Ps. 119:57-64, The Witness of the Spirit

We referred to this important doctrine in our “What do ya know” studies but here are some additional thoughts.

The Witness of the Spirit, Bernard Ramm

Few assertions are more superficial than this, that the Reformers substituted a paper pope for the living pope.  From the servitude of an authoritative person, it is alleged, they moved to the servitude of a book; fleeing one yoke, they manage only to take upon themselves another, the lordship of an historically conditioned book. Such a criticism is wide of the mark. The center of the great debate between Catholics & Reformers did not concern the authority of the Scriptures as such, which they both accepted.  To be sure, there was disagreement on certain points: the extent of the canon--the Catholics maintaining the canonicity of the Apocrypha; the principles of hermeneutics--the Catholics maintaining the validity of the fourfold method of the scholastics; and the relationship of Church to Scripture--the Catholics making the Church the custodian and therefore the lord of the Scriptures.  But certainly each party, in its own way, recognized the authority of 'the book."

The real life-and-death struggle was at 2 points: the relation of Scripture to the Church, and the source of the Christian's certainty that the Scriptures are the Word of God.  With reference to the first point, Calvin placed the Scriptures above the Church, whereas Romanism placed them under the Church.  Calvin insisted that the Church is governed by the Word and the Spirit, and therefore must be in subjection to the Scriptures.  All traditions and the entire ecclesiastical hierarchy must submit to this lordship.  With reference to the second point, Calvin replaced the voice of the Church, which supposedly tells us with great assurance that the Scriptures are the Word of God, with the internal witness of the Holy Spirit.  The Bible itself teaches, said Calvin, that when God gives his revelation, he gives along with it a certainty that it is revelation...

The Reformers and the Inner Witness of the Spirit

Luther: "The Bible cannot be understood simply by study or talent; you must count only on the influence of the Holy Spirit."

Zwingli: "Even if you receive the gospel of Jesus Christ directly from an apostle, you cannot act according to it unless your heavenly Father teaches you and draws you to Himself by His Spirit."

Calvin: The testimony of the Spirit is superior to reason.   For...these words will not obtain full credit in the hearts of men until they are sealed by the inward testimony of the Spirit...Scripture, carrying its own evidence along with it, deigns not to submit to proofs and arguments, but owes the full conviction with which we ought to receive it to the testimony of the Spirit.  For though in its own majesty it has enough to command reverence, nevertheless, it then begins truly to touch us when it is sealed in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.  Enlightened by him, we no longer believe either on our own judgment or that of others, that the Scriptures are from God; but in a way superior to human judgment, feel perfectly assured...that it came to us from the very mouth of God."