2/12/26

A MESSAGE TO FRIENDS

I recently had a serious illness with a radical medical treatment.  Life is about change.  The whole experience will mean a great deal of change for me.  What I eat and what I drink has more serious consequences than what I considered before.  I accept the changes as part and parcel of God’s providence and have no complaint.

That said, as I considered writing again, the question was where to start.  This has caused me to examine my approach to Scripture.  Beyond my unyielding commitment to context, what else matters?  As I thought about this I came across some writing from the past in the fly-leaf of a favorite reference book.  I have decided the thoughts there will be my starting place.  These are personal hermeneutical principles and I cannot tell you where I got them.  But I can guarantee you they are not original.  Again, let me say I doubt if I ever have an original thought.  Here I come—ready or not.

1.       Any Biblical fact is to be understood in the context in which it is written.

2.      No Biblical fact should be forced to an understanding of a later revealed truth.

3.      No fact will contradict the context of the author.

4.      No fact will contradict the unity of Biblical Revelation.

5.      Doctrine is important in the order of it’s revelation, ie First is creation.  Nothing is more important than Biblical Creation and the truths it represents.

a.       The most basic relationship of the Mediator to the world is creator, John 1:1-2.

b.      The most basic relationship of man to God is creature to his Creator, Ps. 100:3.

c.       The sin of man is rebellion of the creature against the Creator, Eccles. 7:29.

d.      Salvation is a restoration of man to a right relationship with the Creator,

Heb. 12:22-24.

6.      The unifying theme and dominant principle of Revelation is the Kingdom of God and the relationship of this world to Him as His kingdom, Ps. 9:4, 7-8; 10:16; 22:27-29 and many others.

7.      Revelation consistently describes Kingdom citizens as rebels, false servants, and true servants with the false and true indistinguishable to human understanding, Matt. 24-30.

8.      There are some whom God favors and some whom he disfavors, Gen. 4:2-12;

Rom. 9:13, 18.

9.      Revelation presents mercy and justice as non-contradictory, Ps. 111:1-10.

10.  Revelation presents redemption as an act of Kingship or sovereignty, Gen. 3:15;

Matt. 25:31-46.

I would have it plainly understood I do not believe anyone can do justice to the truth of Scripture beginning with man and looking up.  The Bible presents every truth from God’s perspective, and until the reader sees that view of truth, it will at the best be severely distorted.

My best to you and yours.

Bill