I have noticed Christians on this forum have different beliefs according to HOW they read the Bible. ie : HOW they determine truth from the scriptures.
I have noticed everything from 100% Spirit/spirit led interpretations to saying only a church can interpret scripture and every thing in between. I believe any ONE way excluding all others will lead to error. Therefore I pose three questions, feel free to answer one or all.
1) How do you read, interpret, glean truth, ie : How do YOU know what the Bible passage really means?
2) What is the correct way to interpret scripture?
3) The Bible is sometimes referred to as "living". What does this mean to you?
It is much simplier than that for me if you do it the way the lord showed us all will come up with the same answer. As long as you use the word interpret as most do and involve the mind in endeavoring to know truth, you will always miss it.
I first bring myself into agreement with the word of God:
Truth is truth it never changes, it means exactly what it says.
Number the word of God tells us to believe what we hear, and to believe is to act as though it is true.
Based on what you said if you give ten people your address on paper some would mess it up every time even though you told the truth.
Truth is spiritually discerned, not mentally, intellectually, or by reasoning.
There is no way if we will do as the word teaches we can miss it, plus we always have the Holy Spirit to confirm the truth.
1) How do you read, interpret, glean truth, ie : How do YOU know what the Bible passage really means?
I pretty much go by the rule of interpretation...When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense.
2) What is the correct way to interpret scripture?
I look to let Scripture interpret Scripture when attempting to find an answer or truth. This includes all of Scripture; all the Books of the Bible. I also look at the Hebrew or Greek meaning of words which can sometimes lend more understanding. Also see answer #1. I try as well to not let my bias interfere.
3) The Bible is sometimes referred to as "living". What does this mean to you?
God's Word is alive and is just as applicable today as it was centuries back and into the future. It is for life and for the living.
1) How do you read, interpret, glean truth, ie : How do YOU know what the Bible passage really means?
2 Peter 1 Says no scripture is of any private interpretation-Then how do we interprets it ? Simple-It interprets itself-it means what it says and says what it means
The Holy Spirit has been given as Gods gift to mankind to help us understand the bible
The bible is the word of God but with the Holy Spirit resident with the individual when they read the scrip the holy spirit interprets it for you-it interprets itself and the holy spirit interprets it for you as you read the word of God
Do A Word study
Learning Greek text and Hebrew text is helpful if your going to do research in the bible- Or get yourself a bible program-point and click-Follow the Strong's numbering-i will give you the Greek numbering system-and Hebrew in the OT-If it is a good bible program you can click to the numbers that are associated to it and see the root words...then look at the usages throughout the entire text that you are examining on and then you can affixed a definition based on the ancient roots of a word
2) What is the correct way to interpret scripture?
*See also above*
By knowing basic biblical research principles anyone can work the word of God.
Knowing This First
All Scripture interprets itself:
1. In the verse:
1. Right where it is written.
2. A word or words must be interpreted according to Biblical usage.
3. The words must be in harmony with the verse as well as with all the scriptures relating to the subject.
4. Scripture build-up; narrative development.
2. In the context.
3. Used before.
Biblical truths we must adhere to as workmen:
1. Get "to whom" addressed correct -- administrations.
2. Difficult verse must be understood in light of the clear verses.
3. Interpretation and application are always with respect to whom it is addressed.
Seven steps to Biblical accuracy:
1. The individual word must be understood.
2. The words must fit in the verse.
3. The verse must fit with the immediate context.
4. The immediate context must flow with the remote context.
5. The words must be understood in light of to whom it is written.
6. The words must be understood in light of orientalisms, customs, and mannerisms.
7. The words must be understood in light of figures of speech.
Reading for understanding:
Ask yourself, "What is this verse saying?" To better understand what it is saying, ask yourself five other questions.
1. What is it not saying?
2. What is the opposite of what it is saying?
3. What is unusual about the way in which it is said?
4. What did it mean to the believers "to whom" it is addressed?
5. What does it mean to the believers today?
One last note-The bible is written for the spirit man who is born again:purpleangel:
Absolutey, positely not. I believe what the lord teaches is true. I don't believe he is a liar. We do know that if you ask some, they will tell you cows and horses communicate.
Mercygirl you are no doubt a scholar or really good at copy/paste! Good stuff. The one thing new to me was to ask 'what is the opposite meaning', never thought of that before, thanks
ATTENTION! ANYONE WHO LIKES COOL PICTURES!..... click on Mercygirl's profile and check out the picture of the man and the dog.
It appears that you guys are doing just fine interpreting Scripture, all on your own.
All of you are in agreement?
It speaks to how clearly Scripture can be interpretated. It shows that God does not need to give us a Teaching Church to keep us on the right Path�in the True Meaning of Sacred Scripture. Why would we need God to furnish a Final Court of Appeal when we have men such as Chuck and PJ and others to turn to?
A fossil is millions of years old because the ground we find it in is millions of years old. The ground is millions of years old because the fossils in it are millions of years old. Circular reasoning? Not according to some of you.
I really hoping for better from you, being one of the few who holds a firm position on the matter. Perhaps you have not thought it out enough to explain it properly to others? I understand, I have positions like that, although this isn't one of them.
You asked a great question! I fell in love with Bible Study about 8 years ago under a great Sunday school teacher. She had a passion to really understand what scripture is saying and all her lessons were meticulously presented pointing back to language and context of the scripture. I wanted to study like she did and starting learning under mentors in my own life and through classes and books. I�ve developed a system putting all of their methods together.
First, I start with prayer. I ask the Holy Spirit to guide me and give me wisdom. I start with the Bible as the primary source of study, (not commentaries, etc.). I take into mind 3 components: Observation, Interpretation, Application.
Observation � What doe the text say? Ask questions. Where? When? Why? What? How?
1) Do a book overview of the chapter you are studying. Get the big picture. What type of book is it? Is it Historical, poetic, a letter? Why was it written? What is the theme?
2) Determine who the people are in the book. They will show me what is happening at the time the book is written. How are they described? What is their character? I may write all the things the text saying about each person in columns.
3) I get key words. These are the words that render the most meaning in a text. Beginning with Strong�s concordance, I look them up in different resources. I really like Vine�s Expository and The Complete word study dictionary. Then I�ll take those definitions back into the text.
4) Look for references to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, and list what is learned about each in the text.
5) Note all the contrasts (words like however, nevertheless), comparisons (like, as, likewise), Expressions of time (when, then, since, after, until) Terms of conclusion (therefore, so that, wherefore, for this reason).
6) I cross-reference the same words I find in different verses, or read different texts that address the same subject.
7) I may then look for a Bible Dictionary for more background / historical information
8) I then consult commentaries. I make this my last step because I want the Holy Spirit to glean from what I am studying rather than just reading what someone else has studied. Many times I have come to see that it was similar. (Funny how the Holy Spirit works). Some of my favorites are John MacArthur�s, Hughes, and James Montgomery Boice.
Second step - Interpretation � Taking all the objective information, I ask myself what does this mean? I gather it up and integrate it.
Last, there is Application � How does it apply to me? How can I all this to change me? How can I apply this in my own life and what is the Holy Spirit telling me through this?
In doing this, I keep in mind some valuable principles:
1) Context is paramount � meaning that it is extremely important in what context the passage you are studying is in. I can�t just pull it out of line and make my own interpretation.
2) Don�t take one passage and make a doctrine out of it.
3) Note when the Bible is using different literary devices (metaphor, simile, and other figures of speech) and when it isn�t.
4) Let scripture interpret scripture � there is seldom just one place in the Bible that addresses a subject. There are usually parts of that subject in different scriptures. To accurately handle the subject, I look for everywhere it is taught.
5) I try to take illustrations of a principle from stories or characters in the Bible itself.
In depth Bible study is like mining for gold. It is exciting to find the gems of truth and wonderful way it is all knit together.
