The Core

Now we move on to the last four practical applications that flow from the Sufficiency of Scripture…

5)  Nothing is sin that is not forbidden in Scripture either explicitly or by implication.  Now this one is very freeing to me because I have a real hard time with what is already in the Bible.  The whole love God love people thing is a challenge for me.  Legalism is a real problem in many settings.  We need to focus on obeying the clear commands of Scripture!  Don’t let anyone steal your joy by creating a list of arbitrary rules to follow.

6)  God does not require anything of us that is not found in Scripture either explicity or by implication.  This is the flip-side of number five.  We do not have to obey commands that are not there and we do not have to do any works that Scripture does not call us to do.

7) In teaching others we should focus on what God has revealed in Scripture and be content with that revelation.  Some people are always wanting something new.  They don’t believe that they are good teachers unless they are on the cutting edge of some new truth.  It is truly best to stick with the clear reading of Scripture.

In the areas where God seems silent or grey, realize that He has revealed all that he desires to reveal.  God has given us what we need – always remember this truth.

I want to cover some practical applications to the doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture.  This is the fifth characteristic of Scripture that we discussed on Sunday (If you have not heard the message it should be available online by tomorrow or you can pick up a CD at the church).  The fact that Scripture is sufficient is very important to us as we attempt to live out our faith on a daily basis.  There are eight practical applications I want to share in relationship to this doctrine.  I will share four of them today and four of them tomorrow.  Before weeks end, I want to write about the concept of Canonicity or how we came to have the 66 books of the Bible. 

First, we can approach Scripture with confidence that is has the answers to life’s everyday problems.  This does not mean that every specific answer is spelled out all nice and neatly for us.  For example, if you want to know if God is leading you to change careers, you will not find a direct answer to that specific question.  What you will find are principles that can help you determine if a particular decision is the will of God or not.  For instance, Scripture teaches that money is not our source of security and provision.  So to take a career path solely motivated by money, without regard for family considerations, etc. would obviously be a poor choice.  That is just a simple example.  The key is this – God’s Word does address the answeres to lifes problems.  It holds relevance for today.

Second, We are to be very careful to add nothing to Scripture or hold any other writings as being equal to Scripture.  This is the work of the cults, to add to the Scriptures and to have multiple sacred writings.  Rev. 22:18 makes clear that this is not a good idea.

Third, God does not require us to believe anything about himself or redemption that is not found in the Scripture.  This is why it is so important to know what God has to say to us in his word.  I have heard many so-called preachers on TV saying, “The Lord has given me a new word today that is not in the Bible.”  The greek word for that is baloney- there is no such thing as a word from the Lord that is not found in the Scripture.

Fourth, no modern revelation from God is to placed on a level equal in authority to Scripture.  John tells (1John 4) us to test the spirits.  God will never contradict himself and even when we feel as if he has spoken to our hearts, we are to use the Scripture as our testing device.

Hello!  Thanks for dropping by The Core Blog.  I want to start a discussion before I write any articles on our topic.  My initial question is this, Did you learn anything new about God’s Word from the message on Sunday?  If you did, share your thoughts on what you learned.  If you did not learn something new, share your thoughts on something that was reinforced.  If we have some discussion on this point, it will give me some direction on the best topics to right about concerning Scripture.  Thanks for participating.

Also, the message notes are posted on the page linked at the top right on the site banner.  I also hope to have the message posted on the web by days end.

Welcome to The Core Convictions blog site.  This site is your interactive resourse for our journey into the center of the Christian Faith.  Every week I will be posting articles related to the doctrines that we are covering each week in the worship service.  We will have the unique opportunity to dialogue about what we are learning as we walk through these truths together.  Please feel free to post your thoughts and have fun learning together.