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Bible Study- Lutz, Florida
Established
November 2008
Rightly
Dividing the Word of Truth
(2
Timothy 2:15)
This is
good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who
desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1Timothy 2:3-4
Romans
by the Book
Lesson
38
Hello
and welcome back to HBS or Bible study-lite or user-friendly, as I like to call
it.
There
are reasons why I refer to it in this way.
I never quiz or test those who participate in these Bible lessons. I won’t ask you to memorize Bible verses and
there are no homework or reading assignments.
Yet this is a Bible study. I try
to keep this program “down-to-earth” so that anyone (with a mind to) can follow
along with us.
I
also omit cumbersome words from my Bible lessons intentionally. You know the ones. You need a dictionary to decipher their
meaning and then half the time you’re still left wondering, “’what in the
world… there’s no need for any of that. In
case you haven’t noticed, Scripture isn’t written in that manner. The Bible was penned so that an average
person with an average reading ability can understand it. Unfortunately, the majority of people have
been taught directly or indirectly that they do not possess the ability to
interpret Scripture without the aid of a seminary college education or the
assistance of someone with such a degree.
This is not true.
Here
are a few basic tools for interpreting Scripture. These will help your Bible study.
“No one knows the thoughts of God
except the Spirit of God.”
(1 Corinthians 2:11b NIV)
Have
you ever heard someone say, “Well,
that’s just your interpretation of the Bible?”
It’s
as if that comment disproves everything that’s been said. But it really doesn’t disprove anything. There are right ways and wrong ways to
interpret Scripture obviously. There
are some methods for interpreting the Bible that will always give you the wrong
interpretation every time.
Here
are six principles of interpretation that are accepted just about everywhere.
- You need faith and the Holy Spirit to interpret Scripture.
The Bible doesn’t make sense to
non-believers. It is God’s love letter
to believers. When an unbeliever reads the Word, he is reading someone else’s
mail. The Bible is a spiritual book that
must be understood by spiritual people.
- The Bible is its own best commentary.
Scripture interprets Scripture. Practice this principle by getting a Bible
with cross-references in the margin. By
looking up other cross references, you’ll get a much bigger and clearer picture
of what God has said in all of his Word, not just that one context.
- Read the Old Testament with the New Testament in mind,
and read the New Testament with the Old
Testament in mind. The New Testament is
hidden in the Old Testament. The Old
Testament is revealed in the New Testament.
- Always interpret unclear passages in the light of clear passages.
Look at the full counsel of God in
Scripture to get a clear understanding when you find a passage that seems
contradictory or confusing. For example,
1 Corinthians 15:29 has a very obscure reference to baptism for the dead. It's the only time the idea is mentioned in
Scripture. Paul isn’t condoning this. Nothing in Scripture condones it. Let clear passages about salvation and baptism
interpret this unclear one, not visa versa.
- Don't form a doctrine based solely on an historical event.
Take historical passages of the Bible for
what they’re meant to be: good lessons. Don’t build your doctrine upon them. For example, in Mark 1:35, the Bible says
Jesus got up very early, went into a place of solitude, and prayed. Does that mean you must get up every morning
at 4 a.m., leave your house, and go somewhere and pray? Of course not! God may convince you that’s a good idea, but
it’s not a command. Use doctrinal
passages to base doctrine on. Use
narratives to teach lessons.
- Never interpret Scripture based on your own experiences.
The point of Bible study is not to shape
Scripture to agree with your subjective opinions or your experiences. Feelings
lie. Emotions lie. Instead,
discover God's timeless truth and let it shape your life. Study the Bible with an open heart and
invite God to conform you to his will.
God
doesn’t want to leave you in the dark when you study Scripture. Following these basic rules of Bible study can
help to ensure you read the Word from God’s perspective.
We
owe a debt of gratitude to people like William
Tyndale (1494-1536). Tyndale holds
the distinction of being the first man to ever print the New Testament in the
English language. He is frequently
referred to as the “architect of the English language.”
I
would be doing a great disservice to Mr.
William Tyndale if I did not mention
that he gave his life so that we could have a copy of the Bible in our home
today.
William
Tyndale had become a trained priest, and was fluent in 8 languages.
He
believed a direct translation from Greek and Hebrew into English would be more
accurate and readable than Wycliffe’s translation from Latin (and he was
correct).
So,
Mr. Tyndale, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, translated the New Testament and
some of the Old Testament. Some of his
friends warned him that he would be killed for doing so, but he continued his
work.
Once
while disputing with a learned man, Mr. Tyndale said, “If God spare my life, ere many
years I will cause a boy that driveth the plough shall know more of Scripture
than thou dost.”
Now
how much education do you suppose a poor English plough boy possessed at that
time in history? Precious little, I
assure you, but enough according to Mr. Tyndale to read and understand
Scripture once it was translated properly.
Mr. Tyndale, like others, was killed for his efforts – he was strangled
and then burned at the stake near Brussels.
But
the belief he carried in his heart – that which he gave his life for was not
lost. Millions of people have come to
experience for themselves what Tyndale taught throughout his life: “The
nature of God’s word is, that whosoever reads it…it will begin immediately to
make him every day better and better, till he be grown into a perfect man.”
About
52 countries ban the Bible today – meaning it’s against the law to own one.
A
few of these are: Afghanistan, China, Cuba, Iran, Kuwait, and North Korea.
When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you
take things for granted or take them with gratitude. Author: G.K. Chesterton
I
pray you find this information on and about the Bible useful. Please remember people like Mr. Tyndale in
your prayers. We owe him and others like
him a great deal.
Please
open your Bible to Romans at chapter 5.
We’ll drop in at verse 15.
The
Apostle Paul has been drawing a comparison of sorts (since verse 12) between
the transgression of the one man (Adam) and how his offense affected the entire
human
race
thereafter, and the opposite gift of God, through the righteous act
of the One Man, Jesus Christ; His substitionary death on the cross affects the
life of the Believer.
I
say “a comparison of sorts” because it’s not a true comparison because the
“free gift” from God the Father bestows blessings far beyond the consequences
of Adam’s single offense. Paul continues this parallel or comparison through
Romans 5:15-18.
Romans 5
15: But (But = Behold the
Underlying Truth) the free gift
is not like the transgression. For if by
the transgression of the one (Adam – the Federal Head of the Human
Race) the many died, much more did
the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ,
abound to the many (who believe the gospel).
God’s
gift of grace is freely given to all, but what must you do?
You
have to accept it on faith. It doesn’t
work any other way.
16: The gift
is not like that which came through
the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression
resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions
resulting in justification.
Paul
is saying it only took one wrong act through Adam to bring about judgment and
death for all of humanity, but that out of many transgressions (every sin ever
committed; past, present, and future) came the opposite of judgment – a
righteous act, that is Jesus Christ died for every man, woman, and child;
salvation is God’s free gift to all.
It’s
a funny thing but when people see the word “free” they suddenly stop reading
the rest of the copy. We know God’s
grace came at a high cost. Jesus gave up
His life so that we could have the gift of eternal life, through faith alone;
therefore God’s grace didn’t come freely by any means. But God extends the gift of His grace to us freely
in this era (dispensation) and the Bible is clear on this point. There’s nothing we can do on our own to “earn”
it.
Be
very careful. This verse does not say that God’s gift of
grace is free to everyone therefore, everyone is already saved. Meaning, the individual need do nothing more and
it doesn’t matter how they live their life.
All of Scripture must be taken into account. You never build doctrine from one or two
lines of Bible text.
What
does this book say?
Ephesians 2
8: For by grace you
have been saved (how)
through faith; (not by tithing, not
by joining the “right” church group, not by climbing the steepest mountain, not
by swimming the strongest river, not by praying a certain prayer. You are saved through faith plus nothing else that’s what this book says) and that not
of yourselves, it is the
gift of God. (See 1 Corinthians
15:1-4).
This
verse usually brings an old church hymn to mind and it does now.
Grace Greater Than
Our Sin
Marvelous
grace of our loving Lord,
Grace
that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder
on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There
where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.
Refrain:
Grace,
grace, God’s grace,
Grace
that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace,
grace, God’s grace,
Grace
that is greater than all our sin.
Sin
and despair, like the sea waves cold,
Threaten
the soul with infinite loss;
Grace
that is greater, yes, grace untold,
Points
to the refuge, the mighty cross.
Refrain:
Dark
is the stain that we cannot hide,
What
can avail to wash it away?
Look! There is flowing a crimson tide,
Brighter
than snow you may be today.
Refrain:
Marvelous,
infinite, matchless grace,
Freely
bestowed on all who believe!
You
that are longing to see His face,
Will
you this moment His grace receive?
Grace,
grace, God’s grace,
Grace
that will pardon our sin and our guilt!
Grace,
grace, God’s grace,
Grace
that is greater than all our sin.
Words
by: Julia H. Johnston, in Hymns Tried and
True (Chicago, IL)
Music:
Daniel B. Towner, 1910
There’s
a powerful message in this old church hymn.
It
says what it means and means what it says.
Let’s
return to Romans.
Romans 5
17: For if by the
transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, (now watch this) much more those who receive the
abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will (do what exactly) reign in life (the opposite of death) through the One, Jesus Christ.
What
does Death do? It destroys right? Therefore, Death is known as reigning by the destruction of his
subjects – that’s you and me.
Those
who receive the abundance of grace
and the gift of righteousness shall be redeemed from the sentence of the second
death and instead exalted to the throne room of God to live and reign with
Jesus Christ forever without end. (See 1
Corinthians 6:2; 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 2:7; Revelation 2:10-11; Revelation
3:21)
Let’s
return to Romans and wrap up this Bible lesson.
Romans 5
18: So then as
through one transgression there resulted condemnation to (how many) all men (and women), even so through one act of righteousness
there resulted justification of life to (how many) all men (and women).
Through
the one transgression of Adam a sentence of death passed to all mankind without
hope or reprieve. Mankind would
experience death twice, once in this life, and then the second death, which is
the eternal separation from God in the Lake of Fire.
But
by the obedience of Jesus Christ, unto death, His one righteous act reversed
that death sentence for all mankind.
Jesus Christ’s resurrection defeated death and gave Him the victory. Justified Believers will follow His lead.
19: For as through
the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through
the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.
There
are quite a few people who shy away from the term “sinner.” They don’t like being referred to or labeled
as such but this is what the book says.
This is who we are per the Creator God.
I
said “we” because even saved individuals are going to continue to sin. The Apostle Paul wrote: “For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh,
(that old Adamic Nature) sold into
bondage to sin” (see Romans 7: 14-25).
Paul
is saying he struggled with sin in his own life and we will struggle with sin
in our lives but what else is true? We
will be victorious one day!
(To
be continued)
©
Copyright 2011
GJ
Heitzman’s Ministry
All
Rights Reserved
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