In His Study

Credentials authenticated

To know the truth, but not be allowed to speak it - all I could do was wait!

Many times I’ve watched a news program on television and heard, in the introduction of the next segment, some individual proclaimed an expert in their field. I often hear a show host offer, as proof of the credentials of the expert, a long list of degrees or experience in the field.

Expecting that we will accept the opinion offered by the expert as authoritative, generally we have no reason to doubt the learned statements made. Or do we?

When the segment is on politics, it is often true the expert before our gaze and our listening ear, has never held the office being discussed, never had to face the decisions the office requires and has never been presented the top secret information that affects the decisions made. Having served in the U.S. Navy as a radioman, sometimes as watch commander, it was my sworn duty to receive highly classified messages for certain “eyes only.” That meant that I had to have the classified clearance necessary to receive the message and deliver that message to the correct “eyes.” Most of the time those “eyes” belonged to the captain.

One late evening, in the harbor of Danang, Vietnam, I received a message, checked the decipher to verify the content, and then quickly delivered the secret message to the captain. The captain almost immediately gave orders to withdraw from the harbor. Since I had seen the message that affected the decision made by the commanding officer, I understood that decision.

When many of my fellow sailors did not. Of course, I could say nothing. I was bound by sworn duty. Later that night the harbor was destroyed by bombing. The captain was praised.

In the world of Biblical scholarship, many “experts” surface. Often proclaiming loudly, and with disdain toward alternate views, that they are the true voice of reason concerning Biblical archaeology, the person of Jesus Christ, the authority of the Scriptures, the meaning of “the end times,” etc. They offer as proof of the accuracy of their conclusions, their scholarly credentials, their special fields of study and the so called “preposterous” conclusions of others.

They often belittle their protractors that the audience, and even other Biblical students, are hesitant to disagree with them. Thus unchallenged, these “expert” conclusions find their way into the mainstream of Biblical thought.

But, there is a question that must be answered concerning their credentials.

“Have you received the ‘Top Secret’ message, and been able to read that message that was necessary to reach your conclusions?” Just as I, a Navy radioman, received the top secret message, and then had to use the top secret code for that day to decipher the message, so every so-called Biblical expert has to have the “secret code” to decipher the Biblical message.

That code comes only by having a personal relationship with the code maker,and he is Jesus Christ.

And, in order to have that relationship, the “expert” must acknowledge that he is a sinner in need of saving grace, and seek the forgiveness and grace that only the code maker, Jesus, can give.

If he does “ask, seek and knock,” then he, and anyone who asks, will receive a personal understanding of the “decipher” necessary to read the Biblical message, and all its associated fields of study.

If, however, a so-called expert does not believe in the concept of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, who is identified as the Living Word, that “expert” does not have the message deciphering knowledge necessary to study the written Word and reach conclusions that we should listen, too. If he hasn’t received the secret decipher, he can not reach accurate conclusions. His conclusions are baseless, on “sinking sand.” Worthless in fact, his conclusions are dangerous. They misguide people to follow a false path.

If a Biblical expert’s credentials are to be authenticated, the first credential must be his relationship with Jesus Christ (you have to know the author of the Book to truly know what the Book says). Having confirmed that relationship with Christ to be true, we can then determine whether his “security clearance” and “code reading skill” qualifies him to pass messages on to others. We may then give consideration to his words. We are bound, however, to always check all thoughts and conclusions with the code maker, Jesus, ourselves.

Remember, if we have a personal relationship with the code maker, we can, and may, talk to Him ourselves. He doesn’t just send messages to the “expert!”◊◊◊

Editor’s note: Jim Duncan is the pastor of Mountain Bible Church, Mountain, Mo. He may be contacted at P.O. Box 146, Pea Ridge, AR 72751; or by telephone at 417-341-8504; by e-mail at james. [email protected]. His Web site is www.jamesduncan-writer.net.

Church, Pages 2 on 09/14/2011