WHAT IS A FUNDAMENTALIST?
“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4
The word fundamentalist is used in a variety of ways today. A modern dictionary defines fundamentalism as “emphasizing the literally interpreted Bible as fundamental to Christian life and teaching,” or “a movement or attitude stressing strict and literal adherence to a set of basic principles.” Generally speaking, a fundamentalist Christian seeks to live by the precepts and principles of the Word of God. This is what God wants. He wants us to live by the commands and promises of Scripture. In this Scripture, Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy 8:3 saying, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
We are to live by the Bible. We are to make decisions based on the teachings of the Lord of God. We are to guide our homes according to the Word of God. We are to govern our finances according to the teachings of the Bible. We are to maintain priorities that reflect the wisdom found in the Scriptures. Our relationships, hobbies, and values should be influenced by the words of Scripture. A fundamentalist Christian is a Bible Christian.
In our text, Jesus was being tempted of the devil to turn rocks into bread. Satan will always be tempting us to act in ways that are contrary to the Word of God. False and compromising religions have been deceived in this temptation. When doctrines and traditions are held that are not in agreement with the Word of God, this is not pleasing to the Lord. We often hear of churches redesigning their ministries to be more acceptable in our culture, when in fact, some of the changes are clearly forbidden in the Bible. When methods and programs are introduced that conflict with the teaching of the Bible, churches are getting away from the biblical model. Being innovative and progressive may not necessarily be wrong, as long as, these changes do not violate the plan that God has given us in His Word.
In our text, Jesus told the devil that God distinctly intended for us to be governed by “every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” We need to read and study the Bible, and be willing to accept the truth of Scripture as the final authority for our lives.