QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: CONCERNING BIBLICAL AND SCIENTIFIC
KNOWLEDGE
Merchant, Sanjay. “Questions and Answers: Concerning Biblical and Scientific
Knowledge” Today in the Word, July 2022, 20–21.
[20] Question: Is biblical truth disputable or is truth indisputable?
Answer: “Biblical truth” concerns that which God reveals in Scripture. Paul
taught that "all Scripture is breathed out by God" (2 Timothy 3:16a), meaning that God
is the source of the affirmations of Scripture. Consequently, the affirmations of Scripture
are “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in
righteousness” (16b) since God, being perfectly good and all-knowing, can neither lie
nor be mistaken.
We know biblical truth by the teaching of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:6-13).
And we know other truths by other means: philosophical truths by rational reflection;
scientific truths by empirical (or sense-based) investigation; and historical truths by
testimony and artifact evidence. In one sense, all truths are indisputable. It is foolish,
even irrational or immoral, to deny something that one knows is true. After all, “facts
don't lie,” according to the adage. Insofar as the Holy Spirit has taught us truth, we
cannot deny it. Every Easter, Christians around the world proclaim, “He is risen
indeed!” The affirmation that God raised Jesus from the dead is biblical truth. And,
among those to whom “God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba!
Father!’” (Galatians 4:6) the resurrection of Jesus is indisputable. Again, we say
"indeed" because of the sure teaching of the Holy Spirit. Skeptics of the gospel will
contend that Christians are deluded, but their simple doubts cannot dissuade us from
knowing spiritual truths by spiritual means.
In another sense, however, all truths are disputable. Peter taught that the believer
must “honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone
who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15a). Skeptics who doubt
that we know spiritual truths are invited to question us, and we must respond “with
gentleness and respect” (15b) because “the wisdom from above is first pure, then
peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere”
(James 3:17). For instance, some skeptics will assert that the biblical depiction of God as
1 of 3
KNOWLEDGE
Merchant, Sanjay. “Questions and Answers: Concerning Biblical and Scientific
Knowledge” Today in the Word, July 2022, 20–21.
[20] Question: Is biblical truth disputable or is truth indisputable?
Answer: “Biblical truth” concerns that which God reveals in Scripture. Paul
taught that "all Scripture is breathed out by God" (2 Timothy 3:16a), meaning that God
is the source of the affirmations of Scripture. Consequently, the affirmations of Scripture
are “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in
righteousness” (16b) since God, being perfectly good and all-knowing, can neither lie
nor be mistaken.
We know biblical truth by the teaching of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:6-13).
And we know other truths by other means: philosophical truths by rational reflection;
scientific truths by empirical (or sense-based) investigation; and historical truths by
testimony and artifact evidence. In one sense, all truths are indisputable. It is foolish,
even irrational or immoral, to deny something that one knows is true. After all, “facts
don't lie,” according to the adage. Insofar as the Holy Spirit has taught us truth, we
cannot deny it. Every Easter, Christians around the world proclaim, “He is risen
indeed!” The affirmation that God raised Jesus from the dead is biblical truth. And,
among those to whom “God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba!
Father!’” (Galatians 4:6) the resurrection of Jesus is indisputable. Again, we say
"indeed" because of the sure teaching of the Holy Spirit. Skeptics of the gospel will
contend that Christians are deluded, but their simple doubts cannot dissuade us from
knowing spiritual truths by spiritual means.
In another sense, however, all truths are disputable. Peter taught that the believer
must “honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone
who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15a). Skeptics who doubt
that we know spiritual truths are invited to question us, and we must respond “with
gentleness and respect” (15b) because “the wisdom from above is first pure, then
peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere”
(James 3:17). For instance, some skeptics will assert that the biblical depiction of God as
1 of 3
