Hermeneutics: Interpreting Scripture

[GWH]

Applying Romans 1-11 to MFW, we find the following:

48. Regarding Moral volition, R#9 teaches that the purpose of the law is to make souls conscious of sin, and R#10-11 teach how to attain righteousness from God. R#22 urges Christians not to continue sinning, and R#26&27 contrast the sinful nature with the new way of cooperating with the Spirit until Christians attain the likeness of Christ.

49. Regarding Freedom to choose, faith connotes a lack of proof or coercion, thereby making the chooser responsible for resisting God’s kind leading per R#3&4, which onus for evil is sensed by one’s conscience (R#8) or consciousness of sin (R#9). Even the reference to slavery in R#23 speaks of obedience being offered.

50. Regarding Will or volition, it is signified in R#32&38 by the heart, and the sinful will is described as hardened (cf. obstinate in Rom. 10:21). In R#39 Israel’s corporate will to sin is called transgression.

 

[GWH]

Now let us consider the remaining Scriptures cited in the descriptions of the TULIP and MFW interpretations in light of Romans 1-11.

51. T - Mark 7:21-23 lists some evil thoughts in sinful hearts, but it does not teach that evil people cannot repent. Rather, Jesus states this truth in order to prick sinners’ hearts and lead them to repent of ignoring the commands of God in order to preserve the traditions of men (Mark 7:6-13, R#3&4).

1Cor. 2:14 says that those without the Spirit view GW as foolishness, but this does not teach that unspiritual souls cannot repent. Rather, Paul urges the readers to humble themselves and accept the foolishness of God (the crucifixion of Christ per 2:8, cf. R#12-15) as wiser than the wisdom of the world (1Cor. 1:27-31, 3:18-19).

52. U – The only Scripture cited as specifically supporting this point is R#21, but only if universal salvation is also accepted as being taught by the reference to all/many, but Romans 5:17 limits the many to those who receive God’s grace, and Romans 4:16 & 5:1 teach that grace is received through faith, making it the condition for reception (s/e).

53. L – In Matthew 20:28 Jesus said that his life is given as a ransom for many (stated also in Hebrews 9:28), but this does not preclude anyone who has faith being included, and Scriptures such as 1Timothy 2:3-4 indicate God’s desire for all to become “many” (John 3:16, Acts 2:21, 1John 2:2), indicating that although Christ’s death atoned for the sins of all humanity only for those who accept Jesus as Messiah does it result in forgiveness (s/e, R#14&18).

54. I - Phil. 2:13 says that God works in believers to will and act according to His good purpose, but this does not mean that believers do not willingly cooperate (R#23).

55. P – John 10:27-29 states that Jesus gives his sheep eternal life, and no one can snatch them, which is stated by Paul in Romans 8:35-39 as being separated from the love of God in Christ. However, there are numerous Scriptures indicating that a believer may not persevere (including John 8:31, Matt. 10:22& Heb. 10:36), so although God gives endurance per Romans 15:4-5, it too must be received through continued faith (2Cor. 5:7) “from first to last” (Romans 1:17).

 

[GWH]

56. M - Gen. 2:17 begins the biblical revelation of God’s moral nature and requirement and is followed up by Gen. 6:5-6 revealing that God is grieved by sin, which truth Paul noted in Eph. 4:30. A main point of the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7) per Jesus in Matt. 5:20 is that souls should be righteous, and main point of the Sermon on Salvation (Rom. 1-11) per Paul in Rom. 3:21-22 is that righteousness is attained through faith in Jesus as Lord (cf. Acts 16:30-31).

57. F - Deut. 30:19 is one of the clearest statements of the condition of volition in Scripture, and Jesus lamented the sinful misuse of this divine gift in Matt. 23:37. Jesus commanded the correct application of volition in Matt. 7:7 (cf. Heb. 11:6). Paul indicates that God enables sinners to seek salvation in Rom. 2:4, where he says that God’s kindness toward sinners leads them toward repentance. In 1Tim. 2:3-4 Paul taught that God wants all souls to be saved, but he lamented that many resisted God’s will in Acts 28:26-27, like Jesus did in Matt. 13:14-15.

58. W – The short version of Paul’s Sermon on Salvation in Romans is found in Eph. 2:8-10, which states that God’s grace is received through faith, not works, implying that the condition of cooperating (called partnership in Phil. 1:4-5, cf. 2:12-13) with God both by professing Christ at conversion (from first/first day) and by producing the fruit of the Spirit during sanctification (to last/the day of Christ Jesus) is NOT meritorious or a reason to think salvation is earned (Rom. 1:17). However, choosing to disbelieve God or resist His kindness does manifest spiritual separation from His blessings and warrant eventual experiencing of divine wrath per Rom. 2:4-6 (cf. Matt. 23:37).

 

[GWH]

The concerns of those who accept TULIP—to affirm the sovereignty of God and the inability of souls to earn salvation—are valid, but the solutions are problematic, because they deny or ignore Scripture teaching the love of God for all sinners and the moral accountability of sinners for rejecting the love of God, thereby effectively perverting the Gospel (Gal. 5:6) and impugning God’s justness. The apparent reasons for these errors are threefold: 1. Unconcern for harmonizing all of Scripture, such as those teaching the possibility of apostasy, 2. Viewing faith as a meritorious work rather than as the non-meritorious condition of cooperating with God’s grace, and 3. Portraying God as unjust by showing favoritism toward the elect. Once these errors are cured by including Scripture supporting MFW, doctrinal harmony is enhanced.

This study will conclude with a few examples of how synthetic or “both-and” thinking may serve as a cure for divisive thinking and disharmony. An example of an apparent discrepancy was cited in R#28, in which Rom. 8:38-39 and Heb. 10:26-36 seem contradictory. However, harmonization can be achieved easily by understanding “anything else” in the first passage as referring to powers other than the saint’s own will "deliberately" sinning in the second passage.

Similarly, the necessity of God’s mercy cited in R#31 does not obviate or nullify the need for a soul’s willing cooperation that is indicated in Col. 2:6-7, because there is no qualitative difference between (non-meritorious) faith that accepts God’s saving grace at conversion and faith that accepts God’s working grace while walking/living (Eph. 2:8-10, 2Cor. 5:7, Rom. 1:17), but only a quantitative difference as each additional moment passes.

The final example involves two passages penned by John. In John 10:27-29 Jesus said that no one can snatch his sheep out of the Father’s hand, and 1John 2:24-25 indicates that his sheep will remain in the Father’s hand if what they believed at the beginning remains in them.

The apparent discrepancy between the passages in these examples illustrates the truth that Scripture is not written in a systematic way that teaches everything about a doctrine in one place, so there is a need to connect dots or interpret one Scripture with the rest of Scripture, which is what is meant by the term "harmonization". In this way (cf. Eph. 4:12-15) it can be hoped that spiritual unity among Christians in answer to the prayer of Jesus (in John 17:20-21) will also be encouraged.

 

[GRACE_ambassador]

The apparent discrepancy between the passages in these examples illustrates the truth that Scripture is not written in a systematic way that teaches everything about a doctrine in one place

Precious, agree; which is why we need a systematic way to learn, with Bible study Rules!

Amen.

 

[GWH]

Precious, agree; which is why we need a systematic way to learn, with Bible study Rules!

Amen.

Yes, glad we agree. In your link I liked you interpreting 1Cor. 2:13 as advocating comparing Scripture with Scripture;
I had not thought of it in that way before. Thanks.

 

[GWH]

Here is an example of analyzing TULIP in light of what has been learned in R#1-58 and other Scriptures:

A. “Man is doubly incapable of believing in Jesus and the Gospel.” This statement is patently false, because the entire Bible is the story of those who had saving faith, which Hebrews 11 summarizes, and most of Romans (R#1-20) is a sermon explaining the necessity of faith in Christ. A true statement might be “Many souls have not believed GW” (R#34-40).

B. “Because of the disobedience (sin) of Adam and Eve, all humans are born with an inherited sin nature, and are bent on sinning instead of following God. Having a saving faith is against their very nature!” This statement has elements of truth but requires tweaking. Human nature was created good but not perfect, and Jesus had a human nature that was perfected during his earthly life (Hebrews 5:8-9), which moral perfection should be every Christian’s goal (Phil. 3:12-15). All humans sin, but every sinner has the opportunity to repent/have saving faith (Romans 1:20, 2:7, 3:21-22, 4:16-17, 5:8-19 = R#2-21).

C. “All unsaved humans are captive prisoners of Satan, and are bent on doing whatever he wants them to do. Jesus came to set the captives of Satan free.” This statement is almost true, but it fails to notice that Paul indicated slavery is willing (R#23) and that children raised by Christian parents learn to love God from infancy (2Tim. 2:15-17).