The fact that Article 1 expresses the belief that the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is divinely inspired, true, trustworthy, and reveals God to humans is not uncommon. Many denominations’ statements of faith express this.
There are two emphases that set Article 1 apart as a uniquely Southern Baptist expression of belief in the Scriptures. The first is the level of detail with which it expresses its convictions.
While many confessions convey that the Bible is “inspired by God” or written by “men inspired by God,” the BF&M uses phrases like “perfect treasure of divine instruction” and “truth without any mixture of error for its matter.” In short, the Southern Baptist view is not simply that the Bible contains the words of God, implying that some words it contains are simply the words of men. Article 1 instead expresses in detail that the Bible, every word, is the word of God.
Not leaving logical conclusion to chance, the BF&M also makes sure to state in detail that the divine, perfect nature of Scripture means that the Scripture is “the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried.” It is first, in everything.
The fact that the framers of the BF&M decided to place the Scriptures as Article 1, reinforces this belief. While the Christian will learn about the character of God and the way of Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, the first place to learn these things and the standard by which one measures all truth claims is the Bible.
The second emphasis that sets the BF&M apart is its expression of the purpose of Scripture. Other confessions of faith communicate that the Scriptures are “containing all things necessary to salvation.” While this is certainly true, Southern Baptists take that a step further, affirming that the Bible has “salvation for its end” and that “all Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.”
This belief is rooted in several verses, most notably John 5:39, which reads, “You pore over the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, and yet they testify about me” (CSB).
Why this matters
As Southern Baptists, this level of commitment to the inerrancy, authority, and primacy of the Scriptures should matter to us denominationally. When a church gives through the Cooperative Program, they can be confident that they are supporting seminary professors, sending missionaries, planting churches, helping produce Bible study materials, and putting on youth and children’s camps all rooted in these high views of the Bible. We give with the hope that the next generation of new believers who are made have this same confidence in God’s word.
And second, as Southern Baptists, what Article 1 says about the Scriptures should matter to us personally. The Bible must be our foundation. Looking to anything else first, for what to believe or how to live, would put us on shaky ground. It is our call to know the Scriptures and, in every place within the Scriptures, seek to know Jesus more.
Download a copy of the BF&M 2000 from SBC.net.
Order the BF&M 2000 booklet from Lifeway.com.
—Ben Jones