7. Not all things in Scripture are equally plain in themselves, nor are they equally clear to all people. Yet those things that are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation are so clearly discussed and made clear, in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the educated but also the uneducated may reach a sufficient understanding of them with the adequate use of ordinary means. (WCF 1.7)
Have you ever been reading through your bible and get to a particular verse or passage and end up saying “okay, I give up - what on earth is this on about!!!” Well if you’ve ever have done that, or feel like you continually have those frustrating moments, then know that your not alone. In fact the confession presumes that to be the case for all Christians throughout all time as some parts of scripture can be incredibly hard to understand (even the Apostle Peter confessed that to be the case as he made his way through the Apostle Paul’s letters; 2 Pet 3:15b-16).
It’s a fact; God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways not our ways (Isa 55:8-9) and thus as we make our way through His inspired Word, like a wonderful country of discovery, there is going to be terrain that we are simply going to have to take our time with. Hills that we will have to navigate, rivers that force us to slow down, valleys that get us to plan and mountains that we must prayerful climb - but that’s the adventure and should be our presumption right? As we’ve seen, we’re not just reading a book or thoughts from ancient human authors, but the book of books written by many inspired authors, who over many years, wrote down the very words that were breathed out by God Himself (2 Tim 3:16, 2 Pet 1:20-21; Ex 24:12) - and thus “Not all things in Scripture will be equally plain in themselves, nor will they equally be clear to all people” (WCF 1.7)
But is that to say that the bible is tucked away behind lock and key so its wonderful mysteries are only known to some? Well unfortunately some have taught that through the years and it was even seen in Theocratic Israel and in the Apostolic age; there have always been teachers or groups (what we call cults) that believe they and they only have the mysteries figured out and the exclusive way of salvation (Deut 18:20, Jer 14:14, Acts 20:28-30, 1 Tim 4:1-4, 2 Pet 2:1). That is why godly men like John Wycliff and William Tyndale were convicted by God to get the scriptures translated from Latin (used by the Roman Catholics) into the vernacular and out to their nation; because - yes though some things are hard to understand - they knew that as people searched the scriptures for themselves, they would come to a knowledge of the truth and be saved (Acts 17:11-12). It’s as our confession states, “those things that are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation are so clearly discussed and made clear, in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the educated but also the uneducated may reach a sufficient understanding of them with the adequate use of ordinary means.” (WCF 1.7 c.f Ps 119:105,130). Hence why it was once angrily quipped by Tyndale in response to the Pope’s denial of getting the bible translated into simple English, “If God spare my life, ere many years, I will cause a boy who drives a plough to know more of the scriptures than the Pope himself.”
It has ALWAYS been the firm conviction of the reformers to have the scriptures accessible, so that anyone can explore the Word of God for themselves. Yet that’s not to say everything that the Word says will be equally clear in every place, but it is to say, that what is unclear in some section will be made more so clear in another. Therefore church, it is our responsibility to use the bible properly and keep searching its many treasures and wonders, all the while keeping in mind, that we must both read it carefully and think through it prayerfully.
However with that said, the message of God’s Son made flesh, made a sacrifice, made our redeemer, made our saviour, made our High Priest and made our love and joy are so clearly set forth that even Tyndale’s plowboy could see it in scripture and come to a knowledge of salvation. And so let us read prayerfully and confidently, knowing that it is the Holy Spirit’s delight to both reveal and teach us Christ from His Word (Lk 24:44, Eph 1:18; Gal 4:19).