The sermon by Eric Bechler focuses on the authority and significance of the Holy Scriptures as the supreme judge in religious controversies. It emphasizes that the Scriptures are a closed system of truth, infallible and complete for saving knowledge, faith, and obedience. The speaker highlights the inward work of the Holy Spirit in bearing witness to the Scriptures' authority. Acts 15 is used as a biblical example where the apostles resolved a doctrinal debate using Scripture. The sermon underscores the necessity of interpreting the Scriptures independently of tradition or philosophy and stresses that the Scriptures are written for our learning and hope. It concludes by encouraging believers to live by the teachings of the Bible in a deceitful world and questions whether individuals truly let the Word of God guide their lives.

The main point of this paragraph is to acknowledge that the Scriptures are the supreme judge in all controversies concerning religion. This clearly follows from our previous paragraphs in the confession that the Scriptures are a closed system of truth, complete, sufficient, certain, and infallible for all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience, and that we are fully assured of its authority coming from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the word in our hearts. Paraphrasing Chad van Dixorn on this paragraph of the confession, are there controversies of religion that need to be settled? Then there is only one standard that is necessary for us to use, one court to which every Christian and church must appeal. Are there decrees of councils that need to be evaluated?

Then there is only one canon by which these councils and their decrees, including this confession of faith, can be authoritatively considered right or wrong. And that can be no other but the Holy Scriptures delivered by the Holy Spirit. We have an example of this in Scripture in Acts 15, where the apostles and the elders were gathered in Jerusalem to discuss the necessity of circumcision of the Gentiles who had become believers. In Acts 15, the second half of verse 1, except you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved. Paul and Barnabas disagreed with this and were sent to Jerusalem by the church to clarify this point.

Reading from Acts chapter 15 verses 13 through 19, James answered saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me, Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets, the prophets coming from Amos chapter 9, 11 through 12, as it is written, After this I will return and will build again the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down. And I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up, that the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world, wherefore my sentence is that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God." So this is a good example for us this morning regarding the decrees of councils. It must be based on Scripture.

As James pointed out, and to this agree the words of the prophet as it is written. Furthermore, in Isaiah, Isaiah tells us where to turn and where to seek. We read from chapter 8 verses 19 through 20. And when they say to you, seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter, Should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?

To the law and to the testimony, if they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. It is the Scriptures. As Christians, we are commanded to study the scriptures, to ascertain their meaning in light of the scriptures themselves, not tradition or philosophy. From John chapter 5 verses 39, we're commanded, Search the scriptures For in them you think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me." In Matthew 22, 29 that we read, Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. The final phrase in this paragraph was a little confusing to me at one point, our faith is finally resolved.

The word resolved has a lot of different meanings, and maybe that's why it was a little confusing to me. I've turned, of course, to Noah's 1828 dictionary and found a few definitions there to resolve, to clear of difficulties, to make certain, to determine in mind. So in my understanding this tells us that the Scriptures is the supreme judge of all matters of religion. It is from the scriptures that all disputes may be resolved, all confusion made clear. Any questions of our faith are answered by scripture.

The assurance of our faith comes from scripture and from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts. Praise God. From Romans 15-4, for whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. So here the things written aforetime were the law and the prophets, our Scriptures. Why were they written?

They were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. We ask what hope is this? We see that in Romans 821, that we shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. We are promised the Holy Spirit to guide us in the understanding and practical use of the truth. We turn to John chapter 14 verses 16 through 17, and I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you forever, even the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not.

Neither knoweth him, but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you." And from 1st John 2 27, but the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you, but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and as even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him." We have so much to be thankful for. We have the Holy Scriptures. Let us not despise it. Let us not ignore it. I pray that none of us would take for granted this awesome gift that God has given us.

As this is our last week that we are going through chapter one on the Holy Scriptures. It was long, so I just wanted to kind of summarize what we've covered in this chapter. The Holy Scriptures, they are a closed system of truth, complete, sufficient, certain, and infallible for all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience. We accept the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books in the New Testament, 66 books total. God breathed to be the rule of faith in life.

Next, we concluded that the Apocrypha is not divinely inspired and thus should not be a part of the canon of Scripture. Then we turn our focus to the authority of the Holy Scriptures coming wholly from God and our full assurance of its authority coming from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts. We spent the next number of weeks discussing the interpretation and understanding of Scripture, which includes the whole counsel of God being either expressly set down or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture. The clarity of Scripture, both the learned and unlearned, may attain sufficient understanding with respect to salvation, although not all of Scripture is straightforward. The translations are to be made in common languages so the people of God may search and know his word, though only the Hebrew and Greek versions are infallible.

The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is Scripture itself. And finally this week's the supreme judge of all matters of religion can be none other than the Holy Scriptures delivered by the Holy Spirit. So the question is why was it so important for us to cover? Why did they put in chapter one the Holy Scriptures? In the London Baptist confession there's 32 chapters.

I think taking time to thoroughly cover what we think about the Holy Scriptures sets in place a proper and a strong foundation for us to go through what we believe. Based on what? Based on Scripture. Based on the teachings of Scripture. This is fundamental.

I say this too often, but we live in a crazy world. Right is wrong. Wrong is right. Justice is not equally dispensed anymore. People lie.

Our leaders lie. Our government lies. Our world is full of lies. So how shall we live? Do we go with the flow?

Do we live the lies? Do we compromise? How do we know what to do? Where do we turn? We turn to God.

We turn to the Holy Scriptures. We choose truth. And of course there may be consequences and they may even be harsh, severe. But it's worth standing for and with Christ. I'll leave you some questions to ponder this week, and they're not of course only for you, but for me also.

Does the Word of God exert a powerful influence in your own life? Can you say that it is your authority, your ultimate authority? Do you live and make decisions by its teachings? Do you actually use the phrase, what sayeth the scripture outside of our church? Do others see that your life is governed and motivated by the teachings of the Bible?

And when others attempt to help you apply the Bible personally or rebuke or incorrect you from the scriptures, do you turn against them? These are things to ponder this week. I'd like to close with the reading of a passage you're familiar with, Ephesians 6, 10 through 20. This was a passage Mr. Stubblefield used to recommend for us to memorize.

I would echo that recommendation and challenge you to live it out. Ephesians 6, 10 through 20. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might, put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching therein too with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. And for me that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds, that therein I may speak boldly as I ought to speak. Amen.