A SCRIPTURAL GUIDE TO

UNDERSTANDING GOD'S WORD

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    As the children of light, we have a responsibility to deal honestly with the Word of God, to refrain from reading our own ideas into the text, and to learn from that Word the meaning that God intended for it to convey. In saying this I realize that the world in general could care less about the intended meaning. Even many nominal Christians who want an excuse to ignore God’s Word, rationalize sin, or make the Bible say what they want it to say are quick to claim that "what the Bible says is all a matter of opinion." However, the Bible says otherwise, and a refusal to take God’s Word seriously is not going to advance God’s kingdom, or deliver anyone from darkness. Therefore, we need to look carefully at those passages in which God tells us how we are to interpret His Word.

THE NEED FOR FAITH IN CHRIST

    2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
    [Comment: This passage tells us that those who do not trust in Christ have been blinded to the truth of the gospel. Therefore, it should be obvious that faith in Christ is a key factor in understanding God's Word.]

    Luke 18:10-14 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
    [Comment: This story relates to our interpretation of Scripture, not only because repentance goes hand in hand with faith in Christ, but because the Pharisee interpreted Scripture in a way that excused his own sins and shortcomings, while the publican acknowledged his sin. Applying that example to interpretation, we learn not only the importance of admitting our sin, but the importance of correcting our own opinions in order to bring them into accord with the Word of God (Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 10:5, Isaiah 8:20).]

    James 4:6 God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble
    Isaiah 66:2 To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
    1 Corinthians 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
    Luke 10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes:
    [Comment: Being wise in his own eyes, the Pharisee was too proud to admit his sin, thus the truth of salvation was hidden from him (Luke 1:51 and 10:21). In contrast, the publican judged himself, trembled at God's Word, and so received grace (Luke 18:17).]

THE CLARITY OF SCRIPTURE

    2 Corinthians 1:13 For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end;
    2 Corinthians 3:12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
    [Comment: These verses tell us that the meaning God intends for us to get from His Word is not hidden or mysterious. On the contrary, it is exactly what we read, nothing more.]

    Psalms 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
    Psalms 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
    2 Timothy 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
    [Comment: These verses tell us that the Word of God is so clear that it's saving truths can be known by a child and understood by the simple. In fact, it is only because it is clear that it can be a lamp unto our feet or a light unto our path.]

THE PURPOSE OF SCRIPTURE

    John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
    Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
    1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
    John 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
    [Comment: These verses tell us that the Bible was written to testify of Christ, so that we might believe on Him, and know that in Him we have eternal life. Moreover, since it was written to testify of Christ, its words should be understood in the light of that testimony, and no passage should ever be interpreted to contract what the Bible says about salvation through faith in Him (John 3:16).]

THE SOURCE OF DOCTRINE

    John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
    Deuteronomy 4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it
    Proverbs 30:6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar
    Mark 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition.
    Revelation 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
    [Comment: These words tell us that we are not to add to, or take from the words of Scripture. We are to continue in the Word of God, and we only do that when we do not go outside of it for doctrine. In short, the source of our doctrine is to be Scripture alone, to the exclusion of human opinion, tradition, or any other source of revelation. This is important, because God has included in the Bible all that we need to know to be saved, and additions only obscure the truth (John 8:31).]

THE AUTHORITY OF GOD'S WORD

    Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
    Romans 3:4 Let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
    1 John 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
    1 Corinthians 14:37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
    Psalm 107:11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:
    Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
    2 Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
    2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
    [Comment: These verses tell us that we are to accept everything that the Bible says, conform our thinking to it, and reject any idea that is not in accord with the truth of Scripture. Any interpretation that contradicts a plainly stated truth of scripture, or is not in accord with all that the Bible says, is to be rejected.]

LETTING SCRIPTURE INTERPRET ITSELF

    1 Corinthians 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
    Isaiah 28:9-10 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. for precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
    [Comment: Since both of these passages are telling us the same thing (i.e. how God teaches), they explain each other. Together they tell us that the Holy Spirit reveals His doctrine by comparing one line of Scripture with another, or, in other words, by comparing what the Bible says in one place with what it says somewhere else.]

CONCLUSION

    The rules that have just been presented are not hard to follow; however, they allow no room for self-deception. You cannot read your own assumptions into the text, teach man-made explanations as doctrine, or explain away what does not fit, and expect to have the truth. In fact, all who do so are trying to make their own word into the Word of God, and that is a form of idolatry (self-deification). Honesty requires us to admit our errors and correct our own thinking before attempting to teach others. And that means being your own worst critic. You have to be willing to look at your sins and take the criticism of others seriously, while earnestly desiring to find and eliminate every faulty opinion. To that end, the rules that we have just looked at will guide you in learning to recognize and refute wrong thinking.