Thump or be thumped
"Fundamentalism is a problem, or so it is thought. Those Bible-thumpers aren't to be trusted, to be sure. At the beginning of the modernist vs. fundamentalist debate of the last century, those who believed in the inspiration of Scripture and its inerrancy were considered to be imposing their own views on the Bible, as though no one had ever before considered the Bible's record of the divine self-revelation to be theologically decisive. Now there would have been plenty of things to quibble about with fundamentalists, but they were right about the Bible's own testimony to its truthfulness. The Bible claims to be God's own voice. This idea was not dreamed up by American fundamentalists at the beginning of the twentieth century.
For the fathers of the ancient church the Bible is from beginning to end theologically decisive. When God has spoken there is nothing else to be said. The only option is that we begin a debate with God, blown about by every wind of doctrine (Eph 4:14), so that God is forced to kow-tow to us and our ill-formed opinions about His mind and will.
The view of the ancient church was that when Scripture had revealed something it is dangerous to reject it and always safe to believe it. The Bible is safe and saving, even when it seemed to place things together that human reason could not reconcile. If the church's confession is the Christ of the Bible and His work to save us humans, it will resist all the onslaughts of our enemy. Christ Himself calls us back to the Bible. As it turns out, it is better to be a Bible-thumper, than to be thumped by our enemy."
Rev. Dr. Scott R. Murray
Memorial Lutheran Church
1 Cor. 15:1-11 (ESV)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+15%3A1-11&version=ESV
Hilary of Poitiers:
"The Only-begotten God suffered indeed all that men can suffer. But let us express ourselves in the words and faith of the Apostle. He says, 'For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures' (1Co 15:3-4). This is no unsupported statement of his own, which might lead to error, but a warning to us to confess that Christ died and rose after a real manner, not in name only, since the fact is certified by the full weight of Scripture authority. We must understand His death in that exact sense in which Scripture declares it.
"In his regard for the perplexities and scruples of the weak and sensitive believer, Paul adds these solemn concluding words, 'in accordance with the Scriptures,' to his proclamation of the death and the resurrection. He would not have us grow weaker, driven about by every wind of vain doctrine, or vexed by empty subtleties and false doubts. He would summon faith to return, before it would be shipwrecked, to the haven of piety, believing and confessing the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Son of Man and Son of God, 'in accordance with the Scriptures.' This is the safeguard of reverence against the attack of the adversary, to understand the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as it was written about Him.
"There is no danger in faith. The reverent confession of the hidden mystery of God is always safe. Christ was born of the Virgin, but conceived by the Holy Spirit 'in accordance with the Scriptures.' Christ wept, but 'in accordance with the Scriptures' that which made Him weep was also a cause of joy. Christ hungered, but 'in accordance with the Scriptures,' He used His power as God against the tree that bore no fruit. Christ suffered, but 'in accordance with the Scriptures,' He was about to sit at the right hand of Power. He complained that He was abandoned to die, but 'in accordance with the Scriptures,' at the same moment He received in His kingdom in Paradise the thief who confessed Him. He died, but 'in accordance with the Scriptures,' He rose again and sits at the right hand of God. In the belief of this mystery there is life. This confession resists all attack."
Hilary of Poitiers, On the Trinity, 10.67
Prayer:
"O most merciful God, You have taught us Your commands. We implore You to pour out Your grace into our hearts. Cause it to bear fruit in us that, being ever mindful of Your mercies and Your laws we may always be directed to Your will and daily increase in love toward You and one another. Enable us to resist all evil and to live a godly life. Help us to follow the example of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and to walk in His steps until we shall possess the kingdom that has been prepared for us in heaven; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen."
Monday of Epiphany 4
4 February 2019
Rev. Dr. Scott R. Murray
Memorial Lutheran Church
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