The Joy of Knowing God's Word

"The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and is now complete."

   For the last several months I did a series of message on, "What Does It Mean to Hear God's Voice?" Under the subtitle I entitled it, "The Joy of Knowing God's Word" by which the passage under study is John 3:29 where it says, "The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and is now complete." Before I begin to do a expositional study of John chapter 3 verse 29 there are a few things that needs to be address concerning those who have written books on, "Hearing God's Voice" and that is (1) Ignoring that of the plain meaning of scripture. (2) The distortion of biblical "words" and phrases of the immediate context of scripture. And (3) Spiritualizing the context of scripture. This will be Part 1 of a 3 part series of message, "What Does It Mean to Hear God's Voice?" by which the subtitle is, "The Joy of Knowing God's Word."

   There are many so-called evangelical scholars and those who pretend to the represent the Church as a whole have written books on, "Hearing God's Voice," "The Seven Steps in Hearing God's Voice," and "The Whispering Voice" all of which are for the sole purpose of  leading the "unsuspecting" and naive of believers to the dinner prey of mysticism. Paul the apostle warns against mysticism in the church today: that of the necessity of looking into the realm of the spirit to seek some "mystical" or esoteric experience (Col. 2:18, 19).  That is the worldview knowledge of mysticism. Experience holds sway than the content of biblical truth to seek the "presence" of God or some "mystical" experience that defines a person "relationship" with God. This is also the mystic's understanding of what it means to be saved; not through personal faith in Jesus Christ (Jn. 3:36).  Salvation is in trusting Jesus Only to be saved; not through "mere" knowledge ("gnosis") or "experience" ("presence of God") to guarantees that a person is "truly" saved. (Eph. 2:8-9)

   Within this article I will begin to address the biblical basis of interpretation in how to interpret the context of scripture within its immediate context. The best interpretation of the Bible is the Bible itself (1 Cor. 2:13).  I find it very interesting that many so-called evangelical "scholars" and those who claim they have been "anointed" to teach as if they have some "special" kind of knowledge that goes beyond what God's Word says are in fact spiritual "frauds" (2 Cor. 11:3). As I begin to address the basis of biblical interpretation it will fall under 3 categories  and that is (1) Seeking to understand the plain meaning of scripture. (2) Understand the "wording" of the text of scripture. And (3) Knowing the "type" of literature in reading God's Word.

   First, in order to understand any given passage or passages of scripture is to seek to understand the plain meaning of the text of scripture (2 Tim. 2:15).  What does it mean by the "plain" meaning of scripture?  We must first of all understand that of it literal meaning in light of its immediate context without throwing in the "salt" of one's own opinion.  We must look at other passages of scripture that will shed light on the passage of scripture under study so as to compare scripture with scripture. The best interpretation of the Bible is the Bible itself (1 Cor. 2:13).  Even though there are some Bible passage/s that are difficult to understand but there is no need to be discourage just because the student of the Bible do not understand what it is saying but to also once again look at preceding verses that will give light to the seemly difficult verse. The failure of the church today is that many of God's people are lazy but slack when it comes to the study of God's Word. The reason for the proliferation of cults and heresies is their failure to understand the "plain" meaning or literal interpretation of God's Word.

   Second, the student of the Bible must understand the "wording" of the text of scripture within its historical context from which it is written. Words that was meant during the time from which it was written are different within this present time. In so many words there is a historical "gap" between the time they was written to the present time. For the student of the Bible to be faithful to the "wording" of the context of the Bible is to define biblical words according to the standard definition of the Bible. "Words have meaning but to make a play of words is to create such a semantic jungle by which it boggles the minds of "inexperience" believers who are not skilled as to the language of the Bible." Their are cults like the Jehovah's Witness and Mormonism that are masters at utilizing biblical words (e.g. "Jesus" or the "First-born") so as to give it a radically total different meaning. They talk "Bible" Talk but are in different worlds when it comes to the understanding of "how" they define Christian biblical terminology (e.g. "First-born") in light of the Bible (2 Tim. 3:13).

  Thirdly, according to 2 Timothy 2:17 where the apostle Paul mentioned two false teachers Hymenaeus and Philetus where they taught that of a "spiritual" resurrection by which they deny the glorified physical bodily resurrection of  Jesus Christ. For any system of doctrine that denies Christ's physical bodily resurrection is to dealt a strike blow at the nature and character of the Gospel of Jesus Christ by which there no hope of the believer's future bodily resurrection (1 Cor. 5:1-4).  The fact of the matter that within this new millennium there are a "plethora" of heresies and false doctrines especially many cults and sects that "spiritualize" biblical doctrines, the characters of the Bible, and the Bible in and of itself.  For example the doctrines of the Bible (e.g. "Faith") have been made to believe something other than what the Bible really teaches, the biblical characters of the Bible like that of Jesus symbolize the serpent on the cross, and that the Bible God's Success Book by which the authority and inspiration of God's Word hangs in the balance.  It is very much important in understanding that in order to determine the "figurative" or "literal" interpretation of the Bible as to what it says, the extent by which biblical words are to be defined, and the type of literature that we are reading is to know that of its history, language, and the context from which it is written (2 Tim. 2:15).

Rev. Darryl L. Miller is president & Chairman of Darryl Miller International Ministries of Atlanta, Georgia. He is also the Podcast Host, "Ask Darryl" that airs 24/7 @ www.spreaker.com/user/bishopoflyons throughout the world.  Darryl is bestselling author of his book, "The Prosperity Gospel: Where Did It Come From? Gnostic Source? Or Spiritual Revelation? As a pastor, apologist, conference speaker, and lecturer he is in great demand both in the United States and around the world.  Darryl lives with his wife Vivian outside metro Atlanta with their puppy "Little Baby."