Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Grudem in the current issue of Themelios


Themelios is described at The Gospel Coalition: "Themelios is an international evangelical theological journal that expounds and defends the historic Christian faith." The description continues "Its primary audience is theological students and pastors, though scholars read it as well. It was formerly a print journal operated by RTSF/UCCF in the UK, and it became a digital journal operated by The Gospel Coalition in 2008."
Wayne Grudem authors an article in the current issue entitled The Perspicuity of Scripture. Here is his introduction to the article:
I was invited to present this lecture on “the perspicuity of Scripture.” But I do not find the term “perspicuity” to be particularly perspicuous today; therefore, I will at times depart from the wording of the assigned topic and speak of the doctrine of the clarity of Scripture, which I think means close to the same thing. Yet a third term that could describe this doctrine is the understandability of Scripture, as will be evident from what follows.


Here is Grudem's conclusion to his article:

The clarity (or perspicuity) of Scripture is no minor doctrine.

1. It provides the basis for giving us the Bible in our own language.

2. It provides the basis for thinking we can read the Bible and understand it.

3. It provides the basis for thinking that we even have a gospel-message to proclaim.

4. It provides the basis for thinking that we can know what God wants us to believe, and how he wants us to live.

5. It provides the basis for thinking that detailed study of Scripture, and even extensive academic study of Scripture, has great value, because it will eventually yield even fuller understanding of a Bible that is an infinite storehouse of wisdom and knowledge.

6. It assures us that our infinite Creator, whom we seek to know and to worship, has loved us enough to speak to us in words that we can understand—and understand not only with our minds but with our hearts. Through these words of God, we know and follow him. And thus we experience in our lives what Jesus tells us will happen: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).

You can read the entire article here at The Gospel Coalition website.

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