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Originally posted by Hemisphere
I’m gonna side with blupblup here. Come right out and say atheist if that’s who you’re addressing OT.
Originally posted by wassy
Thats stupid everyone will be praying for different things so it wouldnt work
Originally posted by moocowman
[
JC was teaching the disciples...in 31-ish AD about the power of prayer for them....THEM!
Clearly not OT Jesus says "Anyone"---
moo...I am baffled that you reject JC, because people that follow the teachings of him (as u interpret) don't get what they WANT????
We've discussed correct interpretation...and application of scriptures in the past...thought I'd give you some principles to marinate on...
1. Study the context of the passage and the theme of the book.
2. Look up the actual meaning of each word in the original languages.
3. Note the verb tenses, the cases, and other grammatical determinants.
4. Learn the cultural setting of the passage.
5. Determine what the original readers understood it to mean.
6. Check out cross-references to see how the words are used in other contexts.
7. See how the first mention of the word or topic is presented in the Bible.
8. Confirm an interpretation with two or three similar passages.
then AND ONLY then interpret.....what you call FACE VALUE is lazy bro...
OT
[edit on 12-5-2009 by OldThinker]
I do diagree with the SEPARIST lifestyle, but not this...
1. Spiritual Perception Over Intellectual Understanding
The first factor of interpreting Scripture is to approach it as an exercise in spiritual discernment rather than just an intellectual pursuit. Paul emphasized this in his letter to the Corinthian believers. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (I Corinthians 2:14). Jesus Himself confirmed that Biblical understanding does not come from human reasoning but from spiritual enlightenment. He said, “I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes” (Matthew 11:25).
The Holy Spirit is the One Who inspired the writing of Scripture, and He is the most qualified One to interpret its meaning to each reader. Jesus assured us that the Holy Spirit would indeed guide us into all truth. “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13).
This being the case, it is also reasonable to conclude that if a person who wants to interpret Scripture has sinful habits or practices in his life that grieve the Holy Spirit and quench His power, the Holy Spirit will not reveal the truth of Scripture to such a person. In fact, God warns that such individuals will take Scripture out of context to their own destruction. (See II Peter 3:16.) This result supports the axiom that a man’s morality will dictate his theology and his philosophy.
2. God’s Revelation Over Human Reasoning
In the final analysis, accurate Biblical interpretation is based on the revelation of Jesus Christ throughout the Scriptures. Nowhere is this more clearly demonstrated than on that walk on the road to Emmaus. The disciples had been personally taught by Jesus for three years. However, they still did not understand the Scriptures from which He taught. They were distracted by the conflicting interpretations of contemporary scholars. It was not until Jesus began with Moses and all the prophets and explained how they revealed Him that they understood the true meaning of Scripture. “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). They later recalled, “Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32).
The scholars of Jesus’ day carried out heated debates over the correct interpretation of Scripture, but Jesus counseled them to search the Scriptures on the basis that they testified of Him. “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39).
3. Genuine Love Rather Than Justification of Selfishness
Since the Scriptures reveal the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, it also follows that the primary theme of the Bible is the love of God and how we are to live out His love in our daily words and actions.
When a clever lawyer tried to involve Jesus in a wordy battle, He began his forensic sparring with the question “Which is the greatest commandment?” The reply that Jesus gave is a profound principle for Biblical interpretation. All the Law and prophets are based on the command to love God with all of our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Therefore, we must interpret Scripture on the basis of how it teaches us to love God and to love others. Love is the theme of the Bible. All good character qualities are simply practical expressions of genuine love. When the Pharisees used the Law of Moses to justify their harsh and unloving treatment of wives, Jesus reproved them for hardness of heart and took them back to the Creation design of one man and one woman becoming one flesh for the rest of their lives.
The lawyer who tried to engage Jesus in debate then tried to justify himself by asking, “Who is my neighbor?” to which Jesus responded with the parable of the Good Samaritan.
4. Christ’s Commands Over Man’s Theology
Every interpretation of Scripture is based on some foundational structure of reasoning. Jesus provides the structure of truth in the commands that He gave to His disciples during His earthly ministry, and they are the guiding lights for correct Biblical interpretation. They clarify what was written in the Old Testament and are further explained in New Testament teaching. Jesus promises that if we keep His commands before our eyes, He will reveal more of Himself to us. This was the great goal of Paul: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection” (Philippians 3:10). Jesus further promises, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31–32).
It is customary for a Bible scholar to base his interpretation of a passage on the theological position that he has accepted. The problem with this approach is that no theological system is totally without some human error, because it is not inspired. It is man’s explanation of Biblical truth.
This is not to say that theology is unimportant. Wrong doctrine leads to wrong behavior. No one was more concerned about false doctrine than the Apostle Paul. He maintained a continual battle against false teaching. However, he did not base sound doctrine on the theological views of his day but on the words of Jesus Christ and that which leads to Christlike living.
He explains this in his epistle to Timothy. “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself” (I Timothy 6:3–5).
5. One Interpretation and Many Applications
The Bible makes it clear that there is only one interpretation of Scripture. However, there can be many applications. It is the Holy Spirit Who guides us not only to the right interpretation of a passage but also to the precise application of Scripture to our daily lives. If our lives are in harmony with the Lord, we can expect the Holy Spirit to illuminate certain passages of Scripture for our personal application. When this happens, it is God giving us a “rhema” of Scripture.
In the New Testament, the Word of God is generally referred to by the Greek word logos. Jesus is identified as the Living Word (logos). However, there are many references that use the Greek word rhema to define the Word of God. A rhema is a precise direction of Scripture for a particular person or circumstance. When Jesus told Peter to cast his net on the other side of the boat, Peter replied, “Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word [rhema] I will let down the net” (Luke 5:5). Jesus did not tell every one to cast their nets on the other side of the boat—only Peter.
It is on the point of the Holy Spirit applying a passage of Scripture to a decision that critics often rise up and claim that this is not acceptable hermeneutics. Their quarrel is not with believers who know in their spirits that God is directing them by the witness of two or three rhemas, but with the Holy Spirit Who confirms the application of rhemas.
Jesus used rhemas in overcoming Satan’s temptations, and one of the passages He used affirms rhemas. “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word [rhema] that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).
6. Correct Divisions of Truth Versus Truth Out of Balance
Paul gave Timothy wise instruction in hermeneutics when he wrote, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15).
Scripture is a living, powerful instrument in the hand of God. It functions on what appears to us to be paradoxes. In a similar fashion, the muscles in our bodies are only able to function by opposing tensions.
On the one hand, Scripture presents the Law of God, but then it contrasts this with the grace of God. Scripture teaches the need for justice, but then it counters this with mercy. We are told to cease from our own labor and enter the rest that is in Christ. At the same time, we are commanded to work for the night is coming when no man can work and to labor for the Lord. We have freedom in Christ. However, we are to make ourselves servants to all people.
If we emphasize only one side of God’s Biblical equation, we can certainly support it with verses of Scripture, but we will come out with the wrong answer. Truth out of balance leads to heresy. For example, if we emphasize the “rest” that a believer has and fail to give equal and primary emphasis to the “labor” of a believer, we will view any emphasis on working for the Lord as legalism.Paul put labor and rest together when he wrote, “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief” (Hebrews 4:9–11). Similarly, there is certainly freedom in Christ. However, if we focus on freedom, we will react to God-ordained authority as being oppressive and cultish.
Proper hermeneutics requires diligent use of all the above factors under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
JC was teaching the disciples...in 31-ish AD about the power of prayer for them....THEM!
moo...I am baffled that you reject JC, because people that follow the teachings of him (as u interpret) don't get what they WANT????
We've discussed correct interpretation...and application of scriptures in the past...thought I'd give you some principles to marinate on...
then AND ONLY then interpret.....what you call FACE VALUE is lazy bro...
7. See how the first mention of the word or topic is presented in the Bible.
Originally posted by OldThinker
Moo/All...
There are 6 factors when considering PROPER Biblie INTERPRETATION (and application) Mr. Gothard has them here..
3. Genuine Love Rather Than Justification of Selfishness
Since the Scriptures reveal the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, it also follows that the primary theme of the Bible is the love of God and how we are to live out His love in our daily words and actions.
When a clever lawyer tried to involve Jesus in a wordy battle, He began his forensic sparring with the question “Which is the greatest commandment?” The reply that Jesus gave is a profound principle for Biblical interpretation. All the Law and prophets are based on the command to love God with all of our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Therefore, we must interpret Scripture on the basis of how it teaches us to love God and to love others. Love is the theme of the Bible. All good character qualities are simply practical expressions of genuine love. When the Pharisees used the Law of Moses to justify their harsh and unloving treatment of wives, Jesus reproved them for hardness of heart and took them back to the Creation design of one man and one woman becoming one flesh for the rest of their lives.
The lawyer who tried to engage Jesus in debate then tried to justify himself by asking, “Who is my neighbor?” to which Jesus responded with the parable of the Good Samaritan.
would you walk by on the other side
when someone called for aid
would you walk by on the other side
and would you be afraid
cross over the road my friend
ask the lord his strength to lend
his compassion has no end
cross over the road
would you walk by on the other side
when you saw a loved one stray
would you walk by on the other side
would you just watch and pray
cross over the road my friend
ask the lord his strength to lend
his compassion has no end
cross over the road
would you walk by on the other side
when starving children cried
would you walk by on the other side
and would you not provide
cross over the road my friend
ask the lord his strength to lend
his compassion has no end
cross over the road
Allow the clear, simple, and explicit to
interpret the unclear, complex, and implicit.
There are passages that are more clear and those
that are less clear. We need to understand the
complex in light of the simple, not the other way
around. If we have to stretch the interpretation
of an otherwise clear passage to accommodate
our interpretation of a less clear passage, we are
mistaken.
Example: In some cases the Bible interprets
itself clearly (e.g., the lampstands and stars in
Revelation 1:12 & 16 are clearly interpreted in
v.20.) Other passages, though not directly
interpreted, are obvious (e.g., the Lamb in
Revelation 5, though not named, is clearly the
Lord Jesus.) When studying portions that are not
as clear (especially prophecy), care must be
taken that they are not interpreted in a way that
challenges or changes the interpretation of the
passages that are clear.
3. Grammatico-Historical Method. Because the
Bible was written long ago in another culture and
in a language other than 21st century American
English, we must seek to understand what the
words in a passage meant to those who wrote
them in their historical setting. We must not
interpret scripture based on modern usage of
words or modern culture.
Example: When Jesus pronounced several
“woes” on the Pharisees in Luke 11, we must
understand the term “woe” in the setting in which
Jesus used it, rather than as we might use it
today. To us, “woe” is a term used to describe
sorrow. When a Biblical prophet used the term
“woe,” he was pronouncing the strongest form of
denunciation or curse.
Paul’s many references to circumcision are
confusing and embarrassing to many modern
readers, but in Paul’s time circumcision was
vitally important and understood within a
religious, rather than a medical or private context.
Even words in older English translations can
be misleading. When the King James Bible was
written in 1611, the word “rent” meant something
different fron it means to people today. To us it
means use for a price. To them it meant tear or
rip. So when we read, “he rent his coat in twain,”
we should not think he was using his clothing for
a price, but instead, that he tore his coat in two.
4. Progressive Revelation. The writers and
characters in the earliest writings did not know
what God would reveal later in history. More
details of God’s grace were known to Paul than
to Abraham, for instance. As God has revealed
more of Himself and His plan for His people, the
picture has become clearer. Therefore, while not
discounting the revelation of God in the Old
Testament, we must give special attention to how
the later pieces of God’s revelation complete the
earlier pieces. The New Testament provides
commentary on the Old Testament.
THE WORD OF GOD
APPENDIX FOUR
ii
Example: Genesis 4 does not make it clear what
made Abel’s sacrifice acceptable and Cain’s
unacceptable. Hebrews 11:4 clarifies it, saying
the issue was faith.
King David had many wives. Though God
allowed it, in the New Testament, however, it is
clear that God’s plan since creation was for a
man to have only one wife (Matthew 19:1-8).
Originally posted by moocowman
the last four examples here...
Recognize what kind of literature you are
reading. Poetry in the Bible needs to read like
poetry. The Bible contains sarcasm, hyperbole
(exaggeration), and symbolism. To read it as
though it were an encyclopedia of religion is to
misunderstand it.
Example: If I were reading a poem about a
man’s love for his wife and it said, “Your teeth are
like the stars shining in the night sky,” I would
know that the woman’s teeth were not stars. I
would realize that the author was speaking
figuratively, not literally. Likewise, when I read in
the Psalms that God covers us with His wings, I
realize that God is not a heavenly chicken. I
understand that the Psalmist is speaking
figuratively, not literally.
If I hear a person say he was so mad he
“could have killed his boss,” I know he wasn’t
really homicidal — he was just really angry. In
the same manner, when Jesus instructs us to cut
off our hands and gouge out our eyes if they
cause us to sin, I must understand that He
doesn’t want us to physically maim ourselves, but
to be serious about avoiding sin.
6. Learn to diagram sentences. Much of the
Bible, especially the writings of Paul, contains
long and complicated sentences with, at times,
several digressions. We must be able to grasp
the subject and predicate, or the many
digressions are likely to confuse our
understanding of the basic meaning of the text.
Example: In 2 Peter 3, Peter has been talking
about the fact that Jesus will return, just as He
promised He would. The fact that He hasn’t
returned yet is not because He is slack
concerning His promise, but rather because He is
giving time for more people to come to saving
faith. Look at 2 Peter 3:14-16. This is one
sentence. There are ten commas, a semicolon,
and an en-dash. This sentence is long enough
with enough digressions, that one could easily
miss the point: that we must be diligent to be
found by Christ in peace when He returns.
Ironically, Peter digresses from that point and
ends up speaking about how hard it is to
understand Paul’s writings!
7. Interpretation v. Application. There is only
one correct interpretation of a passage (what it
means), but there may be many different
applications (how it directs my life). As long as
the interpretation is correct, and as long as the
applications I might derive from the
interpretation do not alter the interpretation, I
may find a number of applications.
Example: Proverbs 11:1 is about weights and
measures in business. That is the interpretation.
However, there are other applications to the truth
of God’s disdain for imbalance. So while the
passage is about honest weights and measures,
there is an application to be honest in all things.
8. Do not formulate doctrine on narratives
alone. The Word of God accurately records
what is written in it, but God does not sanction or
endorse all the events that are recorded. For this
reason, only when what is recorded in a narrative
(story) passage is also found in a didactic
(teaching) passage should we formulate any
doctrine or conclusion about how we are to live.
Example: Genesis 12 and 20 record Abraham
lying about his relationship with Sarah (calling her
his sister instead of his wife). Genesis 26
records Isaac doing the same thing. I must not
conclude that lying is okay based on these
accurate narratives of the Patriarchs’ sins. In
didactic portions like Revelation 21:8, we read
that liars will be cast into the lake of fire.
more: www.gbcmpk.org...
I think you are sincere, and are a truth seeker...just think you need to do some more research on interpretation moo...
OT
PS Love the way to dialog my man...hope you have a great day!
Originally posted by Victoria 1
Why would we be upset that he prays? He certainly needs to because he is a hot mess.
Originally posted by OldThinker
reply to post by MCoG1980
Appreciate your post, your transparency the the song....
All three...
OT
Originally posted by Hemisphere
And that folks is the unspoken truth.
Obama's Religious Ruse
There are evil people that hide behind religion and there are good people that refuse to hide behind religion.....
The ruse that he is a Christian must be exposed for what it really is: Obama's cloak to conceal that he is a Marxist from a Muslim background, for which he holds widespread support in the Islamic world
Originally posted by moocowman
So which bible would that be OT,
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