After writing “Analysis of Rachel Held Evan’s Book “Inspired” Part 1: Introduction” yesterday I noticed that Rachel Held Evans sees Peter Enns as a mentor. I have written on Peter Enns before on our blog (see the link in the analysis to Evans’ book) but seeing his name again led me to look up Enns and I found he wrote a recent piece on his blog titled “How Can I Trust the Bible?” (You Might Be Asking)”
It is strange in a piece titled “How Can I trust the Bible?” his essay doesn’t answer that question but instead does the opposite. Liberals need to quit the click bait inaccurate titles.
Here is what Enns said is the solution:
let me push back a bit on that question: the point of this whole Christian business is not trusting the Bible but trusting God.
And again:
I don’t think the goal of the Christian life has ever been to trust the Bible. Rather, it is to trust God.
My response:
- It is true we are to trust in God. But trusting in God and trusting in the Bible are not mutually exclusive.
- For example if you trust someone you trust their words. Likewise trusting God means we trust His Words. Enns here has committed an either/or logical fallacy.
- Also in order for us to trust God that means He has to reveal who He is and what He is like in order for us to trust in Him. Yet how we know what God is like? He has revealed Himself in the Bible! Again we need to trust His words of what He says about Himself in order for us to trust in God!
- Finally is it biblical the idea that we are to not trust the Bible? Like I mentioned yesterday it seems theological liberals fail to interact with the Bible’s own teaching about itself. If God wants us not to trust in the Bible He would tell us; also the reverse is also true: If He wants us to trust in the Bible He would tell us in the Bible itself.
- The Bible does teach believers to trust in the Bible; so it is incorrect of Pete Enns to assert that Christians are not to trust in the Bible.
- Psalm 119:42 states “So I will have an answer for him who reproaches me, For I trust in Your word.” Notice it says it directly: “Trust in your Word.”
- Also “believing” also involves a sense of trust as well. In Scripture the teaching that we are to believe the Bible is also taught. Psalm 119:66 states “Teach me good discernment and knowledge, For I believe in Your commandments.“
Enns here is simply wrong.
Trusring the Bible IS trusting God.
Very true
I think trusting God and trusting the Bible are inseparably linked. John 1:1 (ESV): 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. As John MacArthur says in his commentary, John 1:1–5 (MNTC Jn 1–11): “The glorious, incontrovertible truth that in Jesus the divine “Word became flesh” (1:14) is the theme of John’s gospel.”
I would go a bit further and say it is really one of the themes of the Bible. When Jesus said Jerusalem Jerusalem how oft would I have gathered you under my wing as a mother hen gathers her chicks, He had to have been doing that as the Word who He was at the time. When appearing in the Christophines of the O.T. He was speaking the word of God. Indeed He is the word made flesh, and He is as such even greater than the Bible because the Bible could not contain even all that He said according to The Bible itself.
Good insight! I agree with your observation!
Amen
Amen
People sjould be allowed to believe in what they wish without constant debate.
It is not possible to let people believe what they want without debate. Real beliefs lead to real actions and real consequences. Should one never oppose racism or violent extremism? The spiritual/eternal consequences of liberal thought is even more dangerous destroying not only the body, but the soul.
Since when is racism a religion? Extremism isn’t even one for they do not follow the true line of any organized faith. And – I am far from a liberal.
Here is what I believe in a nutshell….
Humanity today is far too divided. Plenty of folks are sad and scared and angry and there are sound bites being fed to us that seem fueled by judgement, fear and even hatred. I refuse to be baited into a way that will further harm an already hurting world, this is our home.
And a house divided cannot stand, if there is any hope for all of us to move forward, to heal and to grow – we have got to learn to stand together as one nation.
I have personal convictions. One of them is this: I care about you for the simple fact that you are a person, my neighbor on planet earth. It’s not about what color your skin is, how much money you have in the bank, your political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender, nationality or faith. That’s all fascinating, but it cannot add or take away from the reality that I am already pulling for you. I am not about to get in the nasty business of throwing stones at any one, I don’t play that way.
Rioting, looting vandals, those desecrating the flag – should not be anyone’s heroes.
GP I am in an area that has weak data for my smartphone so I hope this goes through. I don’t think I’m trying to be divisive although I know I touched on a divisive issue. I looked over my post last to make it as least as inflammatory as possible but I think my point was to be as factual as possible that Enns as a scholar is wrong to claim the Christian faith does not teach trusting the Bible when the Bible teaches that (verse provided in this post). I think Enns as a scholar is use to people disagreeing with him. I believe a rational way of treating those who disagree is with logical discussions and at times we agree to disagree. But to see brothers ask me to look into some of these people attack against their faith and provide my thoughts doesn’t mean I won’t treat that individual with respect as a person. Like some commentators said here my tone is much gracious than some of the things you find in the two individuals I responded to. Blessings to you and good day my friend (I mean it).
It doesn’t look like Slim is trying to
I’m typically a lurker of this blog. It doesn’t look like Slim is trying to promote being mean to Enns, just healthy dialogue and debate with someone who is often antagonistic to the Bible. Slimy has a reasonable tone compared to what Evans and Enns has to say about others Faith in the Bible.
He cleared that up for me and I shouldn’t have even commented.
By the way don’t feel bad about commenting GP. I know you mean well and by the way I do appreciate our interaction on WordPress. Going to go to sleep for now, may you have a blessed day!
Peaceful dreams, Jim.
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
Thanks for the reblog!
Yankee Whiskey Bravo 🙂
Thanks for this. I’ve seen some articles about Peter Enns before, maybe after reading about him in some of your previous posts. (C)hristianity that appeals to “higher criticism” is a (C)hristianity that has lost all of its moorings and adherents would be better off following “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”
I have written about Enns here in the past though I haven’t written about him recently.
You remember our discussion about “rollin'” false teaching even though its has been refuted? I think this applies here, I’m surprised that the irrationality continues…also so called “higher criticism” sometimes is low bar look at the Bible and as this post pointed out the Bible does teach to trust in the Bible, something I’m surprised a former Old Testament professor didn’t notice nor interact with from a verse from the Old Testament itself. Disappointing don’t you think?
“Higher Criticism” is untenable because it destroys its own foundation. Why bother going to church if you don’t believe in God or your belief is only in some nebulous “force”? It’s amazing that any mainline Protestant churches are still in operation.
John 1:1 King James Version (KJV)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
That says it for me. 😉
Word!
Thanks for sharing SlimJim ☺️
Reblogged this on BibleProphecyWatch.
Thanks for the reblog; how are you doing this evening?
Hi I’m good thank you for asking how are you?
Good working on my sermon prep. Anything new with you? Anything you read from Scripture or other spiritually edifying books or writings?
What’s the sermon about? I just read 1 John 2:1-2
I totally love 1 John 2:1-2! There’s so much richness to the Greek word translated in English as “Advocate;”” I”m preaching on Romans 8:5-11 and I’m racing to finish things since this week has been very hectic in terms of counseling, teaching and time with family today. Pray for me if you can yeah?
I will pray for you brother.
Amen.
Can I send you an article.
Yes!
Ok here it is. https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-43-two-groups-two-destinies-romans-85-6
Thanks I’ll be working late into the night…
Ok.
I just finished a post check it out if you want to it’s up to you.
Is it OK I check it tomorrow late afternoon? I’m going to stay up pretty late finishing this sermon. Hope you understand…what is it about?
Ok that’s fine.
Your welcome.
You’re absolutely right! The Bible was created by God for us to learn his righteous standards. We can not serve God without first learning how to do so from his channel of communication. Through prayer we talk to Jehovah, through the Bible we listen.
“if you trust someone you trust their words. Likewise trusting God means we trust His Words” – this is absolute truth.
Psalms 1:1,2 says, “Happy is the man who does not walk according to the advice of the wicked, and does not stand on the path of sinners, and does not sit in the seat of scoffers. But his delight is in the law of Jehovah, And he reads His law in an undertone day and night.” Not only should we read and trust in God’s word but it should be our delight to do so. Lastly, how can anyone call themselves a Christian while refusing to read the very text that introduces us to Christ? Thank you for upholding truth in this post!
[…] scholars. In part 1 we already noted the serious defect of his methodology. Furthermore in a recent post I also pointed out how he continue his habit of getting the Bible wrong even with straig…. Evans citing only Enns as a scholar holding her view is also unacceptable when this is a major […]
Without an awareness of the passages mentioned in the post, something immediately sticks out to me as “off” about the theology of Enns. The statement about trusting God over the Bible implies that this person does not believe in the Bible. It is unfortunate that people swing this way in Christian world, but I think this has been an issue as clear back as Origen, who allegorized anything in the Bible that disagreed with his views.
[…] via Pete Enns: Christians are not to trust in the Bible? — The Domain for Truth […]
excellent rebutals. really thorough bro!
Enns is such a joke