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Now that we have studied how context applies in studying the Bible, we must learn how to apply God's word in our lives. The Bible teaches that we are to
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).Knowing how to understand the context of a passage and applying correctly is essential to saving "thyself, and them that hear thee," (1 Timothy 4:16). Let us examine some ways that can help us in Scripture correctly.
In a previous article, I discussed how Bible authority is determined. I shall repeat a portion of it here.
Authority is determined in three ways. The first of these is given in the form of commandments. They are either general or specific. Commands which are of a general nature give a person the freedom to decide how it will be fulfilled, provided that the method used is not sinful. For example, in Matthew 28:19, Jesus says,
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.The word "go" is a general command. Therefore, one is authorized to travel by foot, sea, automobile, etc.
Specific commands are limited and prohibitive in nature. In Genesis 6:14, we read,
Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.In this passage, God told Noah specifically to build an ark out of "gopher wood." Gopher is a type of wood much like cedar, pine, and oak. God's silence prohibited Noah from using every other type of wood. Noah was obedient to God's commandments. The Scriptures says,
Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he (Genesis 6:22).
Now we turn to Moses, who violated God's specific command to speak to the rock. The Scripture says,
"Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink." And Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, "Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?" And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, "Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them" (Numbers 20:8-12).
Another way of establishing Bible authority is by the use of necessary inference. This is determined when no other conclusion can be made about the text. For instance, in Acts 20:7, we read,
upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread.The only necessary inference that can be drawn from this statement is that the disciples (the church) assembled as a unified body every Sunday in order to partake of the Lord's Supper.
Approved example is the last method that is used to establish Bible authority. It is approved in the sense that the people were righteous before God. However, we must use caution in order to avoid the misapplication of these examples. For instance, there are some things which only Christians as individuals can do. A Christian may follow the example of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1) who sold some property in order to give toward the collection of needy saints. It would be a violation of this passage to teach that no difference exists between individual and church benevolence, and therefore, what the individual can do, provided that it is not sinful, the church also is authorized to perform. A careful examination of 1 Corinthians 16:1-3 will show that every Christian should be ready to give each Lord's day as he as been prospered during the week.
It is also important to understand that we live under the New Testament today. We are no longer subject to the Mosaical law simply because Christ nailed it to His cross. Furthermore, it cannot be followed today. The New Testament is the "doctrine of Christ," (1 John 9-10). It contains the books from Matthew to Revelation. (To gain a better insight into this concept, read What Was Nailed To The Cross)
The four gospels contain the early teachings of Christ. Here, we find that He used a variety of methods. For example, Jesus taught in parables. A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. In the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13), the main lesson that Jesus is teaching is the importance of being prepared for His second coming and the judgment. Other applications can be made including having the proper attitude and making sure our life is right with God before passing from this life.
Ira Mikell
ira@thechristianexaminer.com
Many in the "Christian" world today make an appeal to their conscience as a form of authority in the activities which they perform. This can be done in multiple ways, notably, by directly saying that "if it feels right, it is right," or, by establishing that one does something based upon one's own authority (e.g., "well, why would God ever have a problem with instrumental music?"). Is an appeal to one's own authority, through conscience, justified?
Paul deals with this issue quite plainly in Acts 23:1:
And Paul, looking steadfastly on the council, said, "Brethren, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day."Paul had lived before God with a good conscience, despite the fact that he punished and killed the early Christians in Acts 7 and 8. How is that possible if the conscience is our guide in all things? It cannot be!
The problem with the conscience is that while it is inherent in human beings, what it feels in regard to right and wrong is learned. Each one of us trains his or her conscience according to whatever standard we wish to use. Hopefully, it is God's Word; this is the ideal of the evangelist as explained in 1 Timothy 1:5. Many, however, train it with the world's standards, and will not change them when they receive Christ. The world has no problem with "no fault" divorce; how many have brought this attitude into the church? The world does not understand the proper way of determining authority, by listening to God over one's own personal desires, yet which do we see in the church today?
This is not to say, however, that conscience cannot play a role in one's life. After all, it is one of the main elements that separate man from animal. However, it must be properly trained if it will be used effectively, as seen in Hebrews 13:8:
Pray for us: for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honorably in all things.A conscience trained by the Word of God will help lead one into righteousness. The equation does not go the other way; never do we see the conscience determining what is or what is not God's will for His servants. For any who live by conscience alone, untrained by the Word of God, I urge you to read of His will and to properly equip yourself with the right form of conscience.
Ethan R. Longhenry
ethan@thechristianexaminer.com
www.deusvitae.com
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