Disclaimers and Definitions
I would like to say two things from the outset of this post. First, the question in this post’s subtitle is massively important. It is essentially asking if anything besides the Bible can inform our thinking, and if so, to what extent? This question comes up more often than we realize, even if usually in subtle ways. Second, I desire this post to come across as charitably as I feel in my heart toward those who might put themselves in the biblicist camp. I truly do assume the best of their intentions, and they are true brothers and sisters in Christ.
A quick word of definition. What does “biblicist” even mean? In short, a biblicist approach conveys 1) the notion of interpreting the Bible literally and, as a matter of principle, 2) using only the Bible to inform one’s views and decision-making. These are the two notions addressed in this post.
To interpret the Bible literally is not necessarily the same as to interpret the Bible seriously. All true followers of Jesus desire to take the Bible seriously. But this does not mean that all followers of Jesus interpret every passage of Scripture in uniform ways (e.g., just consider questions like worship style, the timing of events depicted by the Book of Revelation, and whether the “days” of creation in Genesis are 24-hour days or symbolic of longer periods of time).
Someone who always takes the Bible literally might read Ephesians 4:26b — “Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry” — and feel the urge to iron out a disagreement they had with their spouse earlier in the day, until they have finally come to a resolution that meets their satisfaction. On the positive side, this displays an admirable sense of duty to obey God’s Word. In my experience, these individuals are usually very principled. Negatively, this could result in keeping their spouse up all night (presumably past the sun going down), which, especially if the spouse is exhausted or unwilling, would appear to be an unloving action to take. For a person who leans in the biblicist direction, to simply affirm their mutual love before bedtime and agree to talk more the next day would be viewed as a disobedient compromise with the clear teaching of Scripture.
Extra-biblical Sources
A biblicist approach also tends, in principle, to be uncomfortable with the use of sources outside of the Bible to inform one’s thinking. This is because of the conviction that Scripture alone is sufficient for what we need to know about life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3), along with a certain interpretation of what that doctrine means. In this view, whatever the Bible itself says (not what it means, but what it explicitly says) about a topic is the sum total of how we are to think. Furthermore, if the Bible does not overtly speak of a certain subject, then God does not intend for us to go beyond what is made crystal clear. For example (and this is a real concern/debate in some circles), the use of certain musical instruments is never demonstrated in Scripture (e.g., guitars and drums), while others are (e.g., a harp and tambourine). Does this then mean that guitars and drums should never be used in a worship service? What about cutting off our right hand if it is the vehicle for carrying out sin? (Matt. 5:30) If we are not to go outside of the actual words of Scripture to help us understand Scripture, then we should take those words literally (I’m not recommending that!), rather than learning about how language is meant to often work through metaphor and hyperbole.
This concern fleshes itself out in counseling-related issues as well. When someone has experienced a traumatic event, for example, how are we to think of that from a biblicist perspective? Trauma is not a biblical term, let alone phrases like intrusive thoughts or hyper-vigilance (yet these are absolutely realities that often result from experiencing trauma). Yet intuitively, I think we know these things exist as more than mere figments of our imagination, and the realities of trauma are depicted in the Bible (e.g., 2 Sam. 13:1–20). I would respectfully say that a biblicist perspective does not allow us to engage freely and profoundly with questions like these. Without intending to, a biblicist perspective comes across as stiff and “wooden” and unable to apply Scripture to the underlying realities of life. We are meant by God to discover what Scripture means, not merely what it says. I hope the wording of the prior sentence helps you see the distinction I’m seeking to make.
A Biblical Lens
Going back to our earlier example of Ephesians 4:26b and not letting the sun go down on anger, it seems that what Paul means is that peaceful reconciliation should be sought as soon as possible when a relationship has been wounded in some way. He seems to make this meaning clear in other writings (e.g., Rom. 12:18 — “As much as possible, seek to live at peace with all people”). And we are meant to take his teaching really, really seriously. We want with all our hearts for hurt relationships to be restored (or maintained where there is already relational health). Furthermore, other biblical directives would seem to inform how we are to interpret Ephesians 4:26b. Is it kind to literally keep another person up all night in an effort to work out a disagreement? What if it’s already nighttime when a disagreement arises in the first place? What if the disagreement and hurt feelings arose because of details and nuances that can’t possibly be settled in one conversation?
Part of my motivation for penning this post is to encourage us to have a desire to understand the Bible’s holistic counsel across all of life. This is different than picking and choosing a particular proof-text and always guarding only a literal interpretation of that particular passage. When we begin to better grasp God’s character and what He intends to reveal to us through all of Scripture, we become the kind of people who think God’s thoughts after Him. Scripture comes to our aid, giving us the “lenses” by which to see the world around us accurately, even if Scripture does not exhaustively speak to every possible scenario we face. When the apostle Paul spoke to the Athenians in Acts 17:16–31, he did not quote any Old Testament passage to them verbatim. Yet it is impossible to miss the Old Testament “impulses” that coursed through his words to his audience. Scripture gave him the “raw materials” for engaging with the world around him, but Paul “shaped” those raw materials in a way that was fitting for the moment in front of him. In fact, it seems Paul was even willing to positively engage with and utilize extra-biblical sources in talking with the Athenians (v. 28).
In Providence, John Piper helpfully stated, “People who love the Bible and believe that it is God’s word want to know what the Bible teaches, not just what it says. They want to know the reality being presented, not just the words that were written.” This remark points to the two emphases in this post: 1) that to take the Bible seriously is not precisely the same as to take it literally, and 2) resources outside of Scripture (that Scripture gives us the “lenses” to appropriate) can be part of God’s intended means of shaping us.
God’s Word and God’s World
On this second point, Baptist pastor Charles Spurgeon said:
“We have often mourned over the attempts made to set the works of God against the Word of God, and thereby excite, propagate, and perpetuate jealousies fitted to separate parties that ought to live in closest union. In particular, we have always regretted that endeavours should have been made to depreciate nature with a view of exalting revelation … . Science has a foundation, and so has religion; let them unite their foundations, and the basis will be broader, and they will be two compartments of one great fabric reared to the glory of God. Let the one be the outer and the other the inner court. In the one, let all look, and admire and adore; and in the other, let those who have faith kneel, and pray, and praise.”
Apparently, Spurgeon faced similar challenges in his day. There were those who, in their honest zeal to honor Scripture, unwittingly undermined the realities that Scripture communicates to us. In this case, they had forgotten that God’s world is intended to combine with God’s Word to fan into flame love and awe of God in our hearts (Psalms 8, 19, and 104). When a Christian reads a biography of a famous historical figure, studies a scientific principle, learns to play a musical instrument, or gazes at the stars at night through a telescope, are they engaging with sources outside of the Bible? Of course. Is it somehow a slap in the face to the Bible to learn about history, science, music, or astronomy from a source outside of the Bible? Of course not! It is the other way around — it is God revealed in the Bible that provides the sense of wonder and the appreciation of beauty and order in the world that sparks the desire to learn more about the world that God made.
Now, what I am not saying is that all information in the universe is equally valid. Far from it. What I am saying is that Scripture itself intends for us to utilize God’s Word and world to better know and live for the Savior to whom Scripture points. And thankfully, Scripture gives us the tools for discerning to what degree other sources of authority or information are in keeping with godliness and wisdom. There is a world of difference between not engaging with the world (because we think — in a narrowly-defined way — that the Bible alone gives us the sum total of what we can rightly know) and using Scripture to help us engage with the world with discernment.
To say otherwise would essentially be to take us out of this world, away from people, away from civilization, and away from all of creation. Think of it: All of our conversations with other people could not just be shaped by Scripture; we would have to be quoting Scripture. But as Eugene Peterson said in Tell It Slant, “The same God we address in prayer and proclaim in sermons is also deeply, eternally involved in the men and women we engage in conversation, whether casually or intentionally. But not always obviously. God’s words are not always prefaced by ‘Thus says the Lord.’” I dare say that most of us could point to a time or two when the words of another person were used by God to profoundly help us. The chances are high that even if their words were not a 100 percent quotation of Scripture, their words were at least shaped by biblical, godly impulses. Or perhaps it was actually the silence of a listening friend’s ear that made an impact on you. The Bible speaks of silence being better than words at times (Job 13:5; Prov. 18:13), but it is not a step-by-step manual for precisely when, how, and to what extent to be silent in every situation. There may be other sources that give further direction and wisdom on those details. But it is Scripture that gives us the categories that life is made up of in the first place — work, relationships, family, play, marriage, history, finances, wisdom, grief, tragedy, and on and on. And Scripture then gives us the “lenses” for how to interact as our lives engage with those categories. Though Scripture does this while never saying all that could be said (John 21:25), God does tell us all that we need to know for how to live in His world (2 Peter 1:3).
— Allen Mayberry is staff counselor at Rocky Creek Baptist Church in Greenville.
