VII. All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all
p) yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them.(q)
(p) II Pet. 3:16.
(q)
Psalm 119:105,
130.
Would you agree with the above statement? why or why not?
Hello Phil36
My comments are more related to 2 Peter 3:16
Peter explains in 2 Peter 3:15-16 that the writings of Paul are hard to be understood and people twist his writings to their own destruction.
When a person analyses the teachings of Jesus; writings of Peter, James, Jude, John and Paul. You will notice that the Jesus, Peter, James, Jude and John are straight-forward and it is not easy to misinterpret them. The writings of Paul however are more diplomatic and not always straight-forward. Writings that are not straight-forward are not easily understood and can be twisted easily misinterpreted easily.
A person who doesn't take sides in a fight but who instead helps others to resolve their differences is an example of someone who is diplomatic.
I am able to identify this character trait of Paul because my mother is a diplomatic person. I am more of a straight-forward person.
Diplomatic people want to be friends with everyone and try to avoid conflict, which is a good thing, but the problem is that they create confusion as well.
- Diplomatic behavior-Saying both negative and positive aspects about a subject or behaviour
My grandparents have both passed away and since my mother is the eldest, she is expected to resolve family fights and resolve issues. If you have been in these family meetings, where two family members are fighting and one wronged the other, you will hear her talking about the positive and negative actions about each person’s action. You will not actually know whose side she is one and who she thought the wrong doer was. Then after long arguments she will eventually say that the two parties should decide for themselves as to what the correct course of action is since they are adults. (I honestly think that she should not be in charge of these meetings).
The apostle Paul is like that. He likes to speak both the negative and positives causing a person not to know whether something is good or bad and whether it is right or wrong and whether a Christian should do it or not.
Example of Paul saying positive and negative aspects of a subject
Romans 7:7-9
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
Romans 7:12
Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Now is the law good or bad based on what Paul said? From verse 7 to 9 Paul implies that it is bad and then verse 12 implies that it is good.
Example of Paul saying it is fine and not fine to for a Christian to do something
1 Corinthians 8:4-13
As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one…But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse…Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.
1 Corinthians 10:19-22
Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
I only put parts of chapter 8, but when you read the whole chapter it implies that it is fine to eat food offered to idols as long as it does not offend anyone. Chapter 10 implies that it is not fine to eat such foods. Many would see this as a contradiction, but it is not. Diplomatic people unfortunately like to state things like this to avoid conflict with others. He wants to please the Corinthians, but at the same time God does not want idolatry. Diplomatic people also tend to not want to tell people what to do and expect people to decide for themselves as we see in Chapter 8. For carnal Christians, this is problematic because they will choose the easier option and an option that suits them.
- Need to compare scripture with scripture
1 Corinthians 2:13
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
In order to obtain the correct interpretation of a subject, different bible verses need to compared to each other and different bible writers should also be compared.
Therefore if there is another writer bible that also speaks about the same subject that Paul speaks about, you should refer to other bible writer to get a proper understanding.
Example of the law-If you read what Jesus and James said about the law that you will interpret that the law is overall good and not bad, since Jesus talks about God’s law as a law of love and James says you will be blessed if you keep the law. They do not say anything negative about the law, unlike Paul. (Matthew 22:36-40, James 1:25)
Example of food offered to idols-Fortunately, it is not only Paul, but Acts written by Luke who is straight-forward also speaks about food offered to idols. When you read Acts your overall conclusion is that Christians should not eat food offered to idols.
Acts 15:29
You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.
All the bible verses need to be compared to each other from different writers.
If Paul is “contradicting” Jesus, Peter, John and James, then you are misinterpreting the teachings of Paul. The entire New Testament must be in harmony with one another. There are not contradictions (just diplomacy by Paul).
- Two or three witnesses rule
2 Corinthians 13:1
This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
Matthew 18:16
But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
In order to get the correct interpretation, it is beneficial to obtain the teaching of a subject from two or three writers of the bible. If Peter, Paul and Jesus for example all agree on a subject, then your interpretation is most likely to be correct.
Also if you cannot find two or three writers, then it least try to find two or three bible verses that agree.
Because the writings of Paul are easy to twist, there are Christians who want to look at only his writings and therefore interpret the bible that suits them. When the writings of Jesus are mentioned, then you will hear some Christians including in this forum say that Jesus was speaking to the Jews only. If there is reference to Peter, John or James, then they also want to ignore them and say you must look at the context. These excuses are stated because Jesus, Peter, John, Jude and James cannot be easily misinterpreted and twisted (They are straight-forward). It is also a way of not doing what the bible says. Paul tends to be vague and also tends to imply that Christians have a choice on how to behave, but the others give clear instructions on what must be done.
For your second point - I am in agreement with what Psalm 118:105, 130 says.
However, scripture is plain and a light to those who do not pick and choose what suits them and read the entire bible and compare what the different bible writers state about every subject and behavior. To choose to believe certain parts of the bible and ignore other parts leaves the person in partial darkness.
I hope the above helps.
