Thorne 4
only initial but ongoing. The whole idea of a discipleship to Jesus Christ at a personal level must
be grasped for a truly Biblical understanding of personal conversion. Evangelicalism seems to
stop at the door of the initial conversion experience and hesitate to enter into holistic evangelism
which turns the whole life to a lifetime of the eternal life of God that radicalizes one's personal
experience.
II. THE SUFFICIENCY OF SCRIPTURE
"An evangelical believes in the sufficiency of the Old Testament and New Testament,
inspired by God, and inerrant in its originals, as the sole authority for the Christian in all
matters."
17
Moses tells us that "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
18
This
should be sufficient to answer the debates over evolution and creation when evolution is seen as
supporting the naturalistic atheistic agenda. God said to Joshua, "Do not let this Book of the Law
depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything
written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful."
19
There is no better formula for
success. The Psalmist exalts, "Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight."
20
That would seem to be enough to delight in. Isaiah addresses us in the midst of scoffers when he
says "Therefore hear the word of the Lord."
21
It seems that we need to be listening.
Peter makes a plea, "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came
about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man,
but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
22
Paul declares "All
Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
23
We