We often misunderstand Scripture. Not because we are malicious nor deceitful – in fact it can be very sincere. I am talking about the misinterpretation and misrepresentation of the Bible’s message. The problem is that people often become very dogmatic about beliefs that are “sketchy” and at times actually contradict the message of the rest of the Bible.
Think about all the cults over time that have risen. Many of them purport to believe the Bible. They quote the Bible. Think of all the churches and church leaders who have taken a verse and assigned a new meaning. Some call it “revelation,” when in reality it is deception. None of us are beyond deception.
My parents were believers and followers of Christ and faithful local church people. I grew up in church. Just thinking about a lifetime of church, the things I’ve seen and heard make me cringe, because there were times I heard things taught that I now know are a complete misunderstanding of the Bible.
Now I do not claim I know everything. I do claim a good solid understanding of scripture. I have witnessed much. Yet, nothing I have seen or experienced has changed my view that the church is important and vital to our success and growth as Christians. It’s much more difficult to be deceived by false teachings when we are in a community of mature believers, especially if we allow people to disagree with us and correct us. We all need correction occasionally.
Remember just because you don’t like the preaching or the preacher, that doesn’t mean the preacher is not preaching the truth.
I remember my pastor of years ago saying that whenever he received what he thought was a revelation from God, he would speak with some of the old believers or saints in the church to ask them if they agreed with his revelation. That was a very smart man. He understood the human possibility of error.
Here are some simple rules for a better understanding of the Bible:
Do not use the example of others as the basis for what the Bible teaches. Use the Bible as the basis for evaluating human experience. My experience must always be examined against the clear written word of God. If you have had a dream and you believe the Lord has spoken to you – what the Lord says to you in a dream will never contradict the Bible.
To interpret a Bible passage there are several factors you must never forget:
First, read it in its context.
(The verses before and after) to be sure you are talking about the same thing the Bible is talking about. One simple example: Jesus did say You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free. But the verse before it says, “If you continue in my words, then you are my disciples…Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” Not just some random truth. Jesus taught that truth is progressive. If you walk with Him, the truth will set you free in an ongoing way.
Secondly, what does the rest of the Bible teach?
Don’t take a group of verses or a chapter and decide that is all there is about this belief or practice. Compare what you are reading with the rest of the Bible. You may not realize that the New Testament is built upon the Old Testament. Even Old Testament scriptures have an influence on New Testament teaching. The Old Testament is not old because it is no longer useful – it was written first.
Thirdly, understand the culture of the Bible.
The Bible has come to us from Jewish culture. Even though it was not written solely for Jews, Jewish culture and understanding are central to understanding what it means. It is very helpful to have a study Bible that points out some cultural practices which help you understand the English (or whatever) translation you are reading.
Remember that we are reading a “translation” of Scripture from Hebrew to Greek to Latin to English. The Bible was originally written in Greek and Hebrew with a small portion in Aramaic. Sometimes a translated phrase is a figure of speech in the original language and needs to be understood as such. When God promised Abraham “children as the stars of heaven,” it was a Hebrew figure of speech meaning “lots!” We do the same thing in English. For example, we use expressions like “countless” suggesting many.
One of our failings is to read into the Bible what we want it to say. I want to be rich, therefore everything I read speaks of prosperity, which mostly means for people, “I want to be rich.”
Let’s not get to the place the Mormons do when they say, “We believe in the Bible to be the word of God insofar as it is correctly translated.” That gives them the protection they need when confronted with error. “We don’t know if that is correctly translated!”
Let’s read the Bible in a modern translation and read it as literally as possible. Some things are figurative but most are meant to be literal and are taught over and over in scripture.
I’ve tried to be true to the Scripture over the years. I have had inspired thoughts and a Scripture came to my mind seeming to support my inspired thought. However, when I then sat down to carefully study it out, following the rules of interpretation I discovered that’s not what it is saying at all. So what should I do? I could go to church on a Sunday and preach it the way I want it to sound—to prove my point. Or I could go to church and preach what it says—which is often quite different from what I wanted it to say. That is being honest to the Scriptures.
I say to all of us: Be true to the Word of God. As Paul wrote, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
The bottom line: if you are attending a Bible-preaching church, all of the above will happen to your life from time to time. There are times when the preaching of the Bible will rebuke you, correct you, and instruct you so that you can be a true follower of Christ. Remember just because you don’t like the preaching or the preacher, that doesn’t mean the preacher is not preaching the truth. You and I will be held accountable for how we responded to the truth.
