5. Clear

The clarity of Scripture, sometimes called perspicuity, means that the central message of the Bible can be understood by ordinary people.

You do not need a priest to interpret it for you. You do not need advanced degrees in ancient languages. You do not need a special anointing or a mystical insight. The Bible was written to be understood. And its core message, the way of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, is plain to anyone who reads it with a willing heart and the help of the Holy Spirit.

The psalmist testifies:

The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. (Psalm 19:7)

The word "simple" here does not mean unintelligent. It means untrained. Ordinary. God's Word takes the ordinary person and gives them wisdom. It does not hoard its treasures for the educated. It opens them to the humble reader.

The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple. (Psalm 119:130)

Moses said the same thing to Israel:

This commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, "Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?" But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. (Deuteronomy 30:11-14)

God did not give Israel a riddle. He gave them a clear word. And the same is true for us. The Bible is not a puzzle to be decoded. It is a lamp to be used.

Now hear a careful qualification. Clarity does not mean every passage is equally easy. Peter himself said Paul's letters contain "some things that are hard to understand" (2 Peter 3:16). There are passages in Scripture that require careful study, historical context, and the guidance of faithful teachers. The existence of difficult passages does not overthrow the doctrine of clarity. It means the essential truths, who God is, who we are, what Christ has done, and how we must respond, are clear, while some secondary matters require more labor.

Clarity was a battleground in the Reformation. The medieval church taught that ordinary people could not understand the Bible and needed the church's official interpretation. So the Bible stayed in Latin, away from the plowboy and the housewife. The Reformers argued from Scripture itself that God intended his Word to be read, understood, and obeyed by every one of his people. So they translated it into common languages and put it in common hands.

One more distinction matters here. Clarity is a property of Scripture. Illumination is the work of the Holy Spirit in you. Because of sin, our minds are darkened. We need the Spirit to open our eyes to see what is already there. The problem is never the lamp. The problem is our blindness. And God, in his mercy, gives both the lamp and the sight.

What this means for you. The Bible is your book. God gave it to you. You are not waiting for permission to open it.

Read it.