Nothing is learned solidly by abstract speculation. Go to the Book. Here is all light and purity. Everything is intended to influence the heart and conduct. Every word of God is pure. Of what other book in the world can this be said? Where else is the gold found without the alloy.
But if every word of God is puref, take care that no word is slighted. How few people range over the whole Revelation of God. To take a whole view of the universe, we should embrace not only the fruitful gardens, but its barren deserts, as coming equally from the hand of God, and none of them made for nought. To take a similar comprehensive view of the sacred “field,” we must study the apparently barren, as well as the more manifestly fruitful, portions. Meat will be gathered from the detailed codes of law, from the historical annals of the kings, and from the wars and fightings – those prolific results of the lusts of men. The whole scripture is scripture, and “all scripture is profitable.”
Favouritism, however, is a besetting snare in the sacred study. A part is too often taken instead of the whole, or, as if it were the whole. One person is absorbed in the doctrinal, a second in the practical, a third in the prophetical, a fourth in the experimental scriptures. Each seems to forget that every word of God is pure. The doctrinalist becomes loose in practice; the practical professor self-righteous in principle. The prophetic disciple, absorbed in his imaginative atmosphere, neglects present obligations. The experimental religionist mistakes a religion of feeling, excitement, or fancy, for the sobriety and substantial fruitfulness of the gospel. All remind us of our Lord’s rebuke, “Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures.”
The great exercise, therefore, is to bring out the whole mass of solid truth in all its bearings and glory. So wisely has God linked together the several parts of his system, that we can received no portion soundly, except in connection with the whole. The accuracy of any view is more than suspicious that puts a forced construction upon scripture so as to dislocate its connection, or to throw important truths into the shade. Apparently contradictory statements of scripture are, in fact, only balancing truths; each correcting its opposite, and, like antagonal muscles, contributing to the strength and completeness of the frame. Every heresy probably stands upon some insulated text, or some exaggerated truth, pressed beyond the “proportion of faith.” But none of these can stand upon the combined view and testimony of scripture. Nor is it enough that our system of things includes no positive error; if some great truths be lacking. Let it be carefully grounded upon the acknowledgement – Every word of God is pure.
But the word of God is not only pure and cannot deceive. It is also sufficient; and therefore, like tried gold, it needs no addition for its perfection. Hence to add to his words, stamped as they are with his divine authority, will expose us to his tremendous reproof, and cover us with shame. The Jews virtually added their oral law and written traditions. And the attempt in our own day to bring tradition to a near, if not to an equal, level with the sacred testimony, is a fearful approach to his sinful presumption. A new rule of Faith is thus introduced; an addition to the divine rule.
The needlessness of this addition is obvious. For if “the holy scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation,” what more do we want? And if this were spoken by Paul to Timothy concerning only the Old Testament scriptures, the sufficiency of the part confirms the larger sufficiency of the whole Word of God. What clearer demonstration can be given of the absolute completeness of the scripture than the fact that it is “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness” that the man of God may be perfected and throughly furnished by it? To detract therefore from the integrity of this divine rule of faith, and to shake confidence in its sole authority, is to bring in a false principle, which is the source of every evil and corruption of the faith.
The Lord has most carefully guarded his pure word from all human admixture. May he preserve us from “teaching for doctrine the commandments of men,” saying, “the Lord hath said it, when he hath not spoken!”
Charles Bridges.