Monday, December 7, 2009

Biblical & Doctrinal Ignorance & the Need to Study Scripture

It seems that there’s been a growing ignorance these days about the great truths of Scripture. What’s worse is that this is coming from professing Christians. Back in August, Shane Rosenthal, producer of “the White Horse Inn,” surveyed a little fewer than 100 professing Christians at an Evangelistic crusade led by Billy Graham’s son in St. Louis. The results were rather disturbing.

96% agreed with the statement: “God is like a helpful coach who’s there to help us when we need Him; He wants us to be happy.”

Rosenthal also asked the question: “Which of the following do you think is the best summary of the Christian gospel,” with multiple choice answers.
14% answered: “God changing me”
12% answered: “Making a decision for Jesus”
36% answered: “Living for God”
3% didn’t know
Only 35% regarded “Christ’s life death and resurrection,” as the best summary of the Christian gospel.

66% felt that “Christianity is primarily about my personal transformation”
39% have never heard of the doctrine of Justification
And perhaps, the most startling was that 67% DISAGREED with Romans 3:10-12, which states: “as it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good,
not even one.’"

(To read more of the results, click on the link)


There was also a Pew Research forum survey which revealed that 37% of white Evangelicals believed that there was more than one religion that leads to Eternal Life, which flies in the face of Jesus’ words in John 14:6 and the proclamation of Peter before the Sanhedrin in Acts 4:12.

Now, a lot of this, I would say, is a reflection of the shallowness of a considerable amount of American Evangelicalism. In fact, Mike Horton, in his 2008 book Christless Christianity: the Alternative Gospel of the American Church, noted: “my argument in this book is not that evangelicalism is becoming theologically liberal, but that it is becoming theologically vacuous.” (Horton, pg. 23)

Now, we read that Paul wrote to Timothy that: “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” (2nd Timothy 4:1-2)

That being said, however, those of us who aren’t pastors have a duty, too. We have a duty to study Scripture.

After the death of Moses, we read that God told Joshua: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)

In Psalm 1:2, in the description of a blessed man, we read: “his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

Now, clearly, we have something of a distinction between JUST the Old Testament Law, and the Gospel as well. However, there is a precedent set down for us on the importance of studying Scripture.

When confronted by the Sadducees regarding the marital state of a woman who was married 7 times and was resurrected, part of Jesus’ response was: "You are wrong, because you know neither the Scripturesnor the power of God.” (Matthew 22:29)

Acts 17:11 commends the Jews at Berea, “...for they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”

We read in Paul’s letter to Timothy: “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (2nd Timothy 3:14-17)

Paul notes that one sign of spiritual maturity is 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 4:14) And, clearly, one main way is through the studying of Scripture.

Paul also notes in his letter to the Romans that “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.” (Romans 16:17-18)

Charles Spurgeon once had this to say about Bible study, which I find to be AWESOME: “We must not rest content with having given a superficial reading to a chapter or two, but with the candle of the Spirit we must deliberately seek out the hidden meaning of the word. Holy Scripture requires searching — much of it can only be learned by careful study. There is milk for babes, but also meat for strong men…. No man who merely skims the book of God can profit thereby; we must dig and mine until we obtain the hid treasure…They are the writings of God, bearing the divine stamp and imprimatur — who shall dare to treat them with levity? He who despises them despises the God who wrote them….Scripture grows upon the student. It is full of surprises. Under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, to the searching eye it glows with splendor of revelation, like a vast temple paved with wrought gold, and roofed with rubies, emeralds, and all manner of gems…Happy he who, searching his Bible, discovers his Saviour.”

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