IS YOUR BIBLE OPEN?
DO YOU HAVE YOUR BIBLE OPEN? There are many who have repeated phrases like, “The Bible is the most sold book in the world and the least read book in the world” or “So many people have their Bibles displayed, if they’d just dust them off and read them.” Though many men penned the words recorded in the scripture God is the one and only author. What was once a mystery has now, “…been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets” (Eph. 3:5), and we know, “prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Pet.1:21) and, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable…” (2 Tim. 3:16, ESV). God knows this record is profitable only if it is opened and read and that is why Paul wrote by inspiration, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). Scripture was breathed out by God, reveals the mysteries, is profitable to its readers and for the child of God it is commanded that it is read and obeyed. So, is your Bible open daily, are you studying, are you adding to your faith and growing in the Lord?
DO YOU HAVE AN OPEN BIBLE? This question differs from the first, in that it asks the important query, is your Bible open to different interpretations? So many today erringly teach that the word of God is open to interpretation, that somehow the words are not plain enough for us to fully comprehend. Sad to say that because most do not “study to show themselves approved to God”, most are easily misguided, actually confused by the few into believing that only an elect group can accurately interpret rightly the scriptures. People with letters behind their names like DD (Doctor of Divinity) or PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) have the majority hoodwinked into believing that we must listen to them and leave the interpretation to the experts. But if we believe God, then we must believe that, “no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation” (2 Pet. 1:20). How would it be possible for God to be the center of all the confusion that results from the many false teachings—that are results of privately interpreting scripture? We know full well that, “…God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints” (1 Cor. 14:33). If you’re a child of God then know assuredly—God breathed scripture will make you “…complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:17), and just as assuredly God’s words are not ours to interpret. Are you a man of God? Then the scripture is yours.
Let me ask you a question. Do you actually believe that God, who knows all things (1 John 3:20; Job 12:13), who has throughout all eternity owned all wisdom (Prov. 8:22-23), and who “…desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4) would provide us with His holy inspired word—that cannot be understood without some theologian or some Bible specialist? Fact is the word of God—though not a first-grade reader—can be read and understood by anyone. Fact is that what causes confusion is the very notion that God’s words don’t mean what they say, that His words are too complex for the average person to make heads or tails of. Let’s consider a few examples that we may be convinced that God’s word truly is not open to private interpretation.
Consider when Ezra the priest read the law to the people—and they “all” were able to understand it. Nehemiah 8:12 says, “And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them.” Has anything changed? They could understand the law of God given by Moses which is a thousand times more complex than the law of God given by Christ for us today. No, the New Testament is written in such a way that anyone studying and accepting the words for their face value can be of one mind, one spirit, one faith, and one way (1 Cor. 1:10; Eph. 4:4-5; John 14:6). Why are some confused concerning this? Because they believe the “man” and not the “God”. We all understand rules that apply to sports are not open to different interpretations. When a baseball player’s bat missed the pitched ball three times, isn’t he out? Or do the players, and umpires “agree to disagree” over what constitutes an “out” in baseball? Is a doctor’s prescription open to different interpretations? Do you sit down with your spouse, read the label that says take two pills daily and interpret for yourselves it really means 4 pills daily? How is it then, so many insist there are different interpretations when applying the word of God? Paul said, “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10). Does God command us to do the impossible? No, He does not! His word is not open to different interpretations, it is not subjective, it is objective. Peter speaking about some of Paul’s writing said, “…some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures” (2 Pet.3:16). Who is it that “twist to their own destruction” the scriptures? Is it not the “untaught and unstable”? The only way to twist the scripture is if they are absolute in the first place. Read Jeremiah 23 at verse 9 through the end. The Lord speaks of false prophets who “cause My people to err by their lies” (v,32) and to this says, “And the [g]oracle of the Lord you shall mention no more. For every man’s word will be his oracle, for you have perverted the words of the living God, the Lord of hosts, our God.” (v.36). Nothing has changed—many today still pervert the words of the living God by their private interpretations—making their own words greater than the plain words of God, turning the hearts of many from God to themselves. What will eventually happen to people who refuse to simply “speak the oracles of God” (1 Pet. 4:11)? It is recorded, “therefore behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you and forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and will cast you out of My presence. 40 And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten” (vs. 39, 40). Paul warns that those who “pervert the gospel” will be accursed (Gal. 1:6-9).
Why would God who is all loving, all knowing, all powerful, command that we all, “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15) knowing all along that we cannot? He didn’t, but liars, and evil men would have you believe He did, that His word is too hard to understand. Is your Bible open to conflicting, contradicting interpretations? Absolutely not! I’ve found believers have two things in common. (1) They just accept the “English” words for their given meaning, letting the Bible interpret itself and (2) they refuse to listen to men who don’t. What saved the people? They said, “Whether it is pleasing or displeasing, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God to whom we send you, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the Lord our God” (Jer. 42:6). Today we’d all do well obeying the word of the Lord, whether it pleases us, or displeases us. That can only be accomplished if we’re willing in faith to, “… let God be true, but every man a liar” (Rom. 3:4).
As always, in Love
Dave Scarpino
Our faithful Creator is worthy to be praised in this assembly. All praise to Him who reigns above in majesty supreme! He gave His Son to die, for all mankind, that He might redeem all. Our blessed Redeemer suffered and died for our sins and is now risen and sitting at the right hand of God as Head of the church. Let us offer the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, knowing that He is the author of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him. (Hebrews 5:8-9) “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” (Isaiah 6:3)
“9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.” (Galatians 5:9-10)