The Word is all about the Word…

Over the years God has taught me that accurate Bible interpretation requires attention to these truths. One is that Jesus is the living Word — and this book is the written Word; it is all about Jesus.

The written Word, like Jesus, is from God and inerrant. What God says is more important than “what does this mean to me?” I need to seek what is intended by what they say. This means a careful study of the words, even the original languages, the genre, the grammar, and the historical context. I cannot read present day ideas and customs or my life into it. Context is vital. Pointing to one verse to build a theology is dangerous.

The intended meaning is usually literal yet figurative language is often used by God to explain concepts and even events in ways that our minds can grasp. When God says He covers us with His wings, that does not mean He is a bird, but all figurative language is not that obvious!

Also, any part of the Bible needs to be considered by the thoughts in the entire Bible. All will be in harmony. That is, even what seems contradictory will fall into harmony if properly understood. This and all interpretation means dropping my preconceptions and relying on the Holy Spirit to inform me.

Revelation is progressive. The OT writers did not have the benefit of NT revelation, yet the NT writers had the benefit of the OT. Also, some OT writers were given glimpses into the future, but they did not have all of the particulars, yet all had the benefit of the Holy Spirit.

The intended meaning is God/Christ centered and has significance for everyone, in all places and at all times. Some Christians toss out the OT without realize how it points to NT truths and events and certainly to Jesus.

All that said, I realize that many contemporary Christians use “this means to me” and even current word meanings and events to interpret what was written, ignoring the author’s intent and use of languages with varying word meanings that are not the same as ours.

This week’s devotional author seems to fiddle with current word meanings rather than using Scripture to explain his message. Also, some of what is said is unclear as to the intended audience. Is this speaking to believers or to those who do not know the Lord? If to believers, the message should affirm our relationship to God through faith in Christ rather than telling me to give my life to Him. I have already done that. My battle now is not against the wrath of God that sinners deserve, but against the old nature and the lies of the world and Satan to cause doubt and lead me into sin.

Today’s devotional says: “To yield to God means to belong to God, and to belong to God means to have all His infinite power and infinite love on our side” What does this say? I already belong to God; He saved me and made me His child. I’m not always yielded to God’s will, either in ignorance of it, or because I’ve been side-tracked by some selfish idea or Satan’s lies, but that does not negate that God is caring for me or that I miss out on His power and love. He always rescues me from sin because He is my Savior.

All this to say that one more rule of Bible study is figuring out who the verse is talking to. If it is to those without Christ, I still need to pay attention, but am affected differently because God has already revealed that truth to me now as a believer. For many passages, they remind me of what I already know and have in Christ, and are not about becoming a believer but instructions in how to live as a member of His forever family.

PRAY: Lord, grant discernment and careful interpretation when I read what You have inspired godly authors to write. Most of all, may I see You clearly before trying to see what it is You want from me. Seeing You shows me what needs to be changed in my life. You tell me that I too often search the Scriptures because I think I need advice for my life, yet those Scriptures bear witness about You, (John 5:39) just as You described after You rose from the dead: “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, Jesus interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24:27) Seeing you changes me, but a focus on me does not have the same result.

Rightly dividing the Word . . .

 

READ 1 Corinthians 5–8

A friend tells me that salvation gives us power; therefore, no Christian should be sick. She dismisses verses that say how God uses sickness to show His glory, or to chasten sin, or even to take His people home. No one likes being sick so this teaching has an appeal, but is healing always the will of God? Or is it sometimes a human, fleshy desire?

In reading these chapters, I remember Paul rebuked this church for being carnal or ruled by fleshy and sinful motives. I’m impressed how easily we get this mixed up with “God told me . . .”  Paul addresses these issues:

Sexual Sins. In this case, it was incest, but the rebuke was broadened to include other kinds of sin — in the church. It is not talking about the sins of unsaved people:

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. Purge the evil person from among you. (1 Corinthians 5:9–13)

I’ve seen this reversed, as did Paul. This church tolerated those involved in immorality and were proud of being “loving” toward them, but this passage says that was not God’s will. Instead, they were to put them out of fellowship, not accept them and their behavior. However, the reverse applies to unbelievers for they do not have the Spirit of God to enable them to stop sinning.

Settling Disputes. The church at Corinth went to civil courts with their disagreements instead of settling them in-house with Spirit-filled believers using biblical wisdom. Paul says, “To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!” (1 Corinthians 6:1–8) This is fleshy behavior.

Acting like they were not saved. After listing some sins, Paul says, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9–11) In other words, act like who you are, not who you were!

Thoughtless priorities. The Bible says “All things are lawful” but not all things are helpful, so don’t be dominated by food or sex. Our bodies belong to the Lord and are a temple of the Holy Spirit, bought with a price! Glorify Him. (1 Corinthians 6:12–20)

These principles apply to marriage, even unhappy marriages where divorce is considered, sex within marriage and sexual desires outside of marriage. We belong to Jesus and must learn how to live like it, not allowing our old nature to govern what we think and do. At the same time, this new life is not saying we give up our life and move to a monastery or change anything unless God calls us to change.

Priorities. The ideal is an eternal perspective that is focused on the will of God and not on the cares of this life. This is a challenge yet those filled with the Spirit are not concerned with temporal emotions, riches or poverty, and other “worldly” things. Instead, we are “to promote good order and to secure our undivided devotion to the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:30–35) and consider ways to build up others. The example given is not to think I know everything because “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” I’m to watch what I do so that I don’t cause others to stumble. Paul talks about eating food offered to idols, but this applies to any sort of behavior that is worldly, or carnal or fleshy, lest those outside the faith, or even other Christians think that sort of life is acceptable to God. If I cause others to sin by violating their conscience, I am sinning against Christ.

Another note, where Paul says, “if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble” (1 Corinthians 8:7–13) he is not telling people to become vegetarians. This is about meat offered to idols — and reminds me to read carefully, not use the Bible to support or repudiate any personal “wisdom” or lack thereof. God’s ways are not like the world’s ways — and my ways need to match up with His.