I’ll just come out and say it. Scripture can be really confusing.
Not only is it confusing because I’m a Western-whitey that speaks English instead of Greek and I live in an age when a Camel is a cigarette instead of a ride to town or an uncomfortable shirt; but it is also confusing because Scripture is just flat out difficult. Hence thousands of years of disagreement over the sacred text.
Part of this is because each side of an argument usually has a litany of valid Scriptures to back up their point. And that’s actually a good thing. Here is what I mean…
I picture biblical truth like a narrow road with massive canyons on each side. So long as we’re on the road its not terrible for us to lean towards one of the ditches. After all, we’re human. We’re dust, we aren’t yet fully redeemed. Therefore it’s not surprising that we’ll have a tendency to lean away from the middle of the road. Not to mention that certain seasons often require a greater emphasis of biblical truth.
Thankfully, though, on each side of the road are massive stop signs that boldly say, “Don’t go there, man!” If you ignore the sign, cross that line, and then fall into the canyon then we’ve got a problem. Scripture provides those stop signs to help believers know where a certain doctrine—and usually its implications—are supposed to stop.
Example:
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
One person focuses on verse 13 and notes that it is God who works within us to work out our salvation. As he leans this way and emphasizes certain parts of this truth he gets awfully close to the canyon of passivity. To wake him from slumber a loud siren and bright red stop sign screams out, “work out your salvation with fear and trembling”.
Another person focuses on verse 12 and notes that we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. As she leans this way and emphasizes certain parts of this truth she gets awfully close to the canyon of works-based righteousness. To wake her from slumber a loud siren and bright red stop sign screams out, “for it is God who works in you…”
There is help for everyone in Philippians 2:12-13. To the one wracked with guilt because she has fearfully and in trembling tried to work out her salvation but has fell flat on her face, there is balm in verse 13—”God is still working! Get up. Get back to work. He’s not going to let you fall”. To the guy withering in passivity verse 12 lights a fire under his comfort and drives him to cry out to Christ for change.
That’s only one example of many. There are many supposed contradictions in Scripture that are actually beauties to behold instead of questions to be answered. Let’s be sure to walk in the beauty of truth, finding unity somewhere on the road of grace, always heeding the signals that we’ve went too far in our lean.
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You can follow Mike on Twitter (@mikeleake), his personal blog, or by hiding in that part of his closet where he keeps all of the old shoes that he is convinced someday will make excellent mowing shoes.
Great post. Convicting, encouraging, and provoking. Sorry, I don’t alliterate very well. Maybe someone will come along and “Phillips” that for me.
Spurgeon’s quote regarding the apparent tension between God’s sovereignty and man’s culpability is applicable in cases like this: “I never reconcile two friends.”
Some observations:
1) Theological tension is only ever apparent and never real.
2) Theological tension is caused by the distorting effects of sin on minds resigned to function in a fallen world. Remove sin from the equation and every theological tension dissipates.
3) Theological tension is useful for focusing us on what is important. We only must approach it with the humility to acknowledge the error we have held so closely thus far as well as assenting to and taking into consideration the two observations above.
4) There are two types of holding the middle of the road. One is to achieve observation #3 above and settle on what is truly important. The other is to fail at #3 and claim to be central on the issue anyway. The cause of the latter is usually either rank sophistry, a desire to make peace between two warring parties at the expense of the truth, or the effects of being overwhelmed by the apparent illogic of the issue.
5) Those who walk on the edge of either canyon often view those in the center of the road (whether they are there for the right reason or not) as the other extreme.
6) Regarding #2 above, removing sin from the equation is helpful for ascertaining the ideal norm. This is often not practical. For the sake of #3, the best solution for the Bible teacher is to teach what is helpful rather than what is ideal. That seems to be the typical didactic direction of both Jesus and the Apostles with regard to theological tension. They had an underlying understanding of theological truth devoid of the tension we wrestle with, but they employed only passing references to the ideal in the process of addressing practical issues.
Jim,
I agree for the most part. The only part that I would tweak a tad is number 2. I don’t think theological tension exists only because of the distorting effects of sin. I believe some of it comes from our finitude.
But on the whole I agree and appreciate your six points.
Mike,
Thanks. I could probably refine #2 somewhat. I think I understand what you mean and largely agree with you, but I also think that the aspects of our infinitude that have difficulty grasping eternal things result from the dissolution of our relationship with God as a result of the fall. So my intended meaning was a bit more multifaceted than I spelled out.
Jim,
Like Mike I have a small reservation on #2. I don’t disagree with you as long as we restrict the word “theological” to only the things clearly revealed in Scripture.
However, I think we can all agree we do also participate in “speculative theology”. Tension here can certainly be based on finitude as Mike so put it.
On the whole I don’t disagree with you. I wish this point were taught more faithfully to our congregations as part of a general hermeneutics class.
Good point, Joshua.
Also, hermeneutics is a passion of mine and I completely agree that these kinds of things should be taught as important to good hermeneutical development and application. We tend to focus on the practical mechanics of doing hermeneutics, but often miss that we won’t be successfull without nurturing a right relationship with God and taking our own motives into consideration.
Jim,
I’m teaching a hermeneutics class at our church this summer. One week in and I already know I want to improve on it. But your point is so true that I hope I leave myself little room for improvement there.
It’s absolutely great to see people get excited about studying the Bible. I’m excited about the potential teachers we’ll have. I’m also excited about the subsequent correction I might receive on my interpretations.
I wish hermeneutics was taught in every church. I’m attempting to train a group of high school boys in biblical interp and I’ve done a Sunday evening series. Hoping to do that more and more.
It’s great what you are doing. Keep it up!