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SEEKING THINGS ABOVE
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above,
where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. “(Col. 3:1)
Volume II Number 9
December 2021
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That’s Just Your Interpretation
Mark Larson
That’s just your interpretation! How many times has someone said that to you when you attempted to teach him the truth from the Scriptures? Rather than take the message of truth to heart, it is quickly dismissed as merely your opinion and not taken seriously at all.
If you have ever heard this before, you know that it is sort of like “hitting a brick wall.” Further discussion of the truth with such a person can be very difficult. The potential for meaningful Bible study is not very promising.
What Is Your Interpretation?
The best way to begin in your response to someone who says: “That’s just your interpretation” is to hand the passage over to him and ask for his interpretation. An interpretation in Bible study is simply an explanation of the meaning of a particular passage of Scripture. Rather than be discouraged and give up, make this offer instead: “I am willing to hear your interpretation and correct my own position if I am wrong. What is it?” This demonstrates fairness as well as humility, both of which are necessary for Bible study (Proverbs 18:12,13). Be open-minded and willing to hear any evidence that others might have for their beliefs and practices. Just as we hope for positive change in the people we teach, we too must demonstrate a willingness to change our own beliefs and practices when we are corrected (e.g., Acts 18:24-26).
Speak In Terms Of Evidence
When making the offer to listen to other people’s interpretation of Scripture, be sure to include this request: “You must have evidence to support your interpretation over mine. What is it?” Before allowing an exchange of interpretations to take place, it is important to come to a mutual agreement that true, saving faith is based on the evidence or the teaching of the Scriptures. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17).
We must speak of the importance of providing book, chapter, and verse for the beliefs that we hold (I Peter 4:11; Colossians 3:17). We must emphasize that a fair hearing must be given to all that God has said on the matter to get a proper understanding of God’s Will. When studying any subject, “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27) should be sought in the pursuit for the truth. Passages must be examined in its proper context. Concordances and Hebrew or Greek Bible dictionaries are very helpful to gather even more evidence.
No Legitimate Interpretations?
Sometimes people reject the truth because they are convinced that no interpretation of Scripture can be relied on as the truth. Many are convinced that every interpretation involves man’s opinions and thus everything is spun, biased, or slanted to favor a particular doctrine, practice, or personal viewpoint.
Let us admit the fact that there are indeed many interpretations of Scripture offered today that are according to man’s opinions that must be rejected (II Peter 3:15-17). However, not all interpretations are false. There are real differences between interpretations. Many will lead to eternal destruction, yet only the truth will lead to eternal life (Matthew 7:13,14).
Finding the truth requires a recognition that there is ultimately only one faith (Ephesians. 4:5; Jude 3) or one truth (John 8:32; 17:17) that God has revealed to us. God has promised us that we can know what the truth is (I Timothy 2:4; Ephesians 3:4). These facts ought to bring hope to the skeptic who says there are no legitimate interpretations.
Will Any Interpretation Of Scripture Do?
Sometimes people take the opposite extreme and declare that though there is only one faith or truth, it is too confusing or difficult to find. Many people, in response to the multitude of religious groups and doctrines, conclude that almost any interpretation will do. Rather than rule out certain religious beliefs on the basis of Scripture, there is the desire to respect every belief as equal in merit or legitimacy. Many people want to “just get along” and do not want to debate or discuss their differences. The preferred “solution” of many is to just choose the interpretation that personally suits you best and call that “the truth.”
Some Interpretations Are Better Or More
Plausible Than Others
The answer to any confusion or challenge that we may have in searching for the truth is not to choose just any interpretation of Scripture! Imagine the trouble we would have in our lives if we handled all of our decisions this way.
For example, would we be willing to randomly choose a marriage partner? Would we choose just any car to drive or any house to live in? Would any of us be willing to invest our hard-earned savings into just any type of investment? When we are sick, would we decide that just any medicine or treatment will make us well? Of course not! In making any important decision in life, to choose wisely requires that we learn all that we can about the issue or problem that is at hand. The same is true in deciding what we should believe and practice in religion from the Scriptures.
So which interpretation of Scripture should one choose? To sift through the interpretations that are possible and decide on only one requires that we accept the interpretation that is most plausible, probable, or credible. Rather than foolishly accept just any interpretation of Scripture, let us choose the one that provides the most evidence (e.g., true to the context of the passage, in harmony with parallel passages on the same subject, true to the actual meaning of Bible words, etc.). “So then do not be foolish, but understand what the Will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17).
God Provides Us With Rules For Interpretation
Thankfully, God provides us with some assistance on how to interpret the Scriptures right in the Word itself! The Lord gives us the help we need to determine the truth for what we are to believe and practice in religion. There are four major rules He provides:
- Direct Statements Or Commands We Must Obey: (e.g., John 14:15; II Peter 3:1,2).
- Divinely Approved Examples We Are To Follow: (e.g., I Peter 2:21; Philippians 3:17; Acts 2:42).
- Necessary Implication, Meaning Conclusions We Can Make From What Is Implied In Scripture: (e.g., Matthew 22:41-46).
- Respect For The Silence Of God, Meaning We Restrict Ourselves To What God Has Revealed In The Scriptures To Determine His Will: (Deuteronomy 29:29). We do not add to it nor take away from it (Revelation 22:18,19).
Let us all be true to God and respect His Word in the interpretation of the Scriptures.
Via The Elgin Hills Examiner, Vol. 1, No. 5, May, 2006.
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The Come as You are Method of Church Growth
Mike Johnson
Churches want to grow in number, but, sadly, many improper methods are used by churches today to increase their membership. One of these is the “Come as You Are” method.
This method of growth is prevalent today in denominationalism. Slogans such as “God loves you no matter what” or “We don’t judge your life” are usually associated with groups using this method of growth. The idea is, “You don’t have to make any changes in your life; you can continue in what you are doing; you can continue in your sin.” Thus, people can continue with adulterous marriages, living together with their “significant other,” social drinking, dishonest business practices, and foul language. Recently, an advertisement for a book started by quoting the author who explained, “God loves us rags and all.” According to the ad, God accepts us for what we are, not for what we do. Many adopt this attitude, and it can help achieve significant numbers for a congregation.
The “come as you are” philosophy is not taught in the Word of God. Instead, the Bible teaches God will not save people in their sins, and He requires a change of heart and life. At Corinth, for example, there was an immoral man in the congregation, and Paul told the Corinthians to withdraw from the individual, delivering him to Satan (I Cor. 5, II Thess. 3:6, 10). Paul also told the Corinthians that the unrighteous would not be able to inherit the kingdom of God. He said (I Cor. 6:9-11), “. . . Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God” (NASB). Also, in Galatians 5:19-22, we are told that people who engage in the “works of the flesh;” practicing such sins as adultery, fornication, hatred, and drunkenness; will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Further, Ephesians 5:11 says, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” II Timothy 4:2 points out we are to “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” Why “reprove” and “rebuke” with our preaching if God accepts everyone the way they are?
Jesus died for all men (Jn. 3:16, Rom. 5:6-8), God loves us, and He wants salvation for everyone (II Pet. 3:9). First, however, we must repent (Acts 2:38, 17:30-31), which involves an attitude that will cause us to turn away from our sins. We cannot continue in our sins and still be pleasing to God. Thus, the fornicator, the liar, and the thief must stop their sins. The “come as you are” method of growth, practiced by so many, is not pleasing to God and is an improper method of growth.
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The Possibility of Apostasy (2)
Galatians 5:4
Mike Johnson
Can a child of God fall from grace? Galatians 5:4 plainly says to those who are Christians that they can fall from grace. It seems some were teaching it was necessary to obey certain aspects of the old law to be saved, such as circumcision. Paul told them (v. 1), “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” He further told them (vs. 2-4) if they were circumcised, Christ would profit them nothing, and they would be a debtor to keep the whole law. He then added, “…you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace” (4). Could it be any clearer? A child of God can fall from grace.
Most would admit that those under consideration were in a lost state. How then would the “once saved, always saved advocate” explain this passage? Typically, they say that a Christian is not actually under consideration in these verses.
Paul clearly is addressing Christians instead of non-Christians in these verses. Earlier in Galatians, such passages as 1:2, 4, 6; 3:13, 27-29; 4:5-7 make this clear. Chapter 4 concludes with a discussion of the allegory of Hagar (who depicts the old covenant) and Sarah (who represents the new covenant). Verse 31 says, “So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.” Then in 5:1, Paul said, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” These had been made “free” and had escaped the “yoke of bondage” (the old law). They were in danger of being “entangled again.” He is speaking to Christians, and these Christians, if they went back to the old law, would fall from grace.
Further, these people fell from grace. How can people fall from something they were never in? Also, salvation is by “grace” (Eph. 2:8-10). If we fall from grace, how then can we be saved? We can fall from that which saves us.
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How Far Can You See?
(Unknown)
Sam, an old man, was a witness in a burglary case. The defense lawyer asked Sam, “Did you see my client commit this burglary?”
“Yes,” said Sam, “I saw him plainly take the goods.”
The lawyer asks Sam again, “Sam, this happened at night. Are you sure you saw my client commit this crime?”
“Yes,” says Sam, “I saw him do it.”
Then the lawyer asks Sam, “Sam, listen, you are 80 years old, and your eyesight probably is bad. Just how far can you see at night?”
Sam says, “I can see the moon; how far is that?”
One of our greatest spiritual needs is the need to see. The need to see ourselves as God sees us. The need to see our sins and shortcomings.
And a vision of what God wants us to be and what, by God’s grace, we can become. One of the sad realities, though, is that those in the New Testament who are described as being spiritually blind are those who think they can see just fine. Like the Christians in Laodicea: “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ — and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked — I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.” (Rev. 3:17-18) Have a great day!
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The Echo
“I spoke a word in anger
To one who was my friend,
Like a knife it cut him deeply,
A wound that was hard to mend.
That word, so thoughtlessly uttered,
I would we could both forget,
But its echo lives and memory gives
The recollection yet.
How many hearts are broken,
How many friends are lost
By some unkind word spoken
Before we count the cost!
But a word or deed of kindness
Will repay a hundredfold.
For it echoes again in the hearts of men
And carries a joy untold.”
― C.A. Lufburrow
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Editor: Mike Johnson
www.seekingthingsabove.org