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Bible Interpretation
Interpret, Interpretation (being the act of interpreting)
Also from the New World Dictionary of the American Language (Second College Edition): (between two parties) – (1) to explain the meaning of; make understandable (2) does not apply so we skip. (3) to have or show one’s own understanding of the meaning of; (4) to bring out the meaning of; esp. to give one’s own conception of (in this case, a work of art.)
It becomes clear that the phrase “that’s your interpretation,” when retorted to a person presenting the Word of God, is most often used in the sense of #4 above and seldom if ever #1, which would be the correct choice. And even if used as #3, it would be more correct than #4.
With that in mind, and remembering how often it has been used in our presence, let us think more deeply about this issue of interpreting the scriptures. It has been well said that the Holy Bible (God’s words to mankind, his thoughts and plans revealed, therefore often referred to as “revelation.”) does not need interpretation, and rightly so, but this is true only to the person willing to obey God’s command to study it. That person believes God knows how to say what He means, clearly. To all others, we suppose there IS a need for interpretation and sadly, they pick and choose the interpretation that suits their taste. Therein is the danger. Instead of studying and finding out God’s meaning (#1 above) people are willing to pick whose interpretation they will listen to. We have learned that the Bible (that is, the Authorized Version of the King James Bible) was written on something like a sixth grade level. So why be so afraid of it that you would trust a cleric – or a “theologian” to interpret for you? Theologians today are indoctrinated with absolute false concepts about the Holy Scriptures and with an apostate version. They pick and choose scripture to fit their own theology, their own concept of God and His Word.
I find it interesting when a person says to me, “That’s your interpretation,” that they mean, that ends the conversation, and they never put forth their own interpretation. Why? - Because they cannot. They have chosen to let someone else do the work for them and never check to see whether that truly lines up with God’s words. My friend, that is a dangerous route to take.
Let’s say we give you “our interpretation,” of a doctrine from the Word of God. Our intent is that you check it out yourself. Because we know you will find it to be so, if you are willing to believe God and not what we say God said. Don’t check it against what another man says. Don’t be a fool. By the way, that scripture where God tells us to “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth” is a very simple sentence. (2 Tim. 2:15) It does not tell us to depend on clergy, our parents, or our friends for our truth. It says (and this is not our “interpretation!”) “thyself” – by “rightly dividing the Word of truth.” That means YOU study it and find out if what clergy, parents or friends tell you lines up with the Word of Truth. Now please note: that is /not/ one of the Ten Commandments given by Moses. It IS, however, a commandment to the Body of Christ in this Age of Grace, and disobeying it will be dealt with at the Judgment Seat of Christ where you and I, as members of the Body of Christ, will be judged for how we handled the Word of God to US! ARE you a member of the Body of Christ?
Where We Stand
Dear ________,
We have looked over the book you mailed, entitled (…) and are responding as you requested with our comments.
First, you mentioned you questioned the author’s credentials since you believe one had no more than a high school education. We do not judge authors by their institutional education degrees, but rather by what they say compared to what God says. So based on that, let us present just a few observations about this book’s contents.
• It is quite evident from a fair perusal that any “form” of God’s Words are suitable for these authors. That is regrettable as the numerous “versions” available today are for the most part Satan’s and not God’s. If one dares to “take out” words and whole verses and another dares to insert words or verses, which one can you trust to be God’s inspired word? The fact that these authors quote verses from the NASB and the NIV and the NKJV is enough to discredit them for us. By this action they present themselves as ignorant of real truth. There is only one Bible that can be trusted by us English-speaking people today and the one we know that has not been changed in any way is the Authorized Version of the King James Bible – the one available to us being the 1769 edition. There is no difference between the 1611 and the 1769 other than the correction of typographical errors in the 1611.
• Next, because one uses the scripture verse of 2 Timothy 2:15 and claims to know what it means, does not prove that to be true. How it is used proves that. And the whole of any negative criticism of this book rests on that important issue – rightly dividing the Word of Truth. That important verse is THE KEY to understanding God’s Word. Since the Apostle Paul was the apostle given to the Gentiles, we look to Paul to teach us HOW to rightly divide the Truth. Paul teaches us how to “rightly” divide – “cut straight”, the word of truth in the letter to the Ephesians, Chapter 2, Verses 7, 11 and 13. God laid out his word in a book according to his plan for the earth and the heaven. The very way it is laid out [Genesis to Revelation] reveals the time line of history. Those verses in Ephesians show you where we live. We certainly do not live in Time Past, nor do we live in The Ages To Come. So, according to “right division” of Ephesians, it must be that we live in the “But Now” period. The books of the Bible that apply to the “But Now” according to the historical account are Romans through Philemon. THAT is how we rightly divide – cut straight – the scriptures and learn that God was speaking to the nation of Israel in TIME PAST (which includes Matthew through Acts) and not to his “church” today. Today God speaks to us through our own apostle (there is no 13th tribe of Israel) – the Apostle Paul is our apostle. We get our walking orders in those books.
• When this time period is over, God will again turn to Israel and she will first be punished for her rejection of her messiah and then will be the instrumentality to reach the nations with the Gospel of the Kingdom of heaven ON EARTH. (The heavenly kingdom will be restored to its Master when the Body of Christ is caught away from earth. (See below)
• Please note that phrase, “one earth.” And please note that in Genesis 1:1 God created the heaven and the earth. God had a reason for not dictating that he created “the universe.” He wanted us to note that he has a two-fold purpose: one for heaven and one for earth.
• All of that Old Testament is dealing with the physical earth. God chose Israel to be his people for the purpose of restoring the earth under his dominion. The Romans through Philemon section deals with God’s plan to reclaim the heavenly realm where the angels are and from whence Satan will be kicked out and sent to the earth midway through that seven year tribulation punishment of the nation of Israel, In the BUT NOW section God is building his Body, which is his church (today) called the Body of Christ (Eph. 1:23) and that body will one day be called to heaven to reign there as God reclaims that realm. The earth will be reclaimed and Israel will rule and reign here. Gentiles who were not taken to heaven with the Body of Christ will then go back to being taught and evangelized by the Jews – those twelve tribes.
• Trying to mix those two programs of God is merely being “religious.” God instituted only one religion and that was the religion of the Jews; and that one has been set aside to be re-instated when that earthly kingdom (Kingdom of Heaven) is a reality. Today, true Christianity is not religion. It is God building his Body, The Body of Christ, and is God’s way to man (through the cross) and not man’s way to God (through religion.) i.e. “keeping” the Sabbath.
Water and oil do not mix. The mixing of the two programs of God is like trying to mix oil and water. (Another example is – water baptism and Holy Spirit Baptism). And failing to learn how to rightly divide and doing so causes nothing but confusion.
Trying to “keep” the Sabbath is contrary to the doctrine given to the Body of Christ by the Apostle to the Gentiles (For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: (Romans 11:13)
Another example of mixing oil and water is trying to take doctrine that was given to Israel as a nation and applying it to the Body of Christ. It does not work. You can’t say we are saved by Grace but we walk by the Law. It is our sinful, human nature that wants to earn God’s pleasure. But God said it’s his way, not ours. That is so simple it demands a lying down of our own will to accept and walk in God’s will. Only then can we please God.
Yet another example is claiming “covenants” God never made with us, his Body. God never made a covenant with the Church which is his body, but only with his chosen people Israel. That is why covenant “promises” do not work today. Read those verses and believe the words on the page. Jeremiah 31:31, etc.
We DO understand that the Sabbath is not the first day of the week. We do understand that God instituted the Sabbath day. However, it does not apply to Jew and Gentile alike today, but it applied to Israel in TIME PAST.
That program is not only “out of operation” today, according to our own scripture, it is accursed.
Since God is our creator, he thus knows us better than we seem to know ourselves. Israel was not able to “keep the Sabbaths” [note there was not just one Sabbath] and neither does he now expect us to. The law was a school teacher to Israel and to us, but only as we appreciate God’s love and grace to us are we able to yield to the work of the Holy Spirit in us (through diligent study of his Word to us) do we then mature from day to day.
God has a wonderful, masterful plan that he kept secret from Satan, and today, that is what God is doing. He is building his Body to fulfill the plan having to do with the heavenlies.
Ephesians says we are already (in God’s eyes), seated in heavenly places.
We encourage you to study this letter with your Bible – a good trustworthy version, and get ready to be a part of what God is doing today!
You obviously have discovered where we are, so know that the saints of Bible Ambassadors welcome anyone seeking truth. We have all been in “religion” and are not interested in learning about any more. We have found God’s Key and are delighted to share that key with anyone sincerely interested.
Yours in Christ,