My Notes on The Westminster Confession

• The text: Westminster Confession

What follows are my fallible, unfiltered notes on The Westminster Confession, including my questions and uncertainties.

Chapter 1 - Of the Holy Scripture

See the text: Of the Holy Scripture

§ 1

• yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of His will, which is necessary unto salvation
  • ❓: But knowledge of God is not necessary for salvation. Only the grace of God (which we receive by faith) is necessary. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Is knowledge necessary for salvation?
• those former ways of God’s revealing His will unto His people being now ceased
  • This seems to be explicitly cessationist

§ 4

• Scripture is the Word of God. Therefore it has His authenticity and authority.
  • It’s true because He is true and He is truth itself, and cannot lie.
  • Furthermore, it has authority, because He is ruler and creator over all.
    • Scripture is not mere suggestions, or one of many paths to something. No, Scripture is the authoritative, true Word of God, which we are obligated to believe and obey.
• Scripture gets its authority directly from God, not from the Church.
  • Scripture is true because God said it, not because the Church certified it.

§ 6

• Scripture is complete. It is not missing anything. There is no missing book. There is no lost teaching.

§ 7

• Yes scripture can be difficult to understand, but take heart knowing that our God is not some esoteric sage who unfairly expects us to understand needlessly complex riddles. Rather our God is a kind patient Father who comes down to us and speaks at our level, and even raises our understanding and character.
  • Are you discouraged that scripture seems beyond your understanding? And even when you understand it, are you discouraged you continually fail to live up to it? I hope that this will bring you encouragement:
    • 1. You are not alone. Many Christians, past, present and future have struggled to understand and apply Scripture. Read scripture with other Christians, so that you can learn together.
    • 2. I can think of no mention of an intelligence test for salvation.
    • 3. Christ established His Church on the ministry of mere fisherman, not academic elites.
    • 4. Christ has given us a Helper, The Holy Spirit. It is He who will bring you understanding.
    • 5. Do not forget that Moses reminded us that the Law is not so far that we could never understand it or have access to it. Deuteronomy 30:11-14

§ 9

• Scripture interprets scripture. We ought to use the more clear parts of scripture to gain understanding of the less clear parts.

§ 10

• private spirits:
  • To me this seems to be a strange inclusion in this list, particularly when the Westminster Confession appears to be explicitly cessationist. (See § 1).
  • Is this perhaps a reference to 1 John 4:1 ?

Chapter 2 - Of God, and of the Holy Trinity