The excerpt below was extracted with permission from Kevin DeYoung’s book Taking God Serively by Faithful Editor.
We excel in the doctrine of scripture sufficiency, but what difference does the adequacy of the scriptures make in your Christian life?Let me propose four ways that should make a big difference.
- First.
- With the sufficiency of Scripture.
- We keep tradition in place.
- Tradition certainly has a place in understanding the word of God and in formulating the doctrinal convictions of the church.
- The diversity most easily overlooked today is the diversity of the dead.
- Learn from the great teachers who came before us and we must remain steadfast in the ecumenical beliefs of the Church.
- And.
- For those of us in denominational traditions.
- Such as Lutherans.
- Anglicans.
- Presbyterians.
- And retirees.
- We must commit to upholding our denominational standards.
- Seriously.
- Carefully and with integrity.
- But even these great creeds.
- Catechisms.
- And denominations are valuable only insofar as they summarize what is taught in Scripture.
- No man-made secondary text can replace or allow it to invalidate our loyalty and knowledge.
- Of the Bible.
The adequacy of the scriptures reinforces the cry of the Reformation of Scriptura alone, or “Writing Alone”. This does not mean that we should try to approach the Bible without the help of good teachers, academic resources, and proven doctrinal formulas. Only that does not mean “by itself” (nude Scriptura), but this Scripture is only the final authority. Everything must be proven in relation to the word of God. Tradition does not play a role equal to the Bible in the knowledge of the truth, but tradition plays a role of confirmation, enlightenment and support. We cannot accept doctrinal innovations, such as infallibility, purgatory, immaculate conception or veneration of Mary, because these doctrines are not found in the Word of God and contradict what is revealed in the scriptures, although we can respect our Catholic friends and be grateful for many aspects of their faith and society. witness, we must not doubt in our loyalty to The Scriptura alone, which is implicit in the biblical understanding of its own presumption.
Second, because the scriptures are sufficient, we are not going to add to or subtract from the word of God. As we approach the Bible, we must always remember that we are reading a book of covenants. And the settlement documents generally supplement the curse of the settlement record. We see this curse in Deuteronomy 4: 2 and 12:32, where the Israelites are warned not to add or remove anything from the Mosaic Law (cf. Proverbs 30: 5-6). Likewise, do we see the same types of curses at the conclusion of the New Testament in Revelation 22: 18-19? “I, to all who hear the words of the prophecy in this book, testify: If anyone adds to him, God will add the plagues written in this book; And if someone takes away some of the words from the book of this prophecy, will God take his share of the tree of life, the holy city, and the things that are written in that book? Is this strong warning at the end of the entire Bible a strong reminder that we are not to add anything to Scripture? to make it better, safer or more in line with our assumptions? and we must not take anything away from him, even if experience, academic journals, or the humor of culture insist on it.
Third, since the Bible is sufficient, we can expect the word of God to be relevant in all aspects of life. God has given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1. 3) because Scripture is sufficient to make us wise for salvation and holy to the Lord (2 Timothy 3: 14-17). If we learn to read the Bible downwards (in our hearts), through (the plot of Scripture), towards the end (to the end of history) and upwards (for the glory of God, before Christ), We will find that every part of the Bible is beneficial to us. Affirming the sufficiency of Scripture does not mean that the Bible tells us everything we want to know about everything, but rather that it tells us everything we need to know about what matters most. Scripture does not offer complete information on all subjects, but in all the disciplines it covers, it only tells what is true. And truly, we have enough knowledge to let go of sin, find the Savior, make good decisions, God willing, and get to the root of our deepest problems.
Fourth, the doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture invites us to open our Bibles to hear the voice of God. Not long ago I was in a faith-based counseling group where we were told to meet our “standards” as a community. When I suggested that our first rule should be to test everything in light of God’s word, was I reflecting? and is it an exact quote? that “we are not here to open our Bibles. ” The purpose of the group, apparently, was for us to listen to our hearts and each other, but not so much to listen to God. Later, in the same denominational meeting, a South American pastor reached out to the whole body. See an ad on the back of an event that we would like? God’s vision for our denomination, the man said 😕 Discover? I hope you find what you are looking for. And try not to take too long? It was a well-placed jab of the American Church’s tendency to plan, dream, diagram and project a vision and engage in mutual discernment, while, at the same time, God’s clear voice remains careless on its knees. .
How does this help us take God seriously?Author Kevin DeYoung has prepared a clear and accessible introduction to the Bible, which answers important questions posed by Christians and non-Christians. This book will help you understand what the Bible says about itself and what makes it so meaningful and relevant at all times. Without using technical or difficult terms, this book will help you believe in the Bible, understand it, and therefore take God seriously.
Check