Days of Confusion

Today there is considerable confusion in the church world as to what to believe. This state of confusion cannot originate from God and is due to wrong or careless interpretation of the Bible. In this article we list eight principles of right interpretation of scripture.

Confusion Cannot Originate from God

Today there is considerable confusion in the church world as to what to believe—as to what is true doctrine. This state of confusion cannot originate from God. We know this from the very nature of God, that He is immutable (Mal. 3:6, Jam. 1:17). Furthermore, revelation of the interpretation of scripture and, thereby, sound doctrine, cannot be contradictory between and among scripture passages. Ultimately, contradictory interpretations are a result of not “rightly dividing the word of the truth” (2 Tim. 2:15 YLT98).

Principles of Right Interpretation

In many years of studying scripture and listening to various Bible teachers (many of them contradicting each other), we have continually asked the Holy Spirit to lead us into the truth and show us where we have made unchallenged assumptions and misunderstood the various doctrines and scriptures. To divide the word of truth rightly requires asking fundamental questions that influence interpretation:

1. What is the meaning of the crucial word or words in their original language, that is, in Hebrew or Greek?
2. To whom are the words addressed, especially whether the primary audience is Israel, the Church, or the nations (the secular world)? (2 Tim. 2:15, 1 or 10:32)
3. In what context are the words delivered?
4. Does the passage apply exclusively to one covenant or the other, the Old Covenant or the New Covenant, or to both? The Ten Commandments, for example, have never stopped being God’s standard of moral conduct. Even though the commandments were later summarized by Jesus, Himself, as the Law of Love, they are not the way to obtain righteousness in the New Covenant.
5. Is the respective scripture consistent with other scriptures on the same matter, and do other scriptures shed light on the meaning? A contradictory scripture must be viewed with suspicion, and a stand-alone scripture must be scrutinized for pretexting, that is, having been taken out of context.
6. Can this scripture stand devoid of or apart from tradition or denominational teachings which influence the interpretation, resulting in a misreading due to “confirmation bias”?
7. Is the interpretation deemed reliable, credible, or trustworthy primarily on account of prevailing interpretations offered by respected scholars and theologians—merely an appeal to authority?
8. Is the interpretation influenced by the interpreter’s political persuasion from which the interpreter is unable to separate or is even cognizant of this bias being present? 

Our Purpose

With the principles embedded in these questions, we address many of the main topics of confusion or misinterpretations of scripture and doctrine that we have encountered over the years. In all of these cases, we have experienced a sharp “check” in our spirits as we have listened to or read certain teachings, and we believe these to be “red flags” originating from the Holy Spirit. We are not claiming infallibility in what we present on these topics; however, we have determined to apply the principles faithfully, dividing the word of truth rightly, utilizing our God-given talents of many years of scholarly research, and, especially, depending on the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth.