Is Scripture truly sufficient for all our needs?

Is Scripture truly sufficient for all our needs? That seems to be the question for today’s Christians. The evidence is all around us that today’s “postmodern” Christians are relying upon more and more extra-biblical sources for direction in life.
As Christians in the 21st century, do we truly believe that Scripture is sufficient to meet our needs? Unfortunately, many of the bible scholars from today’s liberal schools answer this question with a resounding “No!” By the practice of integration (mixing the Bible with other sources), these theologians are presenting a different Gospel to the world, a gospel without personal holiness.

As a Southern Baptist, I am concerned about my denomination’s willingness to turn aside from God’s inerrant Word when we’re faced with difficult issues. The SBC may have fought the good fight when it comes to the doctrine of Scriptural inerrancy but the doctrine of Scriptural sufficiency is almost totally neglected. SBC pastors will preach from the pulpit that God’s Word is perfect, and yet turn away from God’s Word and turn towards psychology when it comes to answering life’s difficult questions, or when counseling church members in times of crisis.

Why? If we believe that God’s Word is perfect, then from that belief should also flow the doctrine that God’s perfect Word is also SUFFICIENT to do what God wills it to do. (Isaiah 55:11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.)

One text in the New Testament that seems to speak volumes about how we are to live sanctified lives by God’s Word is found in Matthew 7: 13-14 where Jesus says, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

Somewhere along the way, we Christians have stood on the ground that Jesus Christ Himself is the narrow gate. Absolutely! This should be preached everywhere. People need to hear that salvation is in no other name than the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Act 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”)

If we stand on God’s Word, believing that Jesus is the only way to salvation then what do we do AFTER salvation? Look at what Jesus says in Matthew 7:13-14 again: There is a narrow gate, and there is a narrow way. He says the gate is small and the way is narrow.

How narrow is the way? It’s quite narrow. It’s certainly not the broad path, the path of the world. If that’s the case, then why do we turn away from God when it comes to answering the tough questions of life? I believe it’s because preachers are no longer depending on God’s Word when it comes to life. Sure, we believe Jesus and God’s Word is necessary for salvation, but after that, we jettison Scripture and run to Dr. Phil, Oprah, and Judge Judy. Where did this wickedness come from?

Pastors! It came from pastors who preach half-truths, and a weak watered-down Gospel. Yes, Jesus saves sinners, but he also calls us to live holy, righteous lives. How are we to do that? By living according to God’s Word! And how are we to live according to God’s Word unless we truly believe that His Word is sufficient?

Psalm 119 contains wonderful promises for those who keep God’s Word. Especially beautiful are these verses:

Psalms 119:4-20 You have ordained Your precepts, That we should keep them diligently. Oh that my ways may be established To keep Your statutes! Then I shall not be ashamed When I look upon all Your commandments. I shall give thanks to You with uprightness of heart, When I learn Your righteous judgments. I shall keep Your statutes; Do not forsake me utterly! How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You. Blessed are You, O LORD; Teach me Your statutes. With my lips I have told of All the ordinances of Your mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts And regard Your ways. I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word. Deal bountifully with Your servant, That I may live and keep Your word. Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. I am a stranger in the earth; Do not hide Your commandments from me. My soul is crushed with longing After Your ordinances at all times.

It’s time as Christians that we returned to God’s Word not only for salvation, but for life! God’s Word IS life, and if we are to live holy lives that please God, then we must return to His Word. As Jesus said: “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

Bottom line: We must be people of God’s Word. The way is narrow, and God has given us His Word to keep us on His path.

How NOT To Study the Bible

John 12:47-48 “If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. (48) “He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.

One problem that I have with the Emergent movement that is so rampant within my own denomination is the lack of clear, biblical interpretation. The text is often obfuscated to the point that many in the emergent camp make claims that we evangelicals would have considered heretical in the past. Eisegesis is considered more valid when studying the Scriptures than exegesis. In other words, reading your own interpretation into a text is now considered just as valid (if not more so) than reading the text and studying the grammar and history of the text in order to gain a clearer picture of the original writer’s intention.

John 12:48 is the reason why I have problems with modern bible studies in general. So often I hear people in bible studies say things like “What does this Scripture mean to you?” or “What is your take on the Scripture?” This is often followed by a cafeteria-style process where members of a bible study will pick through the various interpretations offered and choose whichever interpretation best fits some preconceived assumtion they’ve made. That’s not bible study. Listen to what Jesus says in John 12:48:

“He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.”

Notice Jesus does not say “My word AS YOU UNDERSTAND IT is what will judge you.” Nor does He say “My Word that YOU ARE AWARE OF is what judges you.” Instead, Jesus makes it plan, that the word HE SPOKE is what will judge us at the last day. Ignorance of the Word will not be an excuse on the final day of Judgment.

Now there are times when a text is APPLIED differently to different people. Here’s an example:

I counseled a man (Dave) who was deeply upset because a woman he’d dated recently left him with little notice. He couldn’t understand why she would leave. In the course of counseling him, it became apparent that cohabitation and fornication were two chief sins that were occuring in his life with this previous girlfriend. Yet the man claimed to be a Christian. So I took him at his word and began counseling him as a Christian. While counseling him, I brought him to the following verse:

1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;

After he read the verse aloud, he said “This verse is about fornication.” In it’s interpretation, the verse is not about fornication. It’s about claiming fellowship with Christ while walking in the darkness, and how those two are mutually exclusive.

Yet the Holy Spirit caused the verse to come alive to Him, and bring rememberance of sin. He realized what he was doing was wrong, and subsequently repented of it.

However (and this is important) he was not guilty of misinterpreting the text. What God revealed to Him in his heart from the text through the Holy Spirit was certainly the truth: Fornication was a sin, and he needed to submit that area of his life to Christ and ask him for forgiveness. Yet he didn’t misinterpret the text. He understood the plain meaning of the text. Christ and darkness don’t fellowship together. The Holy Spirit through the power of God’s word brought him into right relationship with God. (See Hebrews 4:12-13 for similar verses)

It may be true that how a verse is APPLIED to a believer’s (or non-believer’s) heart may differ. But the intent and message of the Scripture NEVER changes. The Word itself says “The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.” The intent and message of Scripture never changes.

“He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.”

If we are to be judged by the words that Jesus spoke, then I want to make sure that I understand what he says as much as I can. This means I must make a careful examination of the text, the history surrounding when it was written, the context it was written in, and other factors to make sure that I am not guilty of eisegesis (reading into the text).

To my emergent friends, let me speak plainly so you won’t misunderstand my words: The virgin birth is a reality. Jesus did lead a sinless life. After dying on the cross for ours ins, he was buried. And on the third day he arose BODILY, not metaphysically or spiritually. Jesus is coming back (and hopefully soon!)

I hope this small article will in some way encourage you this Sunday to open your bibles and read what it actually says, not what you think it means. God bless you!

Rob