“As it teaches us all the rest”

Gaussen hits head on what we call “theological schizophrenia” or believing the Bible regarding redemptive themes while disbelieving what the Bible says about itself. We should believe what the Bible says about itself “as it teaches us all the rest.” The modern Evangelical church has foolishly carved out a section of orthodox theology, exegetically based bibliology, and given herself permission to treat that locus with schepticism and doubt—to treat that element of the principium theologae as a secular subject. Gaussen unites the Deity of Jesus Christ, the Deity of the Holy Spirit, both essential truths to the Christian Faith, with the truth that the Holy Spirit “dictated the whole of Scripture.” The Deity of the Holy Spirit and the inspiration of Scripture by dictation are both grounding truths taught in the Bible.

Are you suffering from theological schizophrenia? Are you justified in yourself to believe without reservation in the Trinity but critical and skeptical of the truth claims the Bible makes for itself. Have you compartmentalized orthodox theology, which is to say, separated God from His Word? And in this separation become the personal arbitrator of inspiration and preservation?

James White is the poster child for this bifurcation. During the debate with Dr. Van Kleeck, Jr., Dr. Van Kleeck challenged White to read the verses about the Bible in the same manner he would the Creation account and because White would not, Dr. Van Kleeck properly described White’s crippled presentation as secular.

Gaussen, a pre-critical theologian writing in the post-critical era of the Enlightenment, illuminates the contemporary confusion of accepting unbelief as a component part of so-called “Bible-based” Christianity.