Perpescuity

Today, Al Mohler used a word I hadn't heard before - perpescuity.  It means that the scripture is clear on matters of central doctrine, and that the great masses can understand the gospel - it is not esoteric.  I found this article on perpescuity at blueletterbible.org - I've summarized their main points below.

1. The Old Testament Assumes God’s Word Is Clear
2. Jesus Testified To The Clearness Of Scripture
3. There Were Letters Written To Be Read To Churches
4. We Need God’s Help In Understanding These Truths

Comments

[jpe]

We Need God’s Help In Understanding These Truths

scripture is clear on matters of central doctrine

Please reconcile these two. They're clearly in tension (note that my request is actually clear, and you shouldn't need God's help to understand what I mean).

Mohler's answer, that it will be clear to those that God has helped, is circular. Is there a non-circular way to reconcile these two propositions?

[seeker]

Actually, I just read a Catholic rebuttal to perpescuity, and I think I agree with the Catholic.

The Bible never claims perpescuity, as the Protestants claim for it. The Bible tells us that "There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures" (2 Peter 3:16).