BC 1.3

1.3. The Written Word of God

We confess that this Word of God was not sent nor delivered "by human will," but that "men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God," as Peter says. (2 Pet. 1:21) Afterward our God- with special care for us and our salvation- commanded his servants, the prophets and apostles, to commit this revealed Word to writing. God, with his own finger, wrote the two tables of the law. Therefore we call such writings holy and divine Scriptures.

Proof texts

• 2 Pet. 1:21 — [21] For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
• Ex. 34:27 — [27] And the LORD said to Moses, “Write these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.”
• Ps. 102:18 — [18] Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD:
• Rev. 1:11, 19 — [11] saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” [19] Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.
• Ex. 31:18 — [18] And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.
• 2 Tim. 3:16 — [16] All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited 2 Pet. 1:21 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 6 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?