Day 29: The Doctrine of Scripture, The God Who Speaks

Scripture

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”  2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

“For the LORD gives wisdom, from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Proverbs 2:6 ESV

Confessional Summary
The Reformed confessions begin with a simple conviction. God has not remained silent.

The Belgic Confession teaches that God makes Himself known in two ways, first by creation, which is “before our eyes as a beautiful book,” and then more clearly by Scripture, because God “makes Himself more clearly and fully known to us by His holy and divine Word” (Belgic Confession Article 2).

The Westminster Confession of Faith explains why this Word is necessary. Though “the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence” show God’s goodness and power, they are “not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of His will, which is necessary unto salvation” (WCF 1.1). Therefore it pleased the Lord “to reveal Himself, and to declare that His will unto His Church,” and “afterwards… to commit the same wholly unto writing,” making Scripture “most necessary” (WCF 1.1).

The Reformers insisted that before we can rightly know God’s will, worship Him faithfully, or obey Him rightly, we must hear Him speak.

Reflection
Doctrine begins with God, but it is given shape by God’s Word. A God who exists but does not speak leaves us guessing. A God who speaks gives light, direction, and certainty.

Scripture is not the record of humanity searching for God. It is God making Himself known. He names Himself. He defines truth. He tells us who He is, who we are, what has gone wrong, and how He saves.
Without Scripture, faith collapses into opinion and worship drifts into preference.

This is why the doctrine of Scripture is practical. It steadies belief. It restrains error. It corrects sin. It trains obedience. A weak view of Scripture produces confused Christians and unstable churches. But a settled confidence that God has spoken anchors faith when feelings fail and clarity when voices compete.

Over the next several weeks, you will consider the origin, authority, clarity, and sufficiency of Scripture. These doctrines shape how you read, pray, worship, decide, and endure. God has spoken, and His people are meant to live by every word that comes from His mouth.

Application
Pause today and confess before God one way you have treated His Word as optional, secondary, or negotiable.

Prayer
Speaking God, thank You for not leaving me in darkness. Give me ears to hear, a heart to submit, and a life shaped by Your Word. Teach me to trust what You have said and to live under its authority. Through Christ. Amen.