Degrees of Separation
Derivative Biblical sourcing is a problem in our churches.
The American church has become accustomed to diluted biblical study. This is based on the degrees of separation we have in all of our derivative sourcing. Derivative sourcing in this instance simply means all of the sources that aren’t actually scripture like commentaries, cross-reference lists, academic papers, as well as articles and publications like the one you’re reading now. Pastors these days are happy to preach anything they find in a commentary or article that suits their purposes without ever considering simple logic like, say for instance, scripture not contradicting itself. In the land of derivatives we no longer even care to look at or consider original sourcing. We only care about the use of pleas to authority (a philosophical fallacy) if someone questions the teaching. This removes the teacher from accountability and responsibility to scripture and their own listeners, while placing it on some other “authoritative” source that you likely would not know about. They then can respond with, “it’s legitimate because so and so said it or because it is in a commentary.” The question then arises. Are so and so infallible? Inerant? Sufficient? The answer is obviously NO.
So how can we trust teachers? We aren’t supposed to without first testing all things. Particularly and specifically we are instructed in the scriptures to test imperfect teachers with the perfect word of God. That means we are instructed to ditch the derivatives as prime sources and stay rooted and grounded in the truth of God’s word.
Sola Scriptura, folks. Don’t be taken for a ride into heresy land simply because you trust the leader blindly. Laziness as congregants will not do in this 1 Timothy 4:1 and 2 Timothy 3&4 “last days”.
“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” -2 Timothy 4:3-4 ESV
Right here the Bible aptly describes what our culture is dealing with. By heaping up derivative sources, we give ourselves the license to, well, do whatever we please in the name of Christ, without any recourse or guardrails.
We must return to scripture daily, and submit to what it teaches us. No one is above error. Even Paul instructed his listeners to ignore him if he changed the teaching! Let us be like the Apostle, and know we are not above error, and in this culture, likely to be off the narrow path without constant reminders of truth.