Sheavings

A Taxonomy for Learning Scripture

or

Read Life's Manual--All Else Is Sure To Fail

by Rick Sutcliffe for AFBC Spring 2006

Deut 6:1 These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 3Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you. 4Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.

Ac 17:23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of men.

Introduction

God, the creator of all things, is by very nature not part of this physical world he made, nor directly knowable by any means in it. True, when we examine and analyze logically the physical universe we live in exhaustively using scientific methods and techniques, we do find clues to God's existence. Indeed, Paul tells us in Romans 1: 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. However, this speaks of how we interpret the clues to God's existence we find in the physical world. We can see his handiwork in his creation, or we can ignore it.

However, if one supposes that all things physical have a creator, it follows that creator must be outside of and pre-exist the physical creation he made. Moreover, he must not in turn be physical, or he would need a creator. Our premise forces us to conclude that all human logic and science, however carefully and accurately done, cannot of itself locate one who by nature transcends the physical universe and all its laws. One might expect, that the nature and character of the creator would be reflected in the original creation, and therefore be motivated to look for clues to God in it. Paul's comment tells us that God expects this, and judges us when we fail to do it. Of course, if one instead begins with the premise that there is nothing beyond the physical world to find, one will not look, will even define science in such a way as to exclude the existence of anything beyond the physical world. Many modern scientists do this, though such a premise is not itself a part of science.

Greek scholars knew all this and reasoned that since it was self-evident the world was created by Almighty God, the only way he could be known from within his physical universe was if he were to send an understandable revelation from the divine or supernatural realm into our physical or mortal realm. Such communicable revelations were termed logos, a word from which we derive "logic". One apprehended an idea revealed by the divine realm, then communicated it to others using appropriate rhetoric. Although the Greeks didn't include experimentation (in the scientific sense) in their logical process, we can easily fit modern science into (or consider it alongside) their idea of logic.

We use the same concept in other contexts, though employing other words sometimes. For instance, the term "information" denotes data that has been intelligently and purposefully (intentionally) organized to give it a meaning that can be understood and communicated. (Raw data without intentional organization to give it meaning is not information.) Note that it is not appropriate to speak of "meaning" or "understanding" apart from communicability. If one cannot transmit an idea to at least some other person in an intelligible way (i.e. at least relatively free of transmission errors), so that the other person gains approximately the same understanding as the first one had, one may as well not have the idea in the first place, for non-communicable ideas are essentially meaningless. (Parallel to this, incidentally, is the observation that if we cannot or will not communicate our faith to others, we might as well not have that either.)

Without a logos, without revealed and communicated information the Creator-God is not merely unknown to us, but unknowable. However, the scriptures (see John 1, for an explicit instance) assert that God has indeed revealed himself to us, has indeed communicated to us a logos in a way that we could understand.

Hebrews 1:1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.

John reiterates this, asserting that the otherwise unknowable God has indeed revealed himself, has sent not just one message, or even many, but that in the person of his son, he also took on human flesh and walked among us to be Logos or revelation to us: John 1: 18 No-one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known. John 1: 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The account of all the revelations from God, the account of the nature, character, words and actions of his Logos is found in the Bible. (The authenticity and reliability of the scriptures constitute a separate topic; this discussion assumes both, and focuses on motivations and techniques for learning the scriptures.) Apart from the hints or clues provided by the physical world, the totality of information about God is found in this book. It even tells us why we do not immediately see him in those physical clues, for it relates (Genesis 1-3) how we were made in fellowship with God, then rebelled against him, preferring to learn evil, damaging his perfect creation, and breaking fellowship with him. In our fallen condition apart from God, our ability to reason and understand is broken along with everything else, and we naturally prefer anyway to interpret the world without reference to him. Acknowledging whose the universe is, our place in it, our consequent dependence on the creator, and our moral responsibility as fallen sinners (by birth nature, personal inclination, and actual choice) would constitute a return to trusting him who made us.

Again, as with knowledge of God's character, so with that of his grace. Unless he sends a revelation by his Holy Spirit into our hearts to incline us to believe in him, to trust him, to accept his salvation in Jesus Christ, we will never discover nor agree to these things on our own account, for they are supernatural truths and must be perceived so.

All this is to say that the scriptures are of paramount importance. Everything that God wants us to know about him, he has revealed to us, and this book is the account of that revelation.

2Tim 3:14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

In Romans 1:2, Paul refers to the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures. Isaiah (34:16) urges: Look in the scroll of the LORD and read. Nehemiah (8:3) and Paul (Galations 3:10) call it the Book of the Law, and the Psalms repeatedly refer to it as The Law of the Lord.

Jesus says (Luke 11:28) "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it." and the writer to the Hebrews employs the same expression in 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

This last assertion ought to give us some pause. Our every thought and action, our every word, every attitude of our heart--all will be measured against the contents of this book. For the person who is not a believer, that judgement will be for condemnation. For the one who is, the evaluation is to determine eternal rewards. How then shall those who call themselves God's people become and remain a people motivated by this book, a people who make its contents live in their hearts, their souls, their minds, and their strength (i.e. their works) so that they can serve the purpose for which they were created and redeemed-glorifying God and praising him for all eternity?

(Luke 10: 25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 26"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" 27He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbour as yourself.'" 28"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live.")

Clearly we have to study the word, know its contents, and apply them to our lives. Is there a systematic step-by-step way to do this? This outline for how to do so borrows ideas for systematic learning and study from secular scholarship, then shapes and adapts those ideas according to what the scriptures themselves say about the subject. The idea is to provide a framework within which to classify those portions of scripture that talk about this very subject--and it does extensively, I might add.

Reminder: like all study frameworks, this one is only useful to organize what is already in the scriptures and draw out truth from that. It does not replace truth or become truth. This is also true of Calvinism, and of dispensationalism, for instance. Both are useful Bible study frameworks, and both organize scriptural concepts and make them more understandable, but neither is revealed truth in and of itself.

Bloom's classical analytical taxonomy of learning levels has six steps: knowledge, understanding, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. The taxonomy for learning scripture presented here subdivides the knowledge and application steps into three, combines analysis, synthesis and evaluation into one, and adds another step not mentioned by Bloom, for a total of nine: listening, reading, memorizing, studying, transforming, witnessing, discipling, scrutinizing, and meditating.

The remaining sections of this study consider each of these in turn.

Part I--Knowledge: what do the words say?

Listening

See Isaiah 1:10, Hosea 4:1, Deut 5:27, Joshua 3:9, Psalm 85:8, John 6:45

Deut 4:1 Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 2Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.

Deut 5:1 Moses summoned all Israel and said: Hear, O Israel, the decrees and the laws I declare in your hearing today. Learn them and be sure to follow them.

De 6:3 Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.

Deut 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.

Jos 8:35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the aliens who lived among them.

Mark 12:28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" 29"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31The second is this: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

Jer 22:29 O land, land, land, hear the word of the LORD!

Jer 19: 3 (and many such passages) Hear the word of the LORD...

There are numerous examples of the Scriptures being read aloud, at times of national crisis, at times of worship, at times when a major turning point in the nation was needed and the scriptures provided it.

De 31:11 when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place he will choose, you shall read this law before them in their hearing.

Ne 8:18 Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly.

Ne 9:3 They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshipping the LORD their God.

Jer 36:8 Baruch son of Neriah did everything Jeremiah the prophet told him to do; at the LORD's temple he read the words of the LORD from the scroll.

Jer 51:61 He said to Seraiah, "When you get to Babylon, see that you read all these words aloud.

We see Christ setting an example by the public reading of scripture for others to hear.

Luke 4: 16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour." 20Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

Christ, in speaking of the law and the prophets and applying them to himself, made the statement: Mark 4:9 "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." and also said Lu 11:28 "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

Paul puts it this way: Ro 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

How sad that so many close their ears (the default condition of sinful humankind)and will not hear what the word of God says to them. Refusal to hear the word of God on sin, repentance, and salvation means that one continues in rebellion in this life and in utter separation from God in the next.

It is equally sad that so many Christians take the word of God for granted. They show up for church for an hour a week, give only cursory attention to the word and its exposition, perhaps sleep through the sermon or browse the internet, and have little appreciation for the only revelation God is pleased to provide his people. Moreover, it seems there is little urgency to ensure that others hear the word.

Ro 10:14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

Reading aloud the word of God so it can be heard is commanded:

Col 4:16 After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.

1Th 5:27 I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.

Learning the word of God starts with listening to it, with hearing it. But note that having the word read in one's presence is quite not the same as hearing it. For the words to penetrate beyond the glazed-over ear requires more than just the sound. Communication takes place only when at least some of the meaning is caught. And even this requires the Holy Spirit, for otherwise the words are merely symbols on the page, sounds in the air. And if that is all they are, we capture nothing more than words, sentences, a little history.

Read Matt 7:15-27 and then say whether repeating a few religious words or even doing religious deeds is insufficient for salvation. Likewise, merely hearing the word of God is insufficient for understanding. This is why the Holy Spirit's intervention is needed to go beyond mere words, why only those who are his in their hearts truly hear.

Ac 28:27 For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'

And, again John 8:47 He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."

Ac 13:27 The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.

Also take note of Christ's explanation of the parable of the sower. Luke 8: 11 "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

Life and death hangs on the words of the scripture. Hearing it is only the first step in learning it. Should we fail, the scriputes also have a word for us, whether we want to hear it or not:

2Ki 18:10 At the end of three years the Assyrians took it. So Samaria was captured in Hezekiah's sixth year, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel. 11The king of Assyria deported Israel to Assyria and settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River, and in towns of the Medes. 12This happened because they had not obeyed the LORD their God, but had violated his covenant--all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded. They neither listened to the commands nor carried them out.

Jer 35:17 "Therefore, this is what the LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: 'Listen! I am going to bring on Judah and on everyone living in Jerusalem every disaster I pronounced against them. I spoke to them, but they did not listen; I called to them, but they did not answer.'"

Prov 1: 24 But since you rejected me when I called and no-one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, 25since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, 26I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you--27when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. 28"Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. 29Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, 30since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, 31they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. 32For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; 33but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm."

So, the stakes are high, there are levels of hearing, levels of meaning, levels of grasping even the most elementary aspects of the meaning of scripture. Let us push on to higher things.

Reading

Reading a text for oneself or aloud to others involves more intellectual activity, more of the total person than does listening to someone else read. The eye gate is bigger and gets more of our attention than the ear gate. Reading is active rather than passive, requires some act of the will, involves more brain function. One remembers far more of what one reads than of what one merely hears. Good teachers know this and provide outlines or notes on paper, the board, via presentation software or an overhead along with their verbal explanation.

The scriptures make numerous comments about the importance of reading them:

Mt 21:42 Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: "'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvellous in our eyes'?

Mt 19:4 "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female',

Note that sometimes an important theological argument turns on a single word, making knowing the words of critical importance.

Ga 3:16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds", meaning many people, but "and to your seed", meaning one person, who is Christ.

Christ reinforces this need for our attention to the smallest details of Scripture when he insists that even the individual letters and the punctuation marks matter.

Mt 5:18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

Indeed the entire sermon on the mount is an exercise in taking the written word and explicating it in a detailed and exhaustive way to show that it points out our sin and our need for Christ. How can we know these things if we do not read the Scriptures for ourselves?

Gal 3:22 But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. 23Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

We could repeat many of the passages from the section on hearing, ones that commanded the word be read aloud, for they involve the reader more than they do the listener.

Deut 31: 9 So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel. 10Then Moses commanded them: "At the end of every seven years, in the year for cancelling debts, during the Feast of Tabernacles, 11when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place he will choose, you shall read this law before them in their hearing. 12Assemble the people--men, women and children, and the aliens living in your towns--so that they can listen and learn to fear the LORD your God and follow carefully all the words of this law. 13Their children, who do not know this law, must hear it and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess."

Such public reading is commanded and practiced multiple times in the scriptures.

1Tim4:13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.

1Thess5: 27 I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.

Reading, whether public or private is enjoined for understanding and insight into God's revelation of his logos.

Eph:3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles--2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. 6This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

When one reads, perhaps moreso when it is aloud, one must think, even if only on the surface, about what one is reading. It becomes more possible to gain insight, as Paul says.

Some people can't read. Others won't. Can you? Will you? Do you all have your Bibles here to read along? You are more than a listener if you do, and what the words say have a better chance of being used by the Holy Spirit to cut to your heart.

Memorizing

Psalm 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

Psalm 40: 8 I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."

Psalm 37:30 The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just. 31The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip.

Keep in mind that we are still in the section on "what does the text say?" Memorizing is a third knowledge step, a way of ensuring that we know and can access the words of Scripture even when the text is not right in front of us.

Malachi 4 "Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel.

You can't remember what you never knew in the first place.

Deut 30: 14 No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so that you may obey it.

Isaiah 51: 7 "Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts: Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults.

Notice some of the things in these verses that depend on knowing the word of God, that is on having it in one's heart: not sinning, obeying, knowing what is right, wisdom, speaking justice, not slipping--in short knowing the content of the scriptures in order to obey God. Memorizing makes the word of God a part of us, so that we can follow Christ and give glory to God as we were made to do.

2Tim4:1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction.

1Pe 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

"Be Prepared" is not merely a Boy scout motto. With respect to our ability to give answers, to give counsel, to provide a verbal and life's witness, it is the command of God. Moreover, having the Spirit of God in our hearts (where the word must also reside to be interpreted by him) is the basis of the New Covenant:

Jer 31:33 "This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

Moreover, having the word in our hearts in this manner is the basis for teaching, admonishing, and worshipping in informed Godly wisdom.

Col3: 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

By the way, per this verse, observe that one of the consequences of having the word of God in our hearts is getting the Church music right. This and Eph 5:19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, clearly command that a variety of music shall be used in the church--scripture set to music, hymns (formal music), and other spiritual songs (less formally arranged music). If you insist on only hymns or if you insist only on informal choruses or on only singing scripture, you are in violation of the clear and repeated command of the scriptures. But if you don't know such commands are in the word, you don't understand your disobedience.

Note that being ready to give an answer does not mean pulling out a pocket concordance or Bible to look something up because you don't know what the word says. Rather, it means being able to give a scripturally informed answer in the course of conversation, even if you don't actually quote the informing passage. Someone asks you a spiritual question, and you give a spiritual and scripturally based reply without having to go home and do a lot of research or phone up a pastor and ask him. People in need must have their needs met then and there, and the man or woman of God with a ready scriptural answer may be that person's only hope.

Summary of the knowledge issues:

Sad to say, knowledge of the content of Scriptures is at an all time low these days. Children can well say to the church bus driver "I've never heard of Jesus before." Even a literary knowledge of the contents--what the books are, why they were written, what they contain (whether wisdom, history, poetry, doctrine, etc.) is vanishing. People don't "get" literary references to the Bible, they don't know what it teaches.

Even among the people who claim the name of Christ, people don't know what the books of the Bible are, where they are located, who the human authors were, or what the historical, poetical, wisdom, or doctrinal content is. Moreover, they are careless in describing those contents. We casually term the history "Bible stories" as if they were Dr. Seuss or Charlie Brown, or a best selling novel. They are none of these, but accounts of real people living out real history. When the scriptures say that thus and so happened to this person and that, they are providing factual historical accounts as seen by eye witnesses. Use "history" or "account" not "story".

Many of the incidents described there are ones we would not know about otherwise. The account of God, who He is and what he's like, his words and deeds, are all available to us because He has revealed them to us in His word. God cannot be known or approached unless we know the words of this book and follow them. This is not a book of philosophy, of mathematics, of anthrolology, of literature, of science, of any human discipline or genre. It is the book of God. Where it touches on science, mathematics, history, geology, anthrolology, philosophy, advice for living, and so on, however, it is true.

We cannot be people of the book, people who can provide answers for ourselves and others, people who know what is right and are prepared to do it if we do not know the content of the scriptures. Listening, reading and memorizing are three steps in acquiring the knowledge of what the words say. They are a beginning.

They are not, however, the end of the matter. For what good does it do if you know the words of scripture, but do not understand what they mean?

Part II--Understanding: what do the words mean?

Studying

Ezra 7:10 For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.

Eccl 1: 13 I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men!

John5: 39 You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

It's important to understand that the scholars were right--the words would lead to life because they led to Him. However, they were missing a deeper level of understanding that only the Holy Spirit can give, the one that connects the written word to the Living Word.

That is, there are two levels of study, this one at the academic level to achieve surface meaning, and a later and deeper one for greater understanding that can only be informed by the Holy Spirit directing our minds from within. Even at this level, what we can get out of Scripture without the action of the Holy Spirit is limited to pretty simple observations of the who what where when and why variety. Still, one must begin diving into the depths by trying shallow water before the deep.

Jeremiah has an interesting turn of phrase about study: 15:16 When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty. He chewed them over carefully, swallowed them and made them a part of himself. In other words, he wanted and achieved far more than merely what the words said. He strove for a level of understanding that would make the words alive to him, sweet to him, meaningful to him.

Studying involves at least careful examination of the text, comparing the immediate context (paragraphs, chapter, book) to ensure the local meaning is correct, then comparing with what other passages on the same subject teach so as to have the global scriptural context right.

Study aids come in handy for this work: a concordance to look up words, a topical Bible to compare subject matter, a cross reference Bible to follow threads among various passages, historical and cultural works to gain insight into the writers' thinking, commentaries to help illumine meaning and application. Today, many of these are electronic, which can be handy.

Commentaries should of course be taken with a grain of salt. Despite some teachers' hubris, their work is NOT scripture. Some have a doctrinal axe to grind, where they filter everything through a small number of important doctrines, over-emphasizing one topic at the expense of other valuable lessons. Others may be able (technically) to write and are eloquent and persuasive, but wrong. In the end, scripture judges the commentaries, not the other way around.

For instance, an Arminian will emphasize in commenting of the word that we are all responsible for the choices we make, whether to sin or do righteousness, whether to accept Christ's offer of salvation or not. This is true. God does hold us responsible for our choices, and the scriptures do call us to make choices.

Jos 24:15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.

Le 5:17 "If a person sins and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD's commands, even though he does not know it, he is guilty and will be held responsible.

Eze 18: 20 The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him.

Ac 2:21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'

Rom 10: 11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

So human beings do make choices, and we are held accountable for those choices. However, if you only talk about human responsibility in making the choice whether to serve God, you miss an even more important aspect of salvation--the sovereignty of God.

Joh 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

Ac 15:7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.

But on the other hand, the five points of Calvinism are not scripture, they are derived and interpreted from scripture. If you follow them more closely than you do the word, you may become a fatalist, saying that the lost are not chosen so why be concerned about their sin or their salvation? Why bother telling our children about sin, preaching the Gospel or sending missionaries? After all, God doesn't need us to save the heathen.

Why indeed, if God will do what he will do? Because there are other scriptures (Matt 28:19) that command the gospel be preached to all, the invitation be extended to all, and Jesus himself said in the best-known and most quoted Gospel passage John 3: 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

Do we have no love for the lost? If we don't, we can scarcely excuse ourselves on doctrinal grounds. After all, if the Holy Spirit has indeed been given to us and if he is indeed building the character of Christ in us, then we will have his love for the lost.

Finally, we note Paul on the matter: 1Co 9:16 Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

So, we end up with both: an understanding that all men and women are called on to make choices and will be held accountable for those choices, and therefore of our need to call men and women to make right choices, and yet at the same time an understanding that because we are utterly lost in sin and because God is sovereign, we can only make the right choices if he first moves in us through his Holy Spirit. Humanly speaking this is a paradox, yet the word informs us both are nonetheless true. It is the word we must follow, not doctrinal or interpretive frameworks devised by men, even if the latter are right. An over-emphasis on one aspect of doctrine, to the point that we filter everything else through a very small aspect of doctrine and end up unable to think about or talk about the may other rich and varied aspects of scripture, is a distortion in need of correction.

This is merely one illustration. More broadly, and following up on a knowledge comment in the last section, the meaning of the scriptures is not judged by fallen and flawed humans interpreting a fallen and flawed world through their theories about science, philosophy, history, and literary critique or genre, nor even their theories about theology and interpretive frameworks. Rather, the scriptures stand in judgement over all human beings along with their disciplines, criticism, and their theories, whether those theories are of human learning or of the scriptures.

In short study aids are not the subject matter, only tools to do data mining. More than any such tools, proper study requires either one or more Bibles that afford clear and accurate translations into the language that person speaks every day, or a working knowledge of Greek and Hebrew sufficient to have spoken to the writers in their everyday tongue. The scriptures were written originally in the language of the man and woman of the street. That's clearly the way they should be translated and read today. One should not have to translate from archaic English into the modern tongue before even beginning study.

Understanding meanings takes work and commitment. A person working on meanings at this level is beginning to get serious about knowing what God says to humankind. It matters enough that some real effort gets expended. Why? Prov 30: 5 "Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. 2Thess 2: 15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

The bottom line:

2Ti 2:15 (NIV) Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

2Ti 2:15 (KJV) Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Working at understanding the meaning of scripture does not require an expensive library of study aids. Even a chain reference or study Bible with an atlas and concordance would do--provided we used it diligently to search the scriptures.

Ac 17:11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Are you and I of more noble character for this same reason?

Part III--Application: How do the words affect our lives; how do we use them?

Transforming (Changing, Sanctification)

Deut 6:3 Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.

At this point we begin to make application of the scriptures to our lives. It is through an understanding of the scripture that we take theory into practice.

Note: To this point, the knowledge steps could be taken by anyone, even a secular scholar having no acquaintance with the Holy Spirit at all. Anyone can learn the content and surface meaning of the word. However, to truly apply it to one's life requires the indwelling Holy Spirit. We cannot take surface meaning and derive salvation ourselves. Only the holy Spirit can teach the inner person of the holiness of God, human sin, the need for the saviour, and then give the grace to humbly bow and accept Christ. Moreover, only the holy Spirit can in an ongoing process continue to teach how the meaning of scripture applies to the believer's life. Sanctification means nothing to an unbeliever. One cannot become "more set apart" by the Holy Spirit if one has not in the first place been decreed "set apart" by God by having received his grace of salvation through faith.

Recall from earlier: John5: 39 You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

Ro 2:13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.

1John 1: 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.

1John 2: 4 The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

Note: Sufficient knowledge for salvation is available by the Holy Spirit even to the most simple minded person, even to the one who cannot read, much less study. However, some knowledge of the content of scripture is necessary if we are going to live by its precepts, if it is going to have any affect on our lives. Until we take the Bible seriously, we will not change our ways or be able to please God.

The issue is pretty straightforward. The Bible is our only record of what God has spoken. It is the gold standard against which our actions will be measured--either for judgement if we are unbelievers, or for reward if we are believers. Jesus said in John 12: 48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. It would be a terrible thing in the day of judgement for a person who had gone to church, perhaps all his or her life, heard the word thousands of times, and yet defied it in the heart.

Luke 8: 21 He replied, "My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and put it into practice."

Luke 11: 28 He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

John 14: 23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

Romans 2: 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.

The whole purpose of the Old Testament law, wisdom, and prophetic writings was to teach us that we could never on our own acquire the perfect godly righteousness needed to enter God's heavenly presence, that we would have somehow to be given that righteousness by someone who had earned it and had the authority to ascribe it to others--that works would not suffice to earn salvation, but that God's grace was sufficient to give it anyway for those who trusted in his provision.

All this we learn by scripture, and nowhere else. The Holy Spirit enabling, the words of scripture can change us from creatures of darkness shaking our fists at God in defiance, into creatures of light, ready and equipped to do his will for the sake of his kingdom.

John 20: 30 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Our whole way of thinking can be changed by the scriptures, and therefore our whole way of acting, as Paul says: Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Witnessing

All of life is changed as the scripture is interpreted to our hearts by the indwelling Holy Spirit for the purpose of building in us the character of Christ. As we have seen, this means that our own lives are expected to change so as to more closely model that of Christ. However, it is not enough to change ourselves, and even our own lives. At some point, we need to be following Christ by reaching out to others, by sharing the good news of the gospel that has so transformed us, in order to be like Christ in this as well--that we have a positive effect for the kingdom's sake on others.

Isaiah 43: 10 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. 11 I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no saviour. 12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed--I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "that I am God.

Mark 13: 9 "You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them.

Recall that witness, pointing to Christ, was the sole purpose of John the Baptist's ministry.

John 1: 6  There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

Joh 3:30 He must become greater; I must become less.

So Christ spoke to the disciples just before being taken up into heaven--his last words while on this earth in his resurrection body.

Acts 1:8 "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

It is not enough to change inside, to make a secret bargain with God to give ourselves to him in some theoretical way. Neither is it enough to allow the Holy Spirit to clean up our personal lives so that we do less evil and more good in the name of Christ, even be an example, a pillar of the church. The bargain must be advertised so others will hear the good news as well. Indeed, Paul indicates that this is one of the acid tests of whether a person is a Christian or just pretending.

Romans 10:8 But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Ps 107:22 Let them sacrifice thank-offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy.

Eph 5:19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,

Ps 119:13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.

Ps 40:3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.

Thus, as Paul reminds us later several times, was he commissioned, by the Lord, and through Ananias.

Acts 22: 15 You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.

Thus Peter describes himself.

1Pe 5:1 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow-elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed:

And, thus Christ describes himself in his revelation.

Re 1: 4 John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,

Indeed, the first and foremost way in which Christ is the faithful and true witness of the father is his obedience to the death of the cross, and this word is thoroughly associated with going to one's death for the sake of the gospel--the ultimate witness. The very Greek word martureo comes into English as "martyr", where its primary meaning is to witness to the truth unto death, because that is exactly what so many of Gods' people have been called upon to do down through the centuries.

Re 2:13 I know where you live--where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city--where Satan lives. 

Heb 12:4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

So, there is no such thing as secret Christianity. It is supposed to be open and public--a declaration of the grace and power of God in our lives and an invitation to share in that same power. Either the word of God is lived out in us in public, or it is not in uys at all.

Witness generally falls into two categories.

1. How we speak - our public confession of faith, whether we acknowledge Christ is our saviour and speak forth the gospel to others in words.

Rom 10: 14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

It also involves teaching our children who God is, what he has done, and what is his offer of grace to them.

De 11:19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Ps 34:11 Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

Ps 78:5 He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children,

So our spoken witness, particularly to our children, is important. But it's not the end of this story.

 2. How we act in both private and public is also a part of our witness, in many cases the only gospel some people will see. Again, the word must be more than theory, more than private practice, it must be a consistent public witness, so that people will look at us, see Christ, and be convicted by him or attracted to him as the Holy Spirit determines.

James 1: 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does. 26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Keep in mind that the word "religion" refers to the whatever religious practices flow out of one's beliefs. They are the externals, the works if you will. Yes, they included whatever prayers, offerings, and other rituals god and his priests expected in the ancient world (true of pagan gods as well), but they encompass all duty owed to God in this life, not merely rituals or ceremonies. So note for instance the strong emphasis here in this passage, and in others throughout the Old Testament as well, on the care of God over those who are poor and defenseless. For their sake and the outcry of their oppression, he destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, Samaria, Jerusalem, and whole nations.

Ge 13:13 Now the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD.

Ge 18:20 Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous

Eze 16:49 "'Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.

Isa 61:8 "For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them.

Ezek 9: 8 While they were killing and I was left alone, I fell face down, crying out, "Ah, Sovereign LORD! Are you going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel in this outpouring of your wrath on Jerusalem?" 9 He answered me, "The sin of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great; the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of injustice. They say, 'The LORD has forsaken the land; the LORD does not see.' 10 So I will not look on them with pity or spare them, but I will bring down on their own heads what they have done."

Christ himself made a point of the believer's actions on his behalf when he said:

Matt 25:  31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' 41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' 44 "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' 45 "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

No, works do not produce salvation as Rom 11:  5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.  6 And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace, and as in Eph 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no-one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

However, what the scripture teaches is that a life redeemed will always be a life lived accordingly. It is easy to cower in a comfortable pew and condemn the world for living in sin. It is even easier to uncritically accept the world's ways and go along with that sin, adopting it's music, dress, behaviour, talk, and deeds to be "cool". In either case, we render our lives ineffective. God may as well snatch us up to heaven, because we're of no earthly good to him.

Discipling

In some of the last words Christ would speak to his followers, he gave them a command backed by the majesty and power of the very throne of heaven:

Matt 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Observe how the Apostle John describes himself in

John 21: 24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

Consider some of the Old Testament passages on the subject. The people of Israel were not merely enjoined to read the word to their children, but to teach it to them, that is to bring them into the spiritual covenant, not just into the national one.

Deut 4: 9 Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.

The command to do these things is both individual and collective. Titus and Timothy were instructed to pass along the teaching they had to the entire church.

Titus 2:15  These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.

 1 Tim 4: 11 Command and teach these things. 12 Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.

2Ti 2:2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.

Note how often the word "teach" occurs in the following passage:

Titus 2:1  You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. 2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. 3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no-one will malign the word of God. 6 Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. 7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. 9 Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, 10 and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Saviour attractive.

Moreover, it is an absolute qualification for an elder, that is, a spiritual shepherd in the church, that he be able to teach.

1Ti 3:2 Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

2Ti 2:24 And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.

There is of course this solemn warning about becoming a teacher in the Church:

Jas 3:1 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

The church as a whole was given the same kind of instruction:

Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

A disciple is a learner, a follower, one who sits at the feet of a teacher as an apprentice to the teacher's words, thinking, and life. Learning the scripture from this point of view goes beyond the words to becoming a following of Christ as he lives out those words through us in the power of the Holy Spirit.

The other side of the coin is that a disciple is also a disciple maker. Why? Because Jesus was, and we are to be like him. Because he commanded it. Because the good news we have is too important and too substantial to keep bottled up. Because there comes a point in the maturing life of every follower of Jesus Christ where he or she ought to naturally become a disciple maker. The writer of the book to the Hebrews makes this very  point in a discussion of spiritual maturity:

Heb 5: 11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

What is involved in being (and therefore in making of others) disciples of Christ?

1. Knowing him.

Unless one first trusts in Christ for the salvation he worked at the cross, it is impossible to follow him. Those who say the Christ was a great man and a great teacher and that those teachings can be followed even in part without first knowing him as personal saviour are merely deluding themselves.

2. Learning about and from him

We do indeed need to learn the basic doctrines of the Christian faith to understand more fully who God is, who we were as lost sinners, who we are as redeemed people, and what God has in store for us and for all others he may choose to save.

Ro 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!

Eph 1:18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

3. Following him

Jas 2:18 But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

If we do not begin to do the deeds of Christ, as individuals and as a people, we are not followers of his, no matter how much doctrine we have.

4. Explaining his ways to others in word and deed

And those deeds never involved just sitting in a church pew being entertained by nice, safe music and talk. Those deeds included reaching out to the poor, to sinners, to those far away from the covenants of God, building relationships with them and attracting them to Christ so God could then do the work only he can do, the work of redemption. We can't stress too much that redemption is God's task and not ours, but we cannot forget that he has chosen us as his instruments to work on his behalf, to extend his grace to sinners--both by good works without recompense, and in leading men and women to the truths of the gospel.

It is therefore well worth asking ourselves both as we examine our lives and as we examine this church--what are we doing to disciple people? How effective is it? Are our church services for our own comfort and entertainment? There's nothing in the Church's commission about that. OTOH, how does each thing the church does fulfill the command to make disciples--both of those who are already believers, and of those who are not yet, for neither task can be ignored if we hope to claim we are acting in obedience.

Summary

Is the gospel told forth from the pulpit? Well and good. But who is there to hear it? Have unbelievers come to see what it is we have that we do the works of Christ with such grace?

Do we have fellowship with one another and encourage one another and love one another? Well and good. Do we do it in such a way that the unbelievers among our friends and neighbours know about it, witness it, and want what we have for themselves?

Are the people of this church growing in their knowledge of Christ, becoming better and closer followers of him, becoming teachers of others?

Do we evaluate periodically what we do as individuals and what the church does collectively for its value and effectiveness as fulfilling the command of Christ to make disciples?

Scrutinizing or Examining (Deep Study)

For those who are becoming mature in the faith, it is time to go beyond the milk of basic doctrine and dig deeper.

On the one hand, we understand that it is the Lord through his word who searches our hearts. Ps 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

But like so many other issues, this has another side, that of our responsibility to search the word so that it might search us.

Lam 3: 40 Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.

The idea is to get into the word in such a way and at such depth that we use it constantly to measure ourselves against its standards and correct our lives to the standard it lays out, all under the aegis of God's Holy Spirit.

Acts 17 : 11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

1Cor 11: 28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.

2Cor 13: 5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realise that Christ Jesus is in you-- unless, of course, you fail the test? 6 And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test.

Eccl 12:  9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. 10 The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.

1Peter 1: 10  Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. 13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Diligent scrutiny of the scriptures has the three aspects that are the corresponding steps in Bloom's taxonomy -- analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

(i) analysis

Much of Scripture, the basic doctrine and history, and in particular the life and teaching of Christ, is not difficult to understand. Even a child can learn what sin is, what holiness is, and the need to atone for sin to approach God, and therefore the meaning of the cross, grace, salvation, redemption, even catch a glimmer of heaven. It must be so, that even the simplest person can accept Christ and have his salvation applied to him or her by the action of the Holy Spirit.

But there are aspects of Scripture that take more work to understand.

Example 1: The Song of Solomon is on the face of it a love poem written by a king for one of his wives. However, like other poetry, it has deeper allegorical meanings that speak of the relationship between the High King of Heaven and his bride, that is, his redeemed people. So the Israelites saw this book--a poetic allegory of the marriage between God and Israel. So we ought to see it too, as a picture of Christ and His Church.

Example 2: Although the Mosaic law tells us that blood sacrifices were necessary to atone for sin, there is a sense of incompleteness when we read these passages. The sacrifices were never enough, for they had to be repeated day in and day out. But the New Testament makes it clear that all this pointed forward to Christ, who became both priest and sacrifice to deal with sin permanently.

Heb 10:12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.

Example 3:  Consider the parables of Christ. Some of them are explained, some are not. However, by looking at other parallel passages, and considering what the scripture teaches on similar topics in other places, we can begin to understand them.

Example 4: There are many pictures of Christ in the Old Testament besides the sacrifices. Some, like Christ as the rock are fairly easy to ferret out. Others take more work. For instance, consider Jacob:

Ge 28:12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

What is the purpose of this, and who is this angel who ascends into heaven? We get a clue from:

Jud 13:20 As the flame blazed up from the altar towards heaven, the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame. Seeing this, Manoah and his wife fell with their faces to the ground.

Why is this a clue? Because we deduce from the worship given this "angel" (messenger) in several places that this is a manifestation of God himself, and from the fact that Jesus is the only embodiment of God in the flesh that these appearances of "the angel of the Lord" are manifestations of the Son, that is, of Jesus the Christ, in a bodily form that previews his taking on human flesh for good and all.

But there is even more, because Christ refers to this incident when he says:

Joh 1:51 He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

What is he saying? That he personally is the ladder, the way from earth to heaven. This is word picture form for his more explicit statement on another occasion:

Joh 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.

This was even recognized (though not from the heart) by his opponents:

Mr 12:14 They came to him and said, "Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?

That is, he embodies the answer to the prayer found in

Ps 86:11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

Ps 119:30 I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws.

Making all these connections (and there are many more) requires some depth of analysis. We need to cooperate with the Holy Spirit who would teach us the deeper truths of Scripture if we are willing to learn them.

(ii) synthesis

There are doctrines that are not explicitly taught in so many words, but that are implicit in the whole body of Scriptural teaching. For instance, the word "Trinity" is not specifically mentioned anywhere in the word. We are told:  Genesis 1:1  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and of the God who created, and who later declared himself to be LORD of Israel the scripture says: Deut 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. However, the Holy Spirit of God is mentioned numerous times, even having creation and renewal of the earth ascribed to him in Psalm 104: 30 When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth. Then Jesus claims that he is both "Son of God" and "Son of man", and the New Testament teaches us quite thoroughly that he is God.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

The writer to the Hebrews goes on at some length to make this point:

Heb 1: 3 The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father"? Or again, "I will be his Father, and he will be my Son"? 6 And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him." 7 In speaking of the angels he says, "He makes his angels winds, his servants flames of fire." 8 But about the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the sceptre of your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy." 10 He also says, "In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.

Thus we end up with three personalities or three manifestations of God who is one--namely the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. But this doctrine must be derived or synthesized from the whole teaching of the Scriptures, it is not simply lying around on the surface.

Moreover, there are many modern issues on which the Scriptures are silent, because the matter had not directly arisen for the human writers to pass along to us the thinking of God on the matter. That is, the Scriptures are not an exhaustive encyclopedia of what to do in every situation. This is as one would expect. Many of the issues of right and wrong, even in the lengthy lists given in the law, or in Paul's writings, are only examples. To apply the Scriptures to daily life today, we need to seek out the principles underlying those examples, and then synthesize an answer that suits a new situation.

Example 1: Pornography is nowhere mentioned in the Scriptures. However, sexual purity in thought and deed are:

Mt 5:28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

We can conclude from this that to look at an image with lust in one's heart and mind is sinful, so pornography is wrong on that count alone. It is also wrong on the count that some person was degraded and turned into an object for lust by the making of the image. Thus even though this is not specifically mentioned, we can deduce that it is wrong.

Example 2: Smoking tobacco, marijuana and opium, or the use of other mind-altering and addictive substances is not specifically mentioned in the scriptures. However, sorcery is, and the Greek word for sorcery is one we get "pharmaceuticals" from. Sorcery was practiced with various types of mind-altering drugs, so by association, the use of the drugs themselves is questionable. But when we realize that such drugs are addictive, and we match this up with Ro 6:14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace, we realize that allowing some substance to have mastery over our desires is wrong.

Some people say that the argument on eating and drinking (specifically wrt food sacrificed to idols) found in 1 Corinthians 10 means that we can use as food anything we wish. If God has made it, then it is ours to use and give thanks for it. However, the conclusion of this is: 1Co 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. It makes sense therefore to ask how one can possibly give glory to God by smoking or injecting a mind-altering health-damaging and addictive substance. Is your answer "it is not possible"? Then, don't do it, for that reason alone.

Example 3: Acting "cool" or "sophisticated" in our talk and dress is not specifically mentioned either, but seeking after the world and its values is. These two words, and the argument "everybody's doing it" are just modern terms for "worldiness" the old sin of compromising witness for the sake of accommodating to Satan's kingdom.

Joh 12:25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Joh 12:31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.

Ro 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

1Jo 5:4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

Example 4: The actions, dress, and entertainments of this world are not among the things that bring glory to God. I am not saying that we need a new set of Church laws that say "do not go to dances" or "do not wear jewellery" or "do not go to movies" or "do not drink alcohol" or "do not use makeup". But I am suggesting that by the test of what glorifies God and extends his kingdom, we ought not to be either attracted to such things or to have time for them because we are too busy being about the business of our Father. Moreover, in the specific case of alcohol, although the Scriptures do not forbid its use, we ought to recognize it as the major social problem of our time. Surely there ought to be a higher standard for Christians than the activities and entertainments of this world.

By the way, while we're on the subject, gambling is also not mentioned in the Bible. Yet it constitutes the second worst social problem of our day. Why? Because it, like the use of alcohol and other poisonous substances, is highly addictive. Men and women gamble away the money for food, clothing, and shelter, often ending up in slavery not only to that addiction, but also to underworld elements. What principles to we need to apply here? (i) with respect to gambling, is not the first issue where we put our trust?

Psalm 23:1  A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

Ps 9:10 Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

Ps 31:6 I hate those who cling to worthless idols; I trust in the LORD.

Pr 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

Nahum 1:7 The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him,

John 14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.

Ro 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

(ii) and, with respect to addictions of all kind, is not the issue idolatry? Who is our master? The LORD? Or, our addiction?

Ro 6:14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

Make no mistake. What does not glorify God is sin, and there can be no question that gambling does not glorify God.

(iii) More generally still the principle of avoiding what is worldly, that is, what is not part of God's kingdom nor according to his principles is clear:

NIV 1Th 5:22 Avoid every kind of evil.

KJV 1Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Literally: Avoid every form of evil. or even Avoid every place where evil is (or, manifests).

It is not legalism to say that there are many things a Christian ought not do. Rather, it is common sense. It is only the wicked and rebellious who constantly ask "what's wrong with...." We ought always rather be asking "What's right with..." in the sense of "How can this action or activity honour and praise God, edify his people, and extend his kingdom?" Why would a Christian take the precious time to do those things that cannot possibly support a witness of the truth?

Ro 14:19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

1Co 14:12 So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.

That last comment, by the way, was in the context of exercising gifts in the church, where Paul is trying to encourage more positive behaviour than speaking in tongues in public worship. If the principle applies even there, how much more does it apply to activities that would compromise our witness altogether?

Example 5: Neither is abortion mentioned. However, the importance of human life is: Ge 9:5 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. We also learn that God cares for us even before we are born: Ps 139:13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. It is a reasonable conclusion that the Lord who cares about the helpless, the widow, the orphan, and the poor, and who is prepared to destroy whole cities because of injustice toward them,. and who is known to care for the child in the womb, feels the same way about the injustice of abortion.

Example 6: The New Testament is one of grace, not of law, and this leads us to realize that the legal code applied to Israel does not apply to the Church. For instance, the sacrificial laws no longer apply because Christ has fulfilled them.

Ac 3:18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer.

Similarly, the national laws of Israel, those that set aside a people and made them different no longer apply, for God chooses his people in our time in a different way:

Jer 31:33 "This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

Ga 6:15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation.

Php 3:3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh--

It is reasonable to include in this category the laws about the sabbath as well:

Mr 2:27 Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Col 2:16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.

However, there is a principle of a day of rest expressed in that passage from Mark, and it would be well not to ignore the principle. No, we do not have a legal obligation from God to keep the Sabbath. If we did, it would have to be Saturday. But, we are behooved to observe the principle of a day of rest. It would be unjust to force people to work seven days a week for a living, for instance, and it would be unhealthy for us to do so ourselves.

One more principle that was laid down in legal form was that of the tithe.

De 26:12 When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied.

Le 27:30 "'A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD.

The tithe is not mentioned as such in the New Testament, and this is not surprising, because it was a legal obligation. Besides, God does not really want just a tenth of a man or woman. He wants us to acknowledge that it all, we all, belong to him. How does this principle play out today? What can we derive from the Bible about giving in our time, and in the church context?

1 Corinthians 16:1  Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.

Ro 12:8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

2Co 8:2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.

2Co 9:5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.

2Co 9:6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

2Co 9:11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

2Co 9:13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.

1Ti 6:18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.

What are the principles? (i) generosity (ii) obeying God (iii) honouring God (iv) helping others. These are not legal obligations, but moral ones. They continue. Should we tithe? Well, the tenth was a command in the Old Covenant. It ought to be a minimum guideline for generosity in the New.

These are only a few examples of how, from the principles laid down in the word, and with the Holy Spirit in our hearts interpreting the word to us in our day, we can apply what God has said to situations where he has not spoken explicitly. We should not need law any more to tell us what is right, for the Holy Spirit informs our consciences, so we don't need a list of "wrongs" to avoid, only guidance to do what is right. But the pull of the world and its ways is strong....

 (iii) evaluation

Finally, for this section on deep study or scrutinizing, we come to evaluation. This involves sifting the true from the false in what we see, hear, and are taught.

There are many people around who purport to be teachers of the scriptures. However, many of these are false teachers, seeking a following not for the Lord, but for themselves. The more closely Satan can disguise a lie as the truth, the better his deception, and the more successfully he can keep people from coming to know the truth in Christ.

1Ti 1:3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer

1Ti 6:3 If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching,

2Pe 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves.

So, how do we determine what is true and what is false? As we have been saying all along--in the New Covenant, the believer has the Holy Spirit to instruct his or her heart on what is right. 

1 Cor 2: 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no-one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: 16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

Paul puts his hopes for the Church this way:

Phil 1:9  And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God.

It appears that God reserves an especially strong judgement for those who teach falsely:

Mr 9:42 "And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck.

Even for those who would teach truly there is a warning:

Jas 3:1 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

Some things are basic, and easy to spot in false teaching:

- lies about the deity of Christ

- lies about the manhood of Christ

- lies about the sinless nature of Christ

- lies about the inerrancy and reliability of the Scriptures

- constant pleas for money (how to shear the sheep)

- the preacher who wants power and control over the flock

Other things may be variations of these, or may be more subtle. There is only one truth because there is only one God. But there is no end to the number of false teachings, false doctrines, and other lies. Satan is the father of lies, and has been at the job of false religion for a long time. Human beings, in their sinful imaginations, can be highly creative when it comes to making up false Gods, false teachings about the true God, and excuses to do what they please despite the clear teachings of scripture.

There's no point in trying to become acquainted with all possible false doctrines. If we want to be sure to recognize them when we see them, rather we need to know the truth. If we've never seen and handled a genuine $50 bill, we are ill-equipped to recognize a counterfeit. Likewise, if we are saturated in the word of God, and if we give free rein to his Holy Spirit as he roots out sin in our lives and leads us into a deeper understanding of the truth, we will have little difficulty discerning Satan's lies when they come our way. However, if we don't know the word, and we quench the promptings of the Holy Spirit, we are easy prey to be led astray into false doctrines.

This is what the third leg of this deep study point is all about--evaluating what we hear against the scripture we have studied so that we can immediately spot what is false.

Example 1:

Now let us consider an example of an incorrect synthesis that fits in with some previous comments. Some people say that modern social dancing is approved of by the scripture, citing numerous instances of dancing in the Old Testament, such as:

2 Samuel 6: 14 David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, 15 while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets. 16 As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart.

Ps 149:3 Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp.

Ps 150:4 praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute,

Ec 3:4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

There are a total of 27 verses in the Scriptures that mention dancing. Of these, eighteen have to do with celebration or homecoming, two have to do with idol worship, and seven with worship of the Lord. Besides those involving worship of God, here are samples of the others:

Jud 11:34 When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of tambourines! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter.

Jud 21:21 and watch. When the girls of Shiloh come out to join in the dancing, then rush from the vineyards and each of you seize a wife from the girls of Shiloh and go to the land of Benjamin.

1Sa 18:7 As they danced, they sang: "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands."

Mr 6:22 When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, "Ask me for anything you want, and I'll give it to you."

1Ki 18:26 So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. "O Baal, answer us!" they shouted. But there was no response; no-one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.

Social dancing as a romantic or sexual ritual between male and female partners was apparently unknown in Bible times and is not mentioned at all. Modern social dance originates in (i) folk dancing, which was done as a form of religious and cultural entertainment, then as display for an audience, and only later became participatory,  and (ii) European ballroom dancing, first undertaken in the royal courts of Europe in relatively modern times.

Thus, the modern social dance, though not directly condemned by the Scripture, is not supported by it either. Moreover, there is no indication that the Lord specifically approved of dance in his own worship, even though David did use it. No such activity can be found in the Law respecting the tabernacle or the priestly activities.

Is social dancing therefore a suitable activity for Christians? I would suggest not on the following grounds:

- it is a sexual ritual, and in many cases portrays sexual intercourse or other sexual acts

- dancing is closely associated today with the sale of drugs

- it is an entertainment of the world, with no Biblical or worship associations whatsoever

- the acid test fails, for no case can be made that it glorifies God and advances his kingdom

Lacking and obvious case that it glorifies God, and given its origins and its associations with wickedness and worldliness, it is hard to see suggesting it as a suitable activity for Christians, and fairly apparent that it is best avoided. At the very least we see that there is incorrect synthesis, just as there is correct synthesis. The argument that social dancing is approved of in the scriptures is simply false, and that I suppose is the main point. Oh, and we ought not to think much of the argument "everyone's doing it".

Example 2:

When you read modern historical novels, you often find such modern themes as social justice, feminism, and liberal democracy. That is, the fictional characters of three or four hundred years ago are supposed to have modern values, which are then used to struggle against the values seen to be prevalent in that day. This is of course almost pure nonsense.  They were the product of their society as we are, and would not have thought such things. The idea of the liberal democracy was unheard of in the seventeenth century, and there were no feminists.

In like manner, modern hermeneutics (that is, methods of scriptural interpretation) often read modern social values back in to the scriptures, hoping to detect support there for what people believe about social and political values today. Rather than doing exegesis (reading truth out of the scripture) they are doing eisegesis (reading their own ideas into it). This is done on a number of fronts.

(a) One of the more obvious is homosexuality. Now it is clear that the scriptures condemn it.

Romans 1: 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is for ever praised. Amen. 26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

1Cor 6: 9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Moderns argue that these statements are culturally conditioned by homophobia and should not be taken as universally applicable for that reason, that "love" trumps all, and that if a man loves a man or a woman loves a woman, it is no business of ours and we ought to celebrate modern cultural diversity.

However, there is no mandate anywhere in scripture to interpret moral duties or moral commands in a cultural context, that is, saying they apply to some cultures and not to others. Moral rights and wrongs are rooted in the character of God, and are not negotiable. The national laws of Israel, and everything related to the Levitical sacrifices and the priesthood were fulfilled and made moot by Christ, but what God says he will not permit, hates, or whose practitioners he will bar from heaven is all timeless.

Mind you, the demands of the moral law (do these things and you shall live) in the sense of a legal obligation, are also cancelled in Christ for a new regime. The moral law is in the hearts of those who are in Christ, however, and their practice is a sure way to determine who belongs to Christ (and will enter heaven) and who still belongs to Satan (and is therefore confirmed as a member of his kingdom in hell forever).

(b) A more contentious example of eisegesis has to do with the role of women in the church. Here are some general passages on women in the church:

1Cor 14: 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the congregations of the saints, 34  women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. 35 If they want to enquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.

1Tim 2: 9  I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. 11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 

1Cor 11: 3 Now I want you to realise that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonours his head. 5 And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head--it is just as though her head were shaved. 6 If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head. 7 A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. 8 For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; 9 neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. 10 For this reason, and because of the angels, the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head. 11 In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 12 For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God. 13 Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, 15 but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. 16 If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice--nor do the churches of God.

Well those who want to read today's values back into Paul say that he hated women, that these passages are his own culturally conditioned opinion, not the word of God, and in light of other passages like Ga 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. we can safely ignore every passage that treats women differently from men.

However, such an argument based on this verse is erroneous, for this passage applies to our standing in Christ being equal, and has nothing to do with roles in the family and/or in the church. To be fair, the "head covering" is not a hat, but a veil covering the entire head. So, if one is determined to follow this, it's uncertain that a hat would suffice. However, that is a separate discussion. But  I would suggest that the passage ought not to be brushed aside, but that discussion of it should centre around how to comply with the command to be symbolically and actually under the appropriate authority.

Also note that the argument given is NOT cultural, but historical (woman created for man), symbolic (authority), and theological "because of the angels". We should also note that the assumption of the passage is that women would have a head covering when they were praying, and the context is public worship, so an argument could be made that women are not to keep entirely silent, but that they may pray in public. However, it does not say that they may pray aloud, so this excuse to explain the passage away also fails. On can pray silently, adding an "amen" toward God to the prayers that are offered aloud.

Yet another relevant passage is:

Eph 5: 22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Saviour.  24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Now, those who would make this passage lose its importance will point out that it is preceeded by:

Eph 5:  21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

and that it is followed by

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her

They will then say that the general context is mutual submission and therefore there is no particular mandate for wives to submit to their husbands--that husbands ought to submit to their wives in equal measure. This argument is false because the general context is actually godly living, that is to say, witness.

Eph 5: 1  Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 15 Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

The overall passage offers examples of how not to live as ungodly and how to live as to be godly. Avoiding certain behaviours, general mutual submission, specific submission of wives to husbands, the church to Christ, children to parents, slaves to masters, and God's people to his will are parallel examples of how to live Godly lives. The discussion goes on to encourage us:

Eph 6: 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Likewise, the parallel passage in

Col 3:18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

has the immediate context (previous verse)

17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

and is therefore also about how to live so as to glorify God.

Moreover, in discussing church leadership, Paul says:

1Ti 3:1 Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,  3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap.

No provision is made here for women elders because the elder must be "husband of one wife". The assumption is obviously that elders are always men. Can this simply be changed? No. Why not? Because the scriptures are all "God-breathed" and are not open to private (re)interpretation. Likewise the passage goes on to say:

1Tim 3: 8 Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. 11 In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything. 12 A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. 13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

Now, would-be revisers who don't like what they see here will correctly point out that the word "wives" is an interpretation, for the original merely says "the women are to be worthy of respect". Such people translate "deaconesses" here, citing Ro 16:1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea. where the word "servant" is the feminine form of a word translated elsewhere as "deacon". The problem with this argument is two-fold: (i) The part about women is followed with "husband of but one wife", neatly bracketing the mention of women with a second assumption that a deacon also must be a man. (ii) there is a difference between a servant of the church in general, and a person holding the office of deacon in the church. Phoebe is called a servant of the church, but there is no indication that she or any other woman was ever given the office of deacon. Thus, while the case is pretty solid for an interpretation that deacons must also be men.

Comment: the Church should always err on the side of caution and of higher standards for church leadership than for church membership. It is not a good idea to appoint an elder or a deacon who has a divorce in his background, or who smokes, drinks alcohol, or spends much time in worldly pursuits.

Conclusion: The scriptures are either the word of God or the word of man. If they are the word of man, they are mere human opinion, they are fallible, and subject to reinterpretation and even rewriting according to the cultures and the times. However, in that case, the issue of sin and the necessity of salvation are open to the same reinterpretation, for there is no way to know what parts are prescriptive and what are cultural. Indeed, in that case, all of it is fallible and malleable. On the other hand, if the scriptures are the word of God, then woe to anyone who changes them, replacing what the Lord Almighty has said for the words of mere man. What the scriptures say about themselves is:

2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

2Pe 1:20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation.

So the issue comes down to not which parts of the scripture are reliable and applicable, whether we like what they say or not, and whether they "fit" the modern culture or not, but to whether we are prepared to accept and follow God's word or not. Arguing that the scriptures are subject to cultural reinterpretation is used by some to appoint women as pastors, contrary to Paul's instructions, because, so it is said, those instructions were never meant to apply to our enlightened times. However, the identical argument can be used to justify homosexual marriage, and with that, you have made moral wrong into right, and you may as well walk away from the Bible altogether, because it is now meaningless. But that's where you end up once you start explaining away the scriptures as a human product, culturally irrelevant, and able to be discarded.

(c) A third example of incorrect hermeneutics is the common interpretation of

Ro 2:1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

Ro 14:10 You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat.

Mt 7:1 Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way as you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Lu 6:37 Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

People will say of this that we cannot say that some action or another is sinful, that we should mind our own business for we have no right to comment on what anyone else is doing because that would be "judging". However, this interpretation has big problems. (i) The first passage in Romans is addressed to the Jews, who were judging other nations, even while harbouring sin in themselves, and the point of the argument is not to tell people not to discern sin, but to persuade his readers that they are indeed all sinneers. The second one defines the kind of judging in view as "looking down on", not as discerning sin. (ii) The Luke passage explains that judging is condemning. This ought to inform us that the kind of judging in view, is the kind that says of this person or that "you are eternally lost". Why can we not say that? Because we are usurping a prerogative that belongs exclusively to Christ. Only he can say whether a person who sins is a Christian who is breaking fellowship with God or an unbeliever who has never known God, for only he knows our hearts. Indeed, if we see one who claims to be a Christian sinning, we cannot tell if that person is backslidden or never saved. How will we ultimately know? By whether the person repents. When will we find that out? In glory, and not before. Thus, when we pronounce eternal judgments, we are setting ourselves up as God, and that is something the Lord will never tolerate. (iii) Moreover, when we examine another passage on the subject:

Lu 6:41 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

We note that the passage does NOT tell us to refrain from pointing out sin in a brother's life. It merely says that we ought to examine ourselves before doing so. That is, when we do this it had better not be self-righteously, as though we would never do such a thing, but with the attitude "there but for the grace of God go I".

There are plenty of passages that do tell the church to deal with sin:

1Tim 5: 19 Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. 20 Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning. 21 I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favouritism. 22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. 24 The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them.

Observe that the passage does not forbid accusations of (presumably sin or misconduct) even against elders. Rather it regulates how they are to be handled. It also asserts that at least some sin is obvious, which implies that it should be taken note of and dealt with.

1Jo 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

1Jo 2:1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defence--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

1Co 5: 12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you."

Matt 18: 15  "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

Here is another passage that tells the church it must "judge".

1 Cor 6:1  If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? 2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4 Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church! 5 I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? 6 But instead, one brother goes to law against another--and this in front of unbelievers! 7 The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers.

Note that in this passage, it is not so much sin that is in view, but disputes. However, in making the point that the believers are qualified to judge disputes and must not take them to unbelievers, Paul informs us that we will judge the world and angels!

By the way, what kinds of things ought the Church to exercise discipline to the point of excommunication? Well, besides rank immorality, which is the issue in the 1Cor 5 passage noted above, one other sin is regarded as sufficient risk to the Church to require the same treatment:

Tit 3:10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him.

So, immorality and divisiveness are considered sufficient threat to the church that it is required to take action--discerning the sin and then if there is no repentance, expelling the person. I would place the Matt 18:15 passage in essentially this category, for the one who refuses to accept the judgement of the church about a dispute is certainly engaging in divisive behaviour. The point though, is that in certain extreme cases where a person is openly and flagrantly flouting the commands of God, indeed is behaving like an unbeliever and refuses to repent, they are to be judged by the Church and expelled from among them.

Here's yet another matter Paul raises:

Col 2:16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.

What is the context here? It is a discourse on the law, and a critique of those who would require Christians to follow the law. He is telling the believers that they are not to accept the judgments of those who would force them into compliance with the law. Why not? Because they would then be robbing the gospel of its power--for it fulfilled the law.

Consider also the passage in:

1Cor 8:1  Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But the man who loves God is known by God. 4  So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. 7  But not everyone knows this. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. 8 But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. 9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling-block to the weak. 10 For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol's temple, won't he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? 11 So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.

Some will say that a passage like this can be applied to alcohol consumption--that on the one hand the one who refrains from drinking should not condemn the one who does, and that on the other, the one who refrains is weaker for having refrained. The more tolerant believer perhaps should avoid drinking around the weaker one, but the weaker one ought to become educated and stronger.

However, that's not what the passage is about. It is instead about avoiding the appearance of wrongdoing lest you create a stumbling block for those who don't understand that the actions are not necessarily in and of themselves sinful. Indeed, taking a drink of alcohol isn't necessarily in and of itself sinful. But given how common alcohol addiction is and the social problems it causes, it IS best avoided. It is an occasion for sin and it IS a potential stumbling block both for yourself and for others. Romans 14: 13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling-block or obstacle in your brother's way.

And following up on this thought for a moment, with respect to those who might be watching us, see us engage in risky activity while justifying it by "liberty" and themselves be led into sin, we also have the words of Christ:

Mt 18:6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

All this is by way of suggesting that we do indeed to be more scrupulous with ourselves and our own behaviour, not instead of pointing out sin in others, but as a prerequisite to doing so. Sin does not judge sin, but righteousness does. That is why only Christ can make the final judgement.

Now, some, on the other hand, will say that some sin is unforgivable. They might cite:

1Jo 5:16 If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that.

Mt 12:32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

Mr 3:29 & Luke 12:10 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.

These are dire words indeed, and many have laboured to support claims that this sin or that is the unforgiveable one. But this isn't a hard issue when we remember that the role of the Holy Spirit is to point people to Christ, to lead them to salvation. One who sins against the Holy Spirit is therefore merely one who rejects Christ throughout their life and hence goes into eternity without Christ, which is the only sin that cannot be forgiven, for if we refuse Christ's salvation there is indeed no other entry into heaven.

We therefore conclude that the Church and its people individually are called on to discern sin in themselves and others, and that they may not keep silent about it. Indeed, if we do keep silent when someone sins, we are held responsible.

Ezek 3:17 "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 18 When I say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 19 But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself. 20 "Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling-block before him, he will die. Since you did not warn him, he will die for his sin. The righteous things he did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 21 But if you do warn the righteous man not to sin and he does not sin, he will surely live because he took warning, and you will have saved yourself."

There are by the way 782 verses in the Bible that mention sin. If there were no need to discern what is sin and what is not, there wouldn't be much point to any of them.

These are a few examples of incorrect evaluation--here, not so much false doctrines that might lead one away from salvation, but of incorrect interpretations of the scriptures, in these cases because we want to be accommodating to the culture and people or religions of our time and not tell them they are wrong.

Meditating

This is an activity that isn't mentioned in secular taxonomies for learning, but is particularly important when it comes to the scriptures.

To date we have been concerned with what the word says, what it means in the context in which it was first written, and how it applies to our daily living in the here and now. All this is important; indeed it is critical if we are to know what God has said, how to become one of his, and how to live as though we are one of his.

All this is, if you categorize things this way, "left brain activity". There seems to be more available to us than this.

Jos 1:8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

These passages seem to indicate that God offers more to us, indeed expects more of us than a technical understanding of his word, more than practical application unto changed lives, more than deep knowledge and understanding of his word and ways. He wants his word thoroughly integrated in our souls, such a deeply rooted part of us that we eat, drink, live, and breathe his word.

The reasoning may be that since it will be that way in heaven, why not get a head start here on earth?

What is meditation? It is deep, uninterrupted, prayerful contemplation of

- God himself and his attributes

his splendour and majesty, his all-knowing, all-seeing, omnipresent nature, his perfect justice and his perfect mercy, all this manifest as we regard

- his creation

Psalm 8: 3  When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? 5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honour. 6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: 7 all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, 8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. 9 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

See how the consideration of a manifestation of his glory in his created works leads to an appreciation of the greatness and glory of God's name.

- the wonders of his other deeds

De 8:2 Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.

Job 37:14 “Listen to this, Job; stop and consider God's wonders.

1Ch 16:12 Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,

Job 36:24 Remember to extol his work, which men have praised in song.

Ps 64:9 All mankind will fear; they will proclaim the works of God and ponder what he has done.

Ps 77:12 I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.

Ps 143:5 I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.

Ps 145:5 They will speak of the glorious splendour of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

De 32:7 Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you.

The people of Israel were constantly being exhorted to recall what God had done on their behalf so that they would be prompted to love and serve him.

De 7:18 But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt.

De 16:3 Do not eat it with bread made with yeast, but for seven days eat unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, because you left Egypt in haste--so that all the days of your life you may remember the time of your departure from Egypt.

Jos 1:13 “Remember the command that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: 'The LORD your God is giving you rest and has granted you this land.'

We too are given ways of remembering the Lord's works on our behalf.

Lu 22:19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

The idea is that the ritual, like that of Passover, is intended to bring us to meditate on the salvation God has already worked for us, and to therefore light the flame of certain hope that we shall yet be save from the presence of sin and brought into his heaven to be with him forever. This is the lesson the Israelites were supposed to remember and did not.

2Co 3:18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

The word "reflect" is elsewhere translated "contemplate". The idea is that beholding, contemplating, meditating on the glory of God in the here and now, gradually prepares and transforms us into citizens of heaven, where that is our full time occupation.

- his righteousness as expressed in his statutes, laws, and decrees

Ps 119:15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.

Ps 119:23 Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees.

Ps 119:27 Let me understand the teaching of your precepts; then I will meditate on your wonders.

Ps 119:48 I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees.

Ps 119:52 I remember your ancient laws, O LORD, and I find comfort in them.

Ps 119:78 May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause; but I will meditate on your precepts.

Ps 119:95 The wicked are waiting to destroy me, but I will ponder your statutes.

Ps 119:97 Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.

Ps 119:99 I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes.

Ps 119:128 and because I consider all your precepts right, I hate every wrong path.

Nu 15:40 Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God.

- his word, in more general terms

Da 10:11 He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling.

One of the lessons we quickly learn from the word is that much of it is written in parables and in pictures, from which his people are expected and empowered by the Holy Spirit, top draw meanings and applications. This requires more than knowledge.

 - practical applications of same, including the obtaining of wisdom

Pr 6:6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!

Ec 2:12 Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom, and also madness and folly. What more can the king's successor do than what has already been done?

Given that God took much trouble to express his righteousness in the law (I speak of its moral aspects, not its ceremonial and national ones), we need to pay attention to our actions in the practical day-to-day sphere so that the intent of that law--to set apart for himself a people zealous to do good works--is fulfilled in us. Gd wanpts to have his character manifest in the world through a holy people. The purpose of following his moral dictates is not therefore to gain salvation, but to reflect God to the world so he may gain glory by the results of his actions in our lives.

- specifically the promises in his word

Ps 119:148 My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.

What about God's promises? one lesson that we need to learn from our meditation is that he keeps them. When he made a covenant with Abraham, he kept it down through the generations, even when his people disobeyed him and he had to judge and punish them. He kept his promise to send the Messiah, who in turn kept his promise to die for our sins and rise again from the dead to show he had conquered death forever. This same Christ promises to come again and take his people to be with him. Do we believe that promise? Do we live in the assured hope of it being fulfilled?

- his judgements

Ec 7:13 Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked?

Jer 2:19 Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realise how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the LORD your God and have no awe of me,” declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.

Mr 4:24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you--and even more.

Re 3:3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.

Again, do we really understand from our meditating on the word that God will keep his promise to judge unrighteousness? Do we act in daily life as though we did believe it?

- his love

Ps 48:9 Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.

Ps 107:43 Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the LORD.

John 17: 24  “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

1Jo 3:1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

- his salvation

1Sam 12: 24 But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider (or, meditate on) what great things he has done for you.

Re 19:1 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,

The scriptures even contain prayers to God asking that these meditations themselves be found pleasing and acceptable to him.

Ps 19:14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

What is the challenge that a study like this one brings? To make reality out of the theory of studying the word (a taxonomy), to not only understand its words and meanings, to not only correctly interpret it (hermeneutics), but also to apply it in everyday life, and then to go on to a higher level by medidatively saturating ourselves in it until it becomes part of our very beings.

We need to

- repent of ignorance of what the word says,

- repent of a refusal to work at understanding its meaning,

- repent of failing to live according to what we know it says by (i) coming to Christ  (ii) living in Him as a people visibly set apart to do his will,

- turn to serious study of the word and its applications in our lives,

- meditate on his word both day and night.

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