I recently began reading Edward J. Young’s classic An Introduction to the Old Testament (Revised
Ed., 1964) in preparation for teaching a Survey of the Old Testament class this
fall. Young taught Old Testament for
many years at Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia and was a staunch defender
of the traditional and orthodox reading of Scripture. As the book opens, Young addresses the question
of whether or not anyone can be “neutral” when he comes to the Bible:
There are those who apparently think
that it is possible to approach the Bible with a neutral attitude. Their position seems to be, ‘Let us study
Scripture as we do any other book. Let
us subject it to the same tests as we do other writings. If it proves to be the Word of God, well and
good, but, if not, let us accept the fact’….
The so-called neutral attitude towards the Bible is in reality not
neutral at all, for it begins by rejecting the lofty claims of divinity which
the Bible makes and it assumes that the human mind of itself can act as judge
of divine revelation. This is, in
effect, to substitute the mind of man as ultimate judge and reference-point in
place of God Himself (pp. 26-27).
Indeed, when we come to the Bible and encounter the claims
that it makes about who God is (holy, just, sovereign, merciful), who we are
(sinners), and how God has worked in reconciling us to himself through Christ, we
cannot be neutral. We either receive the
Bible and submit to it as the Word of God, or we fruitlessly try to make it
submit to us.
When we come to worship this Sunday and hear the Word of God
sung, prayed, read, and preached, what will our attitude be?
Grace and peace, Pastor
Jeff Riddle
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