False interpreters of God's Word

The original sin was reinterpreting God’s word, rebelling against God’s word, and putting our interpretation of the world, wisdom, good and evil above God’s word. We tend to do this as we read the scriptures. Often we don’t know we are doing this for we misinterpret scripture naturally do to our fallen nature. Here are some common fallacies when interpreting the scriptures:

 • Interpreting the scriptures through your own morality or truth, determining what is good and evil and what wisdom is and then manipulating the scriptures to fit your standard of morality and truth.
• Stating that the scripture or the writer is inconsistent and fitting that into an argument around your determination of truth. This is a pretty sure test that the person has poor scholarship and hermeneutics, is not open minded, and is trying to fit their interpretation into the text, instead of allowing the scripture to speak for itself.
• The facts are ignored either do to laziness or because they don’t like the truth and prefer to be closed minded.
• Ignoring the fact the scripture is God breathed and written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
• Ignoring the marriage of Biblical Theology and Systematic Theology.
• Ignoring the Gospel.
• Proof texting, taking scriptures out of context.
• Not being open minded and using and having poor scholarship. Good scholarship is not quoting “experts” and “papers” that in reality are horrible and have poor scholarship or do much of what is written here. A degree or paper does not make one a good scholar or open minded.
• Being a wooden literalist – both liberal and conservatives do this.
• Changing the Greek definitions of words to fit their perspective.
• Ignoring the perspective of proven and tested godly men throughout history.
• Thinking in extremes or in the middle. Scripture is holy, totally other; it does not fit on a scale.
• Taking the text out of the whole of the Bible.

Since, true interpretation of the scripture is against our fallen nature, we must die to ourselves, lay our bodies down as living sacrifices, turning away from comfortably to this world and our own interpretations, and instead look to the only true God, so that we come to understand and discern the goodness, beauty, and truth of God's will, through the testing of His word.

Foolishness vs. Wisdom

Foolishness is to say that there is no God, to reject His word. Wisdom is to fear the Lord, to tremble at His word.

Calling someone judgemental is simply just immature name-calling

It seems to me that now days accusing that when we accuse someone of being judgmental, it is often equivalent to saying, "hey, I really don't like what you have to say, and I don't want to hear it because I am closed minded and just really don't know what to say in response. I have already judged you to be wrong anyways, and don't feel like being tolerant. So instead of listening and trying to understand where you are coming from, and then coming up with an intelligent response, I am going to cut you off and close my ears to what you have to say, by calling you names."

We should use this accusation with care and not simply just throw it out because we are frustrated or scared or don't like another person's views. We should instead be more open minded, quick to listen, patient, and loving. Not compromising truth, but pursing God's word, and speaking the truth in love. Many people who accuse people of being judgmental these days don't understand what that term means. 

The evil of our own agenda

It does not profit a man to come to the scriptures to prove his own agenda, theology, or way of life. This is evil, and we should never take this approach. No, the scripture is our authority, not the other way around. We must come with the purpose to submit to the scripture. We must fight hard to die to ourselves, to allow the scripture to kill who we are, and then fill us with who Jesus is. The scripture is a double edge sword calling us to lay down our lives as living sacrifices, so that we might come to know the heart and mind of God.

Jesus challenges culture

Jesus challenged the culture of his day. He will challenge your culture as well.

Open Minded

I am learning that you have to believe in the scriptures in order to be open minded. There is no other way. God's ways are far above our own and any other standard for thinking falls short and is narrow in its expanse and ability to understand the world. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" And "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'"


This will not sit well with a lot of people, even Christians, but the scriptures make us wise in all things in life. And it is a solid ground that can be trusted in. It puts you in a secure place, where you are free to be open minded. 

Kazoo playing

When you look at this world from a humanistic perspective it is like mimicking a masterful music piece that is meant to be played by an orchestra and choir with a kazoo. It does not come near expressing what the artist meant it to be.

"Trust me"

I was talking with someone a while back about an issue that we disagreed on in the direction for a something. I told him that in the direction that we go we must follow scripture. Scripture must be the authority on the issue, not me and not him. I was able to point him not to my opinion, but to what the scripture said. He was unable to point me to scripture for what he believed. Despite that, he told me to trust him as a leader. I know someone else (actually many someone else’s) who have gone to a church where what the pastor taught was not to be questioned. You were supposed to trust the pastor since he was in authority. At that point these men have failed to be the leader the Bible tells him to be. They have sinned. Christ calls a leader to serve. He serves the people by serving the Word of God. It is the responsibility of a leader to be accountable to the scripture. If he refuses this he should not lead. He must be able to back up his position from scripture and is required to answer honest questions with scripture. He cannot say “just trust me”. A leader should be sorrowful when someone “trusts them”. Their ambition should be for people to trust and pursue Christ. And the only authority on how to do that is the scripture. A leader’s passion and call should be, “search the scriptures, to know Christ and obey Him. And trust Him”. I have also heard about teachings on how to interpret dreams. These teachings say in interpreting dreams “this” means “this” “so and so” means “so and so” and these are “the steps” of how to interpret dreams. The problems is that none of that teaching is found anywhere in scripture. It is unsubstantiated teaching. Unfortunately, this is only one of many examples that have plagued the church. Beloved, be wary of anyone who asks you to do anything or believe something that they cannot support with scripture. We must humble ourselves and place our selves under the Word of God. Like children, we must place ourselves under the care of our Father and under the care of His spoken Word. I don’t think anyone is perfect in this, but when we do fall, we shouldn’t run our own way or after distracting voices or be like the mule who has to be tethered to come near, not when our Father’s arms are wide open. We can crawl up into our Father’s arms and hear His voice as He speaks to us through scripture.


Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. – Acts 17:11


Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. -- 1 Timothy 4:13


All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. -- 2 Timothy 3:16,17


But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. –Titus 2:1


He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. -- Titus 1:9-11


If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. -- 1 Timothy 6:3-5


If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. -- 1 Timothy 4:6


Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15


I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. – 2 Timothy 4:1-4


For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. -- Hebrews 4:12


I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. – 1 John 2:14


Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. -- 1 John 2:4-5a


Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. – Colossians 3:16

Scripture

Joshua 1:8 "Do not let this book of the Law depart from your mouth. Meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful."

Psalm 1:2,3 "His delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night. H is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whos leaf does not wither."

Deuteronomy 8:3 "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."

Jeremiah 15:16 "When your words came, I ate them. They were my joy and my heart's delight."

John 17:17 "Sanctify them by the truth; Your Word is truth!"

Washed

Day 8: Its effect on our lives, pt 3
a. By faith we are washed by His word.
2 Timothy 3:16
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work."

If you do not love the voice of your Beloved, then forget it. You’ve run in vain. 1 John says that if we are in Him we will love His commands. This is not a hard thing. As I mentioned before Jesus’ words are romantic. And if we love Christ we will respond to His romance. If we love Him we will obey His commands. Not only this but the scripture also says that the scripture is living and active. It works on us to obey. I think we often have the picture of the scripture as being a persuasive thing, when in reality it is effective. We all know that God’s word doesn’t return to Him void. When I read and meditate on God’s word it changes my life.
I like this quote: “God's Word is like a lion: powerful, living and active. We believe the lion is "caged" when it is used improperly as a pragmatic guidebook, platform for politics, for perpetual therapy, or for phony experience. The Church is responsible to uncage this lion and watch it run and triumph. And it will triumph, for it is the inspired and inerrant Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice.”

I also like how Jesus said that we must come to Him with faith like a child. This doesn’t mean that the father doesn’t teach his child complicated or deep things. What it means is that the child trusts his father and believes him when he teaches him hard and deep things.

b. By faith we are we love others. (Unfortunately, I don’t have time here to go into this more deeply. Although it is vital and must accompany your faith.)

If Christ washes us with His word, how important is the scriptures in our lives?

How passionate are you to love His word? How receptive are you to His romance?

If the scripture is living and active, is not understanding it a reason not to read it?

Are there scriptures that cause you to tremble? Do you avoid them or do you respond with the faith of a child? (read Isaiah 66:1,2)

Additional readings: Isaiah 66:1,2; 1 Corinthians 2:4,5; 1 John
Video - Lion
Video – the Word of God overcomes the enemy

the kind intention of His will

10And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; 11for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God's purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, 12it was said to her, "THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER." 13Just as it is written, "JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED." 14What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! 15For He says to Moses, "I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION." 16So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.

“16So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.”

Paul associates this verse and concept with God’s name. Paul refers to Exodus 33:19 which says, “And He said, ‘I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion’." Whatever we think about this verse, when Paul associates this with God’s name, it forces us to take this scripture seriously. I hear more people saying what they think or feel, instead of taking this scripture seriously and trying to come to grips with what it is saying. We can’t shy away from it because we are afraid. Paul won’t let us. Maybe you can show me, through the scriptures that it means something different than what I think, but you can’t come to this scripture and tell me that you do not believe it because of how you feel or what you think. And one of the things we surely cannot do is accuse God of being unjust or “making robots”. Paul is very clear about that. Paul writes, “19You will say to me then, ‘Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?’ 20On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, ‘Why did you make me like this,’ will it?”

We can ignore scripture or we can face it like men, believing and trusting God like a child, knowing that what He has to say is good for us. And His purposes in this passage are kind, gentle and good. Read with me, Ephesians 1:3-8; “3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight”

My concern here is not to convince us of a doctrine, but to urge us to have trust in God’s word which is faithful. Instead of running from these scriptures or avoiding it because we do not like it, we must become like children who are not afraid to come close and hear the heart of God. Let the scriptures challenge you and reveal who God is and believe.

God's Word

God's Word is like a lion: powerful, living and active. We believe the lion is "caged" when it is used improperly as a pragmatic guidebook, platform for politics, for perpetual therapy, or for phony experience. The Church is responsible to uncage this lion and watch it run and triumph. And it will triumph, for it is the inspired and inerrant Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice. (from Redeemer - Waco,TX)

methods and fads

written Monday, October 22, 2007

When we push certain methods for doing things instead of the scriptures, we make snobbish Christians.

Will Metzer Tell the Truth, CH.7, p.108

"Lables are deadly in Christian circles. For example when it comes to the topic of the will, immediately certain views are categorized as Reformed or Arminian. The discussionthen ends because it is thought (wrongly) that as soon as you have given a name to something, you understand it. Instead, there should be continued dialogue in the Scriptures by all of us. Let's fight this labeling fallacy."

The Word of God

---My pastor talked about how if you set a lion in cage and put it before you (or the church) and then open the cage, it is not you who has to protect the lion, the lion needs no protection; it is you who needs the protection. It is the same with the scripture. It is a lion. It will conquer. He also told a story of how while looking at the lions at the zoo, one of them roared. The roar shook the things around him. The roar shook him.

---The Bible talks about the scripture as being a double edged sword that divides bone and marrow, spirit and soul. It comes at us in close, violent, and personal combat. It shakes us and conquers us and conforms us into the image of Christ.

---Scripture is also described as water, bread, substance, life. It is not only personal in combat but personal in sustaining us and being life giving and a hope and a joy. It strengthens us. They are the words of the Beloved. His word washes His bride conforming us into the image of Christ.

---God's word is at work for the power of His glory.