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[0:00] Thank you, Gary. As we concluded our message last week, those of you who were here will recall that we said no mere man is competent to interpret the Bible.

[0:15] How then can it be interpreted at all? And that's where we had to conclude our message because we were out of time. So we assured you that we would resume that theme today because we are talking about why is it that Christians hold such diverse opinions, views, and interpretations of Scripture?

[0:42] Where do all of the different denominations come from? How and why is it that people see things differently and come up with so many different doctrinal ideas?

[0:56] What is the genesis of all of that? And bottom line is this, as I mentioned, we do not believe, at least I do not believe, that any man, myself included, is really competent or capable or trustworthy of actually interpreting the Scriptures.

[1:17] That being the case, and if that is the case, then how is it that they are interpreted at all? And that is what we are going to pursue. I trust that we will be able to put some icing on the cake before we finish today.

[1:32] And I would like you to turn for just a moment to 1 Corinthians chapter 2. 1 Corinthians chapter 2.

[2:08] I think that this, coupled with the passage that was just read and numerous other passages, really makes the interpretation obvious. As a matter of fact, the context usually makes it obvious, and if not the immediate context, then the remote context.

[2:25] And if those are terms that are foreign to you, don't worry about it. We'll explore those later as well. But I want to begin with verse 9 and show you, right from the text itself, how it is often misinterpreted.

[2:39] Because the text says, And I pointed out to you in time past that very often this is interpreted to mean heaven.

[2:59] And that we do not begin to understand the marvelous things that God has provided and prepared for us until we die and go to heaven.

[3:10] And there, whether it's the streets of gold or the mansions or the pearly gates or whatever it is, then we will become fully aware of what it is that God is preparing for us.

[3:21] Now, there is no doubt that that may be a valid application of the text. But it is not the meaning of the text.

[3:32] The meaning of the text is the interpretation. And how do I know that what I have just told you about heaven is not the interpretation?

[3:44] Interpretation and application differ in this way. The interpretation has to do with what the text means.

[3:55] And the only way we can safely take the position as to what the text means is coupled with the idea of what was in the mind of the writer.

[4:08] What did he intend to convey when he wrote what he wrote? That's the interpretation. That's the meaning. The application has to do with ancillary aspects of the text or things that it might remind you of or things that are similar to it or it might be valid in principle.

[4:29] And this is valid in principle. We do not have any idea what God has really prepared for those who love him like we will know when we die and are in his presence.

[4:44] That's true. That's an application of the text. How do I know that is not the interpretation of the text? Well, because if you read the next verse, it says, talks about the things that God has prepared for those who love him.

[4:58] For to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. And it's not talking about something future so that you'll understand it when you die. It's talking about now.

[5:11] God has revealed things to us now. And all it means is that we would not be able to think of them. We have never seen them.

[5:24] We have never heard of anything like this. And the only way you could ever begin to appreciate what God has provided is right here in his word.

[5:36] But God has revealed them to us. So they are not distant and removed. They are here and now. Now, he has revealed them through the Spirit.

[5:48] For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so, the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.

[6:03] Now, we have received, past tense, not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know.

[6:15] When? Now! That we might know the things freely given to us by God. Which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

[6:36] If you have a new American standard, you will see the word thoughts is in italics, and the word words is in italics. And what the text is actually saying is, in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual with spiritual.

[6:53] What in the world does that mean? It means just this. No mere man is capable or competent of interpreting the word of God.

[7:04] It requires a much higher authority than yours truly. So, what do we do?

[7:18] Well, what most people think, and fortunately what even most preachers think, is that if you want to know the meaning of a text, you pray.

[7:30] And you ask God for enlightenment, and the interpretation, and the understanding of the passage. Is there anything wrong with that? I hope not.

[7:41] I've done it a lot of times. After all, it is the Spirit of God who inspired the word. It is the Spirit of God who can inform us as to its meaning.

[7:54] Does he do that? Well, I am not convinced that he does not. But I am not convinced that he always does. How can I say such a thing?

[8:08] On the basis of reality, that's how I can say it. Because I can pray and ask for guidance and direction regarding the interpretation of a passage of Scripture, so that I might proclaim it and deliver it to you.

[8:21] And I arrive at what I think is the interpretation as a result of earnest, honest, sincere prayer. And I believe God has revealed to me the meaning of the passage.

[8:32] So, I give it to you. The problem is, the preacher down the street has prayed about the same passage. But he comes to an entirely different conclusion.

[8:48] Which one is right? Usually, people in this congregation would say, of course, this preacher is right. People in his congregation would say, he's right.

[9:00] Well, maybe with spiritual truths, maybe with religious truths, they can both be right.

[9:12] Even though they contradict each other. Isn't that just one of the wonderful mysteries of faith and religion?

[9:23] No, that's one of the wonderful mysteries of man's stupidity. Both positions. Both positions.

[9:34] Contradicting each other. Both of them may be wrong. But both of them cannot be right. God doesn't operate that way.

[9:47] God does not have a different category for spiritual truths, so that you can evaluate it in an entirely different manner, so that person A can hold this position, and person B hold this position, and they are completely contradictory to each other.

[10:04] But both of them are right. No. Reality doesn't work that way. And neither does logic. And don't let anybody tell you that God has made a special mold for religious things, and it works that way in religion.

[10:19] No, it doesn't. It doesn't. God has given us minds capable of logic and reason. And when you violate the law of non-contradiction, you are living in a world of unreality.

[10:36] It is important to understand that logic and reason are not enemies of faith. They support faith.

[10:47] They provide a reason, a rationale for faith to be faith. Because in order for intelligent faith to be intelligent faith, it has to be built on reality and on facts.

[10:59] And biblical Christianity is. So don't let anybody tell you the kind of stuff that is going around the day, which is nothing more than subjectivism and a personal preference.

[11:14] This person believes that this religion is true. This person believes that this religion is true. But because these are religious issues, they are completely different, contrary to each other, but they're both right.

[11:28] This is where the world is today. This is where our culture is today. This is religious pluralism. This is double think. And it is anathema to logical thinking and reasoning.

[11:41] God does not operate that way. Religion, for most people, is a personal preference thing. If you believe that this is right, then it's right for you.

[11:53] If you believe that this is right, then it's right for you. And you're both right. Isn't that nice? Well, it isn't nice. And it isn't reality.

[12:03] We are going to deal with some issues that are just so contrary to the way our culture is thinking today. And when you understand that, it will not be difficult for you to see why people are taking the positions they are about a number of issues.

[12:21] We've been talking about radicalism and extremism. They were described as characteristics of people who get things done, who foster changes and foment revolutions.

[12:35] What does that have to do with what we're talking about and interpreting the scriptures? Everything. Because all ideology, all ideas, all concepts start in the mind of one individual.

[12:52] Think of that. Think of that.

[13:23] They become obsessed with it. We look upon that, we tend to look upon that as a negative. And it may be a negative, too, because you can be obsessed about some very harmful things.

[13:37] You can also be obsessed about some very good things. When Paul said, I determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified.

[13:49] It's an obsession. Woe is me. If I proclaim not the gospel of Christ. That's an obsession. Nothing wrong with being obsessed about.

[14:00] Men, you ought to be obsessed with your wife. With your kids. This is a form of intensity.

[14:13] It is a form of passion. It is what drives people. It is what drives people. Now, when we have an idea, whether it's a religious idea, an idea of invention, an idea of whatever it might be.

[14:26] When we have an idea. When we have an idea. As long as it remains in the mind. It is just a theory. It is just an idea.

[14:36] It isn't going anywhere. It is just a mental thought. It is a concept that you are mauling over in your mind. It is a mental thought. And what causes you to put it into action.

[14:50] It is the intense feeling. The conviction. That it has to be more than an idea in your mind. You have to export it.

[15:03] And when you take your passion and apply it to that. It becomes a preachment. Or it becomes something that you are sharing. Something you are.

[15:14] This is such a great idea. Everybody needs to get in on this. So what do you do? You become an evangelist for it. And like I said. This is the way all thinking and all processing begins.

[15:26] It doesn't make any difference. If it's religious, political, or whatever it is. It all has the same roots. This is the way we think. This is the way we operate. And it is not limited to spiritual things.

[15:38] It is when inventive geniuses. Whose work has benefited all of us. When they get ideas.

[15:50] And they maul it over. And they think about it. And they go to put some shoe leather behind it. To put it into action. They build a laboratory.

[16:02] They spend money. They find investors. They do something. Because this idea that they have got is so great. It's got to be exported. That is done with passion.

[16:12] That's heart. It starts in the mind. It goes from the heart. From the heart is where the emotion is. The emotion drives the idea. If the idea never has emotion or heart behind it.

[16:26] It doesn't go anywhere. It just stays in the mind. And all you do is mull it over and think about it. But when you want to put it into practice. When you want to do something about it.

[16:38] We call that being moved. And it is emotion that moves us. We talk about these people as being the shakers and movers of our society.

[16:53] They are not content to let their idea just remain a mental concept. When Adolf Hitler began his upward climb in politics in Germany.

[17:10] This started in the 1920s. He had become a great fan of someone else who had an idea. A concept.

[17:21] His name was Friedrich Nietzsche. Brilliant German philosopher. And he wrote extensively on the condition of man.

[17:35] Adolf Hitler became one of his primary disciples. And Adolf Hitler was a recipient of what Nietzsche had exported from his mind.

[17:49] Through his writings and preachings. And Adolf Hitler picked up on it. And guess what he did? He continued propagating it. How? Where? In German beer halls.

[18:01] In Munich. He would gather a bevy of interested people around him. And he would begin preaching. And teaching. About the Aryan race.

[18:13] And the superiority of the German people. And the curse of the Jew. Upon the world population. And how these people should be eliminated. And how they were responsible for all of the economic and cultural chaos that was taking place in Europe.

[18:28] It was all the Jews fault. And he began preaching that idea. He got it all from Nietzsche. And he continued it. With just a handful.

[18:40] Of people. And of all places. German beer halls. Do you know where our American revolution was born? In the ale houses of New England.

[18:58] Madison. And Jefferson. And Washington. And all of these founding fathers. Sat around in the taverns. At night. Talking about the evils of the monarchy.

[19:09] And how something ought to be done about it. With no idea on down the road. That there would actually be a revolution in independence. But they were talking and talking and talking.

[19:19] And they got up more ideas. And Tom Paine started writing his pamphlets. And one thing led to another. And it caught fire. And it all started with one person. And it's exported to others.

[19:33] This is the way it is in every field. It doesn't make any difference. Somebody gets an idea. And they refuse to keep it to themselves. And they extend that to others.

[19:44] And the next thing you know. Jesus chose twelve. You look in the book of Acts. There's another couple thousand added. And then there's five thousand. And how many millions are there today?

[19:56] It is the same in virtually every cause. It begins with ideology. Lecturing. Writing.

[20:07] Preaching. Exporting. The originator of the idea is so convinced of its validity and importance. That he wants everyone to believe or adopt it.

[20:19] And we could elaborate on the evils of communism. And how that it has worked the very same way. 1917. Just a small group of men.

[20:29] Called the Bolsheviks. Started the Communist Party. And they virtually enslaved about a third of the world's population. Islam.

[20:43] Has much in common with Christianity. Began. One man. They propagate it. And nearly always there are those who disagree.

[20:56] There were those who disagreed violently. With Jesus Christ. Violently enough to kill him. When you cannot refute the message. Kill the messenger.

[21:07] It's exactly what they did. And they did the same with Stephen. There are groups. And Islam is one of them.

[21:18] Whose writings tell them that they are to propagate the teachings of the Quran. And Quranic. Quranic. Quranic. Quranic. Islam. Requires. Subjugation.

[21:29] Or elimination. Of all opposition. Opposition. Consists of infidels. Anyone who is not a Muslim. Is an infidel. And according to the Quran.

[21:42] And this is black and white in the Quran. Although. Not all Muslims interpret it this way. The radicals and extremists most certainly do.

[21:56] Chapter and verse in the Quran. Only they call it a surah. S-U-R-A. Surah is the location of the text. We would call it the chapter. Those who are not Muslims.

[22:11] Are supposed to be. Converted to Islam. Voluntarily. Or involuntarily. You can convert them at the point of a sword. If they will not convert.

[22:23] You are to either. Put them in subjugation. Whereby they agree. To be your servant. And to pay you tribute. If you.

[22:37] Want to be merciful toward them. And allow them to do that. If not. You kill them. As simple as that. I mean that most literally. You kill them.

[22:48] You eliminate them. That's what the Quran requires. That is what Muslim extremists. Are attempting to fulfill. As we speak.

[23:01] Nothing. Is so powerful. As an idea. Whose time has come. Whether it is for good. Or evil. It all works the same way.

[23:15] It shapes and molds. Cultures and civilization. And states and households. All of the above. Constitute. Dynamic change agents.

[23:26] And have directed humanity. From the beginning. Genesis 10. Tells us about a man. Who is described as.

[23:37] And he is a son of Cain. He. He. Is referred to as. A mighty. Hunter. Before. The Lord.

[23:49] His name. Was Nimrod. Nimrod. Was an idealist. He was an. Idealog.

[23:59] He got an idea. And he propagated it. Almost always. These idea people. Have.

[24:11] Personality. Charisma. Power. Persuasiveness. An ability. To convince. An ability. To instill.

[24:23] Confidence. In them. And people. Give it to them. And they get in line. And they follow that. Every movement. I care not. Whether it's religious.

[24:33] Or political. Every movement. Works the same way. Has the same origin. Nimrod. This mighty. Hunter. Before the Lord. Which is a. Terribly. Inadequate.

[24:44] Translation. It means. Nimrod. Was. A recruiter. He was. A signer. Upper. I won't call him.

[24:55] A community organizer. But. He was. He was. Someone. Who did that. He did that. He organized. And he rallied. People.

[25:06] And he gathered them. To himself. And they followed him. And he said. We. Need. To build. A tower.

[25:17] That will reach. Clear to the heavens. And that's exactly. What he did. The tower of Nimrod. Is the tower of Babel. It's found in Genesis. Chapter 10. And when it says.

[25:28] He was a mighty hunter. Before the Lord. The. Before your Lord. Do you know how that. Before your Lord. Can be translated. In common vernacular. Today.

[25:38] In your face. That's what he was. He was defiant. He was rebellious. He was the kind. Who would shake his fist.

[25:49] At God. And say. This is what we're going to do. This has its origins. All the way back. In Genesis 10. And do you know what. Nothing has changed. Everything still operates.

[26:00] The same way today. Whether it's religion. Whether it's political. Whether it's inventive. Whether it's musical. Whatever. Who in the world. Would have ever thought.

[26:10] That rap music. Would actually be called. Music. Where did this stuff. Come from.

[26:21] I'll tell you. Where it came from. It started. In someone's. Mind. And he exported it.

[26:33] And lo and behold. It picked up. Disciples. And now. It is a whole genre. Of music. Much to the dismay. Of. Music purists.

[26:45] It has. Had. Its. Movers. And shakers. And it's caught on. This is. I want you to understand. Some. This is the way. Everything works. This is the way. Everything works. It all begins.

[26:56] With. Somebody. Had an idea. Whether it's. Thomas Edison. Or Henry Ford. Who in the world. Would have ever thought. Of. Having a. Mass production. Assembly line. Where you move this thing along.

[27:08] And build it. As you move it. Well. Who ever heard of such a thing. It started. In the mind. One man. What if. And the next thing you know.

[27:20] Voila. Bottle day. Fords. Are rolling off. The assembly line. It all started. In somebody's mind. We are going to extract.

[27:34] From all of these. The leaders. Of religious. Persuasions. And Christians. In particular. And focus. On their differences.

[27:45] All claim. The Bible. As their authority. And yet. Arrive. At great. Diversities. Of opinions. That spawn.

[27:56] Whole denominations. With very different. Doctrines. And teachings. How is this? How do these people. Come to these different conclusions.

[28:10] And there are a number. Of ingredients. Involved. And when we identify them. I think you will be able. To recognize them. Very readily. Bottom line. Is this. When it comes to.

[28:20] Interpreting scripture. And this is something. That I have had. Stuffed tightly. In my cranium. For a long. Long time. And it's a little saying. That I have developed.

[28:31] And I. It's probably not original. You think you originate. Things like this. And then you read. For 600 years ago. Somebody else said. The same thing. But the difference lies. Between.

[28:42] What God says. In his word. And what. Man says. God says. And they may not have.

[28:52] Any resemblance. There is a difference. Between. What. God says. And what. Man says. God says. Because.

[29:04] Man says. God says. A whole lot of things. And God is saying. I didn't say that. I didn't say that. At all. You completely. Missed the point. And I suspect.

[29:16] That I. Along with all. Of my colleagues. Who stand behind. The pulpit. Are guilty of that. To one degree. Or another. We try to safeguard.

[29:27] Against it. We try to be aware. That we can do it. But I'm sure. That we do not. Always succeed. I know. I have given you. The impression. Sometimes. That God said. A particular thing.

[29:38] Or a certain thing. And God didn't say it. At all. Mars said it. Scares me to death. Worst thing I can do. Worst thing you can hear. But it's something.

[29:50] That has to be safeguarded. Against. All the time. Sincerity. And good intentions. Are not in question.

[30:02] In most cases. With an interpretation. In other words. When people arrive. At an interpretation. Of scripture. We can feel.

[30:13] I think. In most cases. Not in all cases. But in most cases. That the one. Who has come up. With that interpretation. Has done so. Honestly.

[30:23] And sincerely. That they really believe. This. Is what the passage. Is teaching. Now. In many respects. It would be wonderful. If sincerity. Guaranteed.

[30:36] Right answers. But it doesn't. Sincerity. Is necessary. But sincerity. Alone. Is not satisfactory.

[30:48] You need more. Than to just be sincere. Good intentions. Are not adequate. They are necessary. You ought to have.

[30:59] Good intentions. You ought to have. Honorable intentions. But merely having them. Is no guarantee. That your conclusion. Is right. Now. Sometimes. People can come to scripture.

[31:11] With. An agenda. No one. Is exempt. From that. We all. Have. A tendency. To.

[31:24] Make the scripture. Say. What. We want them. To say. So that. They support. Our position. And our conclusions.

[31:35] That's only human nature. We want God. To be reasonable. And agree with me. So. In most cases. We tend to bring.

[31:46] Our biases. And our prejudices. To a passage of scripture. When we interpret it. And. Lo and behold. Sometimes. There are. Unhealthy.

[31:58] Or impure. Motives. Pastor. May look at his church's. Financial situation. And say. Boy. The giving.

[32:08] The giving. Has really fallen off. We are not meeting. Our budget. Time. To get out. My barrel. Of tithing sermons. And start hitting them.

[32:21] With that 10%. And what God requires. And you can find. Chapter and verse. In Malachi. That talks about. Bring all your tithes. And offerings. Into the storehouse. That my house.

[32:31] May be full. And see if I don't open. The windows of heaven. And pour out a blessing. Upon you. So great. That you will not be able. To hold it. And. Boy. There it is. In black and white. Malachi.

[32:42] Chapter and verse. You can use the text. To manipulate people. And to. Lay guilt trips. On people.

[32:52] Now. I want to say this. About a guilt trip. Sometimes. Sometimes. Someone. Comes away. From a church service.

[33:03] Really feeling guilty. Because they are. And there is nothing wrong with that. A guilt trip is when. Someone.

[33:14] Has no real valid basis. For being. Being guilty. But they are made to feel guilty. By. An authority figure. Behind the pulpit. Who just. Kind of.

[33:25] Emotionally beats up on them. And. They go away feeling like. They are wrung out. And. That is not using the word of God. As God intended. There are occasions.

[33:39] Of deliberately twisting. And distorting scripture. To make it say. What we want it to say. For self. Validation. We then use the interpretation.

[33:50] To cajole the faithful. Into following the implications. Of our interpretation. Whether it is tithing. Or sabbath keeping. Or water baptism.

[34:01] Or a whole host of other things. That we could come up with. So. How then can we arrive. At an interpretation. And how can we.

[34:12] Have any kind of. Confidence. In the conclusion. That an interpreter reaches. When he says. This is what the text means.

[34:22] And the answer is. Not as many would suspect. That you just pray. And ask the Holy Spirit.

[34:32] For guidance. And an interpretation. Because as I mentioned. At the earlier part. Of this message. You can have. Two or three preachers. That pray the same thing. And they are all. Equally sincere. And lo and behold.

[34:46] God gives each one of them. A different answer. I just. Don't. Believe that. God doesn't do that. God isn't trying.

[34:57] To mix things up. He isn't trying. To confuse people. The Bible. Is a book. Of revealment. Not a book. Of concealment. So. How then.

[35:08] Do we go about. This business. Of interpreting. The scripture. And if no man. Is capable. Or competent. Of actually. Interpreting. The scripture. And if we cannot.

[35:19] Have confidence. That when we pray. Is there anything. Wrong with pray. No. Of course not. Men ought to always pray. And not to faint. But is there a guarantee.

[35:29] That when you pray. And ask God. For the interpretation. Of a passage of scripture. The answers. That he gives you. Are really his answers. No. There's no guarantee.

[35:41] They must. They may just be. The answers. You want God. To give you. So you blame God. For the answer. The only capable. Competent.

[35:52] Interpreter. Of the scriptures. Is the scriptures. Only the Bible. Can interpret. The Bible. Well.

[36:03] How does it do that? Exactly how. The passage says. Comparing spiritual. With spiritual. The only way. We can arrive.

[36:13] At a safeguarded. Interpretation. Of any passage. Of scripture. Is when. Other scripture. Comes to our rescue. And reinforces. And validates. And confirms.

[36:24] And adds to. That interpretation. And that means. That the whole. Of the book. Must be brought. To bear. Upon any passage.

[36:35] Of scripture. When you're looking. For interpretation. The Bible. Is it. Not only. Its own. Best interpreter. The Bible. Is. The only.

[36:46] Competent. Interpreter. It. Interprets. Itself. And when you. Shed light. On one passage. By using. Another passage. To elucidate it. That's called.

[36:57] Bible. Study. That's what. We are given. To do. That's why. This book. Has been around. As long. As it has. And yet. No one.

[37:09] Has ever. Really. Plumbed. The depths. Of this book. No mere. Human. Being. Has. No. Mere. Human. Being. Will. Simply. Because. Of its origin.

[37:20] It is. A divine. Book. It is. The inspired. Word. Of God. So. When we. Open it. We not. Only. Look. At the passage. In the context. But we have.

[37:31] To take. Into consideration. Everything. Else. That the Bible. Says. About. That particular. Passage. You know. What that does. That takes. A lot. Of time. A lot.

[37:42] Of time. A lot. Of effort. I have. Bookshelves. Lined. With hundreds. Of volumes. In my office.

[37:53] That are all. Devoted. To this. Very. Thing. Some of them. Hundreds. Of years old. Writings. Of men. Who have been. Searching. The scriptures.

[38:03] To see. What the scriptures. Have to say. About. This scripture. That's the only. Reliable. Interpreter. And when man.

[38:14] Is willing. To lay that aside. And bring. Human viewpoint. And human reasoning. To bear. Upon a passage. Of scripture. He's going to reach. All kinds.

[38:24] Of conclusions. That are far. Removed. From anything. That God intended. In fact. When man. Brings his. Present understanding. Of.

[38:36] Scientific. Knowledge. Etc. To bear. Upon the Bible. He finds. And concludes. Quite understandably. The Bible. Is really. Outdated.

[38:48] I mean. How can you have. Any confidence. In this. Dusty. Old book. It doesn't say. Anything. About computers. I mean.

[39:01] How out of date. Can you be. It says. Nothing. About human beings. Walking on the moon. It says. Nothing. About. Automobiles.

[39:12] Able to race. Around the track. At 200 miles. An hour. Bible. Doesn't say. Anything. The Bible. Doesn't say. Anything. About DNA. The Bible. Doesn't say. Anything.

[39:22] About liver. Transplants. This book. This book. Is really. Out of date. And this is how. And why. Some people. Conclude. You can't believe anything. The Bible.

[39:32] Says. That. The scripture. That's so. It's just. Ancient. Interesting. Literature. That's it. Do you see. How they think.

[39:43] That way. Do you see. How it is. And why it is. That many modern people. When you say. Well. The Bible. Says. Oh. Well. The Bible. The Bible. So.

[39:54] So. Out of date. So. Passé. You. You. Can't put. How can you. Possibly. Put any. Listen. Was it. Newton. I believe. It was. Isaac.

[40:06] Newton. Considered. To be. The father. Of modern. Science. Said. The Bible. Is not. A book. Designed. To tell us. How the heavens. Go.

[40:17] It. Is designed. To tell us. How to go to heaven. The Bible. Does not. Purport. To be. A scientific. Textbook. On anything. Biology. Or botany.

[40:28] Or chemistry. Or anything. The Bible. Is a compilation. And a book. Of divine wisdom. That deals. With. Principles.

[40:40] That impact. The human condition. And that set forth. The connection. And the interaction. Between the creator. And his creation.

[40:52] That's. What the Bible. Is designed. To do. And it does that. And because. It addresses. Issues. Of humanity. On such.

[41:02] Great. Depth. And it addresses. All cultures. Because all cultures. Have certain things. In common. It need not. Bog.

[41:13] Itself. Down. With. Dated. Things. Of a scientific nature. Can you find. Anything. More out of date. Than a 20 year old. Science textbook. Stuff.

[41:27] In our textbooks. Today. That are. Top drawer. Latest thing out. Will be. Passé. In 20 years. From now. But the scriptures.

[41:39] Deal. With. Principle. Issues. Impacting. Humanity. Across. All. Of the centuries.

[41:49] Of time. And they are. Able. To address. These issues. With. Great. Authority. And depth. Because. The human.

[42:00] Condition. Has. Not. Changed. And the needs. Of the human. Heart. Have not. Changed. Since. Genesis. Three. When you take.

[42:11] That. Into consideration. You cannot. Find. A more. Up to date. Book. Than the Bible. It does not. Trivialize. Itself.

[42:21] With the latest. Inventions. Of men. All of which. Will be. Passé. In another. Generation. It is. Timeless. It just. Goes on.

[42:32] And on. And it is. Directly. Applicable. In every. Day. And age. And when people. Say. Things like. Well. You can't. Use the Bible. To interpret.

[42:43] The Bible. Or use the Bible. To prove. The Bible. That's. Circular. Reasoning. You say. Why do you. Believe. What you believe. I believe. That. Because. The Bible.

[42:54] Teaches it. That's your. Authority. Well. You cannot. Use the Bible. To prove. The Bible. That's. Circular. Reasoning. The Bible. Says. Thus. And so.

[43:05] Well. Where do you. Get that. Information. Well. You get that. From the Bible. Well. You're just. Going around. Around. Around. No. No. No. You're not. No. You're not. And the reason.

[43:17] You aren't. Is because. Circular. Reasoning. Does not. Apply. Where there. Are. Multiple. Authorities.

[43:28] And. There are. Multiple. Authorities. In the scriptures. Some. Forty. Plus. Multiple. Authorities. Because.

[43:39] The Bible. Is not. Simply. One. Book. It is. Sixty. Six. Books. Contributed. To. By. Forty. Plus.

[43:50] Human. Writers. Not authors. But. Writers. One author. God. Many writers. Isaiah. Jeremiah. Ezekiel.

[44:01] And. Daniel. And. John. And. Peter. And. Paul. And. So. On. All. Of. These. And. Each. One. Can. Be. Appealed. To. To. Validate. And. Verify. What. The. Others. Say.

[44:11] Even. Though. They. Never. Met. For the most part. And. Their paths. Never. Crossed. And. Most. Of. Them. Were. Separated. By. Centuries. And. Some. Even. By. Continents. And.

[44:22] Yet. We. Have. This. One. Coherent. Cohesive. Whole. That. All. Comes. Together. And. It. Meshes. And. Everything. In. The. Book. Fits. With. Everything. In. The. Book. Like. A. Such.

[44:42] As. Man. Would. Not. Write. If. He. Could. And. Could. Not. Write. If. He. Would. That's. What. This. Book. Is. All. About. Can. I. Interpret.

[44:52] It. I. Don't. Believe. So. I. Don't. This. Is. Not. This. Is. Not. Mock. Humility. False. Humility. I.

[45:02] Know. My. Limitations. And. When. I. Come. To. This. Book. And. Recognize. Who. The. Authority. Is. I. Feel. Like. Isaiah. Woe.

[45:12] Is. Me. I. Am. Undone. I. Don't. Have. The. The. Smarts. I. Don't. Have. The. Spirituality. I. Don't. Have. The. Depth. I. Don't. Have. The. Wisdom. I. Don't. Have. Anything. That's. Needed. To.

[45:22] Really. Interpret. This. Book. So. What. I. Am. Forced. To. Do. And. What. I. Am. Delighted. To. Do. Is. Let. The. Book. Speak. For. Itself. And. When. You. Compare.

[45:33] Scripture. With. Scripture. Spiritual. Things. With. Spiritual. Things. When. You. See. The. Inavoidable. Connection. Between. Genesis.

[45:44] And. Revelation. And. How. It. Ties. Everything. Together. You. Know. You're. Going. In. The. Bible.

[45:55] Is. Its. Own. Best. Interpreter. It. Is. Its. Only. Competent. Real. Interpreter. Scripture. Interprets. Scripture. And.

[46:07] Anytime. You. Have. A. Passage. Of. Scripture. That. You. Are. Looking. For. The. Meaning. Of. It. And. You. Cannot. Find. Some. Other. Place. In. Scripture.

[46:17] To. Enlighten. That. Particular. Verse. And. I'll. Be. Giving. You. Examples. Later. On. When. You. Cannot. Find. That. What. Do. You. Do. You. Back. Away. From. It. Because.

[46:28] You. Don't. Have. An. Answer. You. Just. Don't. Have. An. Answer. You. May. Get. Additional. Light. If. And. When. Another. Portion. Of. Scripture. Sometime. Later.

[46:38] That. Didn't. Occur. To. You. Earlier. Can. Shed. Light. On. That. And. You. May. Have. A. Breakthrough. I. Had. A. Few. Of. Those. And. They. Are. Wonderful. But. They. Are. Not. Many. And.

[46:49] This. Leads. Us. To. The. Conviction. That. Where. The. Scriptures. Are. Silent. We. Should. Be. Silent. We. Don't. Know. We. Just. Don't. Know. And. There.

[46:59] Is. Another. Rule. A. Rule. Of. I.

[47:11] Cannot. Tell. You. How. Many. Hours. I. Have. Wrestled. Over. That. Passage. In. First. Corinthians. Fifteen. And. I. Do. Not. Know. What. The. Meaning. Of. It. Really. Is. Although. I. Have. Read. At.

[47:22] Last. Count. Some. Forty. Different. Interpretations. All. Scattered. Throughout. My. Library. Else. What. Shall. They. Do. Who. Are. Baptized. Mormons.

[47:41] Say. We. Know. And. We. Do. It. We. Practice. Baptism. For. The. Dead. And. They. Got. A. Whole. Lot. Of. Jewish. People. Mad. At. Them. Because. Some. Of. The. Jewish. People.

[47:52] Found. Out. That. Mormons. Were. Looking. Up. Jewish. Genealogies. And. Identifying. Them. And. Naming. Them. And. Then. Having. One. Of. Their. People. In. Their. Church. Baptized. In.

[48:02] The. Name. Of. That. Jewish. Dead. Person. Who. Lived. 200. Years. Ago. And. The. Jews. Quite. Offended. At. That. So. They. Demanded. A. Retraction. And.

[48:12] A. Cessation. Of. That. Activity. On. The. Part. Of. The. Mormons. For. Baptize. And. They. Thought. They. Were. Just. Doing. Everybody. A. Favor. Because. When. You. Are. Baptized. For. The. Dead. In. The. Name. Of. Someone. Who. Wasn't.

[48:22] Baptized. You. Make. It. Possible. For. Them. To. Enter. The. Celestial. Kingdom. Otherwise. They're. Forever. Kept. Out. Now. That's. The. Mormon. Interpretation. Well. Where. Did. They. Get. That. Idea. It.

[48:32] Starts. In. The. Mind. Of. A. Man. Joseph. Smith. Jehovah's Witnesses.

[48:44] Started. In. The. Mind. Of. A. Man. Charles. Taze. Russell. And. If. You. Have. The. Articulation.

[48:56] The. Passion. The. Personality. The. Charisma. The. Forcefulness. To. Convince. People. Of. It. You.

[49:07] Will. Begin. To. Build. A. Following. And. Your. Following. Builds. A. Following. And. Your. Followings. Following. Builds. A. Following. This. Is.

[49:17] What. You. Call. A. Movement. And. The. Next. Thing. You. Know. You. Have. The. Denomination. Next. Thing. You. Know. You. Have.

[49:29] Islam. Or. Christianity. How did. Christianity. Begin. It. Began. In the mind.

[49:39] Of. One. God. Not. Man. Began. In the mind. Of.

[49:50] God. Christianity. It. Was. Exported. Into. Humanity. This. Humanity. Is. Called. Jesus. Christ. And.

[50:00] He. Exported. It. To. The. Twelve. And. The. Twelve. Exported. It. And. They. Exported. It. And. They. Exported. It. And. You. You. Are. Here. Today. As. A. Result. Of. That. This.

[50:12] Is. The. Way. Everything. Is. Learned. This. Is. The. Way. It. Is. All. Began. This. Is. The. Way. Is. Processed. And. It. Doesn't. Make. Any. Difference. What. The. Discipline. Is. Or.

[50:23] What. The. Subject. Is. It. All. Starts. In. The. Mind. Of. Someone. And. So. It. Is. With. The. Dominations. I.

[50:36] Am. Going. To. Refrain. From. Naming. Any. Of. Them. Now. But. We. Shall. In. Succeeding. Messages. Because. We're. Talking. About. Doctrinal.

[50:47] Differences. Among. Believers. How. Did. Lutherans. Become. Lutherans. How. Did. Methodists. Become. Methodists. How. Did. Presbyterians.

[50:58] Become. Presbyterians. And. Why. And. How. Did. They. Arrive. At. The. Doctrines. They. Have. We're. Going. To. Explore. Some. Of. Those. And. I. Trust. I. Will. Do. So. Honestly. And.

[51:09] Compassionately. And. I. Want. To. Say. What. I. Say. So. That. When. I. Describe. Presbyterianism. And. How. It. Began. No.

[51:21] Presbyterian. Will. Want. To. Disagree. With. Me. I. Think. We. Can. Do. That. Because. People. Have. Honest. Legitimate. Differences.

[51:32] Arrived. In. Honest. Different. Ways. But. With. Different. Conclusions. And. You'll. Have. Whether. Or. Not. They. Are. Valid. Presbyterians.

[51:43] Think. That. Presbyterian. Thinking. And. Doctrine. Is. Very. Valid. After all. That's. What. The. Bible. Teaches. The. Baptists. Say. The. Same. Thing. The. Methodists. Say. The. Same. Thing. Nazarenes. Do. Too.

[51:53] And. So. Do. The. Church. Of. God. And. Yet. They. All. Disagree. With. One. Another. So. We. Will. Explore. That. And. I. Can. See. That. My. Time. Is. Up. So. I. Would. Like. To. Open. This. For. Q. And. A. But.

[52:04] I. Can't. Do. So. And. Still. Maintain. My. Time. Frame. So. Let. Us. Pray. Father. We. Are. Thankful.

[52:14] For. Truth. And. Sometimes. It. Is. Difficult. For. Us. To. Discover. Because. Each. Of. Us. Brings. Biases. And. Preconceived.

[52:24] Ideas. And. Pet. Theories. And. Pet. Doctrines. And. Things. That. We. Want. To. See. Validated. To. The. Table. And. Yet. We. Recognize.

[52:35] That. This. Displeases. You. We. Pray. That. We. Will. Have. The. Honesty. And. Intellectual. Integrity. To. Pursue.

[52:45] An. Open. Mind. And. Let. You. Fill. It. With. The. Truth. Of. Your. Word. We. Pray. That. You. Will. Deliver. Us. From. Human. Opinions. Mine. In.

[52:56] Particular. And. Allow. The. People. To. See. The. Text. For. What. It. Says. And. For. What. It. Means. With. The. Meaning. That. You. Intended. Not. A. Meaning. That.

[53:07]  We. Assigned. To. It. We. Want. To. Be. Protected. From. That. And. We. Look. To. You. To. Do. It. In. Christ's. Name. Amen.