The Clarity of Scripture

I struggled in English literature, especially with poems. I could never understand them. Why could the poet not just tell us plainly what they meant?

Unlike my struggles in English literature, the Bible has been written so we can understand it.

When reading and studying the Bible, I am sure you have come across passages that are easy to understand and others more challenging to understand. And even though we have this variation in understanding, the Bible is written where a person can learn what is needed to become a follower of Christ and live as one.

This is called the clarity of Scripture.

Wayne Grudem defines the doctrine of the Clarity of Scripture. “The clarity of Scripture means that the Bible is written in such a way that it is able to be understood, but right understanding requires, time, effort, the use of ordinary means, a willingness to obey, and the help of the Holy Spirt; and our understanding will remain imperfect in this lifetime” (2020)

Dr. Grudem lists out specific requirements on how the Bible can be understood. Scripture can be understood but it will require “time, effort, use of ordinary means, the reader’s willingness to obey it, help from Holy Spirit, we will not always understand rightly, and never completely.” (Grudem, 2020)

Time is an essential factor in understanding God’s Word. It will take a commitment of time to know God’s Word. It is not something that happens overnight. It will most likely take a lifetime of reading and studying the Bible.

Along with time, it will take effort to understand God’s Word. When you put effort into something, you consciously decide to do what you must.

In the Book of Ezra, we read that “Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.” (Ezra 7:10). Ezra was a priest and scribe, so he knew God’s law already, but he took the time to study it fully.

Using ordinary means would intel having a Bible translation in one’s own language, listening to teachers of the Word, reading commentaries, studying with other believers in a small group Bible study and using tools such as concordances or Bible handbooks to name a few. (Grudem 2020)


Studying the Bible is great, but it’s no good if you don’t add action. We must be willing to obey the Scripture. “Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart” (Psalm 119:34).

Let’s face the facts that we are all still sinners, so our understanding of Scripture will sometimes be distorted. Our understanding is partial because we are finite. So, we are liable to have some misunderstanding. We will not always understand the Bible rightly.

Which is why we should not forget to ask for help from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit as a teacher: John 14:26 tells us, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”


Lastly, we will never completely understand the Bible. As we continue to read and study the Bible, we grow in maturity and develop a deeper understanding of God’s Word.

Let’s remember we are finite in trying to understand an infinite God. Therefore, we will never understand God fully.

God has given us His Word.

He has revealed to us what He wants us to know. He has given His Word so that we can understand and know Him better.

“It is a masterpiece of the devil to make us believe that children cannot understand religion. Would Christ have made a child the standard of faith if He had known that it was not capable of understanding His words?” D.L. Moody


Bibliography
Grudem, W (2020) Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine 2nd Edition