Bible Interpretation. What does the Bible Mean

Transcription

1 Bible Interpretation What does the Bible Mean

2 Bible Interpretation Study art I Lesson One: Taking the Bible Literally Lesson Two: Interpreting Figurative Language Lesson Three: rescriptive versus Descriptive assages Lesson Four: ositional versus xperiential assages Lesson Five: Interpreting in the light of Context

3 Bible Interpretation What does the Bible Mean Why Study the Bible? Because All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. II Timothy 3:16

4 Warning If an individual can make the Bible say what he wants it to say, then the Bible cannot guide him. It is merely a weapon in his hands to support his own ideas. [Layman s Guide to Interpreting the Bible, by Walter A. Henrichsen]

5 A Must Acceptance To be guided correctly by the word of God, we must assume the Bible contains its own laws of interpretation, which, when properly understood and applied, will yield the correct meaning to a given passage. [Layman s Guide to Interpreting the Bible, by Walter A. Henrichsen]

6 ositional versus xperiential Verses 1. Knowing the difference helps us to understand bible doctrine correctly, especially when studying an epistle (e.g. Romans, phesians, I eter, etc.). 2. The disncon is especially important given the unique period of the Mystery of the Church Age we live in ( Christ in you Colossians 1:27b).

7 ositional versus xperiential Bible Verses osional: Spiritual reality or condion (not realized with our senses (e.g., can t see or feel it) xperienal: Conscious physical reality What we do; somemes what God does Commandments at mes Our responsibility

8 Nicodemus Confusion Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, xcept a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3 Nicodemus interpreted Jesus statement as xperienal, which created confusion How can a man be born when he is old? John 3:4

9 ositional Verses Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. II Corinthians 5:17 1. In Christ a. New Creature 1) Old things passed away 2) All things new

10 ositional Verses Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: Romans 5:1 1. Justified & eace with God a. Justified Declared innocent, not guilty b. eace Friendship, harmonic relationship 1) By Faith 2) Through our Lord Jesus Christ

11 ositional Verses Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: Colossians 1:13 1. Delivered us a. ower of Darkness 2. Translated us a. Kingdom of His dear Son

12 ositional Verses In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; phesians 1:7 1. In whom (Christ) 2. Redeemed & Forgiven a. Redemption Salvation (paid ransom) b. Forgiveness ardoned, released from bondage 1) Though his blood 2) According to the riches of his grace

13 xperiential Verses If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness I John 1: Confess our sins a. Forgiven b. Cleansed 2. God restores fellowship not about salvation (positional) forgiveness

14 xperiential Verses But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; I eter 1:15 1. Be holy a. In all manner of conversation 2. Commandment 3. Focus is on our behavior

15 xperiential Verses For a Bishop must be blameless a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; Titus 1:7a-8 1. Blameless 2. Lover of Hospitality 3. Lover of good men 4. Sober, just, holy, temperate

16 xperiential Verses Flee fornication. very sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. I Corinthians 6:18 1. Flee fornifcation a. Sin that a man doeth 1) Against his own body 2. Commandment

17 Combined For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. I Corinthians 6:20 1. ositional a. Bought with a price 2. xperiential a. Glorify God in your body

18 Combined ven as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Galatians 3:6 1. xperiential a. Believed God 2. ositional a. Accounted to him for righteousness

19 Combined For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: phesians 5:8 1. ositional a. Darkness b. Light in the Lord 2. xperiential a. Walk as children of light

20 xercise Romans 6 What are ositional verses What are experiential verses

21 xercise Romans 6 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

22 xercise Romans 6 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

23 xercise Romans 6 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

24 xercise Romans 6 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

25 xercise Romans 6 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

26 Romans 6 Conclusions 1. Shall we continue to XRINC a lifestyle of sin as saved sinners by God s grace? NO! 2. Because we are OSITIONALLY DAD unto SIN 3. Because SIN has been OSITIONALLY DSTROYD 4. Because we are OSITIONALLY ALIV UNTO GOD 5. Because we are OSITIONALLY FR FROM SIN 6. Because we AR OSITIONALLY SRVANTS OF GOD 7. And now we are free XRINTIALLY to live a holy lifestyle, no longer XRINTIALLY compelled to live a sinful lifestyle

27 xercise phesians 2 1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 herein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

28 xercise phesians 2 5 ven when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

29 xercise phesians 2 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

30 xercise phesians 2 14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

31 xercise phesians 2 17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

32 phesians 2 - Conclusion GNTILS BFOR CHRIST 1. Dead in trespasses and sins 2. Children of wrath 3. Walked according to the world in the lusts of the flesh 4. Without Christ, without God 5. Far off from God 6. Aliens, strangers, foreigners (from Israel and God s promises) 7. Hopeless 8. nemy relationship with the Jews

33 phesians 2 - Conclusion GNTILS AFTR CHRIST 1. Quickened (made alive) together with Christ 2. Sit together in heavenly places in Christ 3. Saved 4. A workmanship created in Christ unto good works 5. Made near to God (and His promises) 6. Become a new man (with the Jew in Christ) 7. Reconciled unto God in one body 8. eace with the Jews 9. Have access to the Father (by the Spirit) 10. Fellow citizens with the saints and household of God

34 phesians 2 - Conclusion HOW TH CHANG WAS BROUGHT ABOUT 1. By God s rich mercy and love 2. By the exceeding riches of His grace and kindness 3. Through faith (not works) 4. By the blood of Christ 5. In His flesh 6. By the cross

35 phesians 2 - Conclusion God Israel Saved F A I T H Gentiles nemies Aliens from the romises - Far from God - Uncircumcised - Unreconciled eace Fellow Citizens With the saints Reconciliaon Jesus Christ Flesh Blood Christ s Body Both New Man Access to God Saved Jews - Laws/romises - Near God - Circumcised - Unreconciled eace F A I T H

36 ositional versus xperiential Verses 1. Knowing the difference helps us to understand bible doctrine correctly, especially when studying an epistle (e.g. Romans, phesians, I eter, etc.). 2. The disncon is especially important given the unique period of the Mystery of the Church Age we live in ( Christ in you Colossians 1:27b).