BIBLICAL CERTAINTY AND ITS CHALLENGES

 

 

An advocate for The Biologos Foundation, which has been funded to evangelize the Church for evolution, wrote against the Biblical arguments that I had been presenting against Biologos:

 

·       "You begin with the assumption that your interpretation of the Bible is correct, then use as evidence that those who disagree with you are wrong by pointing out that they disagree with you. The only person entitled to do that is God Himself."

 

Biologos assumes that we cannot take a strong stance on anything that the Bible teaches, because it is only our own interpretation, and only “God Himself” can objectively interpret the Bible. For what good then is the Bible if we cannot confidently interpret it! This strategy of uncertainty makes Biologos immune to any Biblical criticism.

 

For the Christian, there is nothing more authoritative than the Scriptures. While it is true that our interpretations might be off, it is their job to show that they have a more accurate interpretation rather than to simply dismiss any Biblical challenge as just “your personal interpretation.”

We often encounter this dismissal of Biblical confidence. The Marxist sows uncertainty to undermine the old and to bring in the new - Marxism. When it takes its first steps into the Church, it might look like this:

 

·       You cannot be certain about your interpretation of Scripture. That is to be closed-minded. Instead, you must spend time listening to the stories of the marginalized “oppressed” and how they understand Scripture."

 

While this might look like a Christian pursuit of justice, instead this is part of a greater strategy to delegitimize and overthrow Western society as unjust and “inherently racist.”

Voddie Baucham, a black pastor who has established a seminary in Zambia, Africa, warned against Marxist Critical Race Theory, which favors the “oppressed’ over that “oppressors,” usually heterosexual white males, thereby undermining our equality in Christ (Galatians 3:28):

 

·       In the social sciences, “critical” is “geared toward identifying and exposing problems in order to facilitate revolutionary political change.” In other words, it implies revolution. It is not interested in reform. Hence, we do not “reform” the police; we “defund” the police or abolish them. “It is more interested in problematizing—that is, finding ways in which the system is imperfect and making noise about them, reasonably or not—than it is in any other identifiable activity, especially building something constructive.” (Fault Lines: The Social Justice Movement)

 

Sowing uncertainty about our understanding of the Scriptures is often a first step. Those who want to overthrow our confidence will claim, “That’s only your personal interpretation. Others have their own interpretations.”

Of course, there are deep and difficult areas within the Scriptures. Consequently, we are always learning (Psalm 1:1-3). However, there is also another side. Our Lord had assured the Israelites that they had no grounds for any uncertainty about His commands:

 

·       “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’  But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.” (Deuteronomy 30:11–14).

 

Had certainty not been possible, God would not have been just and righteous to have punished the Israelites for their transgressions. The Israelites would have been justified to retort, “We had no way of objectively knowing what You wanted. It is only a matter of our personal interpretation of your instructions.”

 

Instead, if the knowledge of God is completely shrouded in uncertainty, the Bible could never claim:

 

·       And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. (1 John 5:20)

 

Jesus had even prayed that this understanding of God is necessary to have the fullness of God’s love:

 

·       “I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:26)

 

This objective knowledge is also necessary for all spiritual blessings:

·       May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence. (2 Peter 1:2–3)

 

The Scriptures are more than just a personal understanding but truth itself (John 8:31-32). Jesus had even insisted that God must be worshiped in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). This would not be possible if uncertainty reigned supreme.

Certainty might be slow in coming in many areas, but it should be our assured expectation. Do not be quick to set aside your confidence regarding your understanding of the Scriptures! Simply because it depends on your personal understanding should not detract from your confidence in its truth. I am confidently certain that I am now sitting at my computer, that I live in NYC, and that my wife is Anita, even though these are my personal understandings and interpretations of my perceptions.

The Bible also teaches that our assured understanding and confidence about what the Bible teaches are like a treasure. Paul therefore had labored for the believer:

 

·       …to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. (Colossians 2:2–4)

 

Without this “treasure” of the “full assurance of understanding,” we will remain vulnerable to deceptive “plausible arguments,” which are taking the Church captive. Instead, we can know the voice of truth and follow confidently, as Jesus taught:

·       “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:27–28)

 

Besides, when you are told that you cannot be certain that you are interpreting the Scriptures accurately, simply retort, "Are you certain about what you just said?" This question demonstrates that we can reasonably say little about anything, about about sowing doubts, without a high degree of certainty.

Because certainty is a possibility, a promise, and a necessity, God has given the Church teachers:

·       And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. (Ephesians 4:11–14)

 

When uncertainty reigns in the Church, the Light of Christ is unable to shine. It also becomes a fertile breeding ground for the weeds of deception. Biologos has told me that I need to be humble (tentative) about how I interpret the Scriptures. Although this sounds pious, I responded, “If only you were as humble about your embrace of Darwin!”