In our denomination there is an increasing divide between
those who love to ask questions and those who love to give answers.
When looking to Jesus' example, either "side"
might find texts that bolster their perspective. There were times in Jesus'
ministry when he responded with a less specific response than his questioners
(or the modern-day reader) desire. Yet there were other instances when he
provided an unambiguous answer and commanded his disciples to believe in
certain things about him.
Both of these principles are present when Jesus is
teaching his disciples in John 8. Our Lord says to his followers in verses 31-32,
"If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know
the truth, and the truth will set you free." Here Jesus turns our eyes to
the inseparable link between truth and freedom. His teaching (which is all of Scripture) gives us answers. This
statement excites those who prefer answers. Once you have those answers, Jesus
promises that you will be set free. The promise of freedom makes the
"questioner" giddy. For the sake of both sides, it is worth exploring
what it is that we who have the truth are being set free from.
By Jesus blood we are set free from sin. With God's truth
we are set free from dangerous wandering.
The answers provided in Scripture, the creeds, and the
confessions of our church are like a guide book in the wilderness of life.
David uses a similar analogy in the Psalm 119:105: " Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for
my path." If you have a good map you are able to explore the trail and the
wilderness with confidence. But the moment you lose the guide book the
wilderness becomes dangerous. Berries that look delicious could be deadly. What
looks like a shortcut might lead off a cliff. Those makeshift barriers built by
previous hikers are easily disregarded if you convince yourself the destination
is just on the other side. For anyone who has ever been lost in the woods, you know that the
wilderness can feel like an endless prison where each step only leads to more
doubt about where you have been, where you are now, and where you are going.
The mighty Holy Spirit and the infallible Word of God
have guided the church throughout all times and places. Our denomination has a
rich heritage of Spirit-led pioneers, who have each trekked their leg of the
path with expertise and integrity. Men like Alvin Plantinga and women like
Johanna Veenstra have been equipped to take risks because of their skillful and
creative use of those indispensable guides.
Where do we go from here? First you need to realize if
you're a questioner or an answerer.
I like answers. At the end of the day I want to know what
a trusted source (like the Bible, the confessions, the "Contemporary
Testimony" or a fellow preacher) has decided on an important topic. I like
to give reasons for the hope that I
profess. I like to be sure of what I
hope for. This means I need to be intentional about having a gracious and
hospitable attitude towards questioners. It's not wrong if people with big
questions pursue them within the structures that our church has deemed
appropriate. Under the God-ordained supervision of first the council, then classis,
and finally Synod we can be free to apply biblical discernment to new ideas. An
"answerer" like me needs frequent reminders of that freedom.
For those who prefer questions, you generally think of
ideas as being near or far from the truth instead of right or wrong. This doesn't
mean you reject absolute truth (you know there is a destination and a way to
get there), but the amount of truth that you believe is knowable is less than
the typical "answerer" would claim. You are more likely to probe the
mysteries of Job, the startling emotions of the Psalms and the theological
complexity of the incarnation. However, you may need to be reminded of Jesus'
teaching that real freedom cannot be had without truth. In our denomination
that translates into your need to embrace the confessions as the handy trail
map that they are. It's not that this will automatically impede your inquiries,
but it does hold your questions and beliefs accountable to the standards we
have covenanted to keep.
Jesus and the Apostle Paul couldn't be clearer about the
essential relationship between these different parts of the body of Christ. We
need both. And that means we need questioners who love the truth as well as
answerers who are willing to question. As we work together instead of against
one another we take part in fulfilling Jesus' promise in John 8.