2. The Holy Scriptures, or the Word of God written, consist of all the books of the Old and New Testaments. These are:

THE OLD TESTAMENT: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.

THE NEW TESTAMENT: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation.

All of these are given by the inspiration of God to be the standard of faith and life.5

52 Timothy 3:16.

Commentary:

It is not enough to vaguely say, "I believe the Bible is God's Word". Today's paragraph positively and specifically identifies the books that constitute the Scripture. Today's paragraph also identifies Scripture negatively by excluding the Apocrypha from the canon of Scripture because it does not meet the standard for canonization. Thus, the Framers of the Confession make it explicitly clear what books were accepted as a part of the canon of Scripture and what books are to be rejected.

The Old Testament canon was already universally accepted by the time of Christ's incarnation (vs the Apocrypha established during the silent, intertestamental period). And when the New Testament speaks of Scripture or God speaking, it is often referring to the Old Testament (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Matthew 5:17-18; John 10:34-36; Matthew 4:1-11).

Sam Waldron, Dean of Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary and Professor of Systematic Theology states that the aforementioned passages (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Matthew 5:17-18; John 10:34-36; Matthew 4:1-11) "assert that the Old Testament as an organic whole and in detail is God-breathed, the product of direct, divine origination and determination, permanent and unbreakable in its every assertion, and as written is perfectly authoritative."[1]

In the same way, the authority of the New Testament is demonstrated in its organic unity with the Old Testament. Pastor and Professor John Murray notes,

"The organic unity of both Testaments is the presupposition of the appeal to the authority of the Old Testament and of allusion to it in which the New Testament abounds. This fact of organic unity bears very directly upon the question of the inspiration of the New Testament. For if, as we have found, the authoritative witness of the New Testament bears out the unbreakable and inerrant character of the Old, how could that which forms an organic unity with the Old be of an entirely different character as regards the nature of its inspiration? When the implications of the organic unity are fully appreciated, it becomes impossible to believe that the divinity of the New Testament can be on a lower plane than that of the Old. Surely then, if the Old Testament, according to the testimony that in this matter has the greatest relevance or authority, is inerrant, the New Testament must also be." [2]

It is clear from reading the Old Testament that the Old Testament necessitated a New Testament and the New Testament bears witness that Christ is the fulfillment of the Old Testament. Therefore, both Testaments are to be embraced as the authoritative, inerrant, sufficient word of God.

[1] Excerpt taken from Sam Waldron's book, A Modern Exposition of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith

[2] Excerpt taken from John Murray's The Infallible Word, "The Attestation of Scripture".