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Articles > Systematic
Theology > Doctrine of Biblical Clarity
Part XV: Doctrine of Biblical Clarity
I. Definition
a. Clarity of the Bible-"the Bible is written in such
a way that its teachings are able to be understood by all who
will read it seeking God's help and being willing to follow it."
(Endnote 1)
II. Arguments for Biblical Clarity
a. Scripture is clear enough to be even taught to children
i. "These commandments that I give you today are to
be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about
them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road,
when you lie down and when you get up." (Deut. 6:6)
1. Notice that the Word of God is something that can be
taught to those who are young.
b. Scripture is clear enough even for the simple
i. "The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making
wise the simple." (Psalm 19:7b)
1. If the Scripture is going to make the simple wise, the
simple must at least understand it.
c. Though portions of Scripture are hard to understand, it
is clear enough not to be distorted
i. Concerning Paul's epistles, Peter writes: "His
letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which
ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures,
to their own destruction." (2Peter 3:16b)
1. Notice that Peter admit Paul's epistles can be hard to
understand
2. Also note that despite being hard to understand, it is
not something that ought to be twisted.
a. Only the ignorant and the unstable twist the Scriptures.
d. The All-powerful God can teach you His decrees
i. "Make your face shine upon your servant and teach
me your decree." (Psalm 119:135)
1. Notice that you can pray (ask God) that God will teach
you the Word of God
a. Do you pray to God for understanding of the Word of
God?
2. God is able to teach you His decree
III. Accounting for those who do not understand the Scripture
a. Objection: Then why do some do not understand despite
Scripture being clear?
b. The issue of sin and suppression of truth
i. Man suppresses the truth
1. See Romans 1:18-19
a. Though things are plain and self-evident, yet sinners
suppresses the truth
b. The problem is not the clarity of the Scripture but
the reception by the receiver (sinful man)
ii. Nonbeliever's sins leave them unregenerate
1. "He who belongs to God hears what God says. The
reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."
(John 8:47)
iii. The effect of the Fall even on Christians
1. Because sin taints everything (creation, mind, etc),
the general effect of the Fall will effect Christians still
in their reasoning and understanding.
a. This should lead Christians to be humble
i. Everyone could be wrong at one time or another.
ii. One should rely on the grace of God through meditation
and prayer in studying the Bible, rather than one's intellect
per se.
iii. Christians ought to confess and repent from sins
continually, so as sin would not hinder their understanding
of Scripture.
IV. Analogy: Running the Red Light
a. The traffic light is clear in its signal and is working properly,
but accidents occur because of driver's error
i. This does not negate the clarity of the traffic light
ii. Anyone who disobey the traffic light is culpable for their
errors, no matter what the excuse is.
Endnotes
- Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction
To Biblical Doctrine, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan), 109.
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