THE “SCIENCE OF INTERPRETATION”

A proper understanding of Scripture is not a daunting task!

Previously in “Growing in Christ” I posted about the critical importance of curriculum as a means of monitoring what is being taught in Bible studies. While only one comment is visible, several others have questioned the phrase “science of interpretation.”  I totally understand how this phrase has created some confusion.  Allow me to kindly clarify what I was trying to express. 

To begin, we need working definitions of the word “science” and “hermeneutics.”  According to Webster’s Dictionary science may be defined as: “a department of systematized knowledge as an object of study (i.e. the science of theology).”  Additionally, Webster’s defines hermeneutics as “the study of the methodological principles of interpretation (as of the Bible).” The question was raised regarding where is this supported in the Bible.  The Scriptures are filled with commands and declarations of the benefits of Bible study.  Here are just a few: Ezra 7:10; Nehemiah 8:13; Psalm 1:2; Psalm 111:2; 2 Timothy 2:15. 

The Holy Spirit has to be involved if we are to understand and apply God’s Word.  However, believers must participate in the Work of the Holy Spirit.  We do that by spending time in the word, asking questions and searching the Scriptures for answers. 

A specific example of this can be found in Acts 17:10-11. Paul and Silas traveled to Berea where the people “welcomed the message with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” (HCSB) The Jews at Berea tested the truth of Paul's message by the standard of Scripture rather than judging it by political and cultural considerations. So they examined the Scriptures daily to see whether what Paul proclaimed was really true, and many believed. In short the Bereans demonstrated the “science of interpretation.”

Bible study leaders have an obligation to rightly understand the Scriptures.  Incorrect doctrine, theology, and inappropriate usage of Scripture often occurs when a person does not devote himself to the Bible as “an object of study.”  Specifically, what happens is misquotes of scriptures, but most often misapplications. When repeated these misquotes and misapplications become accepted resulting in the spread of false doctrine. 

I plan to post a couple of recommended study methods to this blog in the upcoming weeks.  If there is one in particular you would like to see please post. 

THE CASE FOR CURRICULUM

One of the more difficult tasks for a pastor is monitoring what is being taught within each of the church’s Bible study groups.  When Bible study groups go unmonitored, the door is opened for dissension within the church.  Unrestricted study group leaders can allow false doctrine to be taught, groups to degenerate into gossip sessions, and bad theologies to become accepted within the group.

To write a good Bible study lesson takes a lot of time and study.  Biblical interpretation is a science and writing a good lesson requires careful and correct hermeneutics. Without the proper preparation, a Bible study leader can easily twist and contort Scripture into a false doctrine or bad theology (even unintentionally) in an effort to respond to a question or comment.

Good Bible study curriculum, can limit misinformation being presented in the study.  Curriculum should be evaluated prior to being allowed to be used in a Bible study group.  Basic criteria for evaluation includes, but is not limited to, publisher, author, ease of use, doctrine(s) presented, and key theological points.

Equally important is good judgement on the study leader’s part. Leaders need to be free to  respond with “I don’t know” when faced with a question or comment not covered in the lesson material. More importantly, to ask “Where is that in the Bible?” when anyone makes a statement with the words, “I think . . .” (or anything similar to that phrase).

At Deltona Lakes, we use several key checkpoints to monitor our groups:
1.    Interview small group leaders who desire to write their own lessons.
2.    Require lesson notes from those who write their own lessons.
3.    Limit, review, and approve all Bible study materials that are used.
4.    Once a year for 8 weeks the church goes into “lock-step.” Every small group is studying the same Scripture text and every sermon is preached from that same text.  This is a great opportunity for us to present correct theology and doctrine to the entire church body.

These checkpoints may sound legalistic or over controlling, but they are not when they are applied through reason. What these checkpoints tend to do is to eliminate divisive personalities before they get into a position to do harm to the body.

In addition to the four checkpoints, we require our leaders and co-leaders to attend one of  two small group leader workshops held each year.  At these workshops we not only present the rules but also explain the reason for the rules.  Additionally, we spend about 90% of our time at the workshops providing training to enhance their small group leadership skills.

Since implementing curriculum standards and leader workshops, we have noticed a positive outlook and spiritual growth within Deltona Lakes Baptist Church.  There is a growing passion for ministry and a growing desire to know God!

Knowing God Intimately

“For millions of Christians, God is no more real than He is to the non-Christian.  They go through life trying to love an ideal and be loyal to a mere principle.” A.W. Tozer

    Tozer’s statement is worth spending time reflecting on the degree to which it applies to each of us.  PAUSE, and ask yourself this question, “How real is God to me?”  Perhaps you might be thinking, “Well, whatever do you mean?”  But the question is clear and simple, “How real is God to you?”  It is one of the most important questions in our spiritual journey. 

    How real God is to a person is directly proportional to how well that person knows God.  Not how much we know about God, but how well we know God.  Another way of looking at all of this would be to define the relationship we have with God.  In particular, how intimate are you with God? 

    To the best of my understanding, God’s primary message to us is He loves us and desires our love in return.  To understand and receive that message, we must first accept the fact that God is knowable and desires to be known.  He is not a God who is “watching us from a distance” but rather a God who is so close to us that HE is essentially within us.

    Closeness with God is not a goal that is accomplished, or a check mark on our “bucket list.”   Rather it is a process, a never ending, always changing relationship, much like any other relationship.  Unfortunately, we don’t always protect our “God-me” relationships with the same determination as we do our “other people-me” relationships.  Some of us will go for days without even telling God, “hello” (one reason given for a pastor’s dismissal years ago was he didn’t say, “hello” to a church member).  We tell God how much we love Him on Sundays, then “cheat” on Him by loving other things more than HIM.  We’ll ask God to give us wisdom, then complain when we get into a position where we must use that wisdom (same thing with faith, health, influence, etc.). 

    Much of our problem is we don’t want to know God as much as we want to figure Him out.  We are constantly trying to “out guess” Him.  To figure out how to get the most from God through the least effort from ourselves.

    This is why most people (esp. unbelievers) want to read and study Revelation, they are trying to decode it in hopes of cheating judgement. Our sin-self wants to out guess God in hopes of  “working the system.”  An example of what I’m trying to say in when Peter asks Jesus, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”  (Matthew 18:21 NASB) He was trying to figure out the minimum effort to building his relationship with people and with God.  The rich ruler in Luke 18:18 had the same problem, he was trying to be sure he had God figured out.

    We need to realize that as people we don’t have each other figured out, therefore how can we even imagine having God figured out.  When we stop trying to manipulate God, we will start down the path of knowing Him.  As we get to know God more and more then we will develop the understanding that I don’t need to manipulate Him.  Knowing God will cause us to see that He has promised to always do what is best for His Kingdom and for us.  Also, that He never breaks a promise. 

    Hopefully by this point there is an interest in how to get to know God better.  It begins with spending time with God.  This involves two activities.  One is spending time with other believers as they corporately spend time with God.  Also begin spending time alone with God.  Start doing things like praying, reading Scriptures, singing Christian songs, reading Christian authors (The Attributes of God by A.W. Tozer, is a good start), etc.

    Secondly, we begin to participate with God in things HE is already doing around us. Look for a place to volunteer in service to God.  Volunteer to be a greeter or to help with parking at the church you are attending.  Be willing to serve at the welcome table/center or help in some other ministry in the church. The opportunities are there if we will submit to the Holy Spirit’s prompting.  By doing these things we will learn to love God more and experience more of the love He has already given.
                      

THOUGHTS ON LIVING THE DREAM!

Many people spend their days trying to find real peace, true happiness, and complete rest. We often find ourselves chasing our shadow trying to grasp “the dream.”  The very first Psalm is a step by step process for receiving happiness, peace and rest from God.
Note: All scripture quoted from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, except where other wise noted.

    (1) How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path of sinners, or join a group of mockers!
A truly happy person is quickly identified by the things he doesn’t do. That is to say, his life is NOT directed by the opinions, advice, or influence of unbelievers. True happiness is a result of being full of joy, not a shallow pretense that is created by a temporary event or experience. A major problem among our society is most people are intellectually constipated.  People often say, “I am an individual and want to express my individuality.” But in truth the expression that they cherish is determined by someone else.  It may be a fashion designer, a writer, a photographer, reporter, etc., but they allow others to determine their actions.  This problem is not limited to fashion, rather it extends into every area of our existence.  We seek, even follow advise without concern for the qualifications of the advisor. 
God paints a verbal picture of the life style He has appointed for us in the book of Jeremiah, “I never sat with the band of revelers, and I did not celebrate [with them]. Because Your hand was [on me], I sat alone, for You filled me with indignation.” (Jer.15:17). 

    (2) Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night.
The Bible is God’s instruction book for our lives.  Have you ever noticed that everything the Bible tells us to not do is harmful for us?  Not only that, but everything the Bible tells us to do is beneficial for us.  What is equally amazing to me is that sooner or later secular science always ends up agreeing with the Bible (regarding healthy and unhealthy habits).  The reason why the happy person doesn’t take advise from the world is because the world is made up of amateurs!  We are a bunch of creatures trying to pretend that we are more than we are, that we know more than we do.  Most worry-some of all is we are creatures pretending that we have it all figured out.  God is the expert! He created us and wrote the instruction book for life (The Bible).  The real question here is “Which does it make more sense to follow an amateur or the expert?

    (3) He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
    Cyprus trees are known for strength and their resistance to rotting.  Ever thought about where they grow?  They grow next to the water. In searching for life on other planets, astronomers focus their search to find “water planets.” One thing that biologist agree on is water is the source of life!  Jesus speaking to the woman in John 4 used the term “living water” to illustrate it importance of our relationship with God.  The prophet Jeremiah wrote: “For My people have committed a double evil: They have abandoned Me, the fountain of living water, and dug cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that cannot hold water.” (Jeremiah 2:13) 
          The Bible is God’s instruction book for life, it connects us with the “streams of water” that God provides to us.  Streams which make us strong, that enable us to “bear fruit,” and keep us from withering away.    

    (4) The wicked are not like this; instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away.
The Hebrew word translated into English here as “wicked” can also be translated into English as “criminal.”  Other translations use the word “ungodly” here. We may conclude that “the wicked” are those who disobey God’s law.  They are “wicked,” “ungodly,” “criminals,” in God’s eyes.  The same law that the “happy man” (see verse 1) delights in destroys those who violate it.   I have spend a lot of time counseling people regarding the dangers of certain substances or particular behaviors.  We need to be equally motivated to proclaim the truth about God’s ways and His mercy available for those who disobey His law.

    (5) Therefore the wicked will not survive the judgment, and sinners will not be in the community of the righteous.
The Bible makes it clear in multiple and varied ways and in numerous locations, that God is reserving a “day of judgement” for HIS creation.  As followers of Christ we must believe that!  Knowing that judgement is coming, our love for people should compel us to tell others about Jesus and the grace offered through His sacrifice.     
               
    (6) For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.
This Psalm began with statements about people who are happy and those who are not. It closes with one of the pursuits coveted by people, the pursuit of protection. God promises His protection and also His guidance for those who obey His instructions. The Bible is our instruction book for life.  The better we know it, what it says to do and to avoid, the better our lives become.  It is so obvious and so simple.

DREW BREES, TIM TEBOW, AND HEALTHY CHURCHES

 Drew and Tim while two very different people who have different playing styles have a very important commonality.  With all of the success and media attention these two quarterbacks have received, it is not surprising that they consistently deflect praise towards their teammates.

They understand that no matter how accurate or how smart they may be, a quarterback is nothing if the receivers constantly drop the ball.  These two men understand what many people in our churches today fail to embrace.  It takes a team to win!  As great as any quarterback may be, he needs a team around him to block, run, and to catch.  He also needs a good defense to keep others from “outscoring” your team. Drew Brees, Tim Tebow, and other quarterbacks understand that it takes a great team to make a great quarterback!
 

    What football teams and churches have in common is that both require members to make huge sacrifices and work hard with little hope of fame or even public recognition. It takes eleven guys on special teams, eleven guys on defense, and ten guys on offense to make Drew Brees and Tim Tebow look good.  In the same way, it takes a lot of people in a church to make the church healthy and successful.

HEALTHY CHURCHES HAVE A STRONG TEAM SPIRIT

    Team spirit can be identified using the following criteria:

1.  there is a common goal;
2. there is a willingness to do whatever it takes to accomplish the goal;  
3. the team expresses a greater concern for team success, than personal attention or fame; 
4. they demonstrate an understanding that every position on the team is important; 
5. every member has a desire for excellence.

    What I’ve noticed in ministry is that healthy churches exhibit two things.  First and foremost, they have a deep love for God.  Secondly, they have a strong team spirit. For any church to grow into a healthy body of believers, it needs to make sure both of these elements are present.

   We need to understand that the church is designed by God to be a living,  functioning body.
  Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. Romans 12:4-5 (HCSB)

   Essentially, God designed it so that we all need each other to have a fully functioning healthy church. The very fact that the church is a body and not a business means that teamwork is more important to those of us in ministry than it is to people in a normal business relationship.

    I think we all agree that no single person has cornered the market on all the gifts it takes to make a church successful. The problem that I see with a lot of Christians, and I’m being blunt here, is that too many of us are afraid to admit to being able to do some of the things we can do. We push back against many service opportunities because we see them as insignificant or because we are afraid of being “trapped” in a role we view as unpleasant for one reason or another.

    The success of the early church was really about the many people who worked together toward a common goal. There was an attitude that everyone was important, but noone more important that the message and mission of the church. They realized that a single strand of hair is as important as a tooth or even an eye.  Today, we need the same attitude, just like every cell is important to a healthy body, every member’s role is equally as important to a successful church.

    We also need to remember that teams accomplish more together than individuals accomplish working separately.  This principle is taught all through Scripture. When there are more hands working, more can be accomplished. One example of this is found in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, where we’re told that two are better than one, and a rope of three cords is hard to break.

Another example of teams accomplishing more than individuals is in Nehemiah, where people worked by groups or families. In the New Testament, Jesus sent people out by two to minister (Mark 6:7). Luke, in Acts 18, specifically mentions four people who were part of Paul's ministry team.  This mutual encouragement is vital to our ministry because we are NOT just working on well-meaning projects: we are in a spiritual battle -- carrying the most important message the lost world will ever hear!

Did God Abandon Tim Tebow?

There was much made about Tim Tebow and the surprising success of the Denver Broncos under his leadership this season.  Tim’s outspoken faith has led many to theorize that his success is a result of God’s intervention in football games.  Yet, this past weekend the Broncos lost badly to the Patriots and the game stats reflected a poor performance by Tim and company.  Sports Illustrated online wrote, “Tebowmania had no chance against Tom Brady 's playoff pedigree. (See: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/gameflash/2012/01/14/4834)

Did God abandon Tim when he needed Him most?  Is this a case of David losing to Goliath?

A problem in Christianity is the false belief that God makes life wonderful for believers.  This problem has been perpetuated by the world and unfortunately also by the church.  We should expect a blurred view from unbelievers, most spend their days at the foot of the cross shouting . . .

"He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. "He trusts in God ; let God rescue Him now . . .' " Matthew 27:42-43 (NASB)

Believers should know better.  Life as a Christian is anything but easy.  God indeed blesses us, but not always in ways that the unbelieving world values.  God has blessed Tim Tebow in many ways, most noteably, He has given Tim a platform to proclaim his faith in The Lord.  Not a cheap faith that is only visible in success, but a rich faith which is equally visible in defeat.  To quote from Facing the Giants, “If we win, we will praise God, and if we lose we will praise Him, too.”

What people need in this world of temporary things, is to see something permanent.  They need to see faith by God’s people that shouts, “No matter what, I’ll keep trusting God.”

Did God Abandon Tim Tebow? No! Just the opposite! God turned up the volume on Tim’s message, “Jesus saves, and can be trusted.”

Psalm 12 for 2012

I’ve taken some time off from the blog to travel and enjoy the Christmas season.  However, with the changing of the wall calendar from 2011 (a date I could never imagine experiencing when I was a teen) to 2012, I thought it appropriate to fire up the ol’ brain cells and write another post.

During the past three calendar years, the media has tried to convince us that life in the U.S. holds very little promise of success and that our economic status has little hope of recovery. Some of those reports were exaggerated in order to gain viewers/listeners and to sell advertising.  Some reports were accurate.  I have no intention of trying to identify which were which. 

I found it humorous when in November the media suddenly began to report that the economy was “looking up.” Which incidentally was precisely 12 months prior to a major election.  Imagine that! As usual for any election year, those in power will be saying, “things are getting better because of us.” While those who want the power will be saying, “things are this bad because of them.”   What does all of this have to do with Psalm 12?  I thought you’d never ask. 

Psalm 12 while a short Psalm (it’s eight verses long) packs a lot of punch. It also fits our situation in 2012, because of a complaint, a comfort, and a confidence.  Some theologians claim it is messianic in nature prophesying the time of Christ’s birth.  Others associate it with apocalyptic  literature describing end times (see John Gill’s commentary, Introduction to Psalm 12).  Regardless of one’s view, it certainly fits where I see in our world today.

Complaint
The author begins with a complaint, very similar to the one made by Elijah (2 Ki 19:14), Micah (7:2), or by Habakkuk (1:1).  A complaint that, while somewhat exaggerated, could very easily be made by any of us today. In that complaint is a cry for help. 
Comfort
Then there is a very important part where David finds comfort in the sovereignty of God. He also takes note of God’s power but as well as His declaration to act against evil. The psalmist even points out the value and assurance of God’s words. 
Confidence
In the last two verses we read of God’s desire to be protector and provider to us. That while ungodly people may brag, and evil may appear to succeed, God will prevail according to His schedule. 

This period of time we call 2012 may be remembered many ways.  It may be an election year, a recovery year, a destruction year (according to the Mayans we have until Dec.), whatever year, but most of all it is a year for us to live what we say we believe.  During 2012, I’ll complain about things, but I’m going to bring my complaints to the one who can do something about it . . .  God!  Then I plan to take comfort in His power to address my complaints.  Finally, I will pray for a confidence that will help me to be patient and trust God’s timing in taking care of my problems. 

Happy New Year to all!