Emily and I attended a conference last week put on by the NCFIC on the sufficiency of scripture. We were blessed by messages by many solid and influential Christians, including Scott Brown, Doug Phillips, Ken Ham, Voddie Bacham, Paul Washer, Kevin Swanson, and others. Their message was a message of urgency - a doctrine whose neglect has caused mediocrity, inefficacy, and indeed heresy in much if not most of modern Christianity. And it is a message which, if we adopt unreservedly, will cause persecution from without, and even perhaps more persecution from within the "church".
I would like first to acknowledge the amazing mercy and intervention of God. Near the end of our trip to Kentucky we began to notice a distinct vibration, and then a bumping and rattling noise in the wheels. We hobbled along with the bumping until we could pull off the road to a gas station - just a block away from the hotel. Upon popping the hub cap, we discovered that a careless mechanic, who had balance the wheel before we left, had put ALL of the lug nuts on backward! The nuts had slowly worked themselves loose over the trip and one bolt had broken off because of the stress the wobble had caused. As we reversed the nuts and tightened them, another bolt which had been weakened snapped off. I believe if we had continued for a mile or two more we might have ended up driving a tricycle! Only God's grace kept this from happening on a 65mph highway.
The first thing we notice as we entered the conference area are these two verses on prominent posters:
2Ti 3:16-17: All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Isa 30:1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me...
Not only is scripture sufficient, but it is our only sourcebook for all matters regarding faith and practice. And to go to the world for counsel, denying what the scripture teaches, is to ask for a curse - a curse we are seeing the fruits of today. If the foundations be destroyed (and our foundation is reliance on the Word of God), what can the righteous do? The answer is to return in repentance to Christ and Scripture - both the living Word of God.
Have you ever heard someone give one of the following rationale for a decision? “The Bible is silent on this subject"; “If it is not repeated in the New Testament then it doesn't count”; “Jesus is about grace not law"; “God told me to do it” (although it's inconsistent with scripture). These are all erroneous maxims which deny the sufficiency and authority of the entire Bible. We resist the rationalist secular humanist, who says that there is no transcendent truth and the autonomous human mind is sufficient. But too often we adopt the part of the semi-rationalist, living like the scripture is only sufficient for some questions, and we are on our own to figure out others. Why do you suppose so many kids who went to conservative churches are leaving the faith before they even leave the home? I believe it is because of hypocrisy in the church - leaders who claim the sufficiency of the Bible, but do not live it. What a convicting thought for any discipler!
Do you teach? Have you ever critically examined the Bible's book on education - the book of Proverbs? Notice that it focuses on character. Are you in the business of dispensing knowledge, wisdom, and understanding? Yes, we are too often tempted to think that academics are somewhat neutral, and thus adopt the greek model of education. But how about looking to scripture for our model? Discipleship and life integration are the ways of the Lord, and if through education we do not end up on our knees praising the greatness and goodness of God, we are committing a travesty against him!
The battle against the sufficiency of scripture has been a constant theme throughout the Bible and all of church history. Satan has staged many attacks, but today's battle is waged through so-called science. If science contradicts the Bible, which are we to believe? The Mysterious Islands, which premiered at the conference, showed clearly how the facts do not support the accepted view - evolution. Only because scientists come to the table with preconcieved views about the existance of God must they come up with this outlandish theory and call it fact. We need Christian scientists who are willing to suffer the persecution inevitable when they step out and speak against this myth. Ken Ham has done this, and we greatly enjoyed visiting the Creation Museum while in the area, which displays the handiwork of God, lifting him up as Creator.
I came back from this conference with a renewed passion to seek out the things of God from his word for myself, applying it to every area of my life. The doctrines of the world tend to creep in unknowingly, and I tend to just take them for granted. This neglect too often becomes sin. Instead, I need to be constantly comparing all the activities in my life to scripture. The world has long heard the power of the gospel over the guilt of sin. Now they are looking to see if it can free us from the power of sin.