Why do we need to study Biblical Interpretation?

Isn’t it obvious how to understand the Bible?

  • Just about ALL the differences between Christians today hinge on this topic
  • Wrong interpretation is behind
    • legalism
    • denial of the gifts of the Holy Spirit
    • unhealthy church structures
    • abusive churches
    • cults
    • weirdness
    • or just getting unbalanced and sidetracked into emphasizing odd things and losing the main plot

It is not just about being “theologically correct”

  • it is about hearing God accurately
  • it is about submission to him
  • it is about being set free by the truth he speaks into our hearts
  • it is about a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit, since he wrote the Bible

I don’t like the phrase “Word and Spirit”, although I agree totally with the idea

  • it’s just that the Spirit wrote the Word, so it is “Spirit and Spirit”
  • This is how I like to think of it;
    • In the New Testament, the Spirit works in three kinds of ways
    • He is called “the Spirit of Love” [Rom 15:13, 5:5; Gal 5:22-23]
    • He is called “the Spirit of Truth” [John 14:17, 15:26, 16:12-14; 1 John 4:6, 5:6]
    • He is called “the Spirit of Power” [Zech 4:6; Luke 4:14; Acts 10:38; Rom 1:4, 15:19; 1Cor 2:4-5]
    • we find all three together in 2 Tim 1:7: [For God has not given us a Spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.]
  • There is a sequence:
    • God pours his love into our hearts by the Spirit ([we love him because he first loved us])
      • [the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. -Rom 5:5]
    • He sets us free by the truth: [The words that I speak to you are Spirit, and they are life -John 6:63]
    • When we speak the truth, he backs it up with supernatural power
      • [Acts 14:3 So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.]
      • in [Heb 2:4] God [confirmed their witness with signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit]
  • So if we want more of the power of the Spirit, we must have love and good teaching
  • we can’t demand the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of power but not be interested in him as the Spirit of love or truth
    • He does not like us to try to divide him up
  • So, what this means is:
    • If you want more of his Power in your life,
    • then this course is for you!
    • (although it is only part of the picture)

Updated 2009-10-06 (build:3) by Andrew Fountain