Balancing Human Guidance with Scripture's Authority in Decision-Making
In Christian decision-making, the authority of Scripture is paramount, as it is considered "God-breathed" and effective for wisdom and salvation [8, 1]. The Bible is referred to as the "Word of God" and the "Holy Scriptures," given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit [1, 8]. Christ himself sanctioned the Scriptures by appealing to them and teaching from them [1].
However, human guidance also plays a role, often in interpreting and applying these divine instructions. The Old Testament provides examples of human leaders, such as Moses, who were tasked with making God's rules and instructions known to the people [2]. When difficult matters arose, the people were directed to bring them to a chosen place for judgment, implying a need for human interpretation and decision-making in complex cases [4].
Wisdom and counsel are presented as divine attributes, with Proverbs stating, "I have counsel and wisdom: I am understanding, and I have strength" [3]. John Gill interprets this as referring to a divine Person, the "Wisdom of God," through whom counsel is exercised [6]. This suggests that while ultimate wisdom originates from God, it can be mediated through human understanding and counsel. Matthew Henry emphasizes that the purpose of wisdom's discourse in Proverbs is to bring people into subjection to religious laws and to rectify hearts and lives, urging attention to the "good instructions that the word of God gives us" [7].
The New Testament also acknowledges the role of human judgment. Paul, in 1 Corinthians, appeals to his audience's "own powers of judgment" to weigh his arguments, indicating that believers are responsible for discerning truth for themselves [5]. This does not negate the authority of Scripture but rather highlights the human responsibility to engage with it thoughtfully. The administration of justice by magistrates, for instance, is seen as a divine ordinance, requiring impartial human judgment [9].
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Scriptures, The — Given by inspiration of God -- 2Ti 3:16. Given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit -- Ac 1:16; Heb 3:7; 2Pe 1:21. Christ sanctioned, by appealing to them -- Mt 4:4; Mr 12:10; Joh 7:42. Christ taught out of -- Lu 24:27. Are called the Word. -- Jas 1:21-23; 1Pe 2:2. Word of God. -- Lu 11:28; Heb 4:12. Word of Christ. -- Col 3:16. Word of truth. -- Jas 1:18. Holy Scriptures. -- Ro 1:2; 2Ti 3:15. Scripture of truth. -- Da 10:21. Book. -- Ps 40:7; Re 22:19. Book of the Lord. -- Isa 34:16. Book of the law. -- Ne 8:3; Ga 3:10. Law of the Lord. -- Ps 1:2; Isa”
- Exodus “Exodus 18:16 (LEB) — When ⌞they have an issue⌟, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make known God’s rule and his instructions.””
- Proverbs “Proverbs 8:14 (Geneva1599) — I haue counsell and wisedome: I am vnderstanding, and I haue strength.”
- Deuteronomy “If there arises a matter too hard for you in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within your gates; then you shall arise, and go up to the place which Yahweh your God chooses. -- Deuteronomy 17:8”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 10:15: Appeal to their own powers of judgment to weigh the force of the argument that follows: namely, that as the partaking of the Lord's Supper involves a partaking of the Lord Himself, and the partaking of the Jewish sacrificial meats involved a partaking of the altar of God, and, as the heathens sacrifice to devils, to partake of an idol feast is to have fellowship with devils. We cannot divest ourselves of the responsibility of "judging" for ourselves. The weakness of private judgment is not an argument against its use, but its abuse. We should t”
- Proverbs (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Proverbs 8:14: Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom,.... The words and sentiments in this and the following clause are the same with those in Job 12:13; and scent to be taken from thence, which are spoken of God; and being here applied to Wisdom, show that a divine Person is meant; and are very applicable to him who the Wisdom of God, and the power of God; and on whom rests the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel, and of might, and of the fear of the Lord, Co1 1:24. "Counsel" belongs to him, and is used and exercised by him, as concerned with the Father and Spirit, both in”
- Proverbs (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Proverbs 8:32: We have here the application of Wisdom's discourse; the design and tendency of it is to bring us all into an entire subjection to the laws of religion, to make us wise and good, not to fill our heads with speculations, or our tongues with disputes, but to rectify what is amiss in our hearts and lives. In order to this, here is, I. An exhortation to hear and obey the voice of Wisdom, to attend and comply with the good instructions that the word of God gives us, and in them to discern the voice of Christ, as the sheep know the shepherd's voice. 1. We must be dilig”
- 2 Timothy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Timothy 3:16: 3:16-17 These verses elaborate on 3:15 by explaining Scripture’s effectiveness, its source, and the ways that it gives wisdom to live out our salvation. Paul was speaking of the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament), but his statement can now apply to all Scripture, including the New Testament (see, e.g., 2 Pet 3:15-16). 3:16 The fact that Scripture is inspired by God (literally God-breathed, breathed out by God’s own speech; see also Heb 4:12-13; 2 Pet 1:20-21) does not negate the active involvement of the human authors. But it does affirm that God is fully re”
- Proverbs (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Proverbs 16:11: Note, 1. The administration of public justice by the magistrate is an ordinance of God; in it the scales are held, and ought to be held by a steady and impartial hand; and we ought to submit to it, for the Lord's sake, and to see his authority in that of the magistrate, Rom 13:1; Pe1 2:13. 2. The observance of justice in commerce between man and man is likewise a divine appointment. He taught men discretion to make scales and weights for the adjusting of right exactly between buyer and seller, that neither may be wronged; and all other useful inventions for the”