Module 4: Week 4
Topic: The Sufficiency of Scripture
Prompt: “Keeping in mind the assigned reading from DeYoung, please answer the following:
On pp. 49–52, DeYoung explains that the finality of God’s redemption in Christ implies the
finality of God’s revelation in the Bible. He states on p. 50, “If we say revelation is not complete,
we must admit that somehow the work of redemption also remains unfinished.” Discuss the logic
of this statement as it relates to the argument that DeYoung makes on pp. 49-52. Do you agree?
Explain.”
Response:
The Unity of Revelation and Redemption
According to Scripture and Christian tradition, God the Father’s special revelation (the Bible)
and the work of redemption (salvation through Christ) are deeply interconnected. DeYoung
underscores this truth when he writes, “If we say revelation is not complete, we must admit that
somehow the work of redemption also remains unfinished.”1 Foundational to the Christian faith
is the fact that the Bible is God the Father’s special revelation to man, and Jesus Christ is the
final and complete revelation of the Father. Through the scriptures, the Father reveals Himself
and His plans to redeem all of humanity. This plan was fulfilled in Christ the Son. As Jesus said,
“I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to
accomplish their purpose” (Matthew 5:17, New Living Translation). In fact, the author of
1 Kevin DeYoung, Taking God at His Word: Why the Bible Is Knowable, Necessary,
and Enough, and What That Means for You and Me (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2014),
50.
Hebrews writes, “Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through
the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son” (Hebrews 1:1-2).
Furthermore, the apostle Paul, in his letter to the Colossian church, writes, “For in Christ lives all
the fullness of God in a human body” (Colossians 2:9). Thus, Jesus is not merely a prophet or a
teacher, but God incarnate. Jesus is the complete revelation of God to man. As such, He
possesses the fullness of the Father’s nature and authority. As DeYoung notes, “The Son is
superior to all others because in him we have the fullness and finality of God’s redemption and
revelation.”2
Jesus’ divine nature makes Him the ultimate and complete revelation of the Father. In Him,
believers encounter the Father directly, not partially or indirectly as through previous prophets or
writings. Thus, Jesus is not only the fulfillment of the Father’s revelation; Jesus is the Father’s
revelation come to life. To quote DeYoung, “Redemption reveals. Revelation redeems. And
Christ is both. He is God’s full and final act of redemption and God’s full and final revelation of
himself.”3 Therefore, to claim that God’s revelation is incomplete is to suggest that the
knowledge and means for salvation provided through Jesus and the Scriptures are insufficient.
DeYoung correctly points out that this suggestion undermines the core doctrine of the Christian
faith: that Jesus’ atoning work on the cross and His resurrection have fully accomplished the
2 Kevin DeYoung, Taking God at His Word: Why the Bible Is Knowable, Necessary,
and Enough, and What That Means for You and Me (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2014),
49.
3 Kevin DeYoung, Taking God at His Word: Why the Bible Is Knowable, Necessary,
and Enough, and What That Means for You and Me (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2014),
50.
work of redemption, and that the Bible provides all necessary guidance for faith and practice. If
revelation were not complete, it would imply that the story and understanding of redemption are
also incomplete, thus leaving the work of redemption itself unfinished.
REPLIES
Garrett,
I pray that God’s hand remains upon you and His light will continue to guide you down His
narrow way. May He bless all that you do in pursuit of His kingdom and an education and may
your faith and its evidence bring glory to Him.
I truly enjoyed reading your thoughts about this week’s prompt. Much of what stood out to you
stood out to me, as well. It is so vital that believers understand that Jesus’ work on the cross—
His life, death, and resurrection—completed God’s plan for salvation. As Jesus said on the cross,
"It is finished" (John 19:30, New Living Translation). Our Lord’s words were signaling that His
redemptive work was complete. As DeYoung and you point out so well, this completeness means
that no further redemptive act is necessary, and therefore no further revelation is needed to
explain or expand upon it.
Furthermore, I really appreciated how you touched on DeYoung’s thoughts about God still
revealing Himself, today. I almost did but chose not to. It is just as important for us to recognize
how God chooses to speak to His people, now. As DeYoung stated, “we must think carefully
about how he speaks in these last days.”4 God speaks to us, He desires relationship with us, He
4 Kevin DeYoung, Taking God at His Word: Why the Bible Is Knowable, Necessary,
and Enough, and What That Means for You and Me (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2014),
longs for our longing for Him, but His words will never contradict His revelation. Furthermore,
we must recognize that “this ongoing speech is not ongoing revelation.”5 Accepting ongoing
revelation could lead to theological inconsistency and confusion, undermining the authority and
completeness of the biblical canon. We must understand that the foundation of our faith, which is
built on the redemptive work of Christ as revealed in Scripture, has been fully laid. “Scripture is
enough because the work of Christ is enough.”6
Thank you for the stimulating post, friend. May the peace of our Lord be yours, and may you
find all that you are searching for as you pursue the will of our Father.
Derek,
I pray you are growing in your love and devotion to our king, daily, as you continue to pursue
Him and to further your education. May your studies and your life be blessed, as you live to
bring forth His kingdom on earth.
Great work on this week’s topic, sir. I appreciate the passion within your words as you express
your thoughts on DeYoung. Your reference to the Messianic Christian’s and their attempt to add
to God’s revelation is an excellent example of how men attempt to add to the revelation of God.
This underscores DeYoung’s assertation that “Everything must be tested against the word of
God. Tradition does not have an equal role with the Bible in our knowing the truth. Rather,
50.
5 Ibid., pg. 51.
6 Ibid., pg. 52.
tradition has a confirmatory, illuminating, and supportive role to play.”7 The Jewish believers, in
this portion of Acts, believed that their traditions were what saved them. However, here in Acts
and throughout his epistles, Paul spends much time expressing that this is far from the truth.
While our traditions and our actions are the fruit of our salvation, Paul underscores the fact that
faith in Christ is the only way to the Father. Paul does not point to his own knowledge or
understanding, nor does he point to tradition, to support this claim; he points to Scripture. As the
apostles and DeYoung note, “God has given us all we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3);
Scripture is enough to make us wise for salvation and holy unto the Lord (2 Tim. 3:14–17).”8 All
we must to do is surrender to the Way and the Word of the Father.
Thank you for such a provocative post this week, brother. May God bless your work and all that
you do, as you seek to become more like Christ, and as you seek to bring His kingdom to earth.
May the peace of our Lord be yours, and may you experience the greatness of His love for you.
Jesus Christ and Scripture are sufficient for salvation. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection provide
the complete means for reconciliation with God and the Bible contains all necessary teachings
for faith and practice. The warnings against adding to Scripture underscore the belief that God’s
revelation in Christ and the Bible is final and complete, ensuring that no additional revelation is
7 Kevin DeYoung, Taking God at His Word: Why the Bible Is Knowable, Necessary,
and Enough, and What That Means for You and Me (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2014),
53.
8 Kevin DeYoung, Taking God at His Word: Why the Bible Is Knowable, Necessary,
and Enough, and What That Means for You and Me (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2014),
54.
needed for salvation. This theological foundation aims to preserve the integrity and purity of the
Christian faith, guarding against distortions and ensuring that the focus remains on the
sufficiency of Jesus Christ and the authoritative word of God in Scripture
God is Still Revealing Himself
DeYoung goes on to express that this does not mean that God does not speak, today. Though the
special revelation of God is complete (the cannon has been closed), filled full in Christ’s atoning
work, “God now speaks through his Son.”9
If the finality of God’s redemption in Christ implies the finality of God’s revelation in the Bible,
the two must be deeply interconnected. DeYoung’s claim This is rooted in the fact that Christ’s
redemptive work is complete and sufficient. Nothing more is needed. Being that Scripture is the
special revelation of God, to man, about God’s redemptive plan. this claim holds that, if the work
of redemption is compete and sufficient, the work of special revelation is complete and
sufficient, as well. Again, nothing more is needed. As our Lord said, Himself, “It is finished”
(John 19:30, New Living Translation).
Finality of Christ’s Work: Christians believe that
9 Ibid., pg. 50.
Sufficiency of Scripture: The Bible is viewed as the complete and sufficient revelation of
God’s will and purpose. It fully documents the redemptive work of Christ and its implications for
humanity. If additional revelation were needed, it would suggest that the Bible is insufficient, and
by extension, that the account of redemption it provides is also incomplete.
Historical and Eschatological Context: In the Christian timeline, Christ’s first coming is seen
as the pivotal event of history, culminating in His redemptive work. Christians await His second
coming, but this is not seen as a new act of redemption, rather the consummation of the
redemption already achieved. Thus, no further revelation is needed until the eschaton (end
times), when Christ will return to fulfill what has been promised.
The Role of the Holy Spirit: Christians believe the Holy Spirit helps believers understand and
apply the revelation contained in the Bible. This ongoing work of the Holy Spirit does not
constitute new revelation but rather a deepening understanding and application of the already
complete revelation in Scripture.
In summary, within the Christian worldview, the completeness of revelation is intrinsically
linked to the completeness of redemption. If revelation were ongoing, it would imply that the full
scope and understanding of redemption are still being revealed, which contradicts the belief in
the finished work of Christ and the sufficiency of the Bible in documenting and explaining that
work.
Centrality of Christ: In Christian theology, Jesus Christ is seen as the culmination and
fulfillment of God’s plan for humanity's salvation. His life, death, and resurrection are
considered the definitive acts of redemption. This completeness suggests that no further
redemptive work is necessary.
Scriptural Foundation: The Bible, particularly the New Testament, documents the life,
teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Christians believe that the Bible is the inspired word
of God, providing a comprehensive account of God's plan for salvation through Christ.
Final Revelation: Since Jesus is considered the ultimate revelation of God (as stated in
Hebrews 1:1-2, where it says God has spoken to us by His Son), the written record of His life
and work in the Bible is viewed as the final and complete revelation. There is no need for
additional scriptures or revelations beyond what has already been provided.
Apostolic Witness: The New Testament writings are based on the testimony of the apostles,
who were eyewitnesses to Jesus’ ministry. This eyewitness testimony is seen as authoritative and
final. After the apostolic age, no further authoritative witnesses to Christ's life and work are
available.
Covenantal Fulfillment: Christians believe that Jesus established a new covenant between God
and humanity, fulfilling the prophecies and promises of the Old Testament. The Bible, containing
both Old and New Testaments, is seen as the complete record of this covenantal relationship.
Doctrinal Stability: The finality of the biblical revelation helps to maintain doctrinal stability
and consistency within Christianity. It sets a clear and authoritative standard for belief and
practice, preventing the introduction of new doctrines that could lead to confusion or division.
In summary, Christians believe that the finality of God’s redemption in Christ is intrinsically
linked to the finality of God’s revelation in the Bible because the Bible is viewed as the complete
and authoritative record of God’s redemptive work through Jesus Christ.
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