In the Nov. 28, 2021, episode of the CBS news program “Face the Nation,” Margaret Brennan interviewed White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci. Responding to her comment regarding the politicization of matters of life and death and criticisms of him personally for promoting universal corporate/government-mandated experimental medical treatments, Dr. Fauci said:
“… It is very easy to pick out an individual and make them a target because that’s what people can focus on. But you’re talking about systems, you’re talking about the CDC, you’re talking about the FDA, you’re talking about science in general. So if they want to, I mean, anybody who’s looking at this carefully realizes that there’s a distinct anti-science flavor to this. So if they get up and criticize science, nobody’s going to know what they’re talking about. But if they get up and really aim their bullets at Tony Fauci, well, people could recognize there’s a person there. There’s a face, there’s a voice you can recognize, you see him on television. So it’s easy to criticize, but they’re really criticizing science because I represent science.”
Fundamentally, science is defined as knowledge gained through observation, identification, description, experimental investigation and theoretical explanation of natural phenomena. In an open and free society where the pursuit of scientific discovery, ethics and truth can thrive, empirical data is available for evaluation, questions, debate, criticisms, replication and the formulation of theories based on this process. In such an environment, no scientist or acknowledged expert is above having his theories or conclusions evaluated for validity.
Legitimate science is incompatible with fallacious appeals to authority. In the context of Dr. Fauci’s comments, his claim to represent “science” was meant to emphasize the idea that the scientific or medical pronouncements he and “authoritative experts” like him make today must be believed and obeyed without question or criticism.
“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
In the spiritual realm, the Bible is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested, but supposed latter-day “prophets” act as infallible interpreters of Scripture. There are many warnings in the Bible to watch out for such people who would twist the word of God to gain followers for themselves and the power over others this brings (2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 4:1)
Latter-day so-called prophets make it clear that their authoritative pronouncements and writings are not merely their own opinions, but words from God, even going as far as making the claim that their writings are just as authoritative as those of the prophets and apostles in Scripture and constitute the most earnest present truth for God’s people in these last days. They typically accuse those who critically question them as deceived by Satan, people who will eventually reject the Bible itself and end up on the road to damnation.
Just as the light of the moon is superseded by the rising of the sun, the revelation of God from the Old Testament is superseded by the coming of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. But these so-called divine authorities usurp this superior revelation with their false teachings.
Instead of Jesus being God’s full and final revelation, as Hebrews 1 teaches, latter-day “prophets” use their “inspired interpretation” of the Bible to present themselves as the authoritative “expert” whose writings must be obeyed and cannot be doubted or critically measured against Scripture.
While God reveals Himself to humanity in a general way through His creation, the Scriptures are a special, supernatural way in which He communicates with us. It is the standard by which all ideas, doctrines and beliefs are to be tested. (2 Peter 1:20-21)
When you are outside walking on a woodland path on a cloudless day with the sun shining in its strength, you can clearly see the way to go. You do not use a flashlight to find your way across the path because the sun provides more than sufficient light.
Would-be latter-day prophets and prophetesses, in drawing followers after themselves, typically make claims to receiving special revelations from God that go beyond what the Scriptures teach and reinterprets them to bolster their own heretical belief systems. They distract from the glory, majesty and completeness of Jesus Christ and His word. Perhaps they do teach a few good and true things here and there, but in time they point away from the sufficiency of God’s Word. They inevitably draw power and authority to themselves and lead their followers into damnable falsehoods. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
In the Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah, the greatest of prophets in Israel, appeared with Jesus on a high mountain. It can be said that the law and the prophets were epitomized with these two figures. But of Jesus, the Father’s voice proclaimed, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” (Mathew 17:1-9;Mark 9:2-8;Luke 9:28-36)
In the medical scientific realm, people like Dr. Fauci and his partners appeal to their authority as experts above reproach or criticism when promoting pharmaceutical products in which they have a vested interest. Ethical and credible evaluation using legitimate science take a back seat, and the consequences are catastrophic. Carefully following the scientific method would act as a standard against people like Dr. Fauci who abuse their positions in society for money and power.
Scripture warns us in many places against false prophets and teachers who make claims to speak on behalf of God and mislead people to tragic consequences (Deuteronomy 13:1-5, 18:20-22; 1 John 4:1-6). Do not accept the flashlights they offer, no matter how appealing, when the Son provides all the light needed to see the truth. Listen to Jesus!
Believe in the One who is the exact representation and essence of God, who sustains the entire universe by His powerful word, who became a man to live the perfect life we could not, to die the death we deserved to pay for all our sins, who conquered death by rising from the grave, and who now sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven. He is the standard for truth, and we read about Him in the Scriptures inspired by the Spirit of God. (Hebrews 1:3-4)
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