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Revising Theological Views with Scripture and Reasoning

The Bible consistently presents itself as divinely inspired and authoritative, serving as the foundational text for Christian belief and practice [1]. This authority implies that theological views should be continually examined and, if necessary, revised in light of scriptural teaching and sound reasoning.

Scripture is described as "given by inspiration of God" (2 Timothy 3:16) and "by inspiration of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 1:16; Hebrews 3:7; 2 Peter 1:21) [1]. Jesus himself affirmed the authority of the Old Testament by appealing to it (Matthew 4:4; Mark 12:10; John 7:42) and teaching from it (Luke 24:27) [1]. It is referred to as "the Word," "Word of God," "Word of Christ," and "Word of truth" [1]. This divine origin establishes the Bible as the ultimate standard against which all theological views must be measured.

The process of revising theological views involves "casting down imaginations, or 'reasonings,'... and every high thing which is lifted up against the knowledge of God, and causing every thought to come under the authority of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5 BBE) [2, 11]. This means that human reasoning, while valuable, must be subjected to the revealed truth of God. John Gill, in his commentary on 2 Corinthians 10:5, explains that "carnal reasonings of the minds of natural men against God, his providences and purposes, against Christ, and the methods of salvation, and every truth of the Gospel" are to be "disproved, silenced, and confounded, by the preaching of the word" [11]. The wisdom of the world is considered "foolishness with God" (1 Corinthians 3:19), and the Lord knows "the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain" (1 Corinthians 3:20, citing Psalm 94:11) [13].

The Bible also encourages the use of reason in understanding God's wisdom. Ecclesiastes 7:26 states, "I have surveyed all things with my mind, to know, and consider, and seek out wisdom and reason" [3]. However, this reasoning is not independent of Scripture but is to be guided by it. The apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 2:13, speaks of "comparing spiritual things with spiritual" [12]. This can be understood as interpreting Spirit-inspired Old Testament Scripture by comparing it with the Gospel revealed by the same Spirit, and illustrating Gospel mysteries by comparing them with Old Testament types [12]. This suggests an internal consistency within Scripture that aids in its interpretation and the formation of theological views.

A key area where theological views are often revised is the understanding of sin. The Bible teaches that "all human beings are born sinners" (Psalm 58:3, citing Psalm 51:5) [4]. This sin is not merely an action but a state of being, a "corrupt old nature" [10]. The first sin of Adam and Eve is described as "heinous and aggravated," involving "a love of self, dishonor to God, ingratitude to a benefactor, disobedience to the best of Masters—a preference of the creature to the Creator" [7]. Sin is also characterized as "vanity" or "all sorts of sinful acts" (Proverbs 30:8) [5]. Deliberate sins are committed with an "insolent or arrogant attitude," and "the great sin is rebellion" (Psalm 19:13) [8].

The universal nature of sin is emphasized in Romans 1:18–3:20, where Paul teaches about "universal sinfulness," stating that both Gentiles and Jews "are equally under sin’s power and cannot find favor with God by any action of their own" [9]. God's anger is presented not as an emotional outburst but as "the holy God’s necessary response to sin" [9]. To claim "we have not sinned" is to make God a liar (1 John 1:10), and to commit sin is to be "of the devil" (1 John 3:8) [10, 6]. Augustine, as cited by Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, clarifies that one becomes a child of the devil by imitating him, not by birth, as "from the devil there is not generation, but corruption" [6]. These scriptural insights into the nature and universality of sin are fundamental to understanding human need for salvation and shape theological views on atonement, grace, and redemption.

Sources

  1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Scriptures, The — Given by inspiration of God -- 2Ti 3:16. Given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit -- Ac 1:16; Heb 3:7; 2Pe 1:21. Christ sanctioned, by appealing to them -- Mt 4:4; Mr 12:10; Joh 7:42. Christ taught out of -- Lu 24:27. Are called the Word. -- Jas 1:21-23; 1Pe 2:2. Word of God. -- Lu 11:28; Heb 4:12. Word of Christ. -- Col 3:16. Word of truth. -- Jas 1:18. Holy Scriptures. -- Ro 1:2; 2Ti 3:15. Scripture of truth. -- Da 10:21. Book. -- Ps 40:7; Re 22:19. Book of the Lord. -- Isa 34:16. Book of the law. -- Ne 8:3; Ga 3:10. Law of the Lord. -- Ps 1:2; Isa”
  2. II Corinthians “II Corinthians 10:5 (BBE) — Putting an end to reasonings, and every high thing which is lifted up against the knowledge of God, and causing every thought to come under the authority of Christ;”
  3. Ecclesiastes “Ecclesiastes 7:26 (DRC) — I have surveyed all things with my mind, to know, and consider, and seek out wisdom and reason: and to know the wickedness of the fool, and the error of the imprudent:”
  4. Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 58:3: 58:3 All human beings are born sinners (see 51:5); however, whereas the wicked indulge their sinful nature, the godly fight against it (Rom 7:19-23; Jas 4:1-10).”
  5. Proverbs (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Proverbs 30:8: vanity--all sorts of sinful acts (Job 11:11; Isa 5:18).”
  6. 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 3:8: He that committeth sin is of the devil--in contrast to "He that doeth righteousness," Jo1 3:7. He is a son of the devil (Jo1 3:10; Joh 8:44). John does not, however, say, "born of the devil." as he does "born of God," for "the devil begets none, nor does he create any; but whoever imitates the devil becomes a child of the devil by imitating him, not by proper birth" [AUGUSTINE, Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John, Homily 4.10]. From the devil there is not generation, but corruption [BENGEL]. sinneth from the beginning--from the time that any beg”
  7. Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 3:13: beguiled--cajoled by flattering lies. This sin of the first pair was heinous and aggravated--it was not simply eating an apple, but a love of self, dishonor to God, ingratitude to a benefactor, disobedience to the best of Masters--a preference of the creature to the Creator.”
  8. Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 19:13: 19:13 An individual who commits deliberate sins does so with an insolent (86:14) or arrogant (119:21, 69) attitude. • The great sin is rebellion (see 32:1).”
  9. Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 1:18: 1:18–3:20 Paul delays exploring the theme of righteousness through faith (see 3:21) until after he first teaches about universal sinfulness. Gentiles (1:18-32) and Jews (2:1–3:8) are equally under sin’s power and cannot find favor with God by any action of their own (3:9-20). 1:18 God’s anger is not a spontaneous emotional outburst, but the holy God’s necessary response to sin. The Old Testament often depicts God’s anger (Exod 32:10-12; Num 11:1; Jer 21:3-7) and predicts a decisive outpouring of God’s wrath on human sin at the end of history. While Paul usually de”
  10. 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 1:10: Parallel to Jo1 1:8. we have not sinned--referring to the commission of actual sins, even after regeneration and conversion; whereas in Jo1 1:8, "we have no sin," refers to the present GUILT remaining (until cleansed) from the actual sins committed, and to the SIN of our corrupt old nature still adhering to us. The perfect "have . . . sinned" brings down the commission of sins to the present time, not merely sins committed before, but since, conversion. we make him a liar--a gradation; Jo1 1:6, "we lie"; Jo1 1:8, "we deceive ourselves"; worst of al”
  11. 2 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Corinthians 10:5: Casting down imaginations,.... Or "reasonings"; the carnal reasonings of the minds of natural men against God, his providences and purposes, against Christ, and the methods of salvation, and every truth of the Gospel; which are all disproved, silenced, and confounded, by the preaching of the word, which though reckoned the foolishness and weakness of God, appears to be wiser and stronger than men; and whereby the wisdom of the wise is destroyed, and the understanding of the prudent brought to nothing: and every high thing that exalteth itself against the know”
  12. 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 2:13: also--We not only know by the Holy Ghost, but we also speak the "things freely given to us of God" (Co1 2:12). which the Holy Ghost teacheth--The old manuscripts read "the Spirit" simply, without "Holy." comparing spiritual things with spiritual--expounding the Spirit-inspired Old Testament Scripture, by comparison with the Gospel which Jesus by the same Spirit revealed [GROTIUS]; and conversely illustrating the Gospel mysteries by comparing them with the Old Testament types [CHRYSOSTOM]. So the Greek word is translated, "comparing" (Co2 10:”
  13. 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 3:20: And again,.... Not in the same place, nor in the same book, but in the Psalms, in Psa 94:11. This form of citing Scriptures answers to and moreover, used by the Jewish doctors when the matter does not so clearly appear from the first proof, and therefore they produce another (q): and so here the apostle, for the further confirmation and illustration of this point, that the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, to the testimony of Eliphaz, adds this of David, the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain; in the Psalms it is, "the Lord ”
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