Doctrinal Madness

by Jonathan Perz

"Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad." (Acts 26:24b).

These words were uttered by Festus as Paul made a defense for his faith before King Agrippa. The Greek word translated "mad" is mania, denoting frenzy or madness. While clearly Festus in his worldly wisdom was saying Paul was "out of his mind," Paul was obviously of sound mind according to God. However, I wonder if Festus' charge might not practically apply to some students of God's word today.

There are many who commendably spend a great deal of time studying every iota of God's word, attempting to learn what God has actually and practically revealed. Unfortunately, some go far beyond the scope of beneficial Bible study, even attempting to parse things beyond jot and tittle. attempting to piece together from here and there what God has not revealed. While we can know just what God has revealed and not one bit more, no amount of "reasoning" will pry one thought from God's mind that He has not revealed. Attempting to do so, no matter how carefully or astutely, will cause a form of doctrinal mania or madness, if you will. No, you will not read about this in a psychologist's handbook or a medical journal. It is tongue-in-cheek for what often happens to those who seek definitive answers to questions better left for God. In an effort to KNOW EXACTLY HOW God does this or that, we can end up all over the place doctrinally speaking, often well beyond the scope of doctrinal soundness (cf. 1 Tim. 1:10; 2 Tim. 4:3; Tit. 1:9; 2:1),

I know we like to KNOW and sometimes even need to KNOW. Knowing is good (cf. Eph. 5:17). Untempered knowing can be bad (cf. 1 Cor. 8:1). However, we also need to realize that faith is oftentimes enough (cf. 2 Cor. 5:7). Faith bridges the gap between what we can know with 100% certainty and what we do not know with 100% certainty or what we cannot completely understand. It is okay to say, "I can't tell you EXACTLY how God does this, but I can tell you that He does do it" (cf. Deut. 29:29).

Without even considering the obviously futile parsings, such as exactly when Jesus will return again, something plainly revealed we will not know until it happens (cf. Matt. 24:36, 42-43), there are endless debates on exactly how God does many things He does. Never-ending wrangling ensues on exactly how God forgives sin, exactly how God created the universe, exactly how God will end the world, exactly how God will punish evil-doers, exactly how God will raise the dead, exactly how the Holy Spirit dwells in us. On and on the list goes. Detail by detail are futilely grasped for, fought about and divided over. At some point, a student of God's word has to come to terms with the fact that God hasn't plainly told us exactly how He does everything or exactly how he will do some things. We just know that He did, He does and He will. We have to bridge the gap between our absolute knowledge and His absolute revelation and will with our absolute faith.

Instead of going mad doctrinally speaking or getting mad emotionally speaking at those who differ with your hypotheses, theories, speculations, presumptions and assumptions on exactly how God does something, perhaps we can do a bit more uniting on what we can know for sure -- that God does what He says and reveals what He wills us to do (cf. Eph. 4:3).

Let it be plainly known, I am not advocating this as a means of unity in doctrinal perversity, nor am I advocating doctrinal shallowness or ignorance. There are things God has plainly revealed and that we MUST know. Nor am I naive enough to believe that we will agree on everything. Division is a reality (cf. Matt. 10:34).

I am advocating the idea that while we are diligently striving to rightly divide the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15), that we are careful not to unnecessarily chop it up into such tiny little pieces that it fails to resemble the word of truth any more. Likewise, let us be careful that we do not chop His body (the group of those whom He has saved - Acts 2:47b) up into such little pieces trying to prove ad infinitum and ad nauseum how right "we" are and how wrong "they" are on such matters. In other words, this is meant to impress the need for dogmatic prudence, particularly with unrevealed details of God's will. Let us not think or go beyond what is actually written in our desperate quest for academic knowledge that might very well be above our pay grade (i.e., belongs to God) and beyond the scope of practical application or consequence.

Instead, let us do what God has plainly revealed for us to do. These are things that we do not have to cross ocean to find or reach into the farthest parts of heaven to unveil. They are plainly set forth and often simple enough to accomplish. "“For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it"" (Deut. 30:11-14).

 

 

 

Other Articles by Jonathan Perz 
The Doctrine of "Perfectionism"
To Whose Tune Do You Hearken?
Fellowship With God is Conditional
Catechismal Christianity
"I'm Too busy for Church"