What Is Scripture Advocacy?

What does it mean to be a Scripture Advocate in the United States and the world today? What does it mean to stand for purity, truth, and righteousness in a post-truth world full of wickedness? The primary thing it means is going against the mainstream in religious, scientific, and societal standards ... because the acceptance of Scripture as an accurate guide to life and life eternal is now an extremely small minority view.

The Uniqueness of Scripture - A Savior There is one unique concept that belongs only to the Bible. It is the concept of a Savior ... a substitutionary atoning sacrifice that grants us righteousness and eternal life. No other religion offers this. Most religions will have a concept of an afterlife or reincarnation, but all of them have a judgment based on your good works (not your relationship to a Savior). Many religions have something like a Messiah ... an expected figure that may come with great power or authority. But that is not the same as a Savior. It is this single truth upon which everything hangs. It is this single concept the world is fighting so much because, if this is true, then the world is convicted of sin. To be a Scripture Advocate, in all times, is to be a messenger about the Savior.

Scripture and Religious Traditions If one assumes that Scripture is accurate and authoritative in describing both the physical and spiritual aspects of life, then people should be aware of what it says if they want the most fulfilling life possible. Instead, Christian believers have followed after the Traditions of the Bishops and become increasingly liberal and symbolic in their interpretation of the Bible. Similarly, Messianic Judaism has left behind many of the commandments of Scripture in order to followed after the Traditions of the Rabbis. Many groups have even allowed the mysticism from other religions to filter into their beliefs and actions. To be a Scripture Advocate means being tough on these false traditions (especially the ones that contradict Scripture) whether they be from Christian, Rabbinic, Secular, or Occult origins. It is a battle for obedience, purity, and righteousness.

Scripture and Scientific Consensus Science should go where the evidence leads! But this is not the way of many parts of the scientific community for the past century. Once again (as has happened other times in history) science has gone the direction that consensus wants it to go. Even more, it can only continue in this direction by squelching the competition rather than letting the scientific method (experimental testing) properly work. As a Scripture advocate, I expect that archaeology and science will agree with the Bible where it touches on historic and scientific topics. Indeed, it does. In fact, many parts of the world around us line up much better with biblical expectations and models of a creation that is intelligently designed, created, and young. Yet once again, this is the minority view and as is all too often the case: history is being written by the winner (majority) with all of it's slants and biases. We need to have open and proper scientific research to defend ourselves from the attacks of evolutionism, uniformitarianism, and humanism.

Scripture and Social Constructs In regards to the many philosophies and types of governments in the world, a scriptural view holds that the rules of the Kingdom of Heaven and it's covenant relationships have a righteousness which goes beyond the legal concepts and codes of honor produced by other societies. Even worse, many cultures and societies are falling into every form of evil due to pride, selfishness, and the lusts of the flesh. These, in turn, cause many of the ills that the society then suffers from. Throughout history, cultures have grown when they are righteous and collapsed when they are evil. The world, more than ever, needs shining examples of righteousness and the blessings that come with it.

To be a Scripture Advocate means not trying to please man, but instead giving honor to our Savior and to the Kingdom of Heaven. It means standing up in a world more than willing to persecute the messenger who states there is truth and that there is judgment for sin. It means teaching righteousness to those who are believers, but are wandering in religious traditions of man rather than building a close relationship with our Creator. It means being an example of Kingdom living even in the many faces of opposition. It seems each year brings more challenges to scripture advocacy ... but the price required to build the Kingdom of Heaven is worth it.