September 15, 2016 | 90 Days Challenge

 

“Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” [2 Peter 1:20-21 ESV]
Reading not studying
I received quite a load of mail this week in response to a message on sola Scriptura, the doctrine that the Bible alone is the highest authority. Some of the letters concerned a challenge I threw down – to read the entire Bible in 90 days. [For some guides, check out www.friscobible.com/90days.] Mary speaks for many who took up the challenge:
This is a great opportunity, and we are excited about the 90 discipline. However, just a couple days in, I have found this very hard! It’s a spiritual discipline, I know, and thus to be empowered by grace, not legalism. Still, I keep getting lost in the passage, meditating and looking up related texts. At this rate it will take hours/day! After all, you’re the one who trained us to study the Bible in its obvious thought sections – something that doesn’t gel with reading these larger chunks. Help!
I totally relate to Mary. Maybe you do as well. If so, this part of my reply to her may help you:
Remember that we are only reading the Bible during this short season. This isn’t study. Sometimes it’s useful to step back from the trees and scan over the forest. It allows the text to speak to us in a different, bigger picture fashion.
Guard the treasure
Another message included these quotes from the wonderful old Puritan teacher William Gurnall’s book The Christian in Complete Armour:
This [God’s truth] is the great depositum–treasure, which God delivers to his saints, with a strict and solemn charge to keep against all that undermine or oppose it. Some things we trust God with, some things God trusts us with. The great thing which we put into God’s hand to be kept for us is our soul…That which God trusts us chiefly with is his truth…So Paul exhorts Timothy to ‘hold fast the form of sound words,’ 2 Ti. i. 13, and this, ver. 14, he calls the ‘good thing which was committed to him.’ …The word of truth is that testimony which the great God gives of himself to man, Ps. xix. 7, Is. viii. 20, He. xii. 1, Re. xi. 3. The saints are his chosen witnesses above others, whom he calls forth to vouch his truth, by a free and holy profession thereof before men–called therefore the witnesses of God. (Part Second, Direction Fifth, 306)
Truth finds few that love her gratis. And those few only will suffer with truth and for it. (Part Second, Direction Fifth, 310)
Copyright means copy it right
A few people wanted the exact quote I had shared from David Wade of our pulpit team:
Our real problem with the Bible is not resolving real or supposed discrepancies, it is applying what is manifestly clear!
 
Recognition is not choice
Here’s one last thought – a great observation from another friend, also named Dave:
During the sermon Sunday, one of the things that came to mind was the primary objection to sola Scriptura from within churches. The argument is a historical one, claiming that because the church assembled the scriptures, the authority of the church stands above the scriptures.
I particularly like John Calvin’s response: “It [is a] fiction that the power of judging Scripture is in the church, and that on her nod its certainty depends. When the church receives it, and gives it the stamp of her authority, she does not make that authentic which was otherwise doubtful or controverted. But acknowledging it as the truth of God, she as duty bound, shows her reverence by an unhesitating assent.”
In other words, the church never stood over the Scripture, but simply received it, acknowledged it to be God’s Word, and therefore submits to its authority.
What a blessing it is to grow with such a collaborative, brilliant, redeemed community!
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