Worth Saying

Nuanced Clarifications to My Take on Functional Sola Scriptura

If you’ve followed my writing this year, you’ve noticed that I’ve been going hard after functional Sola Scriptura by addressing its necessity and functional opposition within Christian culture.

I’d like to bring a few clarifications.

First, it’s worth noting that I’ve had a good time hashing this out in person with friends, not just ranting about it on here.

Second, I’m not against reading other books, receiving medical treatment, or opposed to the common graces that God provides. I’m just contending that we see God above those things and functionally value Him more.

I think that the overflow of our hearts bears witness to our desires and primary watering holes. My relationship with God in prayer did not grow by reading a book on prayer, but by praying.

There were a number of conversations last year where I was informed that God’s word is authoritative but not exhaustive. It made me press on that. I felt like a patient with lingering anesthetics and a needle in my arm. It was tough to get out of bed and walk, and people were eager to caution me.

I didn’t bring up the argument. I pondered why there was a shared eagerness among brothers in different conversations to contend that we give ourselves to resources other than God’s word. Maybe others had insight that Amazon had discounts and more efficient delivery options. I should go back and ask these specific questions.

In the meantime, I’m not convinced that the church has explored her full freedom in the Word of God and lingered to watch God do the work. I’m also just beginning to see how much God’s Word has to say about the practical things of life. He made us. He cares for us. He knows what we need. We often think we need more practical stuff than we actually need, and think we need less of God than we actually need.

Apportioned time often reflects order of values. I’m in a season where I’m really thirsty for finding God in His word. I’ve got to have Him. And honestly, I’m content to just have Him. Still, I address myself as someone who has displayed patterns of camping out in other resources to the neglect of God’s word.

I see a book culture in all Christian spheres I’ve been in, where we default to going through books together. Different motivations surface. We value the renown of authors. We value being able to tell someone that we have that book on our shelves. More practically, we look for wisdom. We want to be enlightened. We need to know how to fix the things in our lives. Let a book be judged by its author.

You see where I’m going with this. If there’s a quickness, or an exercised assumption to jump to a resource for life, I have to question one’s values and devotion. Which author do they value more?

“For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 3:6-7)

Let me just say, there are many streams of thought broadly accepted in American Christian culture that positionally oppose God’s word. They don’t say that explicitly, but when you compare the two, they don’t line up. From my observation, in a number of Henry Cloud’s lectures, he appeals to having psychological and relational boundaries over Biblical convictions. This does not breed the fear of the Lord, being filled with His Spirit, and overcoming the pains of life by the Word of God. This leads to control and victimhood. I interpreted that he goes as far as promoting the breaking of covenants to protect yourself. I don’t know how you could look Jesus in the eyes and believe that. But I see how self-care and America could endorse that. Yes, those are two different chefs and two different meals.

There are many who sneak into the church with a worldly premise, and then apply it to your needs. Test it against the Word of God. So, why not just go to the Word of God in the first place lest you play with deception?

“Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” (1 Corinthians 2:6-8)

Psalm 23:4 has been a pivotal verse for me the past 13 years. It was pivotal for David as well. In the valley of the shadow of death David changes his language from speaking about God to speaking with God. God used the valley to bring David from knowing about God, to walking with God. You’d probably like to do that with your top influencer.

The Word of God breeds communion with God. Those who commune with God run to Him and speak with Him. Those who read about Him through second hand accounts, or worldly wisdom can only speak about Him.

It’s not that I’m opposed to medical research journals or Christian printing presses. But resources apart from God’s word will never breed an intimacy with God where you can speak with Him. One has eternal value, the other does not. Cultivate the eternal relationship. Guard it. Pursue Him. You can’t exhaust your relationship with God.

When you consider the nature of the soul, stewarding our souls by knowing our Maker in His word and prayer seems worthy of devotion above all other endeavors. Communion with Him is our shelter, our chief desire, and the place where great fruitfulness is bred. Hallelujah.

I’m close to articulating this tension the way I feel it. I might be back.

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11)

Friends, God gives you what you need in His word. You don’t have to go through the halls of Christian legends to know God, you can know Him for yourself. To clarify, I mean to communicate that if we glean most about God through reading those who have richly communed with Him, then you have a second-hand gleaning. But you are a believer, a priest. You have access through Christ into the holy of holies. Don’t let another’s communion with God be your mediation for communion with God. Rather, go to God in His word and commune with Him. Observe Him for yourself and be filled. Every day. Let those who have gone before you be read so long as they bear witness to God’s glory in His word, leading you to a first-hand relationship with Him.

For the hurting, you can be extremely vulnerable and never have your trust broken when you entrust yourself to Jesus. Take your hurt and concerns to Him because He cares for you. Don’t let the world persuade you that being informed by those you esteem is the chief end of man. Christ is your portion. Have Him.

Shalom,

Peter