You are here: Home >> The Bible & Our Perspective >> The Need for Clear Thinking

The "Boundaries" of Truth

The teachings of the Bible normally come in groups of two. Sometimes they may be mentioned together in the same context; at other times they aren't. But either way, they never conflict with each other. People may misunderstand and misrepresent one, and (as a result) distort the other - perhaps unintentionally - until they appear to form a "contradiction." But if accepted "as is," and undistorted, the two truths need each other. They complement each other, rather than contradict each other. [Note the difference between the word "complement" (something that completes, or goes along with something else, a counterpart) and a "compliment" (an expression of approval, admiration or praise)!]

These truths are like the parallel rails of a train track: both are needed, or the train will crash. They are like fences on either side of a narrow path, keeping the traveler from wandering astray. When people stop keeping the truths parallel, and try to bring them together as one, the two truths "crash." When people take away one of the "fences," there is no limit (at least in one direction) in how far they can stray from the truth.

It is not our nature to view these truths as parallel. Normally, we focus on one and (inadvertently) de-emphasize, distort or deny the other. As a result, we go astray without ever knowing it. Furthermore, the absence of the one truth creates a "vacuum" or "void," into which error can creep. Many false teachings have started with something that was true, but the proponent of the teaching had a one-sided focus on that one truth, and neglected its complement.

This issue is the cause of many conflicts among people. When one person focuses on the one truth and another person focuses on the other truth, it results in serious irreconcilable disagreement. People often become hostile enemies, when, if each had started with a focus on both truths, they could have become close friends.

Applying this Principle to Understanding the Bible:

First of all, don't just "apply" this principle, if the only reason is because you read about it in an article. Look in the Bible and find out for yourself whether or not this principle is true. Your perspective about the truth (God's Word) should be based on the truth itself, not on what someone tells you to believe.

If your studies lead you to this same conclusion, you will probably agree with these two observations:

Many (perhaps most) of the disagreements people have about the Bible are caused by people not accepting both complementary truths. In contrast, when people do accept this perspective, they cannot help but reach similar views. They might not reach complete agreement in everything, but the "boundaries" keep them from straying very far apart. They will both be traveling in the same direction, on the same path.
A failure to accept complementary truths, and to keep them parallel to each other, is the reason some people claim that the Bible is full of contradictions. (They view the complementary truths as though they were contradictory.) It is also one of the reasons some people say that you can prove "anything" with the Bible. Once you destroy one of the "boundaries" (using the "fence" illustration), there is nothing to limit how far you can stray. (This can also happen when people tear verses out of context. These two methods often go together.)

A More Detailed Look at These Issues:

About "Parallel Truths"

"Parallel truths" may sometimes be described as looking at one truth from two different viewpoints - like two sides of one coin. However, we must be careful if we use this analogy, because we must not emphasize the "one" aspect (like the one coin), to the point that we forget the "two" aspect (like the two sides of that coin).
The "parallel" nature of these truths (the fact that we need to keep them separate) does not mean they are unrelated. They always go together. Yet at the same time, we must acknowledge that they are different truths or viewpoints. If we tried to treat them as though they expressed the identical truth, we would have to distort one or the other, to make them "fit" together. It would be like trying to bring the two rails of a train track together: something is going to crash!
Keeping the Bible as the reference point is essential. Merely claiming to believe in two "complementary" principles does not guarantee that what one believes is true!

How Can We Arrive at Such a View, When it Does Not Come Natural to Us?

The Bible does not force people to adopt a proper interpretation of it. It allows us to decide whether we are going to accept its message the way it has been given, or modify it so that, from our perspective, it "makes more sense." Unfortunately, the more a person adds to (or subtracts from) what it says, the less he will be holding on to its true message. Merely "believing" that one's viewpoint is correct will not cause it to become correct, if the "believer" has not accepted the Word the way God gave it.
Until Jesus changes our perspective (one aspect of repentance and conversion), it is our nature to distort the Word - though we may not realize we are doing so. Ever since sin entered the world, it has been human nature to modify the Word (even if unconsciously) so that it "makes better sense" to us, or to ignore (or downplay) passages which do not fit our views (or which make us feel uncomfortable). Jesus came to bring us back to God - and to a right understanding of reality. (Even if we claim that we hold to "complementary truths," our "complementary truths" are just as likely to be "complementary errors," until we allow God's Word to define our reality.)
Developing this perspective doesn't occur instantly. It requires an on-going spirit of humility and submission to the Word. Before Jesus changes us, each of us has a lifetime of living, thinking and doing things the opposite way - whether that "opposite" is openly opposed to Christ, or secretly opposed (like a counterfeit). We also live in a culture that promotes the opposite way. It will take us a lifetime to undo all the damage. Major foundational changes may occur rather instantly, but the total change will not be complete until the day we see Christ.

Some additional comments

Probably all the teachings of the Bible have "complements." More than that, probably all the truths that are a part of creation, or of human relationships, have "complements." The disagreements people have in any area of life tend to occur for the same reasons as the disagreements they have with the Bible. In any area of life, people who don't accept the complementary nature of truth - and this category includes most people - will tend to focus on one of the truths; and people who do accept this concept - the minority group - will tend to focus on both. Those with a one-sided focus will have a greater tendency to reach conclusions that (whether directly or indirectly) contain error, and this will result in tension between them and their opponents, as well as with those who accept both truths equally.
When we stress our responsibility to submit our thinking to the Word, we must remember that, as with other truths, this one has a complement! The complement has to do with what God does in our hearts and minds, to bring us to that change. The Spirit of God must illuminate our minds, so that we can understand the Scriptures. Without the work of the Spirit, we cannot come to a full knowledge of the truth. [Note, however, that we cannot use this truth as an excuse for not fulfilling our own obligation to search for it! That would be using the one truth as an excuse for denying, or ignoring, the other!]

The only "drawback" to having such a perspective: Opposition from those who don't hold to it!

When others have taken sides in an argument, each focusing on only one of the truths, the person who accepts both truths, will often find himself in partial agreement with people on both sides, yet at the same time in partial disagreement with them. He will discover that he does not fit in either group.

Normally, the people who have taken sides in such an argument will be unable to comprehend the perspective of the person who accepts both truths. Because of this, they will not accept him when he tries to emphasize both. At one point, they may claim that he supports their view; yet at other times they will claim he holds to the views of the opposing side. (It all depends on which aspect of truth they hear him expressing at that moment.) Sometimes both sides may claim that he is on their "side" - or they may both reject him. They may accuse him of saying things he never said - especially if they think he is expressing their opponents' view. (They may falsely accuse him of saying things that they wrongly believe are the "logical conclusions" of what he said.) If they hear him express both complementary truths at the same time, both sides may simply dismiss what he says, claiming that he is being "inconsistent"!

When we find ourselves opposed by seemingly everyone, we may be tempted to compromise, for the sake of acceptance into one group or the other. But we need to remind ourselves that the Day of Justice will come, and we will all stand before the Judge of the universe. The One we will be standing before at that time is the only one we really need acceptance from. So instead of compromise, we need to maintain our integrity and remain faithful to him, his Word, and everything that pertains to the "reality" that God created!

Some Additional Comments about "Boundaries"

As far as I can tell, all truths have complements. This would be consistent with the nature of creation, which itself reflects the nature of God.

The nature of God? Remember that Scripture describes God in two complementary ways - as both "unity" (one) and at the same time, "plurality" (three). People sometimes use the word "trinity" to describe this - though at the same time, many people misunderstand the full significance of that word.

In the article, "The 'Boundaries' of Truth," I say that "probably" all truths have complements, simply because I haven't examined 100% of all truths! So far, I have not found any that don't have complements.

If you examine the articles on this website, you will see that many of them illustrate how this principle "works." There are many issues, which people argue about, and people on each side quote Scripture to "back up" their perspective. But what they don't seem to understand is the fact that both sets of verses are present in the Bible! If we would be willing to admit that both sets of verses are present, and would stop using one set of verses to "interpret" the other set (each side of the argument starting with the opposite set of verses), we might come to a real point of agreement!

When dealing with topics that people argue over, the articles on this website attempt to focus on that "point of agreement" which is able to accept all the verses. This includes topics that people frequently argue about, such as articles about God's sovereignty vs. human responsibility, the role of God vs. people in salvation, the "trinity," etc. But even with topics that are rarely a cause for disagreements, this concept will often be evident.