How Do We Find Answers?

Listening to the current field of Republican candidates for the presidential ticket has reminded me of a need for fundamental change in how we think about the issues of the day. The natural method for evaluating these people seems to be rather random. We like this one because she is pro-life but reject that one because he wants to cut the Education Department or demands an audit of the Federal Reserve. They have their talking points and we have ours. But the larger question is how we can know for sure if any of their opinions are correct. And, I am not talking about just having the best set of statistics behind them. I am saying, how do their positions measure against eternal verities? Is there a Biblical standard that sets up the morals and wisdom on the various issues, or are we supposed to use the methods the unbelievers do and try to derive every truth from a research poll? Is there anything that differentiates us from the unbelieving world in these matters, or do we flow unthinkingly along copying the thought processes of the enemies of our faith? And, why are we so comfortable imitating God’s adversaries in how we think about the making and management of our national life?

I noticed long ago that when Jesus was asked about the questions of his day, He unvaryingly reasoned out the answers from Scripture and sound theological principle. Jesus demonstrated the methods Godly people should use to come to righteous opinions about the issues of life. For instance, when He was questioned about His disciples picking and eating grain on the Sabbath (Luke 6:2-5) Jesus reasoned the answer from the Old Testament concerning David eating consecrated bread and the priests laboring in the temple on the Sabbath.  Or, when the Lord was maliciously asked about marriage in heaven (Luke 20) He gave an answer and instruction based on truths derived from Moses at the burning bush. His answer involved an exacting reading of the original text and demonstrates the level of detail that may be correctly derived from the inspired word. We can observe how the revealed truth applies to specific issues of our era. His assumptions ought to be our assumptions as we consider what may be rightfully learned from Scripture regarding our legal and moral questions.

When Jesus argued with Jewish skeptics He excoriated them for disbelieving both the law and the prophets. Keep in mind that these were people who claimed rigorously that they were the believers and defenders of the given word of God. They had pulled it apart and dissected every jot and tittle to a point of absurdity yet were lacking in basic understanding of that very word. Their methods of interpretation had become separated from what the Word itself gave by example and they were inventing a twisted theology that no longer taught truth. I fear we have done likewise. It is a fatal mistake.

If we wish to repair our crumbling national foundations we need to re-learn how to reason from Scripture and elect people who do the same. We can only reason from Scripture if we believe it to be both true and applicable to our time. And, we need to believe it is important to think in this way. This is a critical step on the path toward hope for our country. It is the way of our God.

Don Schanzenbach

The American Hope Project