Believer Quote by Timothy Keller
“The Bible judges the church; the church does not judge the Bible. The Bible is the foundation for and the creator of the church; the church is not the foundation for or creator of the Bible. The church and its hierarchy must be evaluated by the believer with the biblical gospel as the touchstone or plumb line for judging all truth claims.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Prodigal God, 2008
The Bible is the ultimate authority; the church must be judged by biblical standards, not vice versa.
In simple terms: Bible guides church, not the other way.
Key Takeaway
Align church practices with Scripture.
Themes
theology
church authority
biblical interpretation
Mood
thoughtful
devout
Type
theological
expository
When to use this quote
- church leadership evaluation
- faith community discussions
- sermon preparation
Key Concepts
doctrine
gospel
spiritual discernment
Questions to Reflect On
- How can believers ensure biblical fidelity?
- What criteria should assess church teachings?
A Different Perspective
Human traditions can distort biblical intent.
![“24 A few pages later, Delbanco writes the following: [Alexis de] Tocqueville’s detection of a “strange melancholy in the midst of abundance” has a special salience today — because while we have gotten very good at deconstructing old stories (the religion that was the subject of my first chapter…” quote by Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/85a/timothy-keller-240_sad_24-a-few-pages-later-delbanco-writes-the_25320.jpg)
![“I do not make decisions [as governor] based on what have I learned through my Bible studies, what have I learned in my religious classes in school. I'm a big believer in separation of church and state, and I think that's what . . . the law is.” quote by Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a18/arnold-schwarzenegger-657_believer_i-do-not-make-decisions-as-governor-base_18031.jpg)
