Nazarenes are Bible Christians

Nazarenes and the Church of Jesus Christ - Part 2 of 3

  1. Nazarenes, Consider Your Calling
  2. Nazarenes are Bible Christians
  3. The Freedom from Sin

January 17, 1992

Two texts:

John 5:39 Search the scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and they are they which testify of Me.

Hebrews 4:12 - 13 For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing - asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things [are] naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

INTRODUCTION

It probably goes without serious objection that Nazarenes believe they are Bible Christians. I want to challenge that belief in a friendly way by asking three questions:

  1. Is the Bible as we have it "the Word of God?"
  2. How do we hear God's Word?
  3. How do we (Nazarenes) live under the authority of the Word of God?

I. NAZARENES BELIEVE THE BIBLE IS GOD'S WORD

  1. Nazarenes believe in the Bible. But even such a simple statement as saying that the Bible is God's Word can be understood and explained in many different ways. Where does the International Church of the Nazarene officially stand regarding "the Bible?"
    1. An excellent place to begin would be with the Manual statement, which good Nazarenes should know and respect. The Manual states:

      We believe in the plenary inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, by which we understand the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, given by divine inspiration, inerrantly revealing the will of God concerning us in all things necessary to our salvation, so that what is not contained therein is not to be enjoined as an article of faith.

    2. The Manual statement is really quite remarkable in what it does not say! It stops short of saying exactly how, or by what method the Bible was written, how it is inspired. It gives room for the mystery which, really, no one can fully explain except by faith.

      A key word is the word "plenary," used to describe the inspiration of the Bible. By plenary the article of faith declares that the Bible, in all its parts, is totally inspired, that it is a miracle of revelation. This inspiration is so clear and powerful that "if it is not in the Bible it is not to be made binding on us as an article of faith."

      The statement does not make Nazarenes go beyond the clear meaning of those words.

  2. Nazarene roots are "synergistic" roots. We believe that the Bible is a Divine-human book. We believe that by and in and through God's grace the human can and must cooperate with the divine in claiming our redemption. These Nazarene roots reflect a number of very interesting sources.
    1. There is the catholicism of the Church of England as reflected in John Wesley. Wesley thought of himself as a Reformed theologian; and while he would certainly deny that in any wise he was earning his salvation there was enough of the Holy Club and discipline in him that he would not abide for a moment any Christian who did not put his/her life where the testimony was! "Bring forth fruit meet for repentance!" was implicit in his very life and living.
    2. Nazarenes also embrace of some aspects of Arminianism, about which the rank and file pastor knows precious little. But Arminianism represents a resistance to extreme Calvinism, particularly in TWO major points. What this says to the general practitioner pastor like myself is that while all grace is of God, yet that grace enables the human personality to participate in its own salvation to the extent that it can choose to resist God's grace or to accept it. THERE IS ALWAYS MYSTERY ALONG THE LINE WHERE GOD REACHES OUT TO CONVERSE WITH HUMANKIND.
    3. The dilemma is most apparent in the way we understand that people are saved. But it is also expressed in the way that we perceive the Bible.
      1. Some would emphasize God's Sovereignty to the extent that man has had nothing to do with the holy scriptures except hold the pen while God gave the exact words.
      2. An opposite, humanistic, view says that the Bible is inspired exactly like all other great works of literature, no more and no less. It ranks at the top of human literature, perhaps, at least in many passages. But it is the product, totally, of human effort, and expresses human thought, perhaps divinely inspired, but still limited to human expression, no more.
      3. But there is at least one other way to view inspiration: others, and we include ourselves here, believe that God has expressed Himself in a way that excludes error in all matters necessary to our salvation, but that this Word, divine Word, has come poured through vessels that are in and of themselves human and imperfect.
  3. How did we get the Bible in this form? Can we say with confidence "This is God's Word!"? I can and I do! But this is a faith statement! The mysteries of God are NOT the magic of God.
    1. The "canon" of the Bible (by which we mean the 66 books of our Protestant Bible) did not come into existence apart from human agency. The Bible did not fall down from heaven complete as we have it now, even though one way or another all true Christians have come to believe that it is God's divine revelation.
    2. (A wee bit of "over-simplified history:) It took a long period of time for these various "theories" to develop. The original apostles were much more speakers, preachers, proclaimers than they were writers. But as it became apparent that they would not always be around their messages were recorded in written form.

      As early as 150 A.D. Justin Martyr wrote that the gospels of the (present) canon were being read in churches assembled on Sunday.

    3. There were also many other writings with claims to be scriptural or apostolic. Gospels were written by Clement of Rome, and under the name of Barnabus, as well as the Shepherd of Hermas.

      The letters of Peter and Paul and John and the author of Hebrews and the canonical and non-canonical gospels were "sifted" and tried across the years.

      In 325 A.D. Eusebius wrote that "seven writings in the New Testament were not universally received. They were called the "Antilegomena," and consisted of James, Jude, 2 John, 3 John, 2 Peter, Hebrews, and the Apocalypse. (Not the Apocrypha, now.)

      It was not until nearly 400 A.D. in the Council of Carthage, in 397, the church officially stated that the 66 books we now hold as sacred were truly scripture.

    4. This "human involvement" need not shake your faith that God has given us this Bible one little bit! WE MUST REFUSE TO BE OBSCURANTISTS. When facts are presented they must be assessed and dealt with. But NO FACTS HAVE EVER SUCCESSFULLY CONTRADICTED THE LIVING TRUTH OF THE BIBLE!
  4. For myself, I simply believe that the Holy Spirit has been involved in every aspect of the written Word. He has been active in its original utterance, but He also makes it available at the place where it is needed and welcomed. Which brings us to the second question:

II. HOW DO NAZARENES (OR ANY CHRISTIANS) HEAR THE WORD OF GOD?

  1. WE HEAR WHEN WE LISTEN! God is speaking in His Word, but too often we are not really listening!
    1. Eugene Peterson makes distinction between READING the Bible and HEARING the Word. He is not just speaking about the difference between visual and auditory. The reader has control of what, where, how he shall give attention. Or she is free to just let her mind wander. The listener is engaged in some kind of immediate relationship. A "message" is coming through. personally; like the difference of a pocket radio or a portable telephone.
    2. The living WORD OF GOD IS NEVER 'CONTROLLED'! It is not simply abstract truth or "information." It demands life-involvement. That is why Bible preaching is important! To some extent preaching cannot be controlled, and can release the WORD; also systematic and regular reading gives access to the WORD.

      [Peterson speaks of the link between "speaker" and "hearer" this way: SPEAKER - WRITER - READER - HEARER. The intermediate links of writing and reading are all too often made all-important. What the original compassion/passion/burden of the prophet or Psalmist or preacher may have spoken or written under inspiration must be received by the help of the Holy Spirit by LISTENING, by GIVING ATTENTION, by HEARING WITH THE EARS OF THE SOUL.]

  2. IT SHOULD NEVER BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED, BUT NAZARENES OFTEN HEAR THE WORD OF GOD!!

III. WHAT DOES IT MEAN: 'NAZARENES ARE BIBLE CHRISTIANS?'

DO WE IN FACT LIVE 'UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE WORD?'

  1. HEARING IS NOT (QUITE) THE SAME AS BELIEVING IN THE AUTHORITY OF THE WORD!
    1. One step beyond HEARING (or knowing that God has spoken) is the attitude of obedience. We must bring to our encounters with God and with his Word the surrendered will.
    2. Thus: TO TRULY BELIEVE IN THE AUTHORITY OF THE SCRIPTURES DEMANDS A WILL SURRENDERED TO GOD ALMIGHTY!
  2. Every spiritual awakening, personal and church-wide, has begun with renewed prayer. And every spiritual awakening, church-wide or personal, has also been accompanied with obedience to the Word of God!
    1. Our church came into existence because we believe the BIBLE has spoken to us and to the world about the reality of SCRIPTURAL HOLINESS!
    2. If I am going to be a Nazarene I must READ the Bible, but more, I must listen for God to speak, and I must gladly put myself under the authority of the Word of God!

Conclusion:

In closing let me repeat a warning!

BEWARE THE BIBLE! It is a dangerous book to have around the house!

  1. Beware having it around the house! Just to HAVE IT AROUND THE HOUSE can bring COMPLACENCY! Stacks of Bibles won't make your house any holier ... but you might THINK it is!
  2. Beware reading the Bible! Just to READ THE BIBLE can nourish SPIRITUAL PRIDE! We can be like the scriptural expert who went to the house of prayer and thanked God that he was not like the poor publican praying off in the corner, "Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner!"
  3. Beware reading and listening and OBEYING the Bible! But TO HEAR AND TO OBEY THE BIBLE IS MOST DANGEROUS OF ALL!

It can "ruin your life!" All your (selfish) ambitions and plans may just come tumbling down all around your head! You just might hear Jesus say: "Come, leave YOUR way and follow ME!"

And if you do you'll never be the same again!

[Calvinism, as I understand it, was founded on five principles

[TULIP]: Total depravity (nothing good in humanity) Unconditional grace (Humankind can do NOTHING save themselves) Limited atonement (The "elect" chosen by God) Irresistible Grace Perseverance of the saints (Eternal security)

Of course, what I call Arminianism disputes some of these, particularly the "U" and the "I" and the "P." And our understanding of the "T" is somewhat different, as well.

[It is interesting that even then they could not agree just as to HOW they viewed Divine inspiration. Back then many did believe that the scriptures had been verbally inspired, and this sacrosanct faith was even extended to the Septuagint or Greek translation of the Old Testament as well.]

[The various groups differed on the degree of inspiration of the books comprising the Apocrypha, with all Protestants generally respecting them but giving them a less-than-scriptural place. One main reason is that Jesus never quoted from or alluded to any of the Apocryphal books.]