(Part 1)

JBTM Jim Shaddix
9
may justify this move by noting that this extra-biblical information—often couched in lifeapplication,
felt-needs, and topical sermons—is not usually heretical in nature. It is quite
possibly helpful wisdom for anyone to follow. But just because something is not heresy
does not mean it faithfully represents the inspired Word of God, especially when it involves
subjects to which God did not directly speak.
I liken this subtlety to the distinction between God’s stuff and good stuff. 21 God’s stuff
is the body of truth that is revealed in the Bible, given for the purpose of accomplishing
God’s agenda. It is the true nature of the Bible. Good stuff, on the other hand, is all the
helpful advice and practical information we get in life that is not necessarily drawn directly
from biblical teaching, but instead from information or principles that we glean from simple
observation and research.
To illustrate the difference, consider some topics that God clearly addresses in the Bible.
The old and new covenants, justice, holiness, the crucified life, the church, the ordinances,
forgiveness, the second coming, and more are all topics to which God has specifically and
clearly spoken on the pages of Scripture. All of those subjects are clearly God’s stuff, and we
should glean our understanding of them from applying good hermeneutics in our Bible study.
By contrast, a therapist can observe enough people dealing with stress on the job in order
to glean certain helpful principles for relieving stress. A marriage counselor can observe
enough people recovering from divorce to identify some helpful guidelines for navigating
that crisis. Parenting experts can talk with enough moms and dads to be able to delineate
some practical ways for raising strong-willed children. And while general Bible truths can be
identified that relate to these and other life experiences, it would be difficult to conclude that
God addressed any of them specifically and directly in his Word. That stuff is good stuff, but
we cannot categorize it as biblical truth.
Preachers have not been given the responsibility of addressing all things good and helpful.
They have been charged with the task of speaking only what God has spoken. Stott pointedly
asked, “How dare we speak, if God has not spoken? By ourselves we have nothing to say.
To address a congregation without any assurance that we are bearers of a divine message
would be the height of arrogance and folly. . . . If we are not sure of this, it would be better to
keep our mouth shut.” 22 While all truth certainly is God’s truth, he has sovereignly chosen to
include in the Bible only the truth that is necessary to accomplish his eternal purpose. The
preacher’s authority to say “Thus saith the Lord,” therefore, is not in good stuff but God’s
stuff. Consequently, he is compelled to rightly interpret, exegete, and proclaim biblical truth
in such a way that it is free to accomplish God’s purpose. And that kind of exegetical and
hermeneutical rubric will issue forth in only one kind of preaching—biblical exposition. This
practice is the only way for the preacher to be true to the Bible’s nature.
21
Jerry Vines and Jim Shaddix, Power in the Pulpit (Chicago: Moody, 1999), 58–59.
22
Stott, Between Two Worlds, 96.