Seventh-day Adventists have been historically a people of prophecy. Because of this, many Adventists develop an above-average interest in history and archeology, for there they find evidences of the ac curate fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Because the Adventist recognizes that sin has marred nature, and therefore limited man's capacity to observe and to interpret without bias what he sees, he has consciously sought to take this factor into ac count in his studies.
In this connection I would like to review with you briefly the story of the church throughout the Christian era. Such a review may have some thing vital to say to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and to the Christian church at large, regarding the role of human reasoning.
Undoubtedly, history and natural science have been useful servants of God's revelation of Himself to man, but there have been repeated in stances in the history of the Christian church of a process in which reason first became the equal of faith in God's self-revelation through the Scripture, then gradually came to dominate that faith. The result? The supreme authority of the Scriptures, which Jesus cited to vindicate His Messiahship, was neutralized, especially among those whose knowledge and training most forcefully confronted them with the claims of science and history. These claims have often led either to an outright denial of the unique nature of the Scriptures or to various methods of interpreting the Bible that stripped it of its authoritative character as the God-given history of this world, of man, and of the universe. This, in turn, has led to a reinterpretation of the history and nature of sin and of the divine plan of salvation.
This oft-repeated controversy be tween human reason and faith in God's Word surfaced in a pronounced manner during the startling events of the French Revolution. That revolution was in part a reaction against the dogmas of a world-dominating church, so much so that in the process of the revolution reason was enthroned as a goddess above the authority of Scripture and the monolithic church. This led France into the excesses so familiar to historians of the revolution.
It is inevitable in a church such as the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which, in proportion to its size and resources, places considerable stress upon education for its youth, that the challenge of reason to Bible faith will be repeatedly encountered. In general, the higher the educational levels attained, the stronger the encounter.
Every thoughtful Christian scholar, leader, minister, parent, student, and church member must be prayerfully concerned as to what the result of these encounters may be. Unquestionably, reason is a gift of God; undoubtedly it is one of the major elements of the "image of God" in which man was made. But reason must ever be exercised in connection with faith. In the Garden Eve listened to the voice of reason above the words of God, and was deceived. Adam disobeyed because he did not trust God to resolve the problems created by his wife's tragic choice.
Noah could not controvert the strong reasons given by the philosophers and scientists to prove that there would be no flood, "but he could proclaim the word of God; for he knew it contained the infinite wisdom of the Creator." —Ellen G. White, in Signs of the Times, April 18, 1895, p. 4.
If Seventh-day Adventists ever give credence to the concept that faith in the revelations of God must find its vindication and court of final appeal in human reason (whether as philosophy, history, science, or whatever), what will the future of our faith be? One of Satan's supreme goals in his work against the church is to shift subtly the original relationship of reason and Biblical faith to one that subordinates faith to reason. With this objective accomplished, all his other aims would be assured in time. It would please Satan for us to elevate science, so-called, and human reasoning to a place of equal authority with God's Word. He is constantly endeavoring to cause men to exalt their own rules and regulations and traditions to an equal place with revelation. Having accomplished this, his next step is to exalt man's words above the Word of God.
As leaders in God's church, we must ever remain alert to preserve the divinely given relationship of these heavenly gifts so that reason ever submits to the authority of faith and remains faith's servant.
