Feb
23
WCF I.2
Filed Under Westminster Confession
Last post we considered the first section of the first chapter of the confession on the necessity of the Word of God. This week we’ll consider section two of the first chapter on the content of the Bible.
WCF 1:2 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:
Of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I Samuel, II Samuel, I Kings, II Kings, I Chronicles, II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, The Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
Of the New Testament: The Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; The Acts of the Apostles; Paul’s Epistles to the Romans, Corinthians I, Corinthians II, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians I, Thessalonians II, To Timothy I, To Timothy II, To Titus, To Philemon; The Epistle to the Hebrews; The Epistle of James; The first and second Epistles of Peter; The first, second, and third Epistles of John; The Epistle of Jude; The Revelation
All which are given by inspiration of God to be the rule of faith and life.(1)
(1) Luke 16:29,31; Eph. 2:20; Rev. 22:18,19; 2 Tim. 3:16.
Aside from merely stating what books are in the Bible, it is also of note to see the different synonyms that the divines used to express the twofold content of Scripture: belief and duty. Here in WCF I.2 they say “rule of faith and life.” The Shorter Catechism uses the terms “belief and duty.” The Larger Catechism uses the terms “faith and obedience.” We find this concensus amongst many different creeds and confessions on the uniform teaching of Scripture summarized under the two heads of belief (cognitive doctrine) and duty (resulting affections and actions).
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