The term Biblicism is sometimes cast as an aspersion against those who interpret the Bible literally or who hold to the doctrine of sola scriptura. A Biblicist, as commonly defined, is someone who uses the Bible—and only the Bible—for his authority and source of knowledge, blindly holding to the Bible to guide him through every situation and inform him on every issue.
A proper view of Scripture is that the Bible is the ultimate authority. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” (2 Timothy 3:16). This verse lends support to Biblicism. Since the Bible is “inspired by God,” it is in fact authoritative, infallible, and internally consistent. It must be allowed to have the final word on everything. How could Scripture be profitable for “instruction in righteousness” if it cannot be trusted as absolutely true and consistent?
Biblicism does not automatically reject the creeds and confessions of the ancient church. Rather, Biblicism tests the creeds, whatever their origin, against God’s Word, the Bible. This is what the Reformation was all about. If not for the Reformers’ insistence on sola scriptura, many would still be buying indulgences and kowtowing to the pope.
Biblicism does not ignore context. To the contrary, a literal hermeneutic involves considerations of a passage’s historical, cultural, and literary framework. Any interpretation must agree with the context of the Bible as a whole, since the Bible—the authoritative Word of God—is its own best commentary.
Dr. Charles Ryrie, a seminary professor said, “Don’t ever let yourself be known as a Calvinist or an Arminian–be known as a Biblicist.” I do not feel any compulsion to align myself with any system of theology that tries to explain the inexplicable. The Bible teaches God’s sovereignty, and the Bible teaches our responsibility. Teach the Bible, and you will be balanced. By the way, Paul was neither a Calvinist nor an Arminian. He was a Biblicist. He embraced the teaching of the Old Testament Scriptures about election, but he also believed in everyone’s responsibility to trust in Christ and to spread the gospel to others. We see that in Romans 9:16 - "So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy."