How the church continues to engage Scripture after receiving it？

How the church continues to engage Scripture after receiving it?

The Holy Spirit connects Scripture and church tradition, guiding the church to identify the biblical canon as uniquely authoritative while preventing tradition from eclipsing Scripture’s primacy.[1] This means the church’s work isn’t to perfect the Bible itself, but to interpret and apply it faithfully across generations.

The Spirit’s role involves ensuring the Bible’s message remains relevant to contemporary contexts, helping believers navigate theological complexity and cultural change, and bridging the gap between ancient texts and present needs.[2] Rather than perfecting Scripture, the church must deepen its understanding of what Scripture already contains.

Different Christian traditions approach this differently. Protestants emphasize that Scripture interprets itself through the Holy Spirit’s power, with the church’s role being obedience to this interpretation.[3] Meanwhile, other traditions see dogma grounded in Scripture but unfolded through church history as the Spirit guides the church into deeper understanding—a developmental process involving the whole church, requiring believers to relate Scripture’s message to their concrete situations.[3]

Additionally, some argue the church should recover the Holy Spirit’s ongoing activity throughout history, not limiting the Spirit’s work to the apostolic era.[4] This suggests the church’s next step involves remaining open to the Spirit’s continued guidance rather than treating Scripture as a closed deposit requiring completion. The focus shifts from perfecting the text to perfecting the church’s obedience to it.

[1] Roger E. Olson, The Mosaic of Christian Belief: Twenty Centuries of Unity and Diversity (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2016), 108.
[2] Dong In Baek, Nature and Time: Reimagining Justice, Peace, and Environmental Unity on the Korean Peninsula (Eugene, Oregon: Resource Publications, 2025). [See here.]
[3] Donald G. Bloesch, The Church: Sacraments, Worship, Ministry, Mission (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2002), 87.
[4] Stanley M. Burgess, “J. Rodman Williams,” in Handbook of Evangelical Theologians, ed. Walter A. Elwell (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1998), 318.