Last week we began the second leg in our journey of determining the trustworthiness of the Bible. The first leg took several weeks exploring a sampling of evidence that demonstrated that the writings of the Bible had a divine source. As we continue this second stretch, we will future explore how we know that given the proper due diligence, God’s Word can be clearly understood just as He meant it to be. I say, ‘just as He meant it to be’ because many would exclaim that the scriptures are open to different interpretations and understandings. If this was the case, then the scriptures themselves lie to us. It is clearly stated in 2 Peter 1:20-21, “knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” Just as the Word of God did not have its origin in the will of individuals, we can not of our own will bend its interpretation to fit our own individual ideologies. If God had truly willed for each of us to walk away from His Holy Scriptures with our own interpretation of them then He truly is the author of confusion, but the Scriptures proclaim to the contrary in 1 Corinthians 14:33, “For God is not the author of confusion…”
At the close of this same letter, Peter informs us in 2 Peter 3:14-16 the end result of twisting scripture to one’s own interpretation instead of diligently seeking God intended meaning.
Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
Peter makes it very clear that whether from ignorance or instability those that mutate the interpretation of Scripture to their ideologies instead of adjusting their ideologies to align with the truth clearly revealed in Scripture have set the course of their eternal lives on the path of destruction. They have not found the narrow gate and the straight path, but rather have strolled boldly through the wide gate and are making good time down the wide way that leads to absolute destruction (Matthew 7:13-14).
I submit to you that if it is impossible to rightly understand the scriptures, then God has demanded of us many impossible things. Consider the following scriptures as they illuminate what I mean. 1 John 3:4 says that sin is lawlessness. Romans 6:15 says that children of God are to turn away from sin. Both James 5:16 and 1 John 1:9 say we are to confess our sins. Luke 17:3-4 demands that we rebuke those who trespass against us and forgive them if they repent. Matthew 18:15 says we are to talk with those who have sinned against us. Galatians 6:1 instructs us to attempt to restore those who have sinned. 1 Timothy 5:20 instructed Timothy as a minister to rebuke all, the sins committed by members of the congregation. The elders of a congregation are likewise demanded to withdraw fellowship from those who sin and refuse to repent (2 Thessalonians 3:6). We, as individual members of God’s family, are demanded to have no company or fellowship with other members who have sinned and will not repent (2 Corinthians 5:9-13).
If sin is a transgression of God’s Word, disobedience against His will, a violation of His law, and we have no hope of fully and completely understanding the source by which He has communicated and preserved His Word, then what was put forth in the few scriptures above is demands regarding sin that we can not possibly follow as we can not hope to understand what is a violation of the Scriptures that are not understandable. It stands to reason that God, being a just and fair God, would not place on us an impossible task of following the word of an incomprehensible Bible.
The fact of the matter is that God’s Word can be understood and understood the same by all people. It is not a matter of your interpretation or my interpretation, but rather coming to understand God’s express intended understanding of any and all things contained in His Word. I will close this week’s article with the words the divinely inspired Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15 and 3:14-17…
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth…But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that them man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
(Carl Hartman is the Minister at Main Street Church of Christ in Lockney)
