deep concern about the wording of this Q&A, specifically the sentence:
Through the reading, preaching and teaching of the word of God, as contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, Jesus Christ is continually preached and speaks that we may have life and life abundant.
This form of expression ('the word of God as contained in the scriptures of the OT & NT ..') has been the open door through which liberalism has invaded the church in the past, and church history tells us that if we do not learn from the past we are doomed to repeat it. It worries me to see you teaching a doctrine of scripture in these terms.
I acknowledge that wording of this kind is in WSC Q.2, but that's just the problem. This is what was argued by bible-denying liberals in the PCA in the mid C20, and was the grounds on which they relied to avoid conviction on charges of heresy and, even worse, to allow them to continue to occupy pulpits and inculcate distrust in the authority and sufficiency of scripture. By contrast, the wording of WLC Q.3 is different, and correct.
The teaching that the word of God is 'contained in' the scriptures leaves it open as to what else the scriptures contain which is NOT the word of God. Such thinking says that if there are things that are not the word of God in the scriptures, then those things can safely be ignored - and in fact should be! In other words, it allows people to accept things that the scriptures teach as either being the word of God, or not, based on their subjective personal judgement. It is just all 'contained in' the scriptures in the same way that the red jelly beans are 'contained in' the packet along with the jelly beans of all other colours.
To get this correct, your answer should be reversed (along the lines of WLC 3) to read as 'Through the reading and teaching of the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, which is the word of God, Jesus Christ is continually preached ...'
Thanks for the comment, I appreciate the clarification. My choice of "contained" was drawn from the WSC Q2, but I assuredly do NOT affirm the liberal interpretation or wish to open the door to it. I like your amendment, it shall be adopted!
Thanks again for taking the time to comment brother!
Hi Isaac,
I have a deep concern about the wording of this Q&A, specifically the sentence:
Through the reading, preaching and teaching of the word of God, as contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, Jesus Christ is continually preached and speaks that we may have life and life abundant.
This form of expression ('the word of God as contained in the scriptures of the OT & NT ..') has been the open door through which liberalism has invaded the church in the past, and church history tells us that if we do not learn from the past we are doomed to repeat it. It worries me to see you teaching a doctrine of scripture in these terms.
I acknowledge that wording of this kind is in WSC Q.2, but that's just the problem. This is what was argued by bible-denying liberals in the PCA in the mid C20, and was the grounds on which they relied to avoid conviction on charges of heresy and, even worse, to allow them to continue to occupy pulpits and inculcate distrust in the authority and sufficiency of scripture. By contrast, the wording of WLC Q.3 is different, and correct.
The teaching that the word of God is 'contained in' the scriptures leaves it open as to what else the scriptures contain which is NOT the word of God. Such thinking says that if there are things that are not the word of God in the scriptures, then those things can safely be ignored - and in fact should be! In other words, it allows people to accept things that the scriptures teach as either being the word of God, or not, based on their subjective personal judgement. It is just all 'contained in' the scriptures in the same way that the red jelly beans are 'contained in' the packet along with the jelly beans of all other colours.
To get this correct, your answer should be reversed (along the lines of WLC 3) to read as 'Through the reading and teaching of the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, which is the word of God, Jesus Christ is continually preached ...'
Hi Ken,
Thanks for the comment, I appreciate the clarification. My choice of "contained" was drawn from the WSC Q2, but I assuredly do NOT affirm the liberal interpretation or wish to open the door to it. I like your amendment, it shall be adopted!
Thanks again for taking the time to comment brother!
Yours in him,
Isaac