Michael Reeves

It was part of upholding the supremacy of Scripture and its message. In other words... I don't have to rely on the Pope to tell me that Scripture is God's Word. And I don't have to rely on some scholar, some apologist, or even my own reasonable arguments. Like light, Scripture does evidence itself. It enlightens me to know a glorious God I would never have dreamed of.

It was part of upholding the supremacy of Scripture and its message. In other words... I don't have to rely on the Pope to tell me that Scripture is God's Word. And I don't have to rely on some scholar, some apologist, or even my own reasonable arguments. Like light, Scripture does evidence itself. It enlightens me to know a glorious God I would never have dreamed of.

It enlightens me to know myself. It diagnoses me like nothing else with a perception I never had. It makes sense of the world as only the creator could. Now, Calvin has two related chapters on this in book one of his institutes, chapters seven and eight. I wouldn't normally give this detail here, but it's important how they work in his argument.

It enlightens me to know myself. It diagnoses me like nothing else with a perception I never had. It makes sense of the world as only the creator could. Now, Calvin has two related chapters on this in book one of his institutes, chapters seven and eight. I wouldn't normally give this detail here, but it's important how they work in his argument.

In chapter 7, he argues, Scripture authenticates itself. And this, he says, is stronger evidence than all external proof. In fact, he writes, they who strive to build up firm faith in Scripture through disputation, through argument, are doing things backwards.

In chapter 7, he argues, Scripture authenticates itself. And this, he says, is stronger evidence than all external proof. In fact, he writes, they who strive to build up firm faith in Scripture through disputation, through argument, are doing things backwards.

Even if anyone clears God's sacred word from man's evil speaking, he will not at once imprint on their hearts the certainty that piety requires. You hear what he said in chapter 7. Here's chapter 8 now. He goes on to say, so far as human reason goes, sufficiently firm proofs are at hand to establish the credibility of Scripture.

Even if anyone clears God's sacred word from man's evil speaking, he will not at once imprint on their hearts the certainty that piety requires. You hear what he said in chapter 7. Here's chapter 8 now. He goes on to say, so far as human reason goes, sufficiently firm proofs are at hand to establish the credibility of Scripture.

And he lists some of them, the antiquity of the texts, their coherence, miracles, fulfilled prophecy. So how does that fit with what he said in chapter 7, that those who strive to build up firm faith in Scripture through argument are doing things backwards? When we see there are other firm proofs to establish the credibility of Scripture. Well, he writes, those arguments...

And he lists some of them, the antiquity of the texts, their coherence, miracles, fulfilled prophecy. So how does that fit with what he said in chapter 7, that those who strive to build up firm faith in Scripture through argument are doing things backwards? When we see there are other firm proofs to establish the credibility of Scripture. Well, he writes, those arguments...

not strong enough before to engraft and fix the certainty of Scripture in our minds, they become very useful aids. In other words, we'd be fools to base our trust in Scripture all on such external arguments. Firm faith can only thrive on the foundation of God's Word. But having affirmed that Scripture is from God, with utter certainty, these external arguments show us we're not out of our minds.

not strong enough before to engraft and fix the certainty of Scripture in our minds, they become very useful aids. In other words, we'd be fools to base our trust in Scripture all on such external arguments. Firm faith can only thrive on the foundation of God's Word. But having affirmed that Scripture is from God, with utter certainty, these external arguments show us we're not out of our minds.

This is entirely reasonable faith. But we don't have that faith primarily because some bright scholar has convinced us. We have that faith because of God's Word proving itself. Scripture is the solid foundation of our faith. External arguments are not to be confused with that foundation, but they are useful in showing the reasonability of our faith.

This is entirely reasonable faith. But we don't have that faith primarily because some bright scholar has convinced us. We have that faith because of God's Word proving itself. Scripture is the solid foundation of our faith. External arguments are not to be confused with that foundation, but they are useful in showing the reasonability of our faith.

And this doctrine of Scripture's self-authentication is vital for healthy missions. Because God's Word by itself, because by its nature it proves itself to be the Word of God, it means we can give people Bibles in their own language. And we can have confidence God's Word can prove itself. Lastly, a bit of clarification.

And this doctrine of Scripture's self-authentication is vital for healthy missions. Because God's Word by itself, because by its nature it proves itself to be the Word of God, it means we can give people Bibles in their own language. And we can have confidence God's Word can prove itself. Lastly, a bit of clarification.

How is the Christian claim that our Scriptures are self-authenticating different to similar claims made by other religions about their holy books? So let me take two, the Qur'an and the Book of Mormon. First of all, the Qur'an. Like Christians, Muslims argue the Qur'an is self-evidently divine. But what a Muslim means by this is very different to what we've been speaking of.

How is the Christian claim that our Scriptures are self-authenticating different to similar claims made by other religions about their holy books? So let me take two, the Qur'an and the Book of Mormon. First of all, the Qur'an. Like Christians, Muslims argue the Qur'an is self-evidently divine. But what a Muslim means by this is very different to what we've been speaking of.

The Muslim will speak of the divine beauty of its word choice and poetry. It is good quality Arabic literature. But that is not what Christians mean. by the Scriptures. The divine quality of the Bible is not detected in the particular beauty or arrangement of the words, for multiple human authors speak in quite different genres and styles, from poetry to history to personal letters.

The Muslim will speak of the divine beauty of its word choice and poetry. It is good quality Arabic literature. But that is not what Christians mean. by the Scriptures. The divine quality of the Bible is not detected in the particular beauty or arrangement of the words, for multiple human authors speak in quite different genres and styles, from poetry to history to personal letters.