Scripture Decides What is Normative - 30
If we decide, then we have become the writers again
We do not get to decide if a Scripture text is still for us today, normative,1 by looking around at our modern culture to see what we commonly do.
In other words, if the Apostle Paul wrote, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery...” (Ephesians 5:18) then for us to excuse it and say “Well, things have changed!” is to apply a pencil’s eraser to the Bible.
Debauchery: is when a person indulges himself in sensual pleasure excessively. It is embracing too much of something in order to feed a physically desired appetite. The Apostle certainly treated debauchery as something sinful. And he uses the example of too much wine drinking as one way to sin.
Paul ends verse eighteen with his alternative to debauchery, “be filled with the Spirit...”. You may even argue God’s Spirit was Paul’s remedy for it. God in you is the solution offered to overcome the temptation to excessively indulge your senses.
But is what Paul wrote normative (the norm) for all the church through all of time? Was the Apostle wrong? Is drunkenness debauchery? Or isn’t it? If so, then could we argue that only wine is to be avoided or would any alcohol or some other abused substance lead a person into debauchery? In other words, too much beer, bourbon, vodka, or even small substances of marijuana, cocaine, and other drugs, is also debauchery. Too much sex is debauchery.
If we interpret the normativeness of Scripture by whether or not something is approved today, in the culture around us, then we will need to erase Paul’s example of getting drunk on wine. As we all can see, in our culture, there are a lot of people getting drunk regularly and bragging about it. Drugs are also increasingly available. And sex can be had with anyone who is willing. This is regular practice. It is who we are! So should some things be edited out of Paul’s letter?
The thing is, God does not let us decide what still matters and what was bound to the culture of Paul’s day. That would make us the determiners of truth, and equivalent to allowing small children decide what they want to eat off their plates at dinner.
Instead, Scripture must interpret Scripture. It is an important hermeneutical rule. It is the rule implied when Jesus said, “Scripture cannot be broken.” (John 10:35)
1 normative: establishing, relating to, or deriving from a standard or norm, especially of behavior.