The Westminster Larger Catechism

Q3. What is the Word of God?
A. The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God,[1]
and the only rule of faith and obedience.[2]

Proofs
[1] 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19–21;  [2] Ephesians 2:20; Revelation 22:18–19; Isaiah 8:20;
Luke 16:29, 31; Galatians 1:8–9; 2 Timothy 3:15–16.

Comments

It is evident that God spoke in divers manners to the prophets in Old Testament times (Heb 1:1). He spoke audibly and directly (Ex 20:1; Num 12:8); He spoke through His angels (1 Kgs 19:5; etc.); He spoke through the pre-incarnate Christ (Ex 3:2; etc.); He spoke through dreams (Gen 20:3; 28:12); He spoke in visions (Num 24:4); He spoke to the prophets through the Spirit of Christ in them (1 Pet 1:11); He spoke to the people through the prophets (1 Chr 17:3; Isa 10:24; etc.); He spoke through signs and wonders (Neh 9:10); He spoke through types and shadows of the Old Testament sacrificial system (Heb 10:1).

In the general sense, all these special revelations of God may be regarded as the Word of God. However, as our Confession of Faith teaches us, it pleased God, “for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing” (WCF 1.1). In this way, God makes known to us “the certainty of the words of truth” (Prov 22:21), “for our learning” (Rom 15:4); and for our verification of truth (Isa 8:19–20). This inscripturated Word begun to be available in the Old Covenant alongside the other modes of revelation, and was already known as the Law of God or Word of God (see examples in Joshua 24:26; Proverbs 30:5; Mark 7:13).

Today (under the New Covenant), the “former ways of God’s revealing His will unto His people being now ceased” (WCF 1.1), the term “Word of God” as it applies to God’s revelation can properly refer only to what has been handed down to us as the Holy Scriptures, namely the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament. These 66 books constitute the Canon of Scripture, which we believe was closed with the passing away of the Apostles, so that nothing might be added to it (cf. Rev 22:18–19). These 66 books are, in the words of the Apostle Paul, “given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim 3:16–17). They are “the only rule of faith and obedience,” for the Christian, and indeed for man.

On the other hand, the books commonly called Apocrypha, though written probably before the Lord Jesus was born, were never sanctioned by the Lord and His Apostles, evident themselves as being of no divine origin and therefore are not part of the Canon of Scripture (WCF 1.3; see also “Canonicity of the Bible” in PCC Bulletin, vol. 2, no. 39, dated 25 March 2001).

What about Creeds and Confessions? Do these constitute rule of faith and obedience? No; not in the absolute sense of the word. We must remember that these are only subordinate standards that are authoritative only in so far as they are consistent with the Word of God. We do, of course, believe that they are, so far as we can ascertain!