Empower Your Faith: 3 Keys To Understanding and Applying the Bible Every Time │Key #2

Key #2

2 Ways We Get the Word Wrong, 1 Simple Way to Get It Right

We want to know what the passage is saying, so lets talk about how to know that passages do and don't say.

Story time! My fail when I started pursuing my wife.

THE GOAL:
We don't reading the Word is not to know what's next in life, for some secret insight into a passage that only you know, or even to get a word for someone else. The primary goal of reading the Word is to KNOW Christ and by KNOWING Him, to be transformed to look more LIKE Him. To put it plainly. Reading and studying the Bible is not some ethereal experience. Our experience reading and studying the Bible, truly, is that in doing so we know what God is like, we know His love for us IN CHRIST, and that we love Him and obey Him. This is the goal of the Word, that we know  and love God and keep His commandments. Nothing more is needed, nothing less is given.  

We covered this in the last episode, but lets cover some common misconceptions.

Common misconceptions

1. The Spirit interprets the Word for us outside of studying. This is isolation, not good. -The Spirit leads us to interpret the Word as the context allows. 
2. I feel like it says this. Like I REALLY feel it! This is how the Mormons work…
3. The Spirit led me to interpret it this way. We can be led by a lot of things, but we need discernment to make this call.
4. God told me it says this. God doesn’t need to tell you what the Word says, He wants you to READ what He says  . This is plainly just overspiritualizing Bible study.

God has no necessity, no requirement on His end to speak outside of Scripture.

We get this from Paul., “do not go beyond what is written”.

Again this doesn’t mean God can’t speak outside of Scripture, but that is not something we should seek. In fact, I would argue we should avoid seeking that, His Word is sufficient.

Going From Narcigesis to exegesis

narcigesis: define

So, narcigesis is “the explanation of the Bible in a way that shows excessive interest in oneself and prioritizes one’s own ideas.”

exegesis: Define

exposition or explanation of a text based on a careful, objective analysis

Example:

David and Goliath and Popular Preachers

There's no problem with relating to the text in our own circumstances, but that doesn't determine what the text MEANS. 

How DO we know the Spirit is giving us insight?

1. Consistent with context and the whole counsel of the Word.
2. Glorifies Christ
3. Focuses on sanctification, not advanced revelation or even personal direction.

Understanding God more, and His purposes for us.

Interpretation based on clearly understanding the text

•  Not just understanding verbs, nouns, etc. Understand the author, understand the readers, what is the book as a whole saying?
• Example
• Philippians 4:13

Correctly interpreting a verse leads us to a richer understanding of the text, and results in applications that empower us by the Spirit, because the Truth is sanctifying us, God’s promises

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