Testing All Teachings by Scripture Alone

The Westminster Confession concludes its first chapter with a declaration of sovereign importance: "The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture." ^[raw/en/wcf-ch01-s10.md]

This is the capstone of the Reformed doctrine of Scripture — the principle that Scripture is the final court of appeal in every matter of faith and practice.

The Principle of Sola Scriptura

The Reformation principle of sola Scriptura does not mean the church has no authority, or that tradition is worthless, or that reason is useless. It means that Scripture is the final authority, the supreme authority, the only infallible authority. The church may teach, but its teaching must be tested by Scripture. Tradition may be consulted, but it must be corrected by Scripture. Reason may be employed, but it must be submitted to Scripture. ^[raw/en/wcf-ch01-s02.md]

The Berean Pattern

The book of Acts gives us the biblical pattern for testing all teachings:

"These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (Acts 17:11)

The Bereans did not receive Paul's teaching uncritically, nor did they reject it out of hand. They took his words back to the Scriptures. They compared prophecy with prophecy, type with antitype, promise with fulfilment. By this comparison of spiritual things with spiritual, they confirmed that what Paul proclaimed was precisely what the Scriptures had foretold. ^[raw/en/wcf-ch01-s09.md]

To the Law and to the Testimony

The prophet Isaiah established this principle centuries before Christ:

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

Thomas Watson draws out the implication: "The Scripture is the field where Christ the pearl of price is hidden. In this sacred mine we dig, not for a wedge of gold, but for a weight of glory." ^[raw/en/wcf-ch01-s03.md]

What Must Be Tested

The Confession specifies four categories of things that must be brought before the bar of Scripture:

All controversies of religion — Every disputed point of doctrine, every contested practice, every question over which Christians have divided.
All decrees of councils — Including Nicaea, Chalcedon, Trent, and the Westminster Assembly itself. No council is above Scripture.
Opinions of ancient writers — The church fathers, however venerable, are subject to the Word.
Doctrines of men and private spirits — Every human teaching, every inner impression, every claimed revelation. ^[raw/en/wcf-ch01-s10.md]

The Two Enemies

The Confession guards against two opposite errors:

1. Rome and Tradition

Rome teaches that the church determines the canon and interprets the meaning of Scripture. The church stands over the Word. The Confession rejects this utterly. As John Calvin wrote: "Nothing can be more absurd than the fiction that the power of judging Scripture is in the Church." ^[raw/en/wcf-ch01-s04.md]

2. Enthusiasm and Private Revelations

The Enthusiasts claim that the Spirit speaks directly to the individual apart from the written Word. The Confession rejects this equally. The Spirit has bound Himself to the Word He inspired. As Calvin insists: "The office of the Spirit which is promised to us is not to form new revelations or to coin a new form of doctrine." ^[raw/en/wcf-ch01-s10.md]

The Test in Practice

How does a believer apply this principle?

When you hear a sermon, test it against Scripture. Does the interpretation fit with the whole teaching of the Bible? ^[raw/en/wcf-ch01-s09.md]
When you face a difficult passage, use the self-interpreting principle of WCF 1.9: let clear passages interpret obscure ones.
When you encounter a new teaching, ask: Is this supported by the whole counsel of God, or does it rest on isolated texts?
When you feel an inner impression, test it by the objective standard of Scripture. The Spirit never contradicts Himself.
When the church commands something, ask: Is this warranted by Scripture? Where the Scripture is silent, the church may only guide, not bind the conscience. ^[raw/en/wcf-ch01-s06.md]

The Purpose of Testing

The goal of testing all teachings is not perpetual uncertainty but final rest. The Confession says: "in whose sentence we are to rest." The purpose of having a supreme judge is not endless litigation but final resolution. When the Spirit has spoken in the Word — clearly, repeatedly, unanimously across the canon — the believer may rest. There is no higher court. ^[raw/en/wcf-ch01-s10.md]