Why is it that human reason is an inferior and insufficient guide to human life?
(Isa. 8:20; Mark 7:1-13; John 5:46-47; Rom. 12:2; 2 Pet. 1:16-21; 1 John 2:15-17;) Blog Apr. 19-25, 2020
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: No other book compares with the Bible for it is always up to date and has the power to make people holy when approached in faith. Using historical narrative it relates the mighty acts of God in dealing with humanity not only in daily life but for future salvation. Its predictive prophecy tell us ahead of time how God will act and how we should at. The Holy Spirit inspired holy men to portray God’s thoughts in human language. While it is not inerrant in every detail it is thoughts it is an infallible guide for this life and entrance into the next. For us, human beings, it is necessary for without it we would not know how to live or how to be saved. And it has absolute authority even over councils, popes an magisterium.
Tradition (Matt. 5:17-18; Mark 7:1-13; 1 Cor. 11:2; Col. 2:6-8; 2 Thes. 3:6)
1. What tradition of the Pharisees had become unreasonable as recorded in Mark 7? That of repeated hand and dish washing before meals.
2. How did Jesus regard the Pharisees’ hand-washing tradition in relation to the Scriptures? He regarded their traditions as having only human origin while God’s commands were of divine origin.
3. Many ordinances have a divine origin, how do ordinances relate to Scripture? Even God-given ordinances, like circumcision, are temporary in nature whereas God’s commandments are eternal.
4. What tradition had the Jews developed as a way to avoid liquidating their property in order to support their parents in their senior years? They had a tradition termed “Corban” in which they declared their property as dedicated to the Lord & therefore unsalable as a means of supporting their parents.
5. What tendencies do traditions have in relation to the Word of God? Traditions tend to grow more important & complex engrossing the mind while the simple teachings of Scripture fade into the background – they are like the skinny cows in Pharaoh’s dream that ate up all the fat cows.
6. How can Christian orthodoxy become a threat to Biblical authority? By limiting our understanding of God & his will to our creeds or to what we have always believed & making no room for new light.
7. In Colossians how does Paul describe the antidote for being misled by human traditions and philosophy? By being established in the faith.
Experience (Gen. 30:27; Eccl. 1:14-18; 12:13-14; 2 Cor. 11:1-3; 2 Pet. 1:16-21)
8. How does human experience affect our theology. While some propose that our collective human experience is the source of our theology we should rather see that God’s record of human experience (the Bible) is the source of our theology & that only God’s view of human experience can become true theology.
9. What tremendous experience did Peter have that he considered less reliable than Holy Scripture? That of seeing Moses & Elijah at Jesus’ transfiguration & hearing the voice of God (even Eve was deceived by trusting in her experience).
10. What can we learn from Laban’s experience in hiring Jacob? That experience is a very good way to understand God’s dealings with humanity.
11. What did King Solomon learn by experience? That all we do in this life has no meaning unless God keeps a record of all that we do & makes a final decision in harmony with the way we have lived.
12. What does Paul say in Romans 5 should be the result of Christian experience? Hope.
Culture (Rom. 12:2; Eph. 2:3; Heb. 13:5; 1 John 2:15-17; 1 Pet 1:18; 2 Pet. 2:7)
13. What aspects of your culture are in harmony with the teachings of the Bible? Very few – clothing styles are not, entertainment is not, diet is not, rest is not — maybe my culture’s common courtesy & respect for life & property would be considered in harmony with the Bible.
14. According to First Peter where does our culture come from? From our ancestors.
15. How does John describe the motivation for the culture that surrounds us? As the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, & the pride of life.
16. What does Hebrews 13:5 suggest is the driving force in human culture? Covetousness.
17. How does Peter describe the culture of Sodom? As filthy.
Reason (Prov. 9:10; Isa. 1:18-20; 8:20; Matt. 7:11; John 5:46-47; Rom. 8:18)
18. Are Christians to divorce themselves from human reason? No, Paul himself uses it frequently as in Romans (see Rom. 8:18) & God himself calls his people to reason with him in Isaiah 1.
19. How does human reason consider Moses’ accounts of creation and the flood? As mere allegorical explanations of some sort of divine activity & not as literal accounts of creation and the worldwide flood.
20. What was Jesus’ attitude towards Moses’ writings? That unless one believes them as literally true one has no reason to believe in Jesus either.
21. Why is it that human reason is an inferior and insufficient guide to human life? Because although created perfect it had a great fall when sin entered — but, of course, fallen human reason denies the fall also.
22. In light of the above to what must tradition, experience, culture, and human reason submit? To the Word of God as recorded in the Bible for true wisdom comes only by belief in God.