Why Should Scripture Be Our Starting Point?

Abortion. Feminism. Biblical Womanhood. Submission. Purity Culture. Transgenderism. Modesty. The list can go on and on. Truly, even defining what is a woman is difficult for our culture. So for those of us who consider ourselves Bible-believing Christians, how do we respond? Can we even know the truth with so many lies and so much confusion? How do we reach those around us who are making troubling decisions? Why does this matter—especially as we are concerned about women’s issues? Why not leave this to a pastor or someone trained in these areas?

Thankfully, there are answers and we can have confidence! Through this series, we will address several controversial topics about womanhood, but before we begin, we need to identify our foundation. Understanding our worldview is the first step.

Worldview

James Anderson defines a worldview as “an all-encompassing perspective on everything that exists and matters to us.” He goes on to say, “Your worldview represents your most fundamental beliefs and assumptions about the universe you inhabit. It reflects how you would answer all the “big questions” of human existence, the fundamental questions we ask about life, the universe, and everything.” (James Anderson, What’s Your Worldview p. 12) Our worldview, as a lenses through which we view and understand our world, affects everything!

Each person has a worldview. There is no such thing as an unbiased journalist or scientist—everyone has a worldview through which they interpret the world.

Your worldview should be based on the Bible and will help you to be consistent with what you believe and how you act.

Theology

Theology, the study of the nature of God, is going to be an important part of our worldview. Whether we know it or not, our theology affects our actions. This is especially important when we consider the branch of Bibliology (the study of the Word of God).

While every aspect of Bibliology is important, here are a few crucial definitions:

Authority: Scripture holds the final word on everything. Instead of letting culture, or even ourselves, be the final authority, as Christians we must let the Bible be the authority.

Sufficiency: “The Bible is all we need to equip us for a life of faith and service.” (GotQuestions) The Bible has everything we need, not only for salvation, but to respond to current issues. Additional resources are NOT necessary, although they are helpful, we have everything that we need in Scripture to be equipped and respond to current issues. How comforting!

Inerrancy: The Bible is true, or without error, in all its’ teachings. This refers to the original manuscripts, but the translations we use today are completely accurate and reliable. Inerrancy has recently come under attack as terms such as “fallible inspiration”  (The Bible is inspired, but not without error) have gained popularity. As Christians, we must take the entire Word of God as truthful and accurate. Al Mohler wrote, “The affirmation of inerrancy is not necessary for salvation, but a rejection of inerrancy will produce ‘grave consequences, both to the individual and to the Church’”. (5 Views of Biblical Inerrancy, p. 48)

Affirmation of these essential Biblical doctrines (as well as others) are essential as we consider current issues and how they relate to Scripture. When we acknowledge that the Bible is our authority, that it is sufficient for what we need, and it is true and without error, we have a great foundation to begin our study and have conversations.

Al Mohler wrote this controversial statement: “I do not allow any line of evidence from outside the Bible to nullify to the slightest degree the truthfulness of any text in all that the text asserts and claims. That statement may appear radical to some readers, but it is the only position that is fully compatible with the claim that every word of Scripture is fully inspired and thus fully true and trustworthy.” (Al Mohler, 5 Views of Biblical Inerrancy, p. 51) While this statement is indeed controversial, even among Christians, it must be the position that we take. I believe that history, science, etc. does align with the truth of Scripture, but in situations where it might be questioned, it is imperative to consider the Bible as our truthful, inerrant, and sufficient authority.

We cannot talk about the importance of Bibliology without mentioning proper Bible hermeneutics. We can interpret and understand the Bible by seeking the plain, grammatical, and historical meaning, according to the author’s intention to the original audience. This is how we will study Scripture in this series.

Progressive Christianity

Perhaps the biggest pushback to the doctrines we have just reviewed would be Progressive Christianity. Alisa Childers defines it this way:  “This movement seeks to re-interpret the Bible, re-assess historic doctrines, and re-define core tenets of the faith. While claiming the title “Christian,” and boasting a high view of the Bible, it is sweeping up many unsuspecting Christians into a false view of who God is and how he saves people.” (Alisa Childers, White Horse Inn) Progressive Christianity, while a broad term, tends to deny doctrines such as the atonement, Biblical authority/inspiration, deity of Jesus, the virgin birth and resurrection, and affirms things like LGBTQ relationships and marriage, universalism the Gospel of Social Justice/Critical Theory, Pluralism, Pantheism, etc. We will see this ideology behind several of the issues we will deal with in this series.

Apologetics

Apologetics, the intellectual defense of the truth of Christianity, is a tool that Christians can use to help us be prepared to share with unbelievers. Grace Theological Seminary said, “The word apologetics itself stems from the Greek word apologia, which means simply an answer given in reply.” (Grace Theological Seminary) Apologetics can be used in evangelism, not to debate, but to rationally understand another’s worldview and be able to creatively present the Gospel to them in a way that they understand. It is also helpful in your own faith, as it can help provide answers to difficult questions that we may ask at some point in our Christian walk.

There are four main branches of Biblical apologetics:

• Evidential Apologetics

• Presuppositional Apologetics

• Classical Apologetics

• Cumulative Case

A basic understand of apologetics can give us confidence in our worldview and message. For example, presuppositional apologetics is pre-supposes that Scripture is true. It also takes into account that, as the Bible teaches, unbelievers cannot understand spiritual things until the Holy Spirit opens their eyes. This presupposition guides the apologist to interact with unbelievers in a certain way then another approach might. While we won’t go too far into the details, a more in-depth grasp of apologetics isn’t necessary, but will always be helpful to us as we reach others.

What does the Bible say about itself?

Finally, the Bible makes interesting statements about itself. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us that Scripture is fully inspired by God, and sufficient for a life of discipling others and serving Him.  2 Peter 1:21 describes the process of inspiration, as God inspired human authors to write Scripture. Hebrews 4:12 explains that Scripture is an active tool in conviction and spiritual growth. And Isaiah 40:8 contains the beautiful promise of God’s Word enduring forever. When we hold fast to the faithful Word, we are holding God’s truthful, adequate, and equipping communication to the world. We have the greatest blessing and gift in the Bible—and this is why Scripture must be the PRIMARY and most important influence on our theology, apologetic approaches, and worldview.

Making it practical- How do I relate to those who believe differently?

As you interact with friends or family who may have a different worldview, or may not view Scripture the same way you do, here are four points to keep in mind:

• Don’t be afraid of questions! God’s Word stands up to scrutiny—and there are many resources out there to help you address any concerns.

• What worldview is this person coming from? Understanding our differences helps us effectively communicate with others, and even see what the main issues are.

• Invite them to study Scripture with you. Many people are open to learning more about the Bible and appreciate the guidance.

• Be focused on the big goal- the Gospel and the God of the Bible—not on winning an argument. We are not saviors, but we can help others find answers to their greatest need.

There comes a point in our engagement with culture that we cannot just rest on “my church has always taught this” or “my parents/pastor say this”. We need to hold firmly to our beliefs as long as they are based on our studying of Scripture, finding it to be authoritative in our lives. In the coming weeks, I will be addressing several controversial issues. What view of Scripture will you have as you interact with these things?  More importantly, what view of Scripture will influence your worldview as you interact with secular ideas?