How Do I Know For Sure......Interpreting the Bible: Methods and Mistakes!!!

[TSIBHOD]

"For the kingdom of God is demonstrated not in idle talk but with power." (I Corinthians 4:20 NET) Yes, we come to know the truth by being told, most of the time. Very seldom does any of us get some revelation of God without reading something in the Bible, or being preached to. But my point is, if God's Spirit is not teaching you, then no man can teach you about God. God's Spirit in you can use a man's teaching, or He can use the Bible to teach you, but without the Holy Spirit, even reading the Bible is worthless. There are many atheists who mock and scorn the Bible that prove my point. Now, if I can't tell when I'm being led by the Spirit, then I can't tell when I have the truth. There's no easy way around it. I can't know something is true just because someone else says it is.

Another thing: any time we believe the Bible, we are really believing our interpretation of the Bible. Just about any verse has at least two interpretations, so how do you know yours is correct? Listen to the Spirit. The only real outside test of whether something is of the Spirit or not is to look at the fruit. Good fruit, good tree; bad fruit, bad tree.

You are putting all of the faith here in your own ability to discern. Do you agree or not?

Sure, that's what anybody puts his faith in. Suppose a Catholic believes that everything his church teaches is true. Then, that goes back to him trusting his discernment that the Catholic church is the one true church. Ultimately, everything we learn depends on our perceptions. If our perceptions are out of whack, then so to will be our beliefs. So even if I base my beliefs on someone else's discernment, I am still basing it on my discernment that they are trustworthy.

Whoa...careful buddy....Wisdom rests quietly in the heart of a man of understanding, but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.

I do not say that I am wise compared to anyone else, but that I have grown in wisdom. I had more wisdom 2 years ago than I had 5 years ago, and I have even more wisdom now. I am growing constantly, but it is extremely noticeable when I look back at myself a couple of years ago.

One last thing: you might misunderstand me when I say that I don't base my faith on the Bible. By that, I mean that I can't know that the Bible is true without God's Spirit communicating this to me. As I said before, being 99.999% sure that the Bible is true is not good enough if we are talking about eternity. So, I base my knowledge that the Bible is true on the fact that I have a relationship with the Father. Everything gets back to a relationship with Christ. If you don't have that, you're toast.

 

[hebrew33]

I have been following this subject for some time and feel the urge to jump in. The subject seems to be between two distinct paths of understanding our Father’s desires and purpose. One “way’ is direct communication with the Spirit of our Father and Lord (spiritual). The other is through things created from this earth, such as ink, paper and the mind of man. (Earthy and carnal). The writing on tablets was supposed to have ended with the spiritual Pentecost. The first Pentecost (upon the mountain) God wrote on tablets of stone. The last Pentecost (Upper room) God wrote on the hearts of man. It seems today man is back upon the mountain trying to understand God through what in written on paper. Man has a heart and a mind, one can listen to God the other can’t. Listening to the Holy Spirit will severe the heart from the mind. This is the true Word of God. I have wasted many years searching for truth in books. I began with God and then left him in the dust on my own quest. I even owned a Christian bookstore for a period of time. I have a library of bible helps but they are now collecting dust. I’m back where I started, learning from the Holy Spirit. Tsibhod and Artyblok, if what I read is corect, you seem to be on the Spiritual path. If that’s true, Hallelujah!! The upper room is still open! Tsibhod, you wrote,” Very seldom does any of us get some revelation of God without reading something in the Bible” I really believe that revelation only comes from God and not anything else. God still writes on our hearts and then we see something in writing or even in nature that whitnesses it to our mind. That is revelation. God gets the glory not our intellect. I have found that in talking about what I have got from my studies just excits my carnal nature. Pride, anger etc. jump out and I hate it! When I share what God has given me there is absolutely no feeling of pride. Soooooo—anyway I won’t get into any cerebral debates or “the bible says” (I could never get mine to talk) To end what I am saying, the Spirit of our wonderful Father and His Son is still here. He still talks to those who listen.. Love Ya --W.L.

 

[ischus]

hebrew...

good thoughts here, but just so I can have a complete understanding of your post, are you saying that Interpretation is "given" by the HS, or "arrived at" with the HS's help?

P.S. If you have some books that you don't want, I will take them off your hands (and pay for shipping)

 

[tigersnare]

. The writing on tablets was supposed to have ended with the spiritual Pentecost. It seems today man is back upon the mountain trying to understand God through what in written on paper.

I hold to reformed theology just so you'll know where I"m coming from.

Why in your opinion do we have a bible today?

Man has a heart and a mind, one can listen to God the other can’t. Listening to the Holy Spirit will severe the heart from the mind. This is the true Word of God.

Assuming you have studied the bible, what does it say about the heart?

 

[hebrew33]

are you saying that Interpretation is "given" by the HS, or "arrived at" with the HS's help?

If one sits at the foot of an all-knowing teacher, speaking in an exact language, and is allowed to ask questions and to be answered in perfect truth, does that student need an interpreter?

A little story:

A wonderful and loving father had two sons. The first he named Chris the younger he named Adam. His two sons desired greatly to know their Father. Adam was an intellectual young man and acquired many books that were written about his father. Adam’s father loved Adam greatly. One day Adam’s father said to Adam, “come and sit with me and I will teach you about my desires and my love.” Young Adam said “not now, father, I am too busy learning about you from these books. So Adam went off to his corner with all his books to intellectually know his father. Now young Chris wanted so much to be with his father, so when his father said, “Chris, please come and sit with me and I will tell you of my desires and my love for you.” Chris immediately jumped into his fathers lap! End

I have been too long in Adam’s nature. I have been in my corner too long. Writings and corners need interpreters. love Ya W.L.

 

[ischus]

hebrew,

thanks for these comments. I agree that the relationship is foremost, but please consider tigersnare's questions above (and my P.S. from my previous post)

 

[artybloke]

If one sits at the foot of an all-knowing teacher, speaking in an exact language, and is allowed to ask questions and to be answered in perfect truth, does that student need an interpreter?

A little story:

A wonderful and loving father had two sons. The first he named Chris the younger he named Adam. His two sons desired greatly to know their Father. Adam was an intellectual young man and acquired many books that were written about his father. Adam’s father loved Adam greatly. One day Adam’s father said to Adam, “come and sit with me and I will teach you about my desires and my love.” Young Adam said “not now, father, I am too busy learning about you from these books. So Adam went off to his corner with all his books to intellectually know his father. Now young Chris wanted so much to be with his father, so when his father said, “Chris, please come and sit with me and I will tell you of my desires and my love for you.” Chris immediately jumped into his fathers lap! End

I have been too long in Adam’s nature. I have been in my corner too long. Writings and corners need interpreters. love Ya W.L.

A lovely story, and it contains a large measure of truth. However, we can't entirely do without "book knowledge." We do need to know something of who Jesus is, what he did, how he died and rose, how we are to live as a consequence. Not as a set of rules or legalistic precepts, not a set of propositions; but a set of stories. That's what the Bible is: a book of stories. Stories about God, about how people relate to God, about Jesus, about how people relate to Jesus. The Bible isn't a science book, or a history book, or a law book. It's a book of stories that teach us about God.

 

[clinzey]

The Bible isn't a science book, or a history book, or a law book. It's a book of stories that teach us about God.

Well said. That's very similar to what I tell my students - while the Bible may contain some history, it is not a history book.

 

[tigersnare]

A wonderful and loving father had two sons. The first he named Chris the younger he named Adam. His two sons desired greatly to know their Father. Adam was an intellectual young man and acquired many books that were written about his father. Adam’s father loved Adam greatly. One day Adam’s father said to Adam, “come and sit with me and I will teach you about my desires and my love.” Young Adam said “not now, father, I am too busy learning about you from these books. So Adam went off to his corner with all his books to intellectually know his father. Now young Chris wanted so much to be with his father, so when his father said, “Chris, please come and sit with me and I will tell you of my desires and my love for you.” Chris immediately jumped into his fathers lap! End

I have been too long in Adam’s nature. I have been in my corner too long. Writings and corners need interpreters. love Ya W.L.

Nice story but I think there is a major flaw in the logic.

Hebrews 1:1.

 

[artybloke]

Well said. That's very similar to what I tell my students - while the Bible may contain some history, it is not a history book.

Yes - I do have to point out that I don't neccessarily believe that history isn't one of the ways that the stories about God are told. There is history in the Bible; but there is also poetry, fable, myth, wisdom literature, prophecy (forth-telling, not for-telling) and many other genres. Sometimes they're all mixed up, and it slips in and out of history and fable, and is sometimes more than one thing at the same time. (Thus the stories concerning David's prophet Nathan are at once historical and prophetic.)

All in all, though, the Bible's purpose is not to give us an accurate portrayal of history but to tell us about God.

 

[artybloke]

Nice story but I think there is a major flaw in the logic.

Hebrews 1:1.

1In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,

See above about the various ways. Also, just because God spoke to our forefathers doesn't automatically mean that what he told our forefathers has any meaning for us now. God can say a new thing, in a new way, to a new people if he wishes. He is God after all.

 

[clinzey]

Also, just because God spoke to our forefathers doesn't automatically mean that what he told our forefathers has any meaning for us now. God can say a new thing, in a new way, to a new people if he wishes. He is God after all.

True - and some people don't realize that what is written is socio-temporally specific and not binding or expected of anyone else other than the original recipients.

 

[Sola Gratia]

I have been following this subject for some time and feel the urge to jump in. The subject seems to be between two distinct paths of understanding our Father’s desires and purpose. One “way’ is direct communication with the Spirit of our Father and Lord (spiritual). The other is through things created from this earth, such as ink, paper and the mind of man. (Earthy and carnal). The writing on tablets was supposed to have ended with the spiritual Pentecost. The first Pentecost (upon the mountain) God wrote on tablets of stone. The last Pentecost (Upper room) God wrote on the hearts of man. It seems today man is back upon the mountain trying to understand God through what in written on paper. Man has a heart and a mind, one can listen to God the other can’t. Listening to the Holy Spirit will severe the heart from the mind. This is the true Word of God. I have wasted many years searching for truth in books. I began with God and then left him in the dust on my own quest. I even owned a Christian bookstore for a period of time. I have a library of bible helps but they are now collecting dust. I’m back where I started, learning from the Holy Spirit. Tsibhod and Artyblok, if what I read is corect, you seem to be on the Spiritual path. If that’s true, Hallelujah!! The upper room is still open! Tsibhod, you wrote,” Very seldom does any of us get some revelation of God without reading something in the Bible” I really believe that revelation only comes from God and not anything else. God still writes on our hearts and then we see something in writing or even in nature that whitnesses it to our mind. That is revelation. God gets the glory not our intellect. I have found that in talking about what I have got from my studies just excits my carnal nature. Pride, anger etc. jump out and I hate it! When I share what God has given me there is absolutely no feeling of pride. Soooooo—anyway I won’t get into any cerebral debates or “the bible says” (I could never get mine to talk) To end what I am saying, the Spirit of our wonderful Father and His Son is still here. He still talks to those who listen.. Love Ya --W.L.

The bible contains the whole council of God. We can look around us and see many cults started by men that thought they had private revelation. Personally I would not be interested in any private inspiration or revelation unless it was in complete accord with the word of God, and if it is why would I need the revelation? I already have it in my Bible .

 

[uncle david]

Well said. That's very similar to what I tell my students - while the Bible may contain some history, it is not a history book.

sorry i am late at this but, if you call the bible a story book it is really just that, but its not. its a contract of the covenant of promises that we now have through christ jesus and by his sacrifice. yea, thats it.

 

[uncle david]

The bible contains the whole council of God. We can look around us and see many cults started by men that thought they had private revelation. Personally I would not be interested in any private inspiration or revelation unless it was in complete accord with the word of God, and if it is why would I need the revelation? I already have it in my Bible .

i disagree with that, because then why would the spirit even be here revealing if we could already understand. there is more to the bible than just what it says, wich is what it is saying. when jesus said that "this generation will not pass till all these things come to pass", a christian cant conclude that he was saying what he said. "for flesh and blood did not reveal this to you but my father in heaven" you cant read the bible with your fleshly understanding, it must come from a higher authority. I.E. the holy ghost! dont be foolish and say that you dont need revelation from the spirit of ALMIGHTY GOD cause you read your bible and understand, cause trust me, you dont!(i am not claiming that i understand all, but WE NEED REVELATION FROM THE SPIRIT!)

 

[Philip]

The bible contains the whole council of God.

Is this a Scriptural statement or a private revelation?

We can look around us and see many cults started by men that thought they had private revelation.

Indeed, we can.

 

[tigersnare]

True - and some people don't realize that what is written is socio-temporally specific and not binding or expected of anyone else other than the original recipients.

Um....what?


In that case....why do we have a bible again? Who decides what is binding or expected of us today? Why is there not a new revelation (ie bible) for every generation?

 

[tigersnare]

See above about the various ways. Also, just because God spoke to our forefathers doesn't automatically mean that what he told our forefathers has any meaning for us now. God can say a new thing, in a new way, to a new people if he wishes. He is God after all.

"God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow"....as opposed to "God can saying a new thing". New in what way? Like different?


Ok kind of the same deal here. Why do we have a bible? Why don't we get a new bible for every generation. And who decides what applied then that doesn't apply now?


I'm guessing you guys are very liberal?

 

[artybloke]

Why don't we get a new bible for every generation.

We sort of do. The text may be the same, but the way the Bible is interpreted now is not the same as the Bible that was written. There is no such thing as an uninterpreted Bible. Everytime you go to the Bible about an issue which was not around at the time it was written, you are "making a new Bible:" I mean, I don't see anywhere in the Bible that abortion is mentioned (it wasn't even really possible anyway, not without serious harm to the mother as well) yet Christians are always telling us how "un-Biblical" it is.

And God is always doing new things in the Bible. He even "repents" of his previous behaviour.

 

[ischus]

We sort of do. The text may be the same, but the way the Bible is interpreted now is not the same as the Bible that was written. There is no such thing as an uninterpreted Bible. Everytime you go to the Bible about an issue which was not around at the time it was written, you are "making a new Bible:" I mean, I don't see anywhere in the Bible that abortion is mentioned (it wasn't even really possible anyway, not without serious harm to the mother as well) yet Christians are always telling us how "un-Biblical" it is.

And God is always doing new things in the Bible. He even "repents" of his previous behaviour.

To go a step further... a translation IS an interpretation. Whenever you translate from one language to another, you must interpret the original words, and re-interpret them for your audience in a new way.