The issue of authority in general, and biblical authority in particular, is rightly identified as the critical, watershed issue for all of humanity, for all of time. Now, that’s a very expansive statement. Yes, it is, and we are confident it is accurate. Because the Bible, in no uncertain terms, sets forth the God of creation as the ultimate authority on all issues of life and death, it’s claims are absolutely true or absolutely false. There is no middle slot to jump into.
Logic employs what philosophers label “The Law of the Excluded Middle.” We may go with the claims of Scripture being true, or the claims of Scripture are false, but we cannot have it both ways. Simple logic won’t permit it, and any who might insist on trying to stake out a middle ground gives reason to question their grasp of reality. Some would strenuously object to such a claim. Their objection may well be, “But that’s so black and white. I would prefer some gray.” But there is no “gray.” It is “black and white.” Life’s most important issues are black and white. They are made to be black and white because they are so very important, and God wants the contrast to be obvious so it’s easier to make the right choice.
Oh, sure, there are gray areas. Lots of them. They are the fuzzier issues of life that are not of critical importance. Gray areas of living include subjective preferences, personal opinions, individual taste, etc. These are the “to each his own” kind of matters and issues, and they are an important part of everyone’s life. But here is the difference between objectivity and subjectivity: gray areas cannot compare in importance to those “black and white.” We categorize the issue of biblical authority as the biggest black and white there is. How so? Because what we believe about absolutely everything stems from what we acknowledge to be the ultimate authority. The stakes could not be higher and the consequences could not be greater. We would urge anyone who has never given this issue serious thought, to do so, starting now. May God guide you. It would be the most important undertaking you ever engage. Thoughtful consideration, on the part of us all, will serve so very well toward reaching conclusions that really matter for time and eternity.
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