The Necessity Of The Written Word

From The Christian Reader:

The Necessity of the Written Word






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After God enlarged the church to include Abraham and his seed, to which she was primarily limited until the time of Christ, it pleased Him to give to His church an immovable and everlasting rule for life and doctrine, by submitting His will in written form to her. This does not imply that such was necessary from God’s perspective, as by His omnipotence He would have been able to reveal the way of salvation to His church without the written word, and preserve the truth amongst her. From man’s perspective, however, there was such a necessity, in order that the truth would be preserved so much better against the wickedness of man whose heart is inclined toward superstition and carnal religion, carrying within it the seed of numerous heresies.



This was also necessary to protect the church against the wiles of the devil because his objective is always to use the smoke of heresy to tarnish the truth, knowing that without the knowledge of the truth there can be no true godliness. Finally, this was necessary so that the gospel might reach every individual member of the church more efficiently, be transmitted from father to children, and be distributed among the nations that much more rapidly. [The Bible tells us] It was needful for Jude to write (Jude 3). The written Word is a light upon our path (Psa. 119:105). If they speak not according to the law and to the testimony, “it is because there is no light in them” (Isa. 8:20). Thus, the existence of the written Word is a necessity.



by Wilhelmus a Brakel, from The Christian’s Reasonable Service