Scripture Authenticates Itself

The Central Ohio Reformation Institute begins tonight. I have posted my lecture on Calvin's doctrine of the self-authentication here if you would like to view it in its entirety. I wish only to give a short synopsis of it here.

Charles Spurgeon was once asked how he would go about defending the Bible against attacks from the unbelieving. Sprugeon responded by saying, "I don't defend the Bible. You don't defend a lion, do you? You just let him out of the cage!"

In this vivid statement Spurgeon summed up Calvin's doctrine of the self-authentication of Scripture. Both men understood well that no amount of rational arguments or proofs can change a sinner's regard for God and His Word. His heart is too hard for that. The only way to convince them that the Bible is the Word of God is to unleash the Scripture and let it speak for itself.

In his Institutes Calvin uses unique phraseology to develop this idea. He talks about the "testimony of the Spirit," or "the inward testimony of the Spirit." He also says things like, "the witness of the Spirit," and "the persuasion of the Spirit." Calvin affirms that a greater proof is needed than the testimony of men. We need something that transcends the logic of orators and the stubborn faculties of the unbelieving. And that is what happens when the Scripture is read. The Spirit of God impresses upon our hearts that what we are hearing is not the word of men, but it is, as Calvin says, "God speaking in his Word."

When a given Christian tries to commend the faith, sometimes he feels the need to "prove the Bible" with various evidences to the fact. He might point to the antiquity of Scripture (how Scripture is an old book, yet a really popular book), or to fulfilled prophecies, or to the fact that people have died for the doctrines contained in the Bible.

But Calvin says that these will not effect any significant change in an unbeliever. In his own words he says, "Even if anyone clears God's Word from man's evil speaking, he will not at once imprint upon their hearts that certainty which piety requires." He adds,

The testimony of the Spirit is more excellent than all reason. For as God alone is a fit witness of himself in his Word, so also the Word will not find acceptance in the hearts of men before it is sealed by the inward testimony of the Spirit.

Again, regarding the external proofs (as he calls them), he says,

Of themselves these are not strong enough to provide a firm faith, until our heavenly Father, revealing his majesty there, lifts reverence for Scripture beyond the realm of controversy. Therefore Scripture will ultimately suffice for a saving knowledge of God only when its certainly is founded upon the inward persuasion of the Holy Spirit

Calvin does not denigrate these arguments in any way. He says they can be most useful in confirming the faith of believers. But they are limited in that they do not have the power to convince the unbeliever of the Bible's veracity. Only the Spirit, working by and with His Word, can overcome the hardness of an unbeliever's heart.

This of course supports Paul's exhortation to his disciple Timothy, "I urge you...Preach the Word!" If the Spirit of God convinces us that the Word of God is the Word of God, then does it not follow that we should make it possible for the Spirit of God to do his work? If, as Calvin says, “The highest proof of Scripture derives in general from the fact that God in person speaks in it”, then should it not follow that the Bible should be preeminent in our evangelistic affairs and regular worship services?

Paul understood that the Spirit alone can impress upon the minds of men that the Book that He wrote is in fact from Him. Therefore he calls us only to unleash the Lion and allow him to do His work.