The Bible is God's written revelation to man, so the 66 books of the Bible given to us by the Holy Spirit constitute the plenary (inspired equally in all parts) Word of God (1 Corinthians 2:7-14[click] and 2 Peter 1:20-21; Scripture comes from God, not men).
The Word of God is an objective, propositional revelation (1 Thessalonians 2:13[click]; 1 Corinthians 2:13[click]), verbally inspired in every word (2 Timothy 3:16[click]), absolutely inerrant in the original Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek autographs, infallible, and God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16[click]). Scripture should be interpreted in a literal, grammatical-historical[1] manner, which affirms the belief that the opening chapters of Genesis present creation in six days[2]. And that the Bible constitutes the only infallible rule of faith and practice (Matthew 5:18; 24:35[click]; John 10:35; 16:12-13; 17:17[click]; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:20-21).
God spoke in His written Word by a process of dual authorship: The Holy Spirit so superintended the human authors that, through their individual personalities and different styles of writing, they composed and recorded God's Word to man (2 Peter 1:20-21[click]) without error in the whole or in the part (Matthew 5:18; 2 Timothy 3:16).
Although there may be several applications of any given passage of Scripture, there is but one true interpretation. The meaning of Scripture is to be found as one diligently applies the literal grammatical-historical method of interpretation under the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit (John 7:17; 16:12-15; 1 Corinthians 2:7-15; 1 John 2:20). It is the responsibility of Believers to ascertain carefully the true intent and meaning of Scripture, recognizing that commandments given to the Church (the Body of Christ) are binding on all generations of Christians[3]. Yet the truth of Scripture stands in judgment of all men; never do men stand in judgment of it.
1[Return to Text] "Literal, historical-grammatical interpretation" means taking Scripture as literal unless there is a very clear indication that the text should not be taken literally. Thus, this must also include an understanding of figures of speech and idioms, and viewing whole sections of Scripture as being clearly poetic in nature (such as, most of the Song of Solomon). Many passages in the Hebrew Scriptures speak of God in an anthropomorphic way, as if He had hands and eyes, etc., but we are clearly taught in many other verses that God's true nature is not only one that is Spiritual (see John 4:24[click]), but that He has always existed and is the Creator of the whole Universe; so God, the Father, definitely does not have a body like us humans! Yet, much of early Mormon theology from Joseph Smith and others, is based on the belief that God not only has a body, but was much like we are now! But God is not a man (see Hosea 11:9b[click] and Numbers 23:19[click]). We will have much more to say about God's Nature in a forthcoming page, but should you happen to run into any Mormons who believe God the Father has a body, then ask them if they also think He is a big bird, because Psalm 91:4 and even Ruth 2:12 (which is almost completely a straight-forward historical narrative; unlike the Psalms) both describe God as having wings! [References to Mormon beliefs available upon request.]
2[Return to Text] And days here does not mean some long period of time. Day in Genesis 1 refers to the normal cycle of 'Morning and Evening'; followed by the next day. As we point out in our Introduction to Genesis under 'Day 4': "Do the items under Days Three and Four appear 'out of some natural order' to you? Vegetation before the sun? We can't help but believe God did so explicitly, to show that the 'days' in these verses cannot be long periods of time. Obviously, the plants growing on the earth (and all life that depends upon them) could never exist very long without sunlight! (This thought, and many similar topics found in Scripture, should lead us to conclude someone other than the men who penned its books, was behind it all.)" We also have in Exodus 31:15-17, "Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD. ... 16 Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. 17 It [the Sabbath] will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained..." (NIV). If God did not create the heavens and the earth in 6 days, it wouldn't be much of a reason for commanding the Israelites to rest every 7th (seventh) day!
3[Return to Text] For example, the qualifications for those who serve in leadership roles of the Church has never changed; nor has the Lord's commandment to preach the gospel to the entire world (Matthew 28:19). The society you happen to exist in is ever changing, but not the Word of God.
7 Instead we speak the wisdom of God, hidden in a mystery, that God determined before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it. If they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But just as it is written, "Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined, are the things God has prepared for those who love him."[Isaiah 64:4[click]] 10 God has revealed these to us by the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knows the things of a man except the man's spirit within him? So too, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things that are freely given to us by God. 13 And we speak about these things,
not with words taught us by human wisdom, but with those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people. 14 The unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
[Return to Text; Isaiah 64:4, Heb., "Since ancient times no one has heard or perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, Who intervenes for those who wait for Him."]
13 For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.
13 And we speak about these things, not with words taught us by human wisdom, but with those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.
All Scripture comes from God; not just certain parts of it!
16 All Scripture is inspired* by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
*[The NASB and its 1995
updated edition; NAU) include this note for the word inspired:
"Lit God-breathed." Thus, the Scriptures are not
inspired in the same way men write from their feelings about the world or those around them. See the next two translations of this verse!]
(ESV):
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in
righteousness,
(NIV):
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
18 "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished."
But the full reality is:
Matthew
24:35 (NET):
35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. [Also see Isaiah 40:8 (NAU): "The grass withers, the
flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever."]
Jesus himself said:
John 10:35: 35 "... (and the Scripture cannot be broken)"
John 16:12-13: 12
"I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will
guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to
come."
John 17:17: 17 "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth."
19 Moreover, we possess the prophetic word as an altogether reliable thing. You do well if you pay attention to this as you would to a light shining in a murky place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you do well if you recognize this: No prophecy of scripture ever comes about by the prophet's own imagination, 21 for no prophecy was ever borne of human impulse; rather, men carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
Jesus himself said: " 24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
19b For I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst,
19 "God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?"