Mon, February 14, 2011 4:05:05 PM

[Gospel+Way Update] One Interpretation Good as Another? - GospelWay Update for February |
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** David E. Pratte
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Is One Interpretation of the Bible as Good as Another?

======================================================

Is truth subjective so that whatever one person believes is as good as

other beliefs? How important are knowledge and understanding of truth,
and is it possible to understand the Bible alike? What does it mean to
interpret the Bible? Do religious division and confusion matter? Does
the Bible contradict itself? Will God accept everyone who is sincere and
has a good conscience?

This is the subject of this month's Bible study article. I hope you find
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    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Is One Interpretation of the Bible as Good as Another?
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Introduction:

Many people believe the idea that truth is subjective, especially in

religion.
*****************************************************

So some think that whatever you believe to be true, to you it is true.

But what another person believes to be true, that is true for him. So,
everybody has his own "truth," even if it flatly contradicts other
people's "truths."

For years people used this idea to justify disagreements and

contradictions between denominations. They say: "One person sees the
Bible one way, and others see it differently. One interpretation is as
good as another." In effect, this means that people cannot understand
the Bible alike; so whatever it means to you is right for you, even if
it contradicts the way other people see it. As long as you practice what
you honestly believe the Bible says, God will be pleased.

As a result, some people will not even seriously listen to views that
differ from their own. They think it does not matter anyway, so why
discuss it?

The purpose of this study is to examine the idea that one belief or
interpretation of the Bible is as good as another.
*****************************************************

Let us examine what the Bible itself says. Many people have never
considered that the Bible itself may speak about this issue.

Obviously, different views of the Bible do exist. The question is

whether or not all these views are acceptable to God. Is it possible
that we may be lost, even though we follow a view of the Bible that we
sincerely believe to be true?

What does it mean to "interpret" the Bible?

*****************************************************

"Interpret" is defined: "to set forth the meaning of; explain ... to
translate what is said in a foreign language..." (Random House College
Dictionary). An idea or meaning may be properly expressed using
different words, but to "interpret" properly one must give the true meaning.

Illustration: If a speaker expresses an idea in one language, an

"interpreter" may express the same meaning in the words of a different
language. But if the "interpreter" gives a different meaning, then his
interpretation is inaccurate. It is wrong!

So, it may be proper to "interpret the Bible," provided one gives the
same meaning as is in the original language. For example, most of us do
not speak Greek or Hebrew, so we need an "interpretation" or translation
of the Bible into English. This is fine, as long as the translation
accurately conveys the meaning of the original languages.

Furthermore, even in the same language it may be proper to use various

different words, illustrations, and applications to help explain the
meaning of the Bible (cf. Neh. 8:8). But proper interpretation requires
giving a true and faithful explanation of the real meaning and intent of
the original message. To change the meaning or to express a different
meaning would be improper interpretation. It would be a "perversion,"
not a true "interpretation."

What do people mean when they say, "One interpretation of the Bible is
as good as another"?
*****************************************************

The statement is nearly always made to justify people who defend

conflicting and contradictory views of the Bible. This is clear from the
way the people make the statement.

For example, one person may say that baptism must be an immersion, so
sprinkling or pouring for baptism is not valid. Then another person says
they believe sprinkling and pouring are acceptable forms of baptism.
Then someone concludes, "Well, it really isn't important. It's all 'a
matter of interpretation.'"

In short, people are saying that truth is subjective and varies from
person to person. This approach has been used to justify people who
contradict one another regarding whole hosts of beliefs and practices.

So the real question we are studying is: May people get conflicting and
contradictory beliefs, doctrines, and practices from the Bible, yet all
be pleasing to God? To answer, let us consider some more specific
questions and see what the Bible says about them.

Question #1: Does the Bible Contradict Itself?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
If the Bible actually contradicts itself, people could properly
interpret the Bible and end up disagreeing with one another, simply
because the Bible disagrees with itself! Since God wrote the Bible (2
Timothy 3:16,17; 2 Peter 1:20,21; 1 Corinthians 14:37, etc.), this would
mean that God contradicts Himself. But consider:

A Kingdom Divided against Itself Cannot Stand - Mark 3:24,25.

=====================================================

If a person works against himself, how will he accomplish anything?

When parents give contradictory instructions, how will the children know
what to do?

If a mechanic "fixes" your car so it goes into forward and reverse gears
both at the same time, how could you go anywhere?

So, if God contradicts Himself - if He teaches people to believe and

practice opposite things at the same time - how can He expect to
accomplish His purpose?

God Is the Author, Not of Confusion, but of Peace - 1 Corinthians 14:33.

=====================================================

Is the existence of many conflicting doctrines a source of confusion? Of

course. Yet if proper Bible interpretation leads to all these
contradictions, then who would be to blame for the confusion? God would!

But the Scripture says we should not blame God for the existence of
confusion. He is the source of peace. So God is not responsible for
conflicting Bible interpretations. He never wanted it this way.

It necessarily follows that God's word has a true and correct meaning.
Since the Bible does not contradict itself, then when we interpret it
correctly, we will not contradict one another. Conflicting explanations
are not correct, not true. And since contradictory views are not from
God, they must be from men. But in religion, doctrines from men make our
service to God vain (Matt. 15:9).

[See also John 17:17; Psa. 119:128,137-144,151,160; 19:7-11; James 1:25.]

Christ Is Not Divided - 1 Corinthians 1:13.

===========================================

Paul was not crucified for us, nor are we baptized in His name.
Likewise, Christ is not divided. He does not conflict and disagree with
Himself.

To say that Jesus contradicts Himself would be to say that He is either

ignorant or hypocritical. Either He is not intelligent enough to know
that He contradicts Himself, or else He is so morally bankrupt that He
does it on purpose! Both views are blasphemous.

But if Jesus does not contradict Himself, then people who properly
understand what He says will not contradict one another either! If
people do contradict one another, it must be because someone
misunderstands what Jesus said.

God's will for man's salvation, as revealed in the Bible, is unified and
harmonious with itself. It does not contradict itself. It has a real and
true meaning such that all who understand its meaning will understand it
alike. When people disagree about its meaning, we should conclude, not
they both have equally valid "interpretations," but rather that one or
the other or both have misunderstood and misinterpreted its meaning.

Question #2: Is It Necessary to Understand the Bible?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Could it be that God does not really care whether or not we understand
His word? Perhaps one interpretation of the Bible is as good as another,
because God accepts everybody regardless of whether or not we understand
the Bible. But consider:

The Importance of Knowing the Truth

===================================

Since God's word has a true meaning, how important is it for us to

understand that true meaning?

Ephesians 5:17 - We should not be unwise, but understand what God's will
is. So, God has a will for our lives, and He expects us to learn what
that will is.

John 8:31,32 - We must know the truth in order to be made free (i.e.,
free from bondage to sin - v34). We all need to be freed from sin,
because we have all committed sin, and the wages of sin is eternal death
(Rom. 3:23; 6:23).

God's word is truth (John 17:17), and only truth can set us free from
sin. But Jesus said truth frees us only if we know the truth. If someone
does not know the truth, but believes error, is he saved from sin? No,
only by knowing the truth can we be saved. This is why knowing the truth
is so important.

1 Peter 1:22,23 - To be purified from sin, we must be born again by

obeying the truth of God's word. But again, you can't obey the truth if
you don't know it. So one who fails to know what God's word tells him to
do to be saved, is a person who cannot be purified from his sin. He is
doomed to eternal death (Rom. 6:23).

[See also Col. 1:9,10; Prov. 23:23; John 4:23,24; 14:6.]

The Danger of Not Knowing the Truth

===================================

If conflicting "interpretations" of the Bible are acceptable to God,

then it really would not matter whether you accept the truth or false
teaching. What does the Bible say about this idea?

Galatians 1:8,9 - A person is accursed if he preaches doctrine different

from the true meaning of Jesus' gospel. So the idea that people can
preach and practice things that contradict the gospel, yet still please
God, just simply is not so!

Hosea 4:6 - God said His people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

Romans 2:6-10 - At the judgment, those who have not obeyed the truth
will receive indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish. So knowing
and obeying truth leads to eternal life, but failure to know and obey
truth leads to eternal punishment.

To say that "one interpretation is as good as another," would be to say

that people who do not know and obey the truth, are just as well off as
people who do know and obey the truth. The Bible says this simply is not
so! To be saved, we must understand what God says for us to do to please
Him. So proper interpretation of the Bible leads to eternal life, but
improper "interpretation" leads to eternal punishment.

[See also Psa. 119:104,128; Acts 17:30,31; Matt. 15:14; 2 John 9-11; 1
John 4:1; 2 Thess. 1:8,9; 2:10-12; John 6:44,45; 2 Pet. 3:15,16.]

Question #3: Is the Bible Impossible to Understand?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Some people believe that it is not possible to determine exactly what

the Bible really means. If this were true, then any interpretation would
be "as good as another" simply because nobody could figure out what it
means!

But we have just learned that we must understand the Bible to be saved.
If in fact we cannot understand it, we are all doomed! But consider also
the following evidence that we really can understand the Bible:

God's Word Accomplishes His Purpose - Isaiah 55:11.

===================================================

God's word does not return to Him void, but it accomplishes His purpose
and prospers in the thing for which He sends it. But what is its
purpose? He sent it to make known His will for man (2 Timothy 3:16,17;
Romans 16:25,26; Colossians 1:26-28; Ephesians 5:17).

If the average person cannot understand the Bible, then the Bible has
failed and has not prospered in accomplishing God's purpose at all. But
God expressly said it would not fail. So, people are able to understand it.

God's Testimony Enlightens Men & Makes Us Wise - Psalm 19:7,8.

=====================================================

It is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105). How
could the Bible enlighten and guide us if we could not understand it?

Jesus Commands Us All to Understand His Words - Mark 7:14.

=====================================================

Jesus here addressed great multitudes of common, ordinary people. The

Bible was written, not just for specially trained religious leaders, but
for all people. Every one of these people that Jesus addressed were
commanded to hear and understand what He said.

Jesus' teachings were worded such that the average person can understand
them if he studies and meditates diligently (cf. Acts 17:11). It simply
is not true that His teachings "cannot be understood."

The Scriptures Are Inspired to Profitably Teach Us - 2 Timothy 3:16,17.

=====================================================

This passage, like many others, tells us that the Scriptures (written
words) contain the very words of God Himself (cf. 1 Cor. 2:13; 14:37; 2
Pet. 1:20,21; Matt. 10:19,20; 1 Thess. 2:13). If these words "cannot be
understood," then either God could not or would not express Himself clearly.

But we already know that God intended to reveal His will understandably.
To say He wanted to do so, but could not do so, would be to deny that He
is all-wise and all-powerful (cf. Matt. 19:26; Job 42:2; Jer. 32:17).

Further, 2 Timothy 3:16,17 clearly says that God's inspired Scriptures

are profitable to teach and instruct us, and to provide us completely to
all good works. If we cannot understand the Scriptures, how could they
profit us in any of these ways?

Instructions for many products now come written in many foreign

languages. How profitable are those instructions to you if they are
written in a language you cannot understand? But God's word is
profitable, so we can understand it.

We must conclude that the Bible has a true meaning that we can all
understand. If we contradict one another about what the Bible teaches us
to do to be saved, it must be because someone does not properly
understand. That misunderstanding would be our fault, not God's. Either
we did not study enough or we do not have an open, honest heart. In any
case, it simply is not true that "one interpretation is as good as
another." [Cf. Eph. 3:3-5.]

Question #4: Is Sincerity Enough?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

When people "interpret" the Bible in contradictory ways, other people

often try to excuse the conflict on the grounds that the people who hold
the views are so sincere.

But we have seen that God requires men to understand and obey His will
to be saved. So the question now is: will God overlook a person's error
as long as he is sincere? Put another way, will error save as well as
truth saves, as long as a person really believes the error to be true?!

Ways That Seem Right Often End in Death - Proverbs 14:12

=====================================================

Suppose a man accidentally boards a plane for Los Angeles, sincerely

thinking it is a plane for New York. Will that plane really take him to
New York just because he sincerely believed it would? Of course not.

And likewise in religion. If a course of action is sinful, following

that course still leads to death, no matter how sincere the people are
who follow it.

Zeal Without Knowledge Is Not Enough - Romans 10:1-3

=====================================================
The Jews had zeal, but not knowledge. Were they saved? No, they still
needed salvation.

A visitor in our home once went to brush her teeth. She found a tube in
our medicine cabinet that she sincerely "interpreted" to contain
toothpaste, and started brushing her teeth ... until she realized she
was brushing with diaper rash medication! She made a wrong
interpretation, but I'm confident she did it in all sincerity. Was her
"interpretation" just as good as the truth?

Sincerity does not make a belief true. One must sincerely know and obey
the truth.

Saul Was Sincere, but He Was Still Lost - Acts 26:9; 23:1
=====================================================

As a Jew, Saul really believed he should persecute those who believed in

Jesus. Was God pleased, just because Saul was sincere? No, Saul was "the
chief of sinners" because he was "ignorant" of the truth (1 Timothy
1:13-15). Sincerely believing a lie does not change the fact that it is
a lie, nor does it change the consequences to our soul if we practice
that lie.

None of this means we should be hypocritical or should deliberately

violate our consciences. The point is that being sincere is not enough.
We may be wrong even while we do what we sincerely believe to be right.
We are right only when we know the truth, and then sincerely obey it.

Error is still error, no matter how sincerely we believe it to be true.

Jesus said we must know the truth to be saved. So we must not accept
just any "interpretation" of the Bible, but must diligently seek for its
true meaning.

[See also Matt. 7:21-23; 2 Cor. 10:12,18.]

Question #5: Is Division Acceptable?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

What is the real reason that people say, "One interpretation of the
Bible is as good as another"? It is because they hope that all sincere
religious people will receive eternal life, despite the fact that they
contradict one another. The doctrine is an attempt to justify people
despite their religious divisions. But what does God think about division?

Jesus Prayed for All Believers to Be One - John 17:20,21

=====================================================
He prayed for unity as He and His Father are one. But when people say
that all different "interpretations" of the Bible are equally good, they
actually justify and perpetuate division because people see no reason to
change. The result promotes the very opposite of what Jesus prayed for.

There Should Be No Divisions Among Us - 1 Corinthians 1:10,13

=====================================================

We earlier discussed verse 13, which says that Jesus is not divided. He
does not contradict Himself. So if we all follow what He has really
revealed, we will be united, not divided. Division is here condemned. We
must not accept doctrines that rationalize division.

We Must Strive for Peace Based on God's Plan for Unity - Ephesians 4:3-6
=====================================================

True unity is based on seven things of which there is only one each in
God's true plan. This includes "one faith." Just as surely as there is
only one true God and Father, so there is only one true faith. But there
may be many false ones!

We have learned that this one true faith has a true meaning that is
revealed in the Bible in a way we can all understand. To be saved, we
must study it, understand it, believe it, and obey it. When we do so, we
will be united in faith and practice.

Since God rebukes division and demands unity, we displease Him whenever
we promote doctrines that justify division. But the doctrine that "one
interpretation is as good as another" is a doctrine that justifies
division. God neither teaches nor accept that doctrine. On the contrary,
He requires unity based on the proper meaning of His word.

Conclusion
==========

When two churches or teachers disagree about what people must do to

please God, one of three possibilities must be true: (1) the first view
is correct and the second view is wrong; or (2) the second view is
correct and the first view is wrong; or (3) they are both wrong and some
other view is correct. But it is not possible for two contradictory
views to both be correct!

Every accountable person needs to truly understand what God teaches

about how to be saved. That requires us to study and meditate
diligently. When we do understand, we will be united with all others who
understand.

What does the Bible teach about salvation? God says you must:

** Hear the gospel - Romans 10:17; John 6:44,45.

** Believe in Jesus and His gospel - Mark 16:15,16; Romans 1:16; John 8:24.
** Repent of sins - Acts 17:30; 2:38; 2 Peter 3:9.
** Confess Christ - Acts 8:37; Romans 10:9,10.
** Be baptized (immersed) in water for the purpose of having your sins
washed away in Jesus' blood - Romans 6:3,4; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Mark 16:16.
** Continue serving God faithfully - Matthew 28:20; 6:33; 1 Corinthians
15:58; Revelation 2:10.

Have you learned and obeyed God's true plan for your salvation? Are you
living faithfully as a Christian?

(C) Copyright 1980, 2011 David E. Pratte

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