By Gary Ray Branscome
The particular set of beliefs basic to
the religion of any society will shape the worldview of the people who embrace
those beliefs. That in turn will determine the way people interact with each
other, and that interaction produces a culture. That culture in turn will shape
the institutions that are created, both governmental and religious. The
so-called “culture wars” that people have been talking about stem from the fact
that the adherents of naturalistic religion are trying to push Christians and
Christian influence out of the public sector. They yell that they want
religious freedom, when they really mean freedom from Christian influence. If
we really had religious freedom in this country, a Christian congressman could
stand up in congress and say, “I am introducing this bill to outlaw abortion
because I believe that it is contrary to the Word of God,” and everyone would
say, “Put it to a vote, he has just as much right to his opinion as anyone
else”. The idea that any society can be religiously neutral is a delusion. The
government-financed schools and universities that indoctrinate students in the
atheist worldview constitute an atheist state religion, and atheist/agnostic
professors are its priests.
Because
Christians have the unchanging Word of God, we should all be able to agree.
However, believers not only have to deal with a heart that is “deceitful
above all things, and desperately wicked,” but Satan is continually trying
to create division and confusion in order to lead people away from God’s Word
(Jeremiah 17:9). In our society he has used that division to turn many from the
Bible to science, on the mistaken assumption that science can answer questions
that the Bible cannot.
In reality, many
disagreements among Christians are about what the Bible does not say, rather
than what it does say. Churches divide over music, dress, ecclesiastical
government, vestments and so forth. And, when it comes to disagreements about
what the Bible does say, the disagreement is usually caused by someone reading
ideas into the text, not the text itself. Such differences will only be
resolved when all involved allow those truths clearly and explicitly stated in
Scripture to be the standard, while rejecting any ideas or interpretations that
contradict that standard. And, that is the standard this theology follows.
If you think that
you go by the Bible, ask yourself if you are willing to accept the following
passages of Scripture unconditionally or want to explain one or more of them
away. “In six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything
that is in them, and rested on the seventh day” (Exodus
Those who explain
away any statement of Scripture have rejected God as their authority. To all of
them the Bible says, “He who is of God hears God’s words… you do not hear
them, because you are not of God” (John
"Christianity
alone provides the solid empirical base for a sound approach to the universe
and a valid relationship with its Creator and Redeemer… The case for
Christianity is overwhelmingly powerful. Creationism receives greater and
greater support in the philosophical community and differs radically from the
obscurantist efforts of atheists to argue that time and 'mutation' somehow have
the power to change empirical reality. Historical evidences of the miraculous
life and resurrection of Jesus Christ put Christianity in the category of
analytical meaningfulness without significant parallel when compared with the
other major world's religions, to say nothing of the cults and speculative
philosophical isms." [Dr. John Warwick Montgomery, Quoted from Christian
News,
Only
One thing that
could, and should, unite Christians is the way of salvation. The words, “To
give His people the knowledge of salvation by the remission of their sins,
through the tender mercy of our God,” plainly tell us that we are saved by
forgiveness [not works] and that forgiveness is a gift of God’s “mercy” [grace]
(Luke 1:77-78). Furthermore, the words, “All the prophets testify of Him,
that through His name whoever believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sins,”
testify to the fact that salvation has always been through faith in the Messiah
[Christ] (Acts
One
problem people have is in understanding the role of animal sacrifice. However,
in the third chapter of Galatians, the Apostle Paul
explains that, “The law was instituted
as a schoolmaster to bring God’s people to faith in Christ” (Galatians
“Whatever is not taken
from, or whatever goes beyond, Holy Scripture is neither religion nor theology,
but human speculation.” (John Theodore Mueller, “Christian Dogmatics,” page
30.) And, the only way we can eliminate error from our theology is by
eliminating the human element.
Biblical Theology
The only way a theology can be truly Biblical, is for it
to organize and set forth those truths clearly and explicitly stated in
Scripture, “Line upon line; here a little, and there a little,”
without adding to or taking from the words of Scripture (Isaiah 28:10).
While the word “theology” is not defined by Scripture, I use it as described
above, in reference to what the Bible says, and knowledge of what the Bible
says.
The words, “The anointing that you have received from
Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you: but the same
anointing teaches you about all things,” speak of a spiritual guidance that
everyone who understands the way of salvation has received, at least in part,
for it is the Holy Spirit who enables us to understand the way of salvation
(1John 2:27). However, the Holy Spirit not only opens our eyes to understand
the way of salvation, but gives some the ability to think theologically. I am
not talking about philosophy, but the ability to think Biblically. As it is
written, “We are not
adequate in ourselves to think that we can accomplish anything in our own
strength; but our ability is from God; who has also made us able ministers of
the new testament” (2Corinthians 3:5-6).
The Apostle Paul said, “I was made a minister, according to the gift of the
grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of His power”
(Ephesians 3:7). Speaking of that God-given ability, Dr. John Theodore Mueller
said, “Theology
must first be found in the soul of a person before that person can teach and
present it either by word or in writing.” (“Christian Dogmatics,”
page 32.) For that reason, it is impossible for an unbeliever to be a
theologian in the Biblical sense, even if he has learned the doctrines. And,
because the soul of a Christian theologian is inhabited by and receives
aptitude from the Holy Ghost, some describe the God-given ability of a
theologian as a “habitude”. Of that, Dr. John Theodore Mueller said, “Theology is a
practical habitude of the mind, comprising the knowledge and acceptance of
divine truth, together with an aptitude to instruct others toward such
knowledge and acceptance and to defend such truth against its adversaries.” //
“The theological habitude further includes the ability to refrain from all
human opinions and thoughts on God and divine things, to draw all doctrines
from Holy Scripture, and thus to teach nothing but God's Word.” (“Christian
Dogmatics,” page 33-34.)
Do not misunderstand me. I am not saying that we do not
need human teachers. Although the Holy Spirit did teach the Apostle Paul
directly, Paul already knew the Old Testament, and knew it well. However, Paul
was an exception to the rule. All of the other Apostles learned at the feet of
Jesus. Timothy learned at the feet of Paul. (Gal.