WCF 1.1-4

I would like to preface this series by admitting, from the very beginning, that I am highly unqualified for this task. However, I've never let that stop me from procedeing in the past so let's see where this gets me. I've labeled this entry "CWCF (or RWCF)" which stands for "Contemporary Westminster Confession of Faith" and "Revised Westminster Confession of Faith" respectively. It's far past time for this to have occurred and maybe I can get things started; hopefully in the right direction. What I plan on doing is re-writing and/or revising the WCF in order for it to be more accessible and theologically relevant within the Reformed community specifically and, more broadly, within the larger Evangelical community today. I will start each section with the original Confession in italics and my suggested revision in courier. Afterwards, if needed, I will offer comments regarding the suggested revision (which will be in blue). My primary source will be the WCF published by the Committee for Christian Education & Publications (3rd Edition). Here we go:


Chapter 1 - Of the Holy Scripture


I. Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable;(1) yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of His will, which is necessary unto salvation.(2) Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal Himself, and to declare that His will unto His Church;(3) and afterwards for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing:(4) which makes the Holy Scripture to be most necessary;(5) those former ways of God's revealing His will unto His people being now ceased. (6)

I. We hold it to be true that the majesty of creation, the vibrance of life, and the coherency of experience* reveal God's goodness, wisdom, and power so that no man has an excuse.(1) Yet this general revelation in the created order cannot impart that knowledge of God, or of His will, which is necessary for salvation.(2) In addition to this general revelation, God has seen fit to reveal Himself, and His will, to His Church in a more personal manner; this He has done in time and by various means.(3) For the preservation and protection of the truth, and of the Church, from Satan in all his guises, God did inspire certain authors to put into writing His personal revelation.(4) This Holy Scripture is most necessary,(5) for God no longer reveals Himself in those former ways but now through His written word, through the presence of the Holy Spirit and through the activity of the Church.(6)

*By this I refer to God's providential ordering and control of His creation which enables an intelligible and consistent experience of it by godly and ungodly men alike.

I've changed the wording a bit in this section to make it "easier" to read, but I believe I have retained the original substance. The Scripture proofs for this section would remain the same, they have been marked parenthetically.


II. 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 of John. All which are given by inspiration of God to be the rule of faith and life. (7)

II. That which goes by the name of "Holy Scripture," or God's written word, are those books which compose the Old and New Testaments. The books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I and II Samuel, I and II Kings, I and II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. The books of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, I and II Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I and II Thessalonians, I and II Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, I and II Peter, I, II and III John, Jude, and Revelation. All of these are given by the inspiration of God to be the rule of faith and life.(7)

Not much to say here. As with the previous section, nothing really changes.

III. The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine inspiration, are no part of the canon of the Scripture, and therefore are of no authority in the Church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved, or made use of, than other human writings. (8)

III. The books commonly called the "Apocrypha," or the "deuterocanonicals," are not divinely inspired like the Holy Scriptures. As such they bear no binding authority on the Church, cannot be approved of in the same manner as Holy Scripture and cannot be considered as more than human writings.(8)


I changed the wording a bit here because I felt that the original language was too harsh on these non-inspired (or non-canonical, at least) books. It's not that the Apocryphal books have no authority, just that they aren't authoritative as the Scriptures (or even as the creeds) are. There is, of course, historically relevant reasons for the divines discrediting these books outright but I feel like this is no longer the case. These books can be beneficial and helpful, but they are not "to be the rule of faith and life."

IV. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, and obeyed, depends not upon the testimony of any man, or Church; but wholly upon God (who is truth itself) the author thereof: and therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God. (9)


IV. The authority of the Holy Scripture, which obligates belief and obedience, does not depend on the testimony of men or the Church; rather it depends wholly upon God (who is truth Himself), the author of Holy Scripture. Therefore it should be received because it is the Word of God.(9)


Once again we don't see any major changes to the substance. I feel that "ought to be believed" is a bit soft and maybe ambiguous. "Ought" implies a sense of moral and spiritual requirement: God demands belief and obedience but this isn't the sort of demanding that we might find in a tempermental child. Instead, it is the demanding of an omniscient, omnipotent and personal Creator. This, in part, is why I altered the parenthetical statement a bit, from "truth itself" to "truth Himself." It should also be noted that our belief and obedience should be our natural response (as Christians) to who God is and what He has done, and still does, for us.