40 Bicycles

I often hear the claim that we should stop focusing upon the words of men and return to the Word of God. This is supposed to be an answer to such movements as the New Perspective. I do not think it necessary to point out the numerous flaws in such an approach, but it does sadden me that such a naive view could be so widespread within evangelicalism. N.T. Wright is also calling us to return to Scripture. Anyone who claims that we should stop focusing on what people like Wright are saying and return to the Scriptures have not thought very carefully about the nature of the issue. We all, with our whole hearts, want to return to Scripture. I long to know what Scripture is saying. This is why I read such authors as N.T. Wright, not because I place them over Scripture, but because I value the word of Scripture so highly. I appreciate Wright because, when I read him, the text begins to come alive in ways I have never experienced before. Truths leap from the page, truths that help me to live as God intended. We all need the words of fallible men to help us to understand the Word of an infallible God. The words of men serve as signposts to the reality of the Word of God. They help us to encounter God's truth to depths that we would not otherwise experience. My father once met a pastor who prided himself in the fact that he never read any books. He had the Bible and that was enough. He did not want the words of men to get in the way. My father, a voracious reader, responded by challenging him to justify his foisting himself upon his congregation. They all had Bibles, why did they need him? Were Wright to deny the importance of the Word of God, his words would be drained of value. The reason why I read so many of the words of men is the value I place upon the Word of God. I hope and pray that this will never cease to be the case.