Why must Scripture interpret experience?

Scripture is God-breathed, sufficient, and the final authority for the Christian life. Personal experience must always be tested and interpreted through the Word of God.

What is the danger of experience-driven Christianity?

Experience-driven Christianity can shift authority away from Scripture and toward feelings, impressions, and personal stories, leading to confusion and theological drift.

Does God still guide Christians today?

God guides Christians through His Word, the work of the Holy Spirit, prayer, wisdom, and the local church. Scripture remains the final authority for faith and practice.

When Experience Becomes Authority: Why God’s Word Must Interpret Our Feelings

⏱️ Estimated Reading Time: 1 min read

When Experience Becomes Authority: Why God’s Word Must Interpret Our Feelings

Show: Contending for the Word
Host: Dave Jenkins

Show Summary

Experience is not the final authority for the Christian life. God’s Word is.

In this episode of Contending for the Word, Dave Jenkins addresses the tendency in modern Christianity to treat personal experience, spiritual impressions, and phrases like “God told me” as authoritative apart from Scripture.

Anchored in 2 Timothy 3:16–17, this episode explains why Scripture is God-breathed, sufficient, and the final authority for doctrine and the Christian life.

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Episode Notes

Why Scripture is the final authority for the Christian life
Why experience must always be tested by the Word of God
The dangers of testimony culture and experience-driven theology
Why phrases like “God told me” require careful discernment
How to pursue a healthy spiritual life without elevating feelings above truth
Why the church must remain anchored in Scripture alone

Key Scripture

2 Timothy 3:16–17

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Dave Jenkins( Executive Director )

Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah, and lives in beautiful Southern Oregon. He is a writer, editor, and speaker who loves Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology.

Dave serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries and the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine. He is the Host and Producer of the Equipping You in Grace Podcast and a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word.

He is the author of The War of Worldviews: Truth, Lies, and the Battle for the Christian Mind (Theology for Life, 2026), Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age and The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021).

You can connect with Dave on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, or subscribe to his newsletter.

When he is not engaged in ministry work, Dave enjoys spending time with his wife, going to movies, sharing a meal at a favorite restaurant, or playing a round of golf with friends. He is also a voracious reader, particularly of Reformed theology and the Puritans, and is often found working through a stack of new books from a wide range of Christian publishers.

Dave earned his M.A.R. and M.Div. from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.

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