In the sermon on the Second London Baptist Confession of 1689, Chapter 1, Paragraph 10, Eric Bechler emphasizes the role of the Holy Scriptures as the supreme judge in resolving all religious controversies. The sermon highlights that the Scriptures, delivered by the Holy Spirit, are the ultimate authority for evaluating decrees, opinions, and doctrines. An example from Acts 15 illustrates how the apostles and elders used Scripture to settle a theological dispute. The sermon also references Isaiah 8 to underscore the necessity of seeking guidance from God's Word. Benson's commentary is cited to explain the obligation to believe and obey the Scriptures, which are described as a witness between God and man. John 5:39 and Matthew 22:29 are used to stress the importance of knowing the Scriptures and the power of God. The sermon concludes with a reminder that the Scriptures provide hope and guidance through the Holy Spirit, and believers are urged to turn to the Scriptures and stand for truth amidst a world of lies. The sermon ends with reflective questions about the influence of God's Word in one's daily life.

Our reading today from the Second London Baptist Confession of 1689 comes again from Chapter 1 of the Holy Scriptures. Today is paragraph 10. 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 scripture delivered by the spirit into which scripture so delivered our faith is finally resolved. The main point of this, our last paragraph for this chapter, is to acknowledge that the scriptures are the supreme judge in all controversies concerning religion.

Paraphrasing Chad Van Dixorn, 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 in Scripture in Acts 15 where the apostles and elders were gathered in Jerusalem to discuss the necessity of circumcision of believing Gentiles. The passage begins, and certain men came down from Judea taught the brethren unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." Acts 15.1.

Paul and Barnabas disagreed and were sent to Jerusalem by the church to clarify this point. James leading the Jerusalem council turned to the scriptures to the book of Amos for guidance to resolve this controversy. We'll read verses 13 through 20 of chapter 15. James answered saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me. Simon Peter 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 as it is written in Amos chapter 9, 11 and 12, 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. That we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled and from blood. Not only did James refer to Peter's experience with the Gentile believers, but he went to Scripture to settle this controversy.

We can also turn to Isaiah who tells us where to seek guidance. He writes, 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." Isaiah 8, 19, and 20. Disputes should be resolved by seeking God's Word, His law.

Benson's commentary explains, let this dispute between you and them be determined by God's Word, which is here and in many other places called the law to signify their obligation to believe and obey it and the testimony because it is a witness between God and man of God's will and of man's duty It is the scriptures as Christians We're commanded to study the scriptures and to ascertain their meaning in light of the scriptures themselves, not tradition or philosophy. John writes, search the scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life and they are they which testify of me. John 5 39 and Jesus tells us in his own words you do err not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God. Matthew 22 29. Our paragraph today ends with the phrase, our faith is finally resolved.

The word resolved has many definitions to clear of difficulties, to make certain, to determine in mind. So this tells us that any questions of our faith are answered by Scripture. It is from Scripture that all disputes of religion may be resolved, all confusion made clear, And the assurance of our faith comes from Scripture, from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts. Paul writes, for whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Romans 15, four.

The things written aforetime were the law and the prophets, also known as the scriptures. Why were they written? They were written for our learning that we might through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Well, what hope is this? Hope that we shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Romans 8.21. We are promised the Holy Spirit to guide us in the understanding and practical use of the truth. John writes, and I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you forever. John 14 16 and it is the Holy Spirit who has been sent to abide with you and in you. Again John writes the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you And you 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 even as it had taught you, you shall abide in him." 1st John 2 27. We have so much to be thankful for. We have the Holy Scriptures. Let us not despise them, nor ignore them. If you have a dispute or find yourself in a controversy over religion or over specific doctrine, turn to the Scriptures.

It is the Supreme Judge. Pray that the Holy Spirit would guide you into a right understanding of His Word. As this is our last week of the confession on the Holy Scriptures I just want to it's been a long long chapter so I want to summarize the ten chapters quickly that we've covered in paragraph one the scriptures are closed system of truth complete sufficient certain infallible for all saving knowledge faith and obedience number two 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 and life. Three, we concluded that the Apocrypha is not divinely inspired and thus should not be part of the canon of Scripture.

In four and five, we turned our focus to the authority of the Holy Scriptures, coming wholly from God, the author, 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 furthermore spent several weeks discussing the interpretation and understanding of scriptures including in paragraph 6, the whole counsel of God is either expressly set down or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from scripture. Seven, both the learned and the unlearned may attain sufficient understanding with respect to salvation, although not all of scripture is straightforward. Eight, translations are to be made in the common languages so that the people of God may search and know His word, though only the Hebrew and Greek versions are infallible. The only infallible rule of interpretation of scripture is scripture itself.

And we ended with our paragraph today that the supreme judge of all matters of religion can be none other than the Holy Scriptures delivered by the Holy Spirit. So why is it important that the first chapter in our confession is on the Holy Scriptures? Every paragraph is important and significant and yet it starts with the Holy Scriptures. In taking time to thoroughly cover the Holy Scriptures, this gives us a proper place and a strong foundation for us to go through what comes next, what we believe, based on what? Based on the scriptures.

Based on the teachings of scripture. We live in a crazy world. We see right is wrong, wrong is right, justice is not equally dispensed. We see people lying, our leaders lie, our governments lie. 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 should turn to God. We should start with the Scriptures, His words. We should choose truth. And of course, there may be consequences, maybe even severe, but it's worth standing for and with Christ.

So I'll end with some questions for you and for myself to ponder this week. Does the Word of God exert a powerful influence in your daily life? Can you say it's your authority, your ultimate authority in the decisions you make? Do you live and make decisions by its teaching? Do you actually use the phrase, what sayeth the scripture regularly outside of church?

Do those around you look at you and see clearly that your life is governed and motivated by the teachings of the Bible? When others attempt to help you apply the Bible personally or rebuke or correct you, do you turn against them? I'll close with a vision 610. Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Amen.