Thread: Interpretation: Seek the Balance of Scripture
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Interpretation: Seek the Balance of Scripture
Posted : 3 Jun, 2010 08:09 PM
From D.A.Carson
(A Bible scholar you should know!)
(1) As conscientiously as possible, seek the balance of Scripture, and avoid succumbing to historical and theological disjunctions.
Liberals have often provided us with nasty disjunctions: Jesus or Paul, the charismatic community or the "early catholic" church, and so forth. Protestants sometimes drop a wedge between Paul's faith apart from works (Rom 3:28) and James' faith and works (Jas 2:4); others absolutize Galatians 3:28 as if it were the controlling passage on all matters to do with women, and spend countless hours explaining away 1 Timothy 2:12 (or the reverse!).
Historically, many Reformed Baptists in England between the middle of the eighteenth century and the middle of the twentieth so emphasized God's sovereign grace in election that they became uncomfortable with general declarations of the Gospel. Unbelievers should not be told to repent and believe the Gospel: how could that be, since they are dead in trespasses and sin, and may not in any case belong to the elect? They should rather be encouraged to examine themselves to see if they have within themselves any of the first signs of the Spirit's work, any conviction of sin, any stirrings of shame. On the face of it, this is a long way from the Bible, but thousands of churches thought it was the hallmark of faithfulness. What has gone wrong, of course, is that the balance of Scripture has been lost. One element of Biblical truth has been elevated to a position where it is allowed to destroy or domesticate some other element of Biblical truth.
In fact, the "balance of Scripture" is not an easy thing to maintain, in part because there are different kinds of balance in Scripture. For example, there is the balance of diverse responsibilities laid on us (e.g. praying, being reliable at work, being a biblically faithful spouse and parent, evangelizing a neighbor, taking an orphan or widow under our wing, and so forth): these amount to balancing priorities within the limits of time and energy. There is the balance of Scripture's emphases as established by observing their relation to the Bible's central plot-line; there is also the balance of truths which we cannot at this point ultimately reconcile, but which we can easily distort if we do not listen carefully to the text (e.g. Jesus is both God and man; God is both the transcendent sovereign and yet personal; the elect alone are saved, and yet in some sense God loves horrible rebels so much that Jesus weeps over Jerusalem and God cries, "Turn, turn, why will you die? For the LORD has no pleasure in the death of the wicked."). In each case, a slightly different kind of Biblical balance comes into play, but there is no escaping the fact that Biblical balance is what we need.
I think it is more accurate to say that I reject Arminianism.
Almost all protestants during the Reformation believed that fallen mankind is unable to come to God, because they are spiritually dead, and that only God could save a person. They believed that God decided who He would save, and that Jesus died for them specifically. Also that when God gave a person a new nature that they would naturally follow Him, and that God would cause His chosen people to persevere to the end. It was the followers of Arminius who came to the churches with five things they wanted Christians to change their minds about. They rejected it, and called Arminianism, heresy. I can show you that Christians believed what I believe from Scripture, from the Early church fathers, from theologians in the 500AD and all the way up to now.
I am a member of a non-denominational Reformed church, and here is the link to my church website explaining what we believe:
Arminians are divided over whether or not a Christian can lose their salvation. Do you believe, PhillipJohn, that a Christian can lose their salvation?
I believe the word Of God not Calvinism nor Armenian, it is not important what men say in disagreement with the word of God i believe what Jesus the word said.
1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
When we agree with the word we know it is by faith we come into the family of God, and the word also says man can walk away from his covenant.
Your interpretation of 1 Timothy 4:1 does not concur w/ the Word of God, PJ. I think we're all probably in agreement here that the Word of God ought to be believed... BUT, we must acknowledge that not all interpretations of Scripture are correct.
It's so important that we look at Scripture as a whole. If we arrive at an "understanding" that disagrees w/ other parts of Scripture, then we need to keep studying... It's not acceptable to just believe such falsehoods under the guise of believing the Word of God. Believing in YOUR interpretation of what something says, PJ, is entirely differentl than believing what the Word of God actually says. We all run things through a filter when we read, in order to arrive at an interpretation, and that includes YOU, PJ.
I don't think anyone here is telling you to disregard the Bible; what would be beneficial, though, is if you would spend some time in prayer, asking the Lord for wisdom in interpreting His Word and understanding spiritual truths. If you truly have a desire to teach/preach to others, then it's imperetive that you understand things on a deep level and don't just jump to conclusions or try to fit God into preconceived notions.
There's a great amount of humility needed to really understand God's Word. As others have stated to you, we need to be teachable. We need to be able to admit that we're fallible in our ways of processing information and that all the stuff we having floating around in our minds may not be correct. Until we can reach that point where we realize that we're nothing w/out God and have no intelligence in spiritual matters w/out Him, we're never going to be able to understand all that God has for us in His Word.
No Pixy the bible gives no basis for interpretation or manipulating the word as many do. I have no problem Study, and I knew theses elementary truths twenty years ago, they same spirit that leads and guides me into all truth, is the same one the same one that bore witness to my Spirit that I am a child of God.
This is exactly what the parable of the sower was talking about take heed what you hear, Now first and foremost, all that have received the holy spirit in line with the word of God raise your hand.
Pixy those that say I must learn, all believe in calvinist dioctrine, so in otherwords I need to leave Jesus and go to Calvin.
1Jo 5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
Hebs 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
It could not be any clearer but you first believe, then receive the word of God in your heart, just as the word teaches,
In the mouth of two or three witnesses let every word be established.
Hello everyone,my name is trucker..My name is George:
In Proverbs 11:1 and 20:23;YHWH talks about a false balance is an abomiantion to YHWH.
Since this is true, then the Scriptures themselves must also be balanced.
If the Sriptures are not balanced ,that will make the Lord to be a liar.
If the Lord is a liar, then His word is a lie,If His word is a lie then why believe the Scriptures.
I say this strictly from the point of Legal rangalings.
1st Timothy 4:1
This is not talking about those that believe and then fall away or leave.
This is talking about those that stay apart from Yeshua by giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.
A believer in Yeshua cannot lose his or her salvation,this is impossible.
Yeshua says in John 10:27-30 That neither shall any pluck them out of my hand..
What is interesting here is that the word PLUCK here is the same word used for the rapture in 1st Thessalonians 4:17.
It is the Greek word HARPAZO #726 In Strongs Concordance.
So then,Neither shall any RAPTURE them out of my hand!!!!
In the KJV the word MAN in verse 17 is itallisized meaning that it is probably not in the original language but inserted to try to make sense of the sentence.
If a preson could lose the Gift that Yeshua has secured for them by His death,burial and resurrection;Then that person would need another type of Salvation.
Seeing that the Lord of glory died once for the forgiveness for mans sins.Hebrews 9:27
Jesus would be being put to an open shame.Hebrews 6:1-6
This is why it is so important for the body of Yeshua to be taught how to read and understand the Word or YHWH.
Remember the Etheopian eunuch and Philip.
One of the greatest things Yeshua taught the Disciples,was to think,He did not merely tell them what to think,He taught them how to think.
This is one thing the Church is pretty neglegent to be doing in discipling.
Remember the Lord says that we are to righlty divide the word of truth; 2nd Timothy 2:15
Yes sir that is true to rightly divide, and when you do you will see that men depart from the faith, As those that proclaim faith does not play a part say, the word of God says it does, man a part to play to become a christian, and the responsibility of the light of the word of God.
Again, PJ, I'm NOT a Calvinist... Yet, I too think you have some things to learn. And I don't mean that in a condescending way at all... We ALL have things to learn. None of us know it all. We all ought to be humble and teachable and rely on the Lord's wisdom for a correct understanding of the Word.
Relying on the Lord for wisdom in understanding the Word is not a manipulation of the text. NOT relying on Him and rather relying on your own imperfect mind does result in manipulations of the text!!!
As far as interpreting goes, you're obviously interpreting, PJ... You said: "1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;" For unknown reasons, you believe "depart from faith" to mean "lose salvation." Now, that's not believing exactly what it says, is it?? Between point A and point B, you did something that the English language refers to as INTERPRETATION. You took a set of words and imparted to them meaning... a meaning that is not supported by the rest of Scripture. Unless you can support your interpretation with some Biblical FACTS, then we have no basis for any further discussion on the matter. I simply cannot have a beneficial, God-glorifying discussion w/ someone who refuses to rely on Biblical facts or Godly wisdom to support his beliefs.
You said: "No Pixy because some here might be saved, and then they would be quilty of more sin."
"No" to what?? No, you don't want to pray? No, you don't want God to help you understand the Word? No, you don't think you need to practice some humility? I have no idea what you're saying here. Please explain?
That is to funny Pixy!! I don't believe biblical facts, you might wanna take that up with the lord and the Holy Spirit, they always agree with the word.
Before one can go on to the first grade, one must pass kindergarten, and in kindergarten one should be taught the that every scripture is true and without falsehood.
Then we learn to know god out of the heart not the mind, that is what the facts say, including the carnal mind is at enmity with God.
You never answer any questions asked you PJ! What are you afraid of? If you are so cofident you know the Bible then you should be able to whip out answers left and right.
