The Theory of Knowledge

The theory of knowledge usually begins with the classic definition of knowledge from Plato, which is still widely used today in philosophy. It is that knowledge consists of justified, true belief. To know something is true, you have to believe it is true. It also has to actually be true. Lastly, this true belief must be justified. In other words, you must have a reason if you know something to be true. According to Plato and classic western philosophy, there are nine kinds of justification, or reasons to believe something, in three different categories, shown above.  

A.) External

    1.) Revelation

As Christians, we believe in one sole source of divine revelation and that is Holy Scripture. This principle is called Sola Scriptura – Scripture alone is the authoritative, inspired, inerrant, and efficacious word of God.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” -2 Timothy 3:16-17

“I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.” -Revelation 22:18

For the rest of these justifications, we must remember that any teaching must be completely, in every way, consistent with the God’s Word. Everything must be tested and if something is good, hold on to it, if it is bad, throw it away. This takes discernment, which is a fruit of the spirit.

“To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn (or light).” -Isaiah 8:20

“but test everything; hold fast what is good.” -1 Thessalonians 5:21

    2.) Earthly Authority and Experts

          The Lutheran Confessions

“The Lutheran Confessions are a true and binding exposition of Holy Scripture and serve as authoritative texts…. The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod… subscribes unconditionally to all the symbolical books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church as a true and unadulterated statement and exposition of the Word of God.” -LCMS Website

          Theologians

LCMS Published Stances, from the president, committees, and the CTCR

“The Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) provides study documents, opinions and statements on theological issues.” -LCMS Website

Clergy and lay, both LCMS and non-LCMS (Two of my favorites are Martin Luther, who had a doctorate in theology and C.S. Lewis, who was a layman in the Church of England.)

          Other Authorities/Experts.

Other smart people, such as philosophers and scientists

    3.) Generally Accepted (Consensus Gentium)

          Inside the Church

The first form of this is consensus within the Church. We believe teach and confess historic Christianity. Fellowship of all believers. If someone is teaching something new, that no one has ever taught before, then he is a false prophet.

“I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.” -1 Corinthians 1:10

“Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” -Jude 3-4

          Outside the Orthodox Church

The second form of this reason to believe something is broader than the Church and extends to consensus among everyone.

B.) Internal

    4.) Consistent with Current Beliefs

If something is not in the Bible, it must be consistent with what the Bible teaches, or it cannot be true.

    5.) Instincts/ Intuition/ Self-Awareness

Once again, this must be consistent with what the Bible teaches, or it cannot be true.

“For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them.” -Romans 2:14-15

“…I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts…” -Jeremiah 31:33

    6.) Memory

Remembering that something happened can be a good reason to believe it is true, but memories can also be unreliable.

C.) Self-Evident

These are the self-evident things that are not based on logic or observation, for example human rights.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” -The Declaration of Independence

    7.) Faith

True knowledge from faith is having conviction and is not from within yourself. Biblically, faith is described as follows:

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” -Hebrews 11:1

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” -Ephesians 2:8

    8.) Logical or Rational

However, the modern man (being oh so enlightened – much more so than the typical man, or any previous man), might reject all the above reasons based on religion, faith, beliefs, instincts, historical precedence, broad acceptance, and philosophy, and insist instead on a logical and rational argument before believing something. The field of apologetics is really just going through the evidence, or justifications for our beliefs using logic. 

“So [Paul] reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.” -Acts 17:17

    9.) Sense Perceptions (Observations)

Now, the post-modern man (being oh so evolved, both physically and mentally beyond the modern man) might reject pure logic and reason, as only making it theoretically possible, but might want science, or observation of a thing before believing. Materialists, or people who try to use science to disprove religion, are really saying that only sense perception is the only valid on for any belief and they deny the previous eight.

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” -Romans 1:20

“He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ so that everyone he has made may know his work,” -Job 37:6-7