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Are You Open to Open Theism?

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By Marvin Padgett. This article addresses an issue that will hopefully sound familiar to the readers of Equip for Ministry. Equip has presented other articles and book reviews on the topic of “open theism.” There is definitely confusion caused by this issue, which though it has old roots, has surfaced in new ways. I was originally asked to speak last summer on this topic at a weekend L’Abri conference in Rochester, MN. The article refers to a teaching about God that strikes at the heart of who God is and what He does or does not do. It is a teaching that causes much confusion in many of our “evangelical” churches in America. While the average church member may not be familiar with the technical designation of open theism, they have no doubt been exposed to its teaching.

The Openness of God, written by Clark Pinnock, et al, is one of the clearest presentations of open theism. Pinnock and others have caused significant controversy and brought attention to the doctrine of God and the accompanying doctrine of providence. (See the book review section, particularly When Worlds Collide.) Christians need to be careful to understand these writings and the errors involved.

Pinnock asserts that much (if not all) of the future is open, i.e., it is not set, definite, or pre-determined. It is open because the future is not objectively determined. The future, according to the open theists, is shaped greatly by the as yet unmade choices of free moral agents- human beings created in the image of God.

These writers are concerned with the meaning of “choice.” Do human beings make real choices unfettered by God or man; or are those choices predetermined by the ancient decrees of God? This idea, often called “libertarian freedom,” is the bedrock issue at stake here. It appears to drive all the other issues. How can human beings be held accountable for their choices if another being, in this case, God, predetermines all those choices? It follows, then, that if the future is real and human beings make unfettered, real choices, as free moral agents, the future has not yet been determined. So, while this gets much press, it is all tied back to the issue of libertarian freedom.

Open theism also appears to be driven by an attempt to get at the age-old nemesis of theology, the problem of evil. Both John Sanders and Greg Boyd, advocates of open theism, bring this up early in their basic works, The God Who Risks and The God of the Possible. John Sanders tragically lost a brother, which seems to have contributed to his thinking. Greg Boyd tells the tragic story of betrayal and divorce in the life of a young woman he calls Suzanne. Obviously, our circumstance colors our thinking far more than we realize.

The real lightning rod issue is divine foreknowledge. This gets all of the press, heat, anger, and disputation. To paraphrase Senator Howard Baker in the Watergate Hearings of the 1970s, how much does God know and when does He learn it? Open theists assert that while God is omniscient(all-knowing), His knowledge is necessarily limited by the degree or extent of knowledge that is intrinsically “knowable”-hence the title of Greg Boyd’s book, The God of the Possible. God does have exhaustive knowledge of the past, the present and the future, but only to the extent that knowledge of the future is obtainable. Whether God cannot know the future or whether He has chosen to limit himself is an “open question.” Some of these ideas come from the normal limitations seen upon other attributes of God. To be omnipotent does not mean that God can do absolutely everything. God cannot make a round square, etc.

Open theism is sometimes referred to as presentism, relational theism, the risk model, and the fellowship model. You may either hear those terms or come across them in your reading on the subject. Presentism emphasizes God’s exhaustive knowledge of the present. Relational and fellowship models emphasize His desire to have genuine, give-and-take relations with human beings. The latter goals are raised to a high level in open theism.

This give-and-take issue is quite important. Open theists share this concern with another group called “process theists.” While they have some things in common, the differences between them are real. Both camps emphasize the vital importance of real give-and-take relations between God and humanity. Process theologians generally see God only working in and through the workings of the universe. For them, God exercises no coercive control over the universe, but works through it exclusively by means of persuasion. Open theists, on the other hand, assert belief that God created the heavens and the earth and will, in some way, shape outcomes, especially the eschaton or the end of times, though its day and hour remain indefinite, even to God. Process theists believe, by and large, that open theists are really like the “classical theists.” An open theist thinks that God can, and does, enter decisively into the affairs of the world. Both camps, process and open, reject almost all forms of classical theology or theism. But what is classical theology, you may ask?

Classical theism is rooted, according to the open theists, both in the Greeks and the church of the Middle Ages. They stressed several things about God: God is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing), immutable (unchanging), omnipresent (all present) and God is simple (unity). These may be taken as the primary theistic set, or the primary theistic attributes of God according to classical theism.

Open theists routinely charge their more traditional opponents with being classical theists, in the sense of the above. In this classical system God knows all, controls all, can neither feel no emotions, nor suffer. He has no parts, and He is one essence. Actually, we learn that this description better fits the god of Islam and of philosophical theology but it does not accurately represent the God of the Bible.

There are many passages in the Bible where God holds human beings accountable for their actions. Open theists ask, “If we are responsible, how can God have determined the future?” How can God even know the future, because if God knows the future, the future must be the way God knows it to be, hence man is not responsible. But, even open theists claim that God holds no false beliefs about the future. What they dispute is whether the future is “knowable,” not that God holds false beliefs.

How is it, then, that God can retain the immense power that open theists admit that he holds? How is it that while God does not know the future, He does have exhaustive knowledge of all the possibilities? While you and I can only make good guesses about multiple outcomes, like a good baseball manager does in preparing his team for the possible eventualities for a single pitch, God, like a super-competent universe manager is always ready with the right play, no matter what happens. To illustrate something of the open theists position, God is a bit like Andy Taylor on the television series The Andy Griffith Show. We are a bit like Barney, his sidekick, always messing things up. God, like Andy, is always lurking around with superior plans, ready to take care of us. He, no more than Andy, controls what is about to happen but is always waiting in the wings or behind the scenes to come the rescue and fix things when Barney acts. It always ends in the right way because Andy sees that it does. So it is with God, according to the open theists.

To further build their case, open theists readily and quickly point to many passages in Scripture where God is grieved, regrets, and “repents” over his people’s actions when things do not seem to go God’s way. Actually, there appears to be confusion caused by some Bible translations which use the term “repent” in the place of “relent,” which some believe is a more accurate translation and interpretation. As a result people are confused over those different Hebrew words. The underlying Hebrew word for repent, according to some outstanding scholars, is never used of God. Human beings are said to repent, but never God.

For example:1 Samuel 15:35

“And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.”

There are other passages where God appears to regret what has come to pass, and where He seems to express surprise as the Jeremiah passage brings forth.

It is extremely difficult to recognize the God of the Bible in any of these models mentioned, open, classical or process. The God we find in the Bible is at once more interesting and mysterious than the open theists appear are willing to admit. Michael Horton, a Reformed Theologian and professor at Westminster Theological Seminary, California, said recently in the Journal of Evangelical Theological Society: “Among the ironic similarities between the methodological approach of open theism and hyper-Calvinists is the fact that both are apparently impatient with the face of mystery.”

Basically, the open theists attempt to present us with a God that we can understand. Oh yes, He’s bigger and far more intelligent, but at heart He is sort of like us, therefore, we can understand him. The reason Calvinists hold to what we would call a “baby talk” view of revelation is because they see revelation as dealing with a being that is beyond us. Though He is a personal God, He is also sovereign and mysterious. While we, being made in God’s image, are personal, He is an infinite person who deals in realms in which we can only grope. We are not infinite; hence we have only limited understanding of Him and His ways.

Is God in total control over His creation? Can He know the future? Does He have a pre-determined plan of all things that come to pass or is He as the open theists suggests, waiting to see what happens and then come to the rescue. The Bible gives a clear response. For example: Isaiah 40-48 asserts that the reason Israel may safely believe in God is because He not only knows the future exhaustively, but controls the future exhaustively. (Also see Ephesians. 1:11 and Proverbs 16: 23.)

Isaiah 41:21-24

“Set forth your case, says the Lord; bring your proofs, says the King of Jacob. 22Let them bring them, and tell us what is to happen. Tell us the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, that we may know their outcome; or declare to us the things to come. 23Tell us what is to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods; do good, or do harm, that we may be dismayed and terrified. 24Behold, you are nothing, and your work is less than nothing; an abomination is he who chooses you.”

Jesus taught his disciples that the heavenly Father knows what you need before you ask (Matt. 6:8.) If that is true then there seems to be a contradiction between what Jesus says about God and what the open theists teach. According to Jesus, God does both know and control the future. He is not taken by surprise when something happens because Jesus is not referring to a limited uncertain knowledge but a knowing of all things completely and exhaustively, past, present, and future.

None of the above touches on another part of God’s knowledge that is a wonderful thing for Christians, that God even knows whose names are written in the book of life from the before the foundation of the world. Our God is a great and wonderful God. There is nothing outside His control. Although we do not understand or need to understand all there is to know about God, we must not add to nor subtract from what God tells us about himself in the Bible.Our Westminster Confession of Faith summarizes what the Bible teaches on this subject like this:

“God from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass: yet, so as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established. Although God knows whatsoever may or may not come to pass upon all supposed conditions, yet hath he not decreed any thing because he foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such condition,” WCF 3:1,2.

Equipping You to be Salt and Light

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With this issue of Equip for Ministry, we welcome you to 2003 and the ministry of Christian Education and Publications. EfM is intended to help us communicate with you and offer resources that would encourage and challenge you “to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.“

God has set before us an open door that leads to challenges, hopes, and dreams. We are indeed living in an extremely important moment in history; more than that, we are living by God’s pleasure and design at this particular time. We are here to serve His purpose to this generation. The Christian Education and Publications Committee is committed to doing just that and are aware of two important things. First, we need guidance and wisdom from the Sovereign Lord in order to carefully and strategically discern His will in our service. Second, we are aware that what we do is not for ourselves or as an end in itself, but for the Lord in helping train and equip His people of the PCA to embrace a biblically reformed world and life view. We pray this new perspective will lead to transformed lives that will make a difference in this world.

Each issue of our publication is deliberately prepared from that backdrop. We must be trained and equipped to live as fixed reference points in this changing and fast moving world. Jesus called us the “salt of the earth and the light of the world.” He wants us to make a difference, to use our gifts, and effect a kingdom-building strategy that brings some godly, holy sanity to this life. He wants us to model to the next generations that truth really exists and matters.

This issue’s lead article focuses, along with book reviews and the article “In Case You’re Asked” focuses on a particularly important and significant topic- “open theism.” Though we have mentioned it in Equip for Ministry through articles and books reviews, open theism continues to trouble the church and communicate a view of God that is at odds with His revelation of Himself in His Word. As Christians, we have a double responsibility to know the truth and discern those things that may not clearly reflect God’s truth. We have a responsibility to help the next generations understand that as well.

As the denomination’s resource to the PCA churches, CE&P, through its onsite training, conferences, consultations and distribution of a variety of materials, seeks to assist local churches in that vital process. Equip for Ministry is our bi-monthly publication, available upon request, along with CE&P website to keep those services before you. There are a variety of training events and conferences sponsored by CE&P coming up over the next few months. They are listed not only for your information and for possible participation, but also for your prayers and support that God might use these resources to accomplish His purposes. We select and train a people from the various regions of the PCA to assist churches with training and consulting.

As we have said to our readers before, we are careful and strategic in directing the content of EfM. While it is intended primarily for local church leadership, it is designed to communicate with every church member. As the coordinator of CE&P and editor of EfM, my prayer is that God will use this publication and especially this issue to minister to you. God bless you as you read.

Know What You Believe

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One of the disturbing things we are hearing is that Christians do not understand what they believe and why. The Bible tells us (1 Pet 3:15) that we are to be able to give a reason for our hope but several major surveys have concluded that Christians do not know enough about their beliefs to do that. For example: George Gallup Jr. and D. Michael Lindsay conclude in their Surveying the American Landscape that “there is a glaring lack of knowledge about the Bible, basic doctrines, and the traditions of one’s church. That there is great superficiality of faith, with many people not knowing what they believe, or why.” George Barna echoes the same message that “less than 10% of the professing Christians have a biblical world and life view.” “People are desperate for spiritual truth-but they can’t find the answers they need in Christian churches.” He goes on to sayin The Second Coming of the Church, “In short, the spirituality in America is Christian in name only. We desire more experience than knowledge. We prefer choices to absolutes. We embrace preferences rather than truths.”

I am concerned that while we are seeing greater interest in religion and spirituality, especially in the two younger generations, it is not directed toward Christianity. Gallup’s polls indicate that more and more evangelical Christians are embracing some of the doctrines of the New Age Movement, such as communicating with the dead, visitation of extraterrestrials, witches, ghosts, etc.

One way the disciple making process is breaking down is our failure to ground believers, young and old, in solid, sound doctrine. Faith often becomes very shallow and superficial. It does not really alter our lifestyle and it doesn’t give us opportunities to respond to questions asked regarding our faith in Christ. When I think of Peter’s words quoted above, I am reminded of two things: 1. Although we are called to give a reason for what we believe and the hope we have in Christ, trends indicate that most cannot do that. 2. That may not pose the problem that it should because if people do not see that hope operating in our lives, they will not ask us about our faith.

‘In case you’re asked’, can you give a reason or explanation for the hope within you? We need to study our faith. All the other things we study, says the Apostle Paul, are to be in accord with sound doctrine. Another concern is that trends indicate that pastors experience a “halo effect” and believe their people are more equipped and trained to do 1 Pet 3:15 than is actually the case.

A word to parents and to the church community in this regard: we must see the challenge that our children and youth face today. We are not living in a friendly world, where Christianity is concerned. We are not taught or encouraged to teach the Bible in a life-changing way. Truths are uncertain or up for grabs. In response, we give our children and youth a moralistic version of Christianity, which accomplishes nothing strategically and is terribly misleading. Even when we do try through our Sunday schools, Bible studies, youth activities, and the preaching and teaching ministry, they do not see the connection between what they are hearing and their own lives.

Every Christian family and church should have a plan of discipleship aimed at equipping the people of all ages to know what they believe and why, and how to articulate those beliefs. We must also aim for life transformation as a result of those truths. Truths, doctrines, theology, philosophy, and all the basic foundational areas, must be taught, learned, and applied in a way that will transform people’s lives. It must impact what they believe, how they think and live, the choices they make, and relationships they develop. Disciple making is not a fluff and stuff kind of activity with no real substance; neither is it an academic exercise. It is life oriented.

In this issue we reviewed a book by Roger Nicole that deals with the basic doctrines of the Christian faith. Those doctrines are to be a part of the warp and woof of our lives. They ought to be as much a part of us as the air we breathe. While there is nothing wrong with admitting that I do not know something, God told us to be able to explain why we do believe something to be true.

I am often asked how we can know whether our attempts at discipling are working? My response: 1. Is there a life change taking place and an awareness of Christ’s Lordship in all of life? 2. Are people seeing a difference in us because of our faith in Christ? One way we know is by the opportunities we are given to talk about our faith with them. George Gallup, Jr. wrote, “Sensation and subjective experience is so prized that what a person actually believes recedes in importance (The Next American Spirituality).” He further writes, “Many Americans do not know what they believe, or why. Many do not know what it means to belong to the faith or denomination to which they subscribe. They would be hard pressed to defend the faith, if called on,”(ibid). May that not be the case with us. In case you’re asked, be able to tell those who ask with passion and understanding what you believe and why.

WHAT ABOUT SMALL GROUPS?

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John and Mary recently joined First Church professing their faith in Jesus. They attended an Inquirers’ Class and heard the pastor describe the church’s basic beliefs. They were sold on the church and its message because of the attention the pastor and other leaders lavished on them as they got involved. Now they are members and the leadership seems focused on the latest group of newcomers. How do they connect with others in the congregation? It’s an important question because if they don’t connect within a few months or so, they will be gone.

Bill and Sue are struggling at home with a variety of issues. The cumulative effect is their relationship is being destroyed. What can the church offer? Is there a safe place for them to deal with some of their problems?

For parents, children can be the source of great joy…and considerable pain. What role can the family of God play in addressing the dramas and the tragedies that occur in our homes?

In spite of the wealth enjoyed by many in our church family, significant numbers of us are burdened with thousands of dollars in credit card debt. Add that to car payments, mortgages and all the other bills due every month. Is there help in the Christian community? Too often difficulties at home end in an affair and then the disintegration of the marriage, leaving parents and children with horrible wounds that never heal completely. We believe in the sanctity of marriage. But we also know that Jesus calls us not simply to hold up a standard, but to offer help to those painfully aware of their failure.

Perhaps the most common problems voiced are those related to a job loss, an accident, serious illness, or the death of someone close. Is there a support system in the Christian family that extends beyond the initial crisis? If all this were not enough, many Christians simply don’t know the Bible. As important as that is, at best it’s a first step. The Bible must be taught, not simply as an abstract philosophical system, but with the life-changing message it carries in the power of the Spirit. Small groups are another means of addressing the situations described above.

Much has been written about small groups and millions participate in them. Groups are defined as usually three to fifteen people meeting regularly for a common purpose. There are support groups, therapy groups, fellowship groups, those addressing certain needs or interests (i.e. alcohol abuse, auto repair), and those committed to common tasks (a choir, etc). A group within the church ought to have a Christian purpose and that will often include significant Bible study.

I have been involved in such groups since the mid-1960s. Secular groups were beginning to proliferate and as the methodology was brought into the church there was a backlash. Some of the criticisms were justified. However, congregations began to see groups as a way to help people get to know each other and God in a better way while providing pastoral support for fellow members.

Groups in the church are not a recent phenomenon. Sunday school has been around for well over 200 years, and it has been mostly a small group movement. In fact, the demise of the ongoing adult class in the 1960’s and the beginning of adult electives in Sunday school accelerated the need for another small group model. Where ongoing classes have been reconstituted, the issue is the distinct role adult Sunday school and small groups are expected to play.

Let’s take a closer look at small groups.

OUR SOCIETY

It is no coincidence that the growth of small groups paralleled the cultural upheaval we experienced over a generation ago. The civil rights movement. The war in Vietnam. The search for truth. A desire to wrestle with ultimate questions. Baby boomers wanted some way to break down the sense of alienation and isolation reflected by the warning to “never trust anybody over 30.”

We’re not grappling with ultimate questions today. The search for truth has been abandoned. We’re united in our war on terrorism, and the attacks on September 11, 2001 temporarily shook many into a search for someone beyond ourselves who could offer help and solace. Racial reconciliation is still a long way off, but there’s something of a truce, a willingness to live and let live as people of every racial and ethnic group attempt to accumulate all the stuff necessary to live the good life. With some notable exceptions, the poor and diseased of society have been forgotten.

Groups today are often a lot less intense than they were 25 years ago. The boomers who once felt alienated by the system now run it. Families are fragmented, literally and figuratively, like never before. Neighborhoods have ceased to exist. We don’t even know the family next door. Networks of friends have become casual acquaintances or business relationships. This has also happened in the church. That’s where the small group can demonstrate its worth.

THE CHURCH

In a typical congregation, it’s possible to attend for years and hardly know anybody. I discover this every time I lead a group in an introductory activity. Recently I heard, after people had shared some basic information about their backgrounds and interests, “I’ve worshiped with these people for years and tonight I learned things I never knew.” The casual greetings exchanged in many congregations hardly provide a basis for sharing the burdens that threaten to overwhelm us. One means by which people can begin to get connected is through the Sunday school. Another is involvement in special activities. Service is the means by which some make friends. For many others, it’s the small group.

However, if groups are to maximize their effectiveness, getting assimilated into the life of the church is just one component. Groups need to be part of the disciple making process. Using Matthew’s 28:16-20 record of the Great Commission, there are two principle ingredients, baptism and sound teaching.

Baptism could be defined as introducing people to Jesus. Using the word baptism suggests that evangelism is the work of the church. Evangelism can happen in a small group, where real people with real struggles help each other honor Christ in various activities and circumstances of life. The person who doesn’t know Him will see what it means to follow Him and perhaps begin the pilgrimage.

I have had great experiences with groups made up of the people in the church and those interested in exploring the basics of the Christian faith. Materials are available to assist with such a group – among them John Stott’s Basic Christianity. The big challenge will be gathering a group. Addressing certain areas like the issues facing those separation or divorce will attract people outside the Christian community. Their needs might be great enough that they will be receptive to the gospel. Beyond that rests the challenge of integrating them into the life of the larger congregation. Both should be in view as you work and pray.

The second principle of disciple making is teaching to the end that we will obey everything that God has commanded. A group in the church should move beyond fellowship – even if it entails significant sharing. To fulfill a Christian purpose, issues need to be evaluated by the biblical message. One can grow out of the other, starting either with the Bible or a concern. The small group is probably the best forum for that in today’s church. Such a Bible study will lead to great prayer times.

Effective disciple making groups don’t just happen. It’s so comforting to hear Jesus telling us He has the power. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” and “I will be with you always, to the very end of the age.”

One additional component in a Christian group is a willingness to take on a task. That produces at least two things: someone is helped and the bonds that knit you together are brightened.

THE DOWNSIDE

Divisive?

Groups, like any activity, can become problematic. There are some where dissatisfaction with the church becomes a major topic week after week. That’s destructive no matter how much it’s couched in language suggesting the desire to make things better. This is not to say that churches don’t have faults, sometimes glaring ones. The small group, however, is not the forum for dealing with such issues.

Ingrown?

It’s relatively easy for a group that has clicked to become ingrown, in the same way that some churches do. In such a setting the newcomer is made to feel like an intruder. My practice has been to have groups go for a year, occasionally two, then start over. However, all it would take to change the dynamic would be one or two new members. That might mean that the same member would need to cycle out because of the size, though there are groups that grow well beyond fifteen or twenty people. They spend part of their time together and part in small groupings.

Another factor is whether groups should be open or closed. My strong preference is for an open group. I have found that it is much easier to assimilate new people than is sometimes suggested. This, too, keeps a group from becoming ingrown.

Heresy?

Given the nature of small groups, there will be opinions expressed that might make us cringe. For the most part these will die a natural death. A greater concern is to exercise enough control so that there is confidence in the leadership. If a group leader is off track, the group will be too. Either that or the group will likely disintegrate.

An End in Itself?

Sometimes the small group becomes a substitute for participation in the worship of the larger body. I have occasionally encouraged group members to attend Sunday services more regularly, but there wasn’t a positive response. Yet those same people would do everything they could to get to a small group meeting.

A bit of perspective might be in order. I’m happy to have a person involved in a small group even if he or she doesn’t attend anything else. Better some involvement than no involvement. It is helpful to keep in mind that we want group members to be involved in the full orbit of life in the congregation. I’ve seen people go from virtual dropouts to highly committed church members, in part through involvement in a small group.

Our Commitment to You and Your Church’s Ministry

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Welcome to the November/December of Equip for Ministry. As we have looked back over the year, EfM has been a vital link in our ministry at Christian Education and Publications. Our objective has been to think about you, the reader, and your local church ministry. At a recent Equip seminar in Pennsylvania someone said to me, “I really look forward to Equip for Ministry. It is a good, quick, but substantive read. I don’t have the time to read like I would like and EfM is a help.” A pastor from the west coast called to thank us for the book reviews, saying they helped him plan his reading list. We strive to provide articles dealing with issues, resources, ideas, and nuts-and-bolts tips for ministry to increase your effectiveness in service to our Lord Jesus Christ. We trust this last issue for 2002 will do the same.

We also bring other books and ideas to stimulate and challenge your thinking and spiritual growth. As we have stated before, we see dozens of books pass by our desk almost monthly. Because of limited time and space, we attempt to carefully select what we believe to be the most strategic ones at this moment in time. Occasionally, a classic reprint falls into that category or even a book that is not necessarily written from a Christian perspective. We do not choose those books lightly. Even in this issue, we had to overlook a host of good books in order to bring our short list to you. The book relating to the history of hymns, one might say, is not really a strategic book, but we believe it could play an important role in the worship and growth of God’s people.

We have frequently written about postmodernism and will continue to because it is the overarching philosophy of the world and impacts our entire lives. While we have only skimmed the surface, we will continually keep this topic before you. In this issue for example, we have reviewed an excellent book by Millard Erickson on postmodernism. God willing, we will continue to challenge you to read and think about crucial subject.

We encourage and challenge our readers to develop their Christian minds, not in order to create an intellectually elitist people, but to “bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” CE&P offers a variety of ministries for your churches’ various specialized groups such as youth, children, women, officers, leaders, teachers, and men. Our resource topics deal with doctrine and theology in a life-oriented way. Themes such as stewardship, prayer, and evangelization of today’s postmoderns are constantly addressed.

Since 9-11-01, we are living in a different kind of world, one that has indeed changed forever. We would like to think the change is for the better, but that is not certain. We do know that God has called us to be salt and light, and as part of His church, to represent His truth and kingdom in all of life. We also know from Scripture, as well as from practical experience that as individuals and as churches, we can be more effective together than alone. Sometimes we get so caught up in our own ministries that we tend to forget others who are also involved.

In this issue, we feature the topic of small group ministries written by our coordinator of training, Robert Edmiston. Bob is an expert in the area of small groups. He has not only helped local churches develop small group ministries throughout the PCA, he is presently overseeing such a ministry in his home church. George Gallup Jr. states that small group ministry is one of the most effective ways for churches to minister to people. Robert Wuthnow, sociologist from Princeton, writes that 40% of American people are involved in small groups. Since groups can enhance a local church’s ministry if done well or hinder it if not done well, our seminars and resources are designed to help churches lead small groups well.

Because this is specifically a CE&P publication, the staff, regional staff, committee members, or someone who has served CE&P in some way usually writes the content. For example: in the last issue, we had a lead article by Ken Sande on abuse. He has participated in some of our conferences. Many PCA churches and agencies have used his materials on conflict management to help them deal with sticky situations. Even the advertisements are chosen not primarily for the revenues used to print the magazine, but because we believe local church leaders need to be aware of those for their ministries.

With this issue we also welcome Michelle Estile as the new managing editor replacing Amy Downing Veerman. Amy and Erik welcomed the birth of their little girl, Marguerite Lynn, as we were preparing this issue. Michelle’s husband Daniel works for MTW in the Internship department.

Our prayer is that each issue will encourage and assist you in living for and ministering on behalf of our Lord. Our entire staff is your resource for Christian education, disciple making, teacher training, and other leadership areas. We pray that God will use you in 2003 in a special way and allow us to play some small part in helping you to be more effective in your Christian life and witness.

Is Scripture Alone Sufficient?

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As Christians, we are people of the Book. Without being embarrassed or having our egos shattered, we own up to the fact that we believe the Bible is the Word of God, “our only infallible rule of faith and practice.” One of the phrases of the Protestant Reformation, Sola Scriptura-by Scripture alone-, has become a clarion call for evangelical and reformed Christians. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, containing the historic sixty-six books of the canon, form the basis of our belief in the Triune God. (We wrote about this in the last three issues of EfM.)

Another phrase that is a part of our heritage is “the sufficiency of Scripture.” This is significant because if our faith and practice are not based on the authority of God’s Word, we are left either with rationalism, sensory-experientialism, or solipsism, or we can believe whatever we want to believe.

The Westminster Confession of Faith makes one of the clearest statements on Scripture that one could find. It declares the Scripture’s authority, clarity, sufficiency and necessity for faith and practice. The WCF echoes the testimony of Scripture itself that the authors of the Bible were writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. While He did not dictate every word, He worked in and through them so that while they wrote from their particular circumstance and moment in history with their own styles, they wrote the truth that God wanted us to know.

The WCF also states that the Scriptures, though inspired in their original languages, are to be translated into the “vulgar” or common language of the people, indicating that all people should be free to read the Word of God. Therefore, the Scripture is written in such a manner that it clearly communicates the grand metanarrative of redemption.

The WCF’s statement on Scripture reflects the thoughts of John Calvin. “If true religion is to shine on us we must grasp the necessity of beginning with teaching from above and that it is impossible for anyone to gain an atom of sound doctrine without being a disciple of Scripture.” As we reflect on the statements of Calvin and the WCF, we remember what the Reformation was all about. Though the first wave centered on salvation and the second on the sovereignty of God, both waves attempted to call the church back to the authority of the Bible. At that time, authority had been posited in the Roman Catholic Church and only the church could interpret the Scripture. Until it was translated into the languages of the people, only the priest could read the Word. People believed what the church told them, though the church did not always tell them what the Scripture actually taught, especially about salvation.We could say that the church and its tradition had become the authority upon which faith and understanding were to rest. Tradition was elevated to the place of authority in the life of the church.

Here is what we need to understand! As reformed and evangelical Christians, we also have our own tradition, which is important as long as it is kept in its place and does not usurp or misinterpret Scripture’s authority. Luther, Calvin, and company came to believe that the church was committing both errors, hence they “protested.”Having said that, we must also say that there is a right and wrong way to use the two phrases. Concerning Sola Scriptura, by Scripture alone, the WCF makes two important points. 1. “The only infallible interpreter of Scripture is Scripture,” not man individually or collectively. It is God’s Spirit working through his Word that determines the meaning of Scripture; hence Sola Scriptura and the Holy Spirit. 2. The WCF also underscores the words of 2 Peter 1:20 that “no Scripture is of private interpretation or comes from someone’s own interpretation.“ While the Holy Spirit is the Word’s final Interpreter, He usually works in the context of the church and the church’s tradition, past and present.

One thing that fed New England’s quick turn to liberalism in the early 1800s was the New Light Movement, which taught that only the Bible was needed. Its proponents maintained that we do not need creeds or confessions; nor do we need the church in order to understand the Bible. From that position, many people began interpreting the Scriptures personally and privately. According to historian Mark Noll, liberalism, along with many cults, developed during that time.

It is in the context of the church, its creeds and confessions, even its traditions, that we come to understand the truth of God’s Word. Therefore, we must not take “Sola Scriptura” to the extreme of the New Lighters and others who developed their own cults using the Bible. We study Scripture in the context of God’s covenant community, which holds us accountable to proper interpretation.

The second phrase that we must not misunderstand is “the sufficiency of Scripture.” Some take this essential truth of our faith to the extreme and say that all we need is the Bible. True, Scripture is sufficient in all that God intends it to be. It is our only infallible rule of faith and life. But the Scripture does not teach us everything that we need to know. God teaches us about Himself and many other things through what we call His general revelation and particularly through common grace. (See the review of He Shines In All That’s Fair in this issue.)

For example, John Frame suggests three types of questions that must be discussed in making ethical decisions. “1. What is your problem? What kind of situation have you gotten into? 2. What does God’s Word say about it? 3. Are you the sort of person who in this situation is capable of doing what Scripture tells you to do? Hence three foci: the situation, the Word, the person,” (Medical Ethics, page 4).The Scripture is not sufficient to teach us all that we need to know regarding things like science, mathematics, economics, human behavior, etc. What the Bible teaches in those areas is true. Yet, as the WCF indicates, for example, there are some things that can be gleaned from our circumstances that can help us in our worship and government of the church, as long as they are consistent with Scripture.

Why is it necessary to say this? Some people, believing they are promoting the sufficiency of Scripture, attempt to proof-text everything from the Bible, though it cannot and should not be done. Some within the Christian community often misuse, misinterpret, and abuse Scripture by attempting to provide a proof-text for everything while wanting to discard anything for which one cannot be found. I remember the frustrations that I felt when we were putting together the PCA’s Book of Church Order. As committee chairmen, we were to provide proof-texts to the BOCO similar to the footnotes in the WCF. We could not footnote from Scripture every detail of the BOCO and such was unnecessary. I was glad when the Assembly finally dismissed our committee.

The Scripture alone must be our authority and rule for faith and practice. We must not add to nor subtract from it. Yet, we must not use it in a manner that God never intended. To do so brings the same false conclusions as does deliberate tampering with the Word. The Scripture gives us the framework for understanding life, its circumstances, and God’s revealed will. However, it does not bypass the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, individually or collectively, in processing that truth.

So, in case you’re asked, do not hesitate to affirm your belief in the sufficiency and authority of Scripture. Just be careful not to make the Scripture into more than God intended it to be by forcing it to say things that it does not really say. But by all means use it as your grid for understanding truth whether from general or special revelation.