HOW CAN WE TEST A BIBLICAL ARGUMENT?
Bible and Logic — Study 10
A practical checklist for determining whether a conclusion really follows from Scripture.
1. "But That's What the Bible Says!"
How many times have you heard someone say:
"The Bible clearly teaches this!"
Perhaps the person quotes several verses.
He may explain the meaning of a Hebrew or Greek word.
He may refer to a respected scholar.
He may present a carefully organized argument that sounds convincing.
But one question remains:
Does the conclusion actually follow from the evidence?
That is the question we have been examining throughout this series.
We have learned that an argument can sound convincing and still be wrong.
Its premises may be false.
Its reasoning may be invalid.
Its conclusion may go beyond what the evidence establishes.
Or it may begin by assuming the very thing it claims to prove.
Now we need a practical way to apply what we have learned.
This final study brings the principles together.
The goal is not to make everyone an expert in formal logic.
The goal is to help ordinary Bible readers recognize the difference between what Scripture says, what Scripture implies, and what someone merely assumes.
2. First, Identify the Actual Conclusion
Before examining an argument, determine exactly what the teacher is claiming.
This may sound obvious, but it is often overlooked.
A teacher may quote several passages and discuss a subject for an hour without clearly stating the conclusion he expects the audience to accept.
Ask:
What, exactly, am I being asked to believe?
Consider these statements:
"The Bible teaches that Jesus will return."
"The Bible teaches that Jesus will return before a particular future event."
"The Bible teaches that Jesus will return on a particular date."
These are three different claims.
The first may be established by passages such as Acts 1:11 and Hebrews 9:28.
The second requires additional evidence about the order of events.
The third requires still more evidence, and it must be considered alongside passages such as Matthew 24:36.
Proving the first statement does not automatically prove the second or third.
A teacher must establish the particular conclusion being taught, not merely a related biblical truth.
3. Second, Identify the Premises
A premise is a statement offered as a reason for accepting a conclusion.
Consider this argument:
Premise 1: All beagles are dogs.
Premise 2: All dogs are mammals.
Conclusion: Therefore, all beagles are mammals.
The conclusion follows from the premises.
But now consider:
Premise 1: All dogs are mammals.
Premise 2: All cats are mammals.
Conclusion: Therefore, all cats are dogs.
Both premises are true.
But the conclusion is false.
Why?
Because the premises do not establish that cats are dogs.
The fact that two groups share a characteristic does not make them the same group.
This is an important warning for Bible study.
Two passages may contain similar words, descriptions, or symbols.
That does not automatically mean they refer to the same event, person, or subject.
We must examine not only whether the premises are true, but whether they actually support the conclusion.
4. Third, Check Whether the Premises Are True
An argument can have a perfectly valid structure and still reach a false conclusion if one of its premises is false.
Consider:
Premise 1: All birds can fly.
Premise 2: Penguins are birds.
Conclusion: Therefore, penguins can fly.
The reasoning follows the stated premises.
But the first premise is false.
Not all birds can fly.
Therefore, the argument is not sound.
The same problem occurs in biblical arguments.
Suppose someone begins with:
"Every time the Bible uses this word, it means exactly the same thing."
That premise must be examined.
The word world, for example, does not always have the same meaning in every passage.
John 3:16 speaks of God's love for the world.
First John 2:15 warns believers not to love the world.
The context determines the intended meaning.
A conclusion built on a false premise is not established merely because the reasoning sounds impressive.
5. Fourth, Examine the Context
This may be the most important practical habit in Bible study.
Never examine a quotation without asking what it meant in its original setting.
Who was speaking?
To whom?
What question was being answered?
What happened before and after the statement?
Was the writer giving a command, describing an event, explaining a symbol, or making an argument?
Consider our familiar example.
Matthew 27:5 says that Judas went away and hanged himself.
Luke 10:37 records Jesus saying, "Go, and do likewise."
John 13:27 records Jesus saying, "What you are going to do, do quickly."
All three statements are in the Bible.
All three are true statements about what happened or was said.
But suppose someone joins them together:
"Judas went and hanged himself."
"Go, and do likewise."
"What you are going to do, do quickly."
YES! YES! YES! Every statement is in the Bible!
But does the conclusion follow that Jesus commanded us to imitate Judas?
Of course not.
The passages concern different people, different circumstances, and different subjects.
Connecting true biblical statements does not automatically produce a true biblical conclusion.
A verse removed from its context can be made to appear to teach something the writer never intended.
6. Fifth, Look for Hidden Assumptions
Many arguments depend on premises that are never stated.
Consider:
"This passage uses the same symbol as another passage."
"Therefore, both passages must describe the same event."
What is the hidden premise?
Whenever two passages use the same symbol, they must refer to the same event.
Is that true?
Not necessarily.
Biblical symbols may be used in different contexts for different purposes.
A lion, for example, may represent different subjects.
Jesus is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah in Revelation 5:5.
But 1 Peter 5:8 compares the devil to a roaring lion.
The shared image does not make Jesus and the devil the same person.
The hidden premise is false.
When examining an argument, ask:
What must I assume in order for this conclusion to follow?
Then ask:
Has Scripture established that assumption?
If not, the argument may be resting on something the teacher has introduced rather than something the Bible has revealed.
7. Sixth, Check Whether the Same Word Has the Same Meaning
We studied this problem earlier.
It is called equivocation.
An argument uses a word in one sense and then quietly changes its meaning.
Consider the word saved.
In Matthew 8:25, the disciples cried out for Jesus to save them from drowning.
In Acts 16:30, the Philippian jailer asked what he must do to be saved.
The same English word appears.
But the contexts are different.
One concerns rescue from physical danger.
The other concerns salvation in a spiritual sense.
We must not assume that every occurrence of a word carries the same meaning.
The same caution applies to words such as:
World
Law
Flesh
Kingdom
Death
Life
Spirit
The meaning must be established from the passage.
A shared word is not proof of a shared meaning.
8. Seventh, Ask Whether the Conclusion Goes Too Far
Sometimes an argument establishes something true but then claims much more.
Consider Acts 20:7.
The passage records disciples gathering on the first day of the week to break bread.
What does the passage establish?
It establishes that this gathering occurred.
But suppose someone concludes:
"Therefore, this verse alone proves every rule governing the time, place, frequency, and manner of every Christian assembly."
That conclusion goes beyond what the verse itself states.
Additional arguments and passages would be required.
This does not mean that biblical examples are unimportant.
Examples can provide valuable evidence of apostolic practice.
But we must examine what a particular example actually establishes.
A conclusion must not be broader than the evidence supporting it.
9. Eighth, Ask Whether One Event Really Caused Another
We have also studied the false-cause fallacy.
Consider the disciples' question in John 9:1–3.
They encountered a man who had been blind from birth.
They assumed his blindness must have resulted from his sin or his parents' sin.
Jesus rejected their explanation.
The disciples had observed the man's condition.
But they did not know its cause.
We make a similar mistake when we assume that because one event followed another, the first event must have caused the second.
The Bible sometimes tells us why an event happened.
When it does, we should take that explanation seriously.
But when Scripture does not reveal the cause, we should not invent one.
Knowing what happened is not always the same as knowing why it happened.
10. Ninth, Do Not Substitute a Teacher's Reputation for Evidence
A teacher may have studied Scripture for decades.
He may know Greek and Hebrew.
He may have written books.
He may be respected by thousands of people.
All of that may give us good reason to listen carefully.
But it does not guarantee that every conclusion is correct.
Acts 17:11 tells us that the Bereans examined the Scriptures to determine whether Paul's message was true.
They did not reject his teaching without consideration.
But neither did they abandon examination.
That is the attitude we should develop.
We can respect teachers and still ask:
"Would you show me how that conclusion follows from the passage?"
The reputation of the teacher does not replace the evidence.
And that includes the author of this study.
11. Tenth, Watch for Circular Reasoning
Circular reasoning occurs when an argument assumes what it is trying to prove.
Consider:
"My interpretation is correct because it agrees with the true doctrine."
"How do you know that doctrine is true?"
"Because my interpretation proves it."
Nothing has been independently established.
The interpretation is used to prove the doctrine.
The doctrine is used to prove the interpretation.
A teacher may sincerely believe the conclusion.
But sincerity does not repair circular reasoning.
An argument must provide support for its conclusion rather than merely assume the conclusion is already true.
12. Eleventh, Be Careful With Arguments From Silence
Consider two arguments.
Argument A: The Bible does not specifically forbid this practice. Therefore, God must permit it.
Argument B: The Bible does not specifically mention this practice. Therefore, God must forbid it.
Neither conclusion follows from silence alone.
We must examine what Scripture has already commanded, permitted, or prohibited.
A command may establish limits.
A general instruction may allow reasonable choices about how it is carried out.
And sometimes Scripture does not provide enough information to settle every practical detail.
Hebrews 7:11–14 shows that silence can be significant within an established legal arrangement.
But it does not prove that every unmentioned practice is automatically forbidden.
What Scripture does not say must be understood in light of what Scripture does say.
13. Twelfth, Do Not Reverse Conditional Statements
Consider:
"If an animal is a beagle, it is a dog."
True.
But can we reverse it?
"If an animal is a dog, it is a beagle."
False.
The first statement does not establish the second.
The same problem can occur with biblical promises, warnings, and commands.
We must distinguish between necessary and sufficient conditions.
We must not change if into only if without evidence.
Nor should we assume that a statement remains true when reversed.
The direction of an argument matters.
14. Thirteenth, Consider the Strongest Reasonable Objection
This is an important safeguard.
When we believe a conclusion is correct, we naturally notice evidence that supports it.
We may overlook evidence that challenges it.
That tendency is called confirmation bias.
The solution is not to become suspicious of everything.
It is to examine our own conclusions carefully.
Ask:
"Is there a passage that appears to challenge my interpretation?"
"Have I understood that passage in its context?"
"Could someone who disagrees with me present a reasonable argument?"
"Have I answered the strongest objection, or only the weakest?"
We should not misrepresent another person's position simply to make it easier to reject.
A sound argument should be able to face serious examination.
If we want others to examine their assumptions, we must be willing to examine our own.
15. A Practical Bible Argument Checklist
Here is a checklist you can use whenever someone presents a biblical conclusion.
You may want to keep it beside your Bible.
Before accepting a conclusion, ask:
1. What exactly is the conclusion? Can I state it clearly in one sentence?
2. What passages or premises support it? Have they been identified?
3. Are the premises true? Have they been demonstrated rather than assumed?
4. Have the passages been read in context? Who spoke, to whom, and why?
5. Are there hidden assumptions? What must be true for the argument to work?
6. Are words being used consistently? Has a word changed meaning during the argument?
7. Does the conclusion actually follow? Or does it go beyond the evidence?
8. Is a cause being assumed without proof? Does one event merely follow another?
9. Am I relying on a teacher's reputation? Or have I examined the evidence?
10. Is the argument circular? Does it assume what it claims to prove?
11. Is the argument based on silence? If so, what does the surrounding teaching establish?
12. Has a conditional statement been reversed? Has "if" become "only if"?
13. Have serious objections been considered? Or only evidence supporting the preferred conclusion?
You do not have to use all thirteen questions every time.
Some arguments are simple.
Others require careful study.
But these questions can help you recognize where additional examination is needed.
16. Let's Test a Complete Argument
Consider this hypothetical claim:
"A particular modern event fulfills a prophecy in Revelation."
The teacher offers this reasoning:
Premise 1: Revelation contains a symbolic description.
Premise 2: A modern event resembles part of that description.
Conclusion: Therefore, the modern event must be the fulfillment of the prophecy.
Now apply our checklist.
First: Is the conclusion clear?
Yes. The teacher claims that a particular modern event fulfills the prophecy.
Second: Are the premises true?
Perhaps. Revelation does contain symbolic descriptions, and the modern event may resemble one of them.
Third: Does the conclusion necessarily follow?
No.
Similarity does not automatically establish identity.
Fourth: Are there hidden assumptions?
Yes.
The argument assumes that the symbol refers to a modern event and that the resemblance identifies its fulfillment.
Those assumptions require evidence.
Fifth: Has the passage been examined in context?
We would need to know.
Has the teacher considered the original audience, the historical setting, the surrounding visions, and related Old Testament passages?
Sixth: Have alternative explanations been considered?
Perhaps the imagery had significance for the original readers.
Perhaps it describes a recurring pattern.
Perhaps it points to a future event.
The possibilities must be examined rather than dismissed without consideration.
Seventh: What conclusion is presently justified?
At most, the teacher has identified a possible resemblance.
He has not yet established the claimed fulfillment.
That does not prove his interpretation is false.
It means his argument has not proved it true.
A conclusion may be possible without being established.
17. What If the Argument Is Wrong but the Conclusion Is Right?
This is one of the most important lessons in the entire series.
A faulty argument does not automatically make its conclusion false.
Suppose someone says:
"All dogs are animals."
"All cats are animals."
"Therefore, all dogs are mammals."
The conclusion is true.
But the premises do not establish it.
Knowing that dogs and cats are animals does not, by itself, prove that dogs are mammals.
We need additional evidence.
The same principle applies to Bible study.
A teacher may reach a correct conclusion through faulty reasoning.
We should not reject the conclusion merely because one argument for it fails.
Instead, we should ask whether a better argument establishes it.
Likewise, a well-organized argument may be logically valid but depend on a false premise.
We must examine both the reasoning and the evidence.
Our goal is not merely to defeat arguments. Our goal is to discover what is true.
18. What Should We Do When We Cannot Reach a Certain Conclusion?
Sometimes the evidence is not sufficient to settle a question.
What should we do?
We can acknowledge the uncertainty.
We might say:
"This interpretation seems possible."
"The evidence appears to favor this explanation."
"I have not yet found enough evidence to reach a firm conclusion."
Or simply:
"I do not know."
There is nothing dishonest about recognizing the limits of our knowledge.
In fact, it is more honest than presenting a guess as though it were a command from God.
Deuteronomy 29:29 reminds Israel that secret things belong to the Lord, while revealed things belong to His people.
The principle is worth remembering.
We are responsible for what God has revealed.
We are not entitled to invent what He has not revealed.
Certainty should be no greater than the evidence allows.
19. A Final Challenge
The easiest person to examine is someone with whom we disagree.
We naturally notice weaknesses in arguments that challenge our beliefs.
But what about arguments supporting doctrines we have accepted for years?
What about explanations offered by teachers we admire?
What about conclusions we have taught to others?
Are we willing to apply the same standards?
We should be.
A true conclusion does not need faulty reasoning to support it.
And if one of our conclusions is mistaken, discovering the mistake gives us an opportunity to understand Scripture more accurately.
The purpose of careful reasoning is not to win arguments.
It is to avoid putting our own words into God's mouth.
We want to distinguish between:
What Scripture explicitly says.
What Scripture necessarily implies.
What the evidence makes probable.
What is merely possible.
And what Scripture does not establish.
Those distinctions matter.
They help us speak with confidence where Scripture is clear and with appropriate caution where questions remain.
20. The Most Important Question
We began this series with a simple question:
Does that conclusion really follow?
We have now examined ten studies dealing with biblical reasoning.
We have considered true and false premises, valid and invalid arguments, sound reasoning, conclusions that go too far, changing word meanings, false causes, appeals to authority, circular reasoning, arguments from silence, and conditional statements.
All of these lessons point toward the same responsibility.
When someone says, "The Bible teaches this," we should ask:
"Will you show me where Scripture teaches it, and how the conclusion follows?"
And when we teach others, we should be prepared to answer that same question ourselves.
We should not be satisfied merely because an argument sounds persuasive.
We should want it to be true.
We should want it to be supported by Scripture.
And we should want the reasoning to be sound.
That is the purpose of this entire series.
READ FIRST. REASON CAREFULLY. CONCLUDE LATER.
TEXT B4 TRADITION
Continue Exploring Scripture
Bible and Logic — Main Study Page
Does That Conclusion Really Follow?
Return to Study 1 — Can Two True Statements Prove Something False?
Review the difference between true statements and valid reasoning.
Review Study 2 — What Makes an Argument Sound?
Learn why both true premises and valid reasoning are necessary for a sound argument.
Review Study 9 — Does "If" Mean "Only If"?
Examine how reversing a conditional statement can produce a conclusion Scripture has not established.
Add the individual study links when their pages are published.
Our invitation: Examine the passages. Check the reasoning. Consider the context. If you find that a conclusion on this website does not follow from Scripture, identify the passage or reasoning that needs correction.
The same standard applies to every teacher—including the author of TEXT B4 TRADITION.
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