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In order to see how God might us to re-shap e the church, we must re -e xamine (for many the first time) how to fellowship with God in praise and prayer, how to grow in discipleship with Christ as we live-out the truths and teachings of scripture together in service, how to grow in leadership and stewardship by serving through our spiritual giifting and calling,
This reimagine-Scripture assessment requires three difficult disciplines.
I have sought your face with all my heart;
be gracious to me according to your promise.
I have considered my ways
and have turned my steps to your statutes.
I will hasten and not delay
to obey your commands Psalm 119:58-60
The sacred writings...are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Everything in the Scriptures is God’s Word.All of it is useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live.The Scriptures train God’s servants to do all kinds of good deeds. 2 Timothy 3:15-17 ESV/CEV
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Spirit-led and Scripture fed is a simple commitment.
Butt it is difficult to attain and maintain.
A major motivation in writing this commentary is the need for the Church to make disciples who know how to "read" the Bible.
It has been my observation many who believe it to be the the inspired, inerrant, infallible, Word of God unknowingly assume their reading of Holy Scripture is also inspired, inerrant, infallible.
The point of the article above is to remind us that:
We can trust the Holy Spirit to give us a trustworthy understanding of Holy Scripture but only as we yield and listen to the Spirit's voice, often through other voices in the Body of Christ.
Read. Humbly.
You may believe the Bible you read is inerrant...
But remember, the person who reads it, and applies it, and teaches it...
Is not inerrant.
Other considerations for proper interpretation.
First consideration: disregard chapter separations.
Paul words "I beseech you therefore brethren" (Romans 12:1) was a plea which flowed naturally in his thoughts as a result of his being overwhelmed about the greatness of the wisdom and power and love a grace of God (Romans 11:33-36). He had just finished unfolding the redemptive strategy of God for Jews and gentiles in the first 11 chapters (to the Jew first (Rom 1:16). Therefore, he continues with an admonition... "I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice" which links directly to his heart for God's people expressed in Romans 9:2-3 "I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart for I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren." He and Moses had the same heart for God's people (Exodus 32:31-32).
So really, the words that are traditionally emphasized in Christianity Romans 12:2 "do not be conformed to the world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" completely bypass Paul's reason for having written them which is found in verse one, and miss the whole point of Paul's teachings. And there is a lot to be said about that.
So, not only should the chapter divisions be disregarded, but the flow of thoughts in the mind of the writer, and the careful attention to the succession of words (instead of bypassing them) should be given full attention.
While emphasizing a particular verse can give us a good teaching, the proper observing of the writer's heart and the words he choses to express it will lead us to a deeper calling "the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God" (1 Cor 2:10). In this case, our obligation "to the Jew first" (Rom 1:16) - even more so for the days to come. A command which Christianity has absolutely not obeyed over the centuries - on the contrary.
So, in this particular example: starting at chapter 12 by paying attention to chapter divisions, jumping to verse 2 and bypassing verse one, and failing to understand Paul's heart, fully violates the observance of "text - context - pretext" to reimagine scripture.
Second consideration for proper interpretation:
In the mind of the book of Acts believers, "Scripture" was ONLY what we wrongfully call "the Old Testament." They also had the teachings of Christ who gave them a complete overview of Himself in the best bible study in history: Luke 24:27 "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures [OT] the things concerning Himself."
Paul, Peter, James etc. certainly never thought their letters would one day be called scripture also. Therefore, their whole theology was based on the Hebrew writings and the words of the Messiah ONLY. The proof of that is Acts 17:11 when the Bereans were checking the Scriptures daily [OT] to see that Paul's teachings were biblical. Paul's understanding of what was Scripture was exactly the same as that of the Bereans when he wrote to Timothy 3:15-17 "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures [OT], which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture [OT] is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." And there is plenty more.
Third consideration:
Consider the OT and NT only one book. Remove the pages old testament and new testament. First, the word is not testament; it is covenant. Second there are 8 covenants in the scriptures. Third, the new covenant only has to do with the means and efficiency ordained of God for the forgiveness of sins - the blood of animals replaced by the blood of the Messiah. Therefore the new covenant in internal to the revelation. Fourth, the words Old Testament and New Testament psychologically induce the thought of a replacement of the whole book; which is clearly not the case.
There is much more but I'll stop here.
Conclusion: To have an accurate understanding of the gospels and apostolic writings, it is best to slice off 2000 years of Christian theology which is still very seriously affected by the left overs of replacement theology, and to place ourselves back in the shoes of the believers after the resurrection. They just realized they had crucified their long awaited Messiah and had to know where they missed it. Sure we can have a surface understanding of some of the purposes of God by simply reading the gospels and the letters of the apostles; but if we do not know the Hebrew writings as they did, we will never have the depth of understanding necessary to prepare the way of the second coming of the Lord. Act 3:20 "And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began." We are in these days. It is time to repent and return to God and His whole word.
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.
Thank you for your thoughts reply, friend.
Especially the kind pushback on the context of Romans 12:2...
Jean-Claude Chevalme said:
Other considerations for proper interpretation.
First consideration: disregard chapter separations.
Paul words "I beseech you therefore brethren" (Romans 12:1) was a plea which flowed naturally in his thoughts as a result of his being overwhelmed about the greatness of the wisdom and power and love a grace of God (Romans 11:33-36). He had just finished unfolding the redemptive strategy of God for Jews and gentiles in the first 11 chapters (to the Jew first (Rom 1:16). Therefore, he continues with an admonition... "I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice" which links directly to his heart for God's people expressed in Romans 9:2-3 "I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart for I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren." He and Moses had the same heart for God's people (Exodus 32:31-32).
So really, the words that are traditionally emphasized in Christianity Romans 12:2 "do not be conformed to the world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" completely bypass Paul's reason for having written them which is found in verse one, and miss the whole point of Paul's teachings. And there is a lot to be said about that.
So, not only should the chapter divisions be disregarded, but the flow of thoughts in the mind of the writer, and the careful attention to the succession of words (instead of bypassing them) should be given full attention.
While emphasizing a particular verse can give us a good teaching, the proper observing of the writer's heart and the words he choses to express it will lead us to a deeper calling "the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God" (1 Cor 2:10). In this case, our obligation "to the Jew first" (Rom 1:16) - even more so for the days to come. A command which Christianity has absolutely not obeyed over the centuries - on the contrary.
So, in this particular example: starting at chapter 12 by paying attention to chapter divisions, jumping to verse 2 and bypassing verse one, and failing to understand Paul's heart, fully violates the observance of "text - context - pretext" to reimagine scripture.
Second consideration for proper interpretation:
In the mind of the book of Acts believers, "Scripture" was ONLY what we wrongfully call "the Old Testament." They also had the teachings of Christ who gave them a complete overview of Himself in the best bible study in history: Luke 24:27 "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures [OT] the things concerning Himself."
Paul, Peter, James etc. certainly never thought their letters would one day be called scripture also. Therefore, their whole theology was based on the Hebrew writings and the words of the Messiah ONLY. The proof of that is Acts 17:11 when the Bereans were checking the Scriptures daily [OT] to see that Paul's teachings were biblical. Paul's understanding of what was Scripture was exactly the same as that of the Bereans when he wrote to Timothy 3:15-17 "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures [OT], which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture [OT] is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." And there is plenty more.
Third consideration:
Consider the OT and NT only one book. Remove the pages old testament and new testament. First, the word is not testament; it is covenant. Second there are 8 covenants in the scriptures. Third, the new covenant only has to do with the means and efficiency ordained of God for the forgiveness of sins - the blood of animals replaced by the blood of the Messiah. Therefore the new covenant in internal to the revelation. Fourth, the words Old Testament and New Testament psychologically induce the thought of a replacement of the whole book; which is clearly not the case.
There is much more but I'll stop here.
Conclusion: To have an accurate understanding of the gospels and apostolic writings, it is best to slice off 2000 years of Christian theology which is still very seriously affected by the left overs of replacement theology, and to place ourselves back in the shoes of the believers after the resurrection. They just realized they had crucified their long awaited Messiah and had to know where they missed it. Sure we can have a surface understanding of some of the purposes of God by simply reading the gospels and the letters of the apostles; but if we do not know the Hebrew writings as they did, we will never have the depth of understanding necessary to prepare the way of the second coming of the Lord. Act 3:20 "And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began." We are in these days. It is time to repent and return to God and His whole word.
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.
“Be free from pride-filled opinions, for they will only harm your cherished unity.
Don’t allow self-promotion to hide in your hearts, but in authentic humility put others first and view others as more important than yourselves.”
Philippians 2:3 TPT
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