Am I Rightly Dividing the Word of God? (pt. 2)

So the Scripture is the beginning, middle, and end of the church. For that reason, we hold to the doctrine of Sola Scriptura. Sola Scriptura means Scripture alone is authoritative for faith and practice. Scripture alone determines if your ministry is effective or not.  

DO YOUR HERMENEUTICS HOLD TO SOLA SCRIPTURA?  Are you rightly dividing the Word of truth in your personal bible study or when you share your convictions at a men's or ladies' bible study?  When you quote the Bible on social media are you accurately reflecting what God's Word has to say about such and such an issue?

One needs to consider three questions before arriving at a personal verdict (2 Tim. 2:15; James 3).  1) Have I done the hard work?  2) Am I trying to use biblical interpretation fine print?  3) Do I have a hermeneutic of surrender?

"Our commitment to Sola Scriptura leads to a commitment to hermeneutics—how we study the Bible. Hermeneutics matters because it determines whether we truly hold to Sola Scriptura or not. Here are three questions to help you determine if your hermeneutics hold to Sola Scriptura:

Do I have a hermeneutic of surrender?

God’s Word is His communication to us (cf. 2 Tim 3:16). God has made it clear and accessible via human language (Josh 23:14; Deut 30:11-14; Rom 10:5-10). He has also made it authoritative. We as readers do not have the right to argue with it or change it. It cannot be broken (John 10:35). Rather, we are empowered (Eph 1:17; Jer 31:33) and accountable (2 Pet 3:16) to understand and live out the Scriptures (Jas 1:22).We need to learn to stop struggling against the text and surrender

With that, we don’t have interpretative options when it comes to God’s Word. The Bible is not some platform from which we can pontificate our own theology and advice. Its assertions are also not that which we can shrug off and ignore. It doesn’t have to live up to our reason or sensibilities. Rather, we need to learn to stop struggling against the text and surrender. Its statements become our statements, its reasons our reasons, its categories our categories, and its implications/applications our own worldview and life. Anything else adds to or subtracts from Scripture. Anything else compromises Sola Scriptura.

So as we read Scripture we need to make sure we are surrendered to Scripture. Have I learned what the author has said for the reason he said it and with the range of applications he has ordained? Do I have Scripture’s intent alone? These are critical questions in making sure our hermeneutic upholds Sola Scriptura.

Am I trying to use hermeneutical fine print?

We know what fine print is. It allows you to say one thing and undermine it through a loophole. That’s exactly what some have done with God’s Word. The excuse is pretty standard. They may claim they have a high view of Scripture, but at the same time, claim we can never know what it means. And because we do not know what it means, we cannot be held accountable to an errant view. At that point, people have subverted the authority of God’s Word through the hermeneutical fine print.

To be sure, Scripture has tough passages and doctrines (2 Pet 3:16). Knowing what it means takes hard work (cf. 2 Tim 2:15). Nevertheless, such difficulties in Scripture do not provide an excuse or fine print to hold to any view one desires. Let’s be clear. The moment you do that, you don’t have God’s Word, but your word and you’ve abandoned Sola Scriptura.

Guiding Principles For Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth

Personal Bible Studies and Group Bible Studies are wonderful ways to grow in the knowledge and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Christians need to be careful however that they have done the hard work of bible study before sharing (note 2 Timothy 2:15; James 3).  Too many "bible studies" turn into a well intentioned but biblically misguided "this is what this text means to me" share fest.  Wrong interpretations can lead to wrong applications- some errors are more damaging then others.

Every believer is a theologian and every Christian employs biblical interpretation principles when reading, studying, and/or teaching the inerrant Word of God.  So here is the important question: Do Your Hermeneutics Hold to Sola Scriptura? 

"THE ARGUMENT FOR SOLA SCRIPTURA

How does Christ build His church? Arguably, He builds His church by His Word (Eph 4:11-14; 2 Tim 4:1-2). To have a ministry that pleases God, we must be all about His Word—it is central to true ministry.  We could sum it up this way: Scripture is the beginning, middle, and end of ministry.

Beginning-  Ephesians 2:20, “having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone . . .”

Scripture is foundational for the church. The book of Acts establishes the church’s origins (Acts 2) and its mission (Acts 1:8). The epistles articulate its role (Eph 1-3) and operations (1 Tim 4:13; Tit 2:1-15). Thus, you can’t even define the church apart from the Bible. We can see this in the American church today. We have left the standard of Scripture and pursued every distraction. The resulting chaos illustrates how central God’s Word is—without it, we are confused, dysfunctional, and purposeless. You can’t have church or ministry apart from the authority of Scripture.

Middle- John17:17, “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.”

The Word of God drives the ministry of the church. As our Lord prayed, sanctification revolves around Scripture. However, people may wonder, “There are so many ways I can become a better and nicer person. Why do I need the Scriptures?” But, God is not just interested in making you a better and nicer person—He wants to make you like Christ. He doesn’t want you just to change so you please the world, but that you would please Him. That is our true destiny.There is no human manipulation on the planet that can transform you to fulfill your destiny

We can see this from the very beginning. In Genesis 1, we note that we are created in the image of God.  However, because of Adam and the fall, we observe that image is tarnished (cf. Gen 5:3). But there is hope because of the second Adam. Daniel 7 teaches that there will be one like a son of man, the true son of Adam.  He is like a son of man in that He is a man, but He is only like a son of man in that He is more than that. He is God.

For this very reason, Jesus is called the Son of Man in the Gospels.  In Romans 5, He’s called the second Adam. In Colossians 1:15, Paul proclaims He is the image of God.  And in Romans 8:29, we were predestined be conformed to His image.

At this point, Scripture ultimately reveals that the image of God in Genesis 1 is the image of Christ in Romans 8. When God made us in His image, He always meant for us to be like Christ. That is our destiny.

So yes, there are lots of human manipulations that can make you nicer. But there is no human manipulation on the planet that can transform you to fulfill your destiny. That belongs to the Word of God alone.

End-  1Timothy 3:15, “…the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.”

God’s Word is not only the beginning and middle of the Church, but also its end. As the support of the truth, it is up to us to preserve and uphold the truth for the next generation. That is our role in the plan of God and our legacy. Championing Scripture is mission critical for the church.

So the Scripture is the beginning, middle, and end of the church. For that reason, we hold to the doctrine of Sola Scriptura. Sola Scriptura means Scripture alone is authoritative for faith and practice. Scripture alone determines if your ministry is effective or not."

Are You Handling God's Word With Extreme Care?  Article to be continued.

This article was first published by Dr. Abner Chou.  Chou is a foremost authority on hermeneutics.  Dr. Chou is a professor at the Master's University and the Master's Seminary.   

4 Questions to Ask as You Study the Scriptures

"Whenever we study the Scriptures we should ask ourselves the following questions:

1) What does it teach us?

2) In what areas of our lives does it rebuke us?

3) What healing, restoring, transforming effect does this teaching have?

4) How does this section of Scripture equip me to serve Christ (and the body of Christ) better?"

Sinclair Ferguson, Faithful God: An Exposition of the Book of Ruth (pg. 10)

Rethinking Biblical Application (pt. 1)

Photo Credit: eyeballplant.com

One of the areas of Christian living that believers seem to prize the most is biblical application. Evangelicals hope whatever they are investing in, be it a Christian book, a sermon, or even a blog article is "applicable to their everyday lives." In other words, why am I in this Bible study, listening to this sermon, sitting in these counseling sessions, attending this small group Bible study, etc, etc ? What difference does this truth bear in relationship to the here and now? How is this going to impact my everyday life?  On one hand, these are important questions for preacher(s) and hearer(s) alike.

James 1:21-25 reminds us of the listener's responsibility in the process of biblical change. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. (See also Martha Peace's put off/put on study of Ephesians 4).

 

When it comes to listening to sermons however one of the most common misconceptions is as follows.  When a believer feels convicted (or encouraged, or challenged) during the message they often wrongly equate this feeling with biblical "application." During sermons that are especially application orientated it is not uncommon for a church member/attendee to thank the preacher or Sunday School teacher on the way out the door. "Great study today pastor!"  In this context it's very tempting for everyone to go home assuming all is well; but is that what James 1:21-27 teaches?  Is feeling convicted over our sin during a message the same thing as repenting and putting on the graces of Christ?  Is feeling encouraged about the "peace of God which surpasses all understanding" as the preacher waxes eloquently on Philippians 4:6-7 the same thing as appropriating Christ's peace (John 14:27) in the midst of uncertain circumstances?  Is feeling strongly about biblical church discipline (Matt 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 5), the same thing as applying these principles when doing so upsets the financial apple cart?  Is feeling especially challenged about the mandate to evangelize the lost the same thing as sharing the gospel with an unsaved neighbor?   No, it is not.