Imperfection, part two

Yesterday, we noted this point is very underscored in the area of leadership. We naturally seek after ministers we will respect and follow. —we come across some whose lives are excellent, whose leadership looks to be sanctified of The Lord God, and whose instruction is biblical, sensible, and dynamic. Everything’s great till one such individual teaches something that is not the same as another minister who is similarly admired. That never fails to leave groupies in a confused tailspin. This is a nice time to think about the sage counsel of Bernard Ramm:. How can we settle the truth when 2 folks of equal piety and attention have different opinions? Does the Lord God tell one individual the Rapture is pre-tribulation, and another that it is post-tribulation? The fact that spiritually minded interpreters come to different conclusions about these matters distresses many folk’s minds. They have presumed that if a person is yielded to the Lord, his interpretations must be correct.

2nd , piety is a help to interpretation, but it isn’t an alternative to information or study or intelligence. 3rd , all of us are still in the body and subject to its constraints and frailties. We screw up of interpretation in Scripture as well as mistakes in judgment in the affairs of life. It’s the present enticement of at least Yank evangelicalism to substitute a class of devout Bible teachers for the Catholic Pope. To such folks themeaning of Scripture is that which their fave Bible teacher teaches.

But the Protestant principle must be this : The truest interpretations are those with the best reason. I could just as simply have used an illustration relating to a consultant’s diagnosis or a therapist’s counsel. The difficulty is matching, and it brings us back to where we started yesterday.

If I could change a term and put it in the language of a famous historic document : all males are made fallible.

If you remember that, you will have less surprises and disappointments, bigger knowledge, and a ton better viewpoint in life. Instead of slumping into cynicism because your hero showed feet of clay, you may maintain a healthy and clever objectivity.

You are going to be able to show respect without worshiping her. And when you actually need to understand the truth, you may turn to the Scriptures with firsthand confidence.