“God is bigger than his Word…”
Add comment October 2nd, 2009
I’ve noticed a troubling twist in a few conversations with believers, and it shows up when one tries to engage these particular folks with the certainty of the nature of God from the Scriptures. They balk at the idea of Scriptural boundaries and doctrinal precision about what the Triune God is and is not. Further they stiffen up when one tries to apply specific doctrinal principles to say a particular belief, behavior or attitude is right or wrong.
They respond with something like:
- “God is bigger than his word.”
- “God is bigger than your systematic theology.”
- “If you think you’ve got a handle on God then you don’t have the real God in mind.”
First, these phrases are not original with them. I’ve heard these phrases before. Second, I think the idea behind them reflects a profoundly deficient view of the ability of God to express Himself intelligently. While these folks might think that they’re protecting the “mystery” of the Divine, they’re unwittingly calling God an incompetent bozo who is unable to clearly reveal His character and will in human language. Third, these phrases percolate within the post-modern and emergent mind-set.
Here is a profound answer from Philipp Melancthon, the reformer who worked alongside and who succeeded Luther:
Now, although all the minds of men and of angels stand in wonderment in admiration of this mystery, that God has begotten a Son and that the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier, proceeds from the Father and the Son, yet we must concur in this, because, as has already been said so many times, we must believe concerning God as He has revealed Himself. The heathen wander about in their hearts seeking a god according to their own speculations; but the church knows the eternal and almighty God, our Creator, as He has revealed Himself. Although we cannot probe this mystery to the depths, yet in this life God has willed that there be at least a beginning of knowledge of this subject and that our worship be distinguished from the worship of false gods. He has given in His Word a revelation by sure testimonies. In this Word, like a fetus who draws nourishment in the womb of the mother through the umbilical cord and the organs of reproduction, we sit enclosed, drawing our knowledge of God and of life from the Word of God, so that we may worship Him as He has revealed Himself. (Loci Theologici, Vol. 1 Chap 2)
Jesus consistently held the nose of his questioners and accusers to the grindstone of the Word…”What do the Scriptures say?” “How do you read it?” “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.” Jesus took a high view of the understandability and precision of Scriptures. Can we, in good conscience, do any less?
