The Philadelphia Confession, 1742

Chapter 1

Of the Holy Scriptures

- Part of our spiritual warfare and an important part of our

salvation is to make sure we have good doctrine.

Doc·trine
Pronunciation: \’däk-trən\
Function: noun

1. archaic : teaching , instruction

2. a: something that is taught b: a principle or position or the body of principles in a
branch of knowledge or system of belief : dogma c: a principle of law established
through past decisions d: a statement of fundamental government policy especially in
international relations e: a military principle or set of strategies.

Three times in the book of Revelation, the seven churches are warned
about holding false doctrine.
- The doctrine of Balaam. (Revelation 2:14)
- The doctrine of the Nicolaitanes. (Revelation 2:15)
- The doctrine of that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess. (Revelation
2:20 – 24)

II Timothy For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after
4:3 their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
II Timothy And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto
4:4 fables.

Q. What text is authorized as the word of God?

Q. Who is the infallible interpreter of scripture?

Q. Which books of the bible are the inspired teachings of God?

Q. How do we view the Apocrypha as well as the book of Enoch and

Jasher?

Q. What is the infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture?

1. The Holy Scriptures

1. The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving
knowledge, faith, and obedience.

II Timothy All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
3:16 reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
II Timothy That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good
3:17 works.

Although the light of nature and the works of creation and providence manifest
the goodness, wisdom, and power of God so much that man is left without any
excuse, they are not sufficient to provide that knowledge of God and His will
which is necessary for salvation.

Psalm To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of
19:1 God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork.
Psalm Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge.
19:2
Psalm There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
19:3

Men are without excuse:

Romans For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
1:18 unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Romans Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath
1:19 showed it unto them.
Romans For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen,
1:20 being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and
Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Romans Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were
1:21 thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was
darkened.

The law written on our hearts:

Romans For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things
2:14 contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Romans Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also
2:15 bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing
 one another;)
Romans In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according
2:16 to my gospel.

Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and in divers manners to reveal
Himself, and to declare His will to His church;

Hebrews God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the
1:1 fathers by the prophets,
Hebrews Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir
1:2 of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Hebrews Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and
1:3 upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged
our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Hebrews Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained
1:4 a more excellent name than they.
(Sundry) times: 4181
πολυμερῶς Polumeros (pol-oo-mer'-oce);
Word Origin: Greek, Adverb, Strong #: 4181

1. by many portions, by many times and in many ways

(Divers) manners: 4187
πολυτρόπως Polutropos (pol-oot-rop'-oce);
Word Origin: Greek, Adverb, Strong #: 4187

1. in many manners

- and afterward, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the
more sure establishment and comfort of the church, protecting it against the
corruption of the flesh and the malice of Satan and the world,

- it pleased the Lord to commit His revealed Truth wholly to writing. Therefore
the Holy Scriptures are most necessary, those former ways by which God
revealed His will unto His people having now ceased.

Proverbs Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart
22:17 unto my knowledge.
Proverbs For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be
22:18 fitted in thy lips.
Proverbs That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day,
22:19 even to thee.
Proverbs Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
22:20
Proverbs That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou
22:21 mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?

Romans For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning,
15:4 that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

- After giving an eye witness account of being with Jesus in the holy
mount (Mount Pisgah) in II Peter chapter one, Peter tell us that
prophecy is even more profound proof:

II Peter We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take
1:19 heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day
star arise in your hearts:
II Peter Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private
1:20 interpretation.

- 333 Prophecies about the Jesus’ first coming in the Old Testament
alone.

- 500 Prophecies about Jesus second coming.

2. Under the title of Holy Scripture (or the written Word of God) are now contained
all the following books of the Old and New Testament:-

Of the Old Testament:

Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy

Joshua Judges Ruth I Samuel II Samuel
I Kings II Kings I Chronicles II Chronicles Ezra
Nehemiah Esther Job Psalms Proverbs
Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations
Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos
Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk
Haggai Zechariah Malachi
Of the New Testament:

Matthew Mark Luke John Acts

Romans I Corinthians II Corinthians Galatians Ephesians
Philippians Colossians I Thessalonians II Thessalonians I Timothy
II Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James
I Peter II Peter I John II John III John
Jude Revelation

All these books are given by the inspiration of God to be the rule of faith and life.

3. The books commonly called 'The Apocrypha' not being of divine inspiration, are
not part of the canon or rule of Scripture and are therefore of no authority to the
church of God, nor are they to be approved of or made use of any differently from
other human writings.

Luke And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the
24:27 scriptures the things concerning himself.

Luke And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was
24:44 yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of
Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

Now I get commonly asked; what about the book of Enoch and the
book of Jasher?

The book of Enoch is referenced in Jude 1:14

Jude And ENOCH also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold,
1:14 the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

and the book of Jasher in:

Joshua And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged
10:13 themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of JASHER? So
the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a
whole day.
II Samuel (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is
1:18 written in the book of JASHER.)

The answer is that Jesus and the apostles never called it scripture. It is
important to note that a few early church fathers highly valued the
book of Enoch but they never referred to it as scripture. Therefore, we
cannot view it as authorative since it is not the Word of God.

Jude’s quote is not the only quote in the Bible from a non-biblical
source. The Apostle Paul quotes Epimenides in Titus 1:12 but that does
not mean we should give any additional authority to Epimenides’
writings. The same is true with Jude, verse 14. Jude quoting from Enoch
1:9 does not indicate the entire book is inspired, or even true. All it
means is that particular verse is true. It is interesting to note that no
scholars believe the Book of Enoch to have truly been written by the
Enoch in the Bible. Enoch was seven generations from Adam, prior to
the Flood (Genesis 5:1-24). Evidently, though, this was genuinely
something that Enoch prophesied – or the Bible would not attribute it
to him, “Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these
men…” (Jude 14). This saying of Enoch was evidently handed down by
tradition, and eventually recorded in the Book of Enoch.

We should treat the Book of Enoch (and the other books like it) in the
same manner we do the other Apocryphal writings. Some of what the
Apocrypha says is true and correct, but at the same time, much of it is
false and historically inaccurate. If you read these books, you have to
treat them as interesting but fallible historical documents, not as the
inspired, authoritative Word of God.

4. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, depends not
on the testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon God its Author (Who is
Truth itself). Therefore it is to be received because it is the Word of God.

II Peter For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God
1:21 spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

5. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the people of God to gain a
high and reverent estimation of the Holy Scriptures. We may be similarly affected
by the nature of the Scriptures—the heavenliness of the contents, the efficacy of
the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the
whole, which is to give all glory to God, the full disclosure it makes of the only
way of man's salvation, together with many other incomparable excellencies and
entire perfections. By all the evidence the Scripture more than proves itself to be
the Word of God.
 Yet, notwithstanding this, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth
of Scripture and its divine authority, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit
bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.

John Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for
16:13 he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak:
and he will show you things to come.
John He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.
16:14
John All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of
16:15 mine, and shall show it unto you.

I Corinthians But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered
2:9 into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that
love him.
I Corinthians But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth
2:10 all things, yea, the deep things of God.
I Corinthians For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is
2:11 in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
I Corinthians Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is
2:12 of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
I Corinthians Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom
2:13 teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things
with spiritual.

I John Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come,
2:18 even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
I John They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they
2:19 would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be
made manifest that they were not all of us.
I John But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
2:20

I John But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not
2:27 that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is
truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
 6. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory,
man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down or necessarily
contained in the Holy Scripture, to which nothing is to be added at any time,
either by new revelation of the Spirit, or by the traditions of men.

II Timothy But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been
3:14 assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
II Timothy And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to
3:15 make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
II Timothy All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
3:16 reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
II Timothy That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good
3:17 works.

Galatians But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you
1:8 than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Galatians As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel
1:9 unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be

necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word.

John It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man
6:45 therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

There are some circumstances concerning the worship of God and church
government which are common to human actions and societies, which are to be
ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general
rules of the Word which are always to be observed.

I Corinthians 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

Matthew Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault
18:15 between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy
brother.
Matthew But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the
18:16 mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
Matthew And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect
18:17 to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.
Matthew Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in
18:18 heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Matthew Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any
18:19 thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in
heaven.
Matthew For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the
18:20 midst of them.

- Any matter that is too hard to judge should be brought to the Lord.

Deuteronomy Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as
1:17 well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the
judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me,
and I will hear it.

7. All things in scripture are not equally plain in themselves, nor equally clear to
everyone,

II PeterAnd account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved
3:15 brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
II PeterAs also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some
3:16 things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as
they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
wrest: 4761
στρεβλόω Strebloo (streb-lo'-o);
Word Origin: Greek, Verb, Strong #: 4761

1. to twist, turn awry

2. to torture, put to the rack

3. metaph. to pervert, of one who wrests or tortures language in a false sense

yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed and observed for salvation,
are so clearly propounded and revealed in some place of Scripture or other, that not only
the educated but also the uneducated may attain a sufficient understanding of them by the
due use of ordinary means.

Psalm The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD
19:7 is sure, making wise the simple.

Psalm The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
119:130

8. The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of
God of old),

Romans 3:1 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?
Romans 3:2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles
of God.

and the New Testament in Greek (which at the time of its writing was most generally
known to the nations) were immediately inspired by God, and were kept pure through
subsequent ages by His singular care and providence. They are therefore authentic, so
that in all controversies of religion, the church must appeal to them as final.

Isaiah To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is
8:20 because there is no light in them.

But because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God who
have a right to, and an interest in the Scriptures, and who are commanded to read
and search them in the fear of God,

John Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they
5:39 which testify of me.

II Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be
Timothy ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2:15

the Scriptures are therefore to be translated into the ordinary language of every
nation into which they come,

I Corinthians Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I
14:6 profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by
knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?

I Corinthians Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that
14:11 speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.
I Corinthians Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye
14:12 may excel to the edifying of the church.

so that, with the Word of God living richly in all, people may worship God in an
acceptable manner, and through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have
hope.

Colossians Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and
3:16 admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing
with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Colossians And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
3:17 giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

9. The infallible rule for the interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself, and
therefore whenever there is a question about the true and full sense of any
scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched by other passages
which speak more clearly.

II Peter We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take
1:19 heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day
star arise in your hearts:
II Peter Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private
1:20 interpretation.
II Peter For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God
1:21 spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Acts And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
15:15
Acts After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is
15:16 fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
Acts That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon
15:17 whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

10. The supreme judge, by which all controversies of religion are to be determined,
and by which must be examined all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient
writers, and doctrines of men and private spirits can be no other than the Holy
Scripture, delivered by the Spirit. And in the sentence of Scripture we are to rest,
for it is in Scripture, delivered by the Spirit, that our faith is finally resolved.

Matthew Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures,
22:29 nor the power of God.

Ephesians Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens
2:19 with the saints, and of the household of God;
Ephesians And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ
2:20 himself being the chief corner stone;
Ephesians In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple
2:21 in the Lord:
Ephesians In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the
2:22 Spirit.