Don’t want to major in minors, as they say. But on the other hand I don’t want to minimize any portion of God’s Word, especially if it seems it is being mistreated in the church. I’m thinking now of the whole rapture question, but the issue at stake here goes far beyond eschatology or the last things.
Let me ask you, Do you believe what you believe because your favorite teacher believes it? He’s so fun to listen to, and he usually is right on…
Not good. Your favorite teacher is flawed and could have made a mistake. “Usually” is not good enough for serious students of the Bible.
Well then, do you believe what you believe because the “scholars” have written it in a book? Sorry about that, but scholars are wrong in every generation.
If Martin Luther had not come against the scholars of his day, where would the church be? If later “scholars” had not challenged Luther and Calvin and the others, how perfect would the church be in its understandings?
And the great men of our day. Sproul. Macarthur. Cymbala. Brown. I’ve found much to bless me in every one of these men. But I’ve also found reason to differ with them. They are usually fine. But not always.
And others have found reason to differ with me. Surprise, surprise! We’re all growing, learning, trying.
Where does that leave us? It leaves us flawed. Imperfect. Weak-minded. Mistaken at times.
What’s left to agree on? Only what Scripture explicitly spells out without doubt.
We can’t depend on what “rings true” in our minds if our minds have not been filled with Scripture. Your favorite scholar or teacher may “ring true” in his pronouncements because you have heard only his interpretation of the Scripture since you were a child.
Be free. Read the Bible and pray yourself. Don’t be afraid or intimidated. Close all the teachers out who have said anything that the Book does not specifically say. Then read the words of Scripture alone with God and ask for help. Teachers can take us so far. Thank God for them. Theirs is a Spirit-anointed ministry. But they sometimes go off. You be there to catch them going off by reading and studying and knowing the Bible yourself!
This is the Hackberry House of Chosun. Keep in touch. We’ll talk again soon, Lord willing.
BIBLE Q & A, 13 : What does, “Touch not my anointed” mean? Psalm 105:15, “Do not touch My anointed ones, and do my prophets no harm.” You may have heard this verse before. Maybe many times. It is used by those claiming...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
BIBLE Q & A, 12 : Is the church bound by the “opinions” of an apostle? I Corinthians 7, 14. Acts 15 Sooner or later someone is going to ask you whether you must obey the words of an apostle if he tells you up front it is...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
Conclusions/Summary My conclusions are obvious, and are borne out by the very Scripture we exonerate: The Word of God is pure. Psalm 12:6, Psalm 119:40, Proverbs 30:5 The Word of God is true. John 17:17, Hebrews 6:18, Titus 1:2 The Word of...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
7. External proof of the truth of Scripture. We have alluded to the internal testimony, the authority of the Holy Spirit showing us Jesus through the written Word working on the inner man. But there is an external set of “proofs” for...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
6. The question of authority.Who rules the church? We know that Jesus is the Head, and He gives leadership responsibilities to pastors and such. But how do they rule, by what authority? The breathed-out Word of God. The early church continued...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
Jesus appeals to the authority of Scripture in John 5, saying that it is they which testified of Him. 39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me 45 Do not think that I shall...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
Matthew 26:51-54 51 And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. 52 But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
5. The testimony of Jesus. There is no competition between Jesus and His Word for highest authority. The living Word and the written Word are one. It was Jesus the Son as a member of the Godhead from eternity, Who spoke all the Words of...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
4. Testimony to New Testament Inspiration God used forty different men over a period of 1,600 years to complete His written work. He used a butler, a scribe, kings, a doctor, a theologian, fishermen, a statesman, a farmer, a tax collector, a...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
