-----Original Message-----
From: ShieldsFamily
Sent: Sunday, 19
December, 2004 18.15
Subject: RE: [TruthTalk] The Right Way To Get To The
Truth
Also, I think telling someone they are using
the wrong interpretative models is a bit supercilious, don't you.
Since you brought it up, someone could assume I'm being highfalutin -- though I'm not. Please remember, Izzy I spent a short time in a location where someone twisted the Biblical Understanding of a congregation so bad, they didn't know which was was up.
Where in the Bible does it say what "models" we "should" use?
The Biblical model is to rightly divide the Scriptures. This doesn't (in my opinion) mean rightly dividing between Old and New Testaments. I think it's having the wisdom to understand that a book's historical background is needed in order to fully understand and carry that ancient message forward to our time. Having an understanding of the language is also important so I don't end up taking an idiom and misunderstanding it. God forbid I take a phrase like, And God said, "Moses, stop beating around the bush!" and build a doctrine around that.
And where does that leave room for guidance from the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is an interpreter of Scripture, but isn't the Spirit also the source of discernment? Wouldn't the Spirit give echo and validity to anything said?
And how does giving credence to "holy, learned men" differ from Catholicism's bias of tradition over scripture? (A sincere question, looking forward to a kindly answer.)
There are holy, learned men in every sect of Christianity. There are teachers who are used by the Spirit to teach folk like you and me. Hopefully, they will also be living holy lives that reflect Messiah so that they won't be as hypocritical as they were earlier in their Walk. The problem I have is that there are many who think they need no man to teach them... and what do THEY do??? TEACH!!! Isn't that funny?? I think it's hilarious... and hypocritical! I wish God would make them mutes because the hurt people form the inside.
I realize this is where you are now spiritually in your particular seminary, but not everyone has been called to do what you are presently doing.
Even before entering Seminary, I realized there must be some set of parameters that I should use when interpreting Scripture. For instance, no passage should be used to show another passage is no longer in effect. If it is the Word of God, they all should work simultaneously. I understand not everyone is called in like manner, but we're all called to function in different ways. When I leave the seminary, I hope I have a lot of people JUST LIKE YOU in the congregation who will have enough stones to come to me and tell me when I'm wrong. You can't get much more blessed than that!
-- slade
