Scofield's Good Advice

I certainly agree that it should be the goal to submit on the authority of the Word, regardless of the pre-suppositions. Apparently where we will have to agree to disagree is on whether I am justified to carry suspicion on this matter as we are instructed within the whole of the Word. I hope that the leading motivation of dispensationalist in general is as you say; and again, will not beyond suspicion.

 

I guess if Scofield's ideas are out among modern day dispensationalists, then Clarence Larkin books and charts are definitely passe!

Cheers,

Jim

 

To interpret scripture through the lens of a man made filter is eisegesis and leads to heresy.

 

That is not true. Even scripture points that out. Some refuse to believe what they know to be true.

That is the starting point to interpretation. Scripture must be interpreted in light of its historical context.

Dispensational systematic theorlogy does not meet the criteria necessary to interpret scripture. It is simply a man made system that followed on the heels of German rationalism.

 

IMO, This is a good description of Calvinism--at least the fact that it also is "a man made system." Dispensationalism was around at the time of the ECF, a natural outgrowth of Chiliasm.

 

DHK, With that reasoning, isn't every system just man-made? I would hardly connect either system with German rationalism, however. If Barth had been named, he did come directly out of German rationalism. German rationalism was and led directly to liberal theology.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Yes, I agree with that. That is why the principles soul liberty and the priesthood of the believer are so important. We are all priests before God, and need not depend on any one's system. Each of us are commanded to "study to show ourselves approved unto God." The principles of sola scriptura are clearly taught in Acts 17:11.

It is also true that in a sense we have "progressive revelation" in that we are able to build upon what others have studied and learned, that have gone on before us. For example, When Strong gave us his exhaustive concordance how much easier did studying the Bible become for us. When technology put those same type of tools on the computer it became easier still. At the tip of our fingers we have access to all of Calvin's works, all of works of the ECF, a multitude of commentaries, dictionaries, encyclopedias, history books, etc. Yet the Bible still remains our final authority.

 

I have seen people turn to liberalism and atheism as a result of studying some of the ism's present today.