Be Absolutely Sure

By
David A. Berresford

In the last article, An Absolute Necessity, we noted that the Founding Fathers of this country could not nor would not divorce the standards of Christian faith from the standards for a just and noble nation. Likewise I cannot divorce my moral principles and belief in absolute truth from my Christian values. The revisionists, in evaluating the history of this country and the reality of Christianity in that history, redefine both to suit their preconceived agenda. Beware the revisionist who would steal your history. He will then steal your heritage and thereby take your life.

For example, after An Absolute Necessity appeared on a politically conservative Web site, a reader wrote to me to let me know that this country was not founded on Judeo-Christian principles and that the founders were essentially non Christian in their beliefs. She justified her interpretation of history by quoting the Treaty of Tripoli out of context and ignoring the multitude of historical documents that support the religious views of those who began this nation. Her preconceived agenda blinded her to an obvious reality.

This practice of eisegesius is intellectually dishonest and leads to false conclusions. Worse, it leads individuals away from data that will help them draw sound conclusions based on demonstrable evidence.

This eisegetical approach is fallacious to the understanding of the history of our nation. As we have previously discussed, the Constitution of the United States serves as the standard for all jurisprudence in our country. It is erroneous to try to make the Constitution more relevant to today’s world. Its intent and value remain and act as the best code for the governing of a nation. It does allow for changes through the amendment process. Even the most ardent situationalist recognizes the difference between a Constitutional amendment and a change based upon the whim of a political leader or agenda-driven group.

The eisegetical approach is even more deceptive in our understanding of the Scriptures and Scriptural practices in our lives. The Scriptures (Bible) serve as the standard for Christian belief and practice. At a higher level than the Constitution, the Bible’s intent and value are unsurpassed as the standard for our lives. Its authorship gives it an authority that cannot be equated by anything written by the hand of man. It is non amendable. To attempt to “make the Bible relevant” to the world today is to declare that it is not relevant in and of itself. It is to declare that the Author is limited in His ability to address His audience over the ages. By attempting to “make it relevant” the entire meaning of any given passage can be changed. Each individual is not at liberty to give his/her private interpretation to the text.

It is intellectually dishonest, and at times, self-serving, to attempt to make the Scriptures more applicable from a human perspective. Paul notes that the preaching of the cross was foolishness to the Greeks and a stumbling block to the Jews. He did not try to make the matter germane to the hearers’ understanding but to bring their understanding to God’s will. God’s Word is relevant in and of itself and sufficient for all things for all times.

By what authority can any person willfully adjust His message to accommodate to the world’s philosophies? “He who marries the spirit of the age soon becomes a widower.” In our attempt to be “relevant” we can make ourselves irrelevant as the light of the world and the salt of the earth. Who gives us the license to take Scripture out of context to proof text an individual’s viewpoint?

There is a secondary danger to such a licensed approach to the Scriptures. It is perhaps a subtler danger. Not only does the unlearned hearer receive the content of the message, to some degree accepting the knowledge and authority of the speaker, he is also learning how to interpret Scripture. He will model the strategies of his teacher. Should we wish to model the attitude that we can make the Scriptures mean whatever we want as long as we understand our interpretation to be relevant?

As noted in previous articles, truth is absolute. When every man does what is right in his own eyes, chaos is the result. When individuals build their lives upon the rock of His truth, true hope paves the journey of his/her life and thereby, the individual can be absolutely sure.