We are facing an assault on the sufficiency of Scripture today. There are some who knowingly are importing ideologies of men with the specific intent of undermining Scripture. Others, more in love with the applause of the world than anything else, willingly turn a blind eye to the truth about these ideologies. They adopt the thinking of the world in order to appeal to the “unchurched” and bring them in the church doors. Still others, ignorant of the truth of God’s Word and persuaded by the emotional rhetoric fall prey to the false teaching of man-made doctrines. They do so, believing that the warm, fuzzy feeling they have is confirmation they are being “loving” to others by affirming their “lived experiences” rather than examining their claims against the light of Scripture.
In all such cases, the sufficiency of the Word of God is eroded and rejected. Those who seek to undermine Scripture do so purposely. They see the sufficiency of Scripture as an obstacle to their goals and agenda. Doubt must be cast on the Bible, instilling in people’s minds that Scripture just doesn’t address these “important matters.” Thus, we must turn to the worldview of man to seek true justice and peace. Only by importing these man-made definitions can the Bible be rightly applied in these matters. Only by looking through the lens of man rather than of God can we achieve justice and peace. Sufficiency is rejected purposely and intentionally by those seeking societal transformation.
Those who are enticed by the allure of fame and acceptance by the world know the Bible is sufficient, but it would cost them to stand upon it. God’s Word indeed addresses all areas for life and godliness in the lives of believers. Yet, it calls Christians to reject the ways of the world. To submit wholly and completely to God, for His purposes and His glory alone. This call to holiness is hated by the world and the “unchurched” want nothing to do with it. Therefore, the compromiser seeks to tamp down God’s revealed Word and adopts language and techniques the world likes. All this is done under the guise of being “all things to all people” but in reality, it too erodes the sufficiency of Scripture because it trusts that drawing through addressing felt needs is more important than calling people to die to and for Christ alone.
The last group is deficient and malnourished. They have not only not been taught the Word, they have failed to feast on the sumptuous delicacies the Word has to offer. They have not sought nourishment in God’s Word and hold to the belief they can generate all they need by trusting in their feelings. They waste away from lack of spiritual food. Thanks to a meager diet of junk ideology, they attempt to apply love and care in the life of others but do so with little to no understanding of the biblical definitions of either. When presented with an ideology that defines love to mean making people feel better, they grab onto it, believing it sounds and feels right. They trust not in God’s Word which tells us that if we are to love Christ, then we are to obey His commandments. The Bible isn’t seen as sufficient because it has never been sought after to nourish the professed believer.
In all cases, the ideologies of men are lifted up as the means by which Christians ought to model their life and practice. Sure, the Bible is important, but: it doesn’t allow us to remodel society; it doesn’t put people in the pews in large numbers; and it doesn’t always make us feel great about ourselves. Therefore, we must temper the Bible with the doctrines of men. Utter nonsense!!
God’s Word speaks to all this and more! Christians must cease looking to ourselves and others for our life and practice. God has given us all we need in His revealed Word to save us, equip us, grow us, and send us into the world to make disciples. His Word is inspired, inerrant, infallible, and ALL-SUFFICIENT! Nothing in this world that man has to offer comes close. We either seek first God’s Word, applying it to our entire lives, or we deny God has truly spoken. That is our choice. It is either God’s Word or man’s woefully weak opinions. There is no middle ground.
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