Westminster Confession of Faith: Chapter One

In this post we are going to be taking a look at Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter One.  The Westminster Confession of Faith is a document that was written by a group of theologians in the 17th century to summarize the main teachings of the Christian faith. It is one of the most influential and widely accepted confessions among Protestant churches, especially those in the Reformed and Presbyterian tradition.

The first chapter of the Westminster Confession deals with the topic of Holy Scripture and it answers some important question for us about the Bible, such as: 

- How do we know God and his will for us?

- What are the books that make up the Bible?

- How do we know that the Bible is God's word and has authority over us?

- How can we be sure that what the Bible says is true?

The Westminster Confession teaches that God has revealed himself and his will to us in two ways: through “the light of nature” and “the works of creation and providence”, and through “his written word”. The light of nature and the works of creation and providence show us God's goodness, wisdom, and power (Romans 1:20), but they are not enough to give us the knowledge of God and his will that we need for salvation. In other words, we can see God’s handiwork in the beauty of  a starry night or the intricacies we see in a cell when we look in a microscope but we won’t see how Jesus took on flesh and took on the wrath of God for our sin to save us.  That's why God also revealed himself to his church at different times and in different ways (Hebrews 1:1-2), and then committed his revelation to writing in the books of the Old and New Testaments.

The Westminster Confession lists all the books that belong in the Bible, and excludes those that are called “the Apocrypha”, which are not inspired by God and have no authority in the church. The Westminster Confession also affirms that the Bible is “the rule of faith and life”, meaning that it is the ultimate standard by which we should believe and obey God. The authority of the Bible does not depend on any human testimony or church, but on God himself, who is the author of it. We receive the Bible as God's holy and inspired word useful for teaching, rebuking, and correcting in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The Westminster Confession also acknowledges that there are many reasons to respect and esteem the Bible, such as its heavenly matter, its effective doctrine, its majestic style, its harmony of all parts, its aim to glorify God, its clear revelation of the way of salvation, and its many other incomparable excellencies and perfection. But the Westminster Confession also says that our full persuasion and assurance that the Bible is infallible and authoritative comes from “the inward work of the Holy Spirit”, who bears witness to us by and with the word in our hearts.

I hope this brief overview of Westminster Confession Chapter One has helped you understand better what it says about Holy Scripture. If you want to read more about it, you can find it online or in print. I recommend you to study it carefully and prayerfully, as it can enrich your faith and life.

Next time we will take a look at Chapter Two: God and the Holy Trinity.